Glenn Gould’s childhood home in Toronto’s Upper Beaches @ 32 Southwood Drive

After all these years, I made a pilgrimage to Glenn Gould’s childhood home at 32 Southwood Drive in Toronto’s Upper Beaches neighbourhood where red and white oak trees baronially lord over the winding, hilly streets.

White Oak on Lawn of 32 Southwood Drive in the Upper Beaches, Glenn Gould’s Childhood Home

Just look at that gorgeous white oak anchored on the edge of Glenn Gould’s childhood front lawn. Toronto truly is a city that’s mushroomed in the most lush forest that lines one of Great Lakes. Always, I love summers in Toronto for this reason.

For all time, this music will be of benefit to me; ever the memories it affords of Merlin buoy me up.

Glenn Gould statue at Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Headquarters Front Street West, Toronto

I’ll always remember that cool autumn evening, on the cusp of the Full Moon, in 1982 when Merlin called me up in New York City from Toronto, crying; he said that Glenn Gould had died. Three days earlier, when we first met, he spent much of the evening, talking about Glenn Gould and how much he admired him.

Also, at that time, I spent each weekend repeatedly listening to my then favourite Jazz recording, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. Recently, on the passing of Tony Bennett, I recalled what my father’s first cousin, the actor Cicely Tyson’s husband, Miles Davis said of Bennett. That stinging indictment was borne out by Kevin Mahogany’s tome about Bennett penchant for ignoring Black Jazz artists. Indeed, I recalled at the time of the anecdote, the point being articulated by the remark that, you will never find a photograph of Miles with that man.

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Miles Davis – Trumpet

Joe Zawinul – Piano, Composer

Wayne Shorter – Soprano Saxophone

Bernie Maupin – Bass Clarinet

John McLaughlin – Electric Guitar

Harvey Brooks – Bass Guitar

Lenny White – Drums

Chick Corea – Piano, Soloist

Larry Young – Piano

Dave Holland – Bass

Jack DeJohnette – Drums

Don Alias – Congas

Jumma Santos – Shaker

©1970 Columbia Records

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Life is like a flying dream; if you look down, you’re fucked. Enjoy the ride and fear no one!

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