Memorial Note

I’m with musicians, who are the greatest people the world— the greatest people…they have this unbelievable thing they don’t talk about. They just do it. It’s a thing that brings all different kinds of people together. And now, without saying anything, they’re really together, making this music. It’s a magical thing!

—David Lynch in Lynch on Lynch, published 2005.

Musicians are a natural community— we practice our rituals, count our years together, welcome newcomers, revere our elders. And we honor our dead.

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Organized by Spike Wilner, the memorial service for drummer Anthony Pinciotti was held on Monday, Jan 27th, at St. Peter’s, “the first church of jazz”, a home for the music since 1965. With just a few days notice, hundreds of us packed the Midtown sanctuary to remember a departed colleague and friend. We made such a strong showing— everyone was there. (If I start naming the attendees, I’ll surely forget someone important.)

We came together in sadness, loss, and celebration of all that Anthony accomplished. Looking at our assembled community, I saw Mr. Pinciotti’s life as an unmitigated triumph. This is what Anthony did, this is who we are, this is what the music is. Joyous to be together, united in feeling and perspective.

There was music: a solo Tyler Mitchell, duos from Dezron Douglas and Joe Farnsworth, Sol Rubin and Peter Bernstein, Joel Frahm and Omer Avital, Jon Davis and Ugonna Okegwo, and a trio of Anat Cohen, Spike Wilner, and Paul Gill. Each was beautiful, filled with loss, sadness, hope, and down-to-earth commonsense. There were memories and stories and words— from Joel Frahm, Sam Yahel, Anat Cohen, and Stacy Kent, heartfelt and illuminating, bringing Anthony to life.

Halfway through, Anthony’s father, Tony Pinciotti Sr, took the podium— warm and candid, he spoke of Anthony as an infant, toddler, child, and young man, besotted with the drums, with jazz, with his newfound community. Few eyes were dry as Tony Sr. bravely said goodbye to his son.

The final band was one of Anthony’s special projects, called “Jukebox”, featuring Bennett Paster, Gary Wang, Carolyn Leonhart, Teddy Kumpel, with the great Tony Mason on drums stepping in for Anthony. The idea was to play all the radio tunes they knew as kids, perfectly closing the ceremony with Marvin Hamlisch’s “Nobody Does It Better”. Apt and moving— nobody did it better than Anthony.

With the song echoing around the room, I left my seat, entered the sea of friendly faces, and felt how truly sacred this thing is.

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David Lynch said it— musicians are the greatest people. We are strong, we are vital. As our industry suffers, the hunger for music, truth, and meaning grows deeper and wider. We are needed now more than ever.

If, god willing, you have your health, aging brings about a better life. That’s definitely been my experience! Whatever I’ve lost is doubly made up for in appreciation and understanding. Fill your life with something worth doing for a long time, and embrace time’s inevitability. Anthony Pinciotti did, musicians and music lovers do. Respect and gratitude.