RIP Adriel (AJ) Azure

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 1 Jul 2013 5:20 am

Yep yo u may have noticed that I've been MIA for nearly half a year. The topic title is no joke. I nearly died three times,was hospitalized, ICUed, intubation,, hallucinated, operated..,on p, pseudo paralyzed,rehabbed partially (I can play again)', currently in a wheelchair (legs work but, long rehab process so I have a pretty kick butt wheelchair described as the Caddy of wheelchairs lol)

I'll do an in-depth post about my saga (odyssey? lol it has some amazing and even hilarious occurrences. Laughter and a totally positive attitude kept me going and I've been told inspired some people.i don't see it but, if my adversity and suffering inspired people to face their own challenges, awesome fringe benefit).sonim stopping byte say hello and ask a question.

Due reto my new circumstances and physical limitations, gigging and any outside work is impossible.
.thereore,I'm looking to concentrate on home based work.
That's including, arranging, composition, copyist for music book publishing, audio editing / recording (have a decent home studio), remote session work for people (ftp, etc,) and teaching (one to one,ensembles, music tech, arranging, writing, performance skills, audio and music for picture and some other stuff.ill share my 'course list' when it's reqy. Some will be in person but, I'm also setting up Skype and teleconfrencing based lessons with multi-camera shoots. I'm mainly goingvtodovo-trad stuff like rock, progressive,teal,improvisation,you knowthe stuff other people aren't already doing exceptionally well.Although, I am more than happy to teach technique and any genre.
I've always just wanted to work and not allow my disabilities limit or define me. That's why while I want / need income I have always and will continue to be budget friendly. The work and being a beneficial member of the music and steel community is my priority income second.

Ok so more juicy details on the saga later.

On to my question.
Ive had a project kicking around in my head that I'd like to gauge the community's interest prior to creating it / them.
I have a background among various things in classical, and spanish guitar. Studied with the guitar dept.head at the New England conservatory of music before attending Berklee Collegeof Music. Having had to switch to steel due to my arthritis,I still did my best to keep doing some classical and white I can't do everything I know, I can definitely notate and teach it.

I've been contemplating putting out from one up to a series of books featuring classical and traditional Spanish pieces. The intent some just for playing and some exudes to explore some techniques that aren't in the usual steel tool box. Flamenco right hand techniques for example.

Questions:
(I can do a poll if you'd like)
1. Is there any interest ?
2. Turnings? I think C6 and standard dobro G with the possibility of G6, open D and a tuning friendly to the C6 string gauges.,
3. Considering the tuning difference (also instrument difference, acoustic and electric) would you prefer one book with multiple versions of each song per tuning or a C6 book and a G book?
4. An over view book or 1 classical, 1 Spanish?
5. Performance book and ï¿½tude book,
6. Duets? If yes, mixed with the other book or a full book?
7. Would there be interest in an ongoing series?
8. Delivery format; PDF and mp3 or hard copy and CD (would you buy an accompanying DVD?). All the options available? Accompaniment track option as well as the full
playback on CD and DVD (not sure whether i would do do the spit stereo option or just put multiple versions
9. I plan both notation and tab so no worries there,
10.t-shirt and hat? Lol needed a number 10

OK!!! I would ultra appreciate any and all answers to the above questions or follow up questions, interest, etc,

Thanks for your help and being here. No matter what I faced my attitude and knowing steelers awaiting my return kept me going.

More in the saga , a little teaser about a new project in the works as wellas a unique steel design inthe works and a new biz venture im starting all in forthcoming posts. Thanks for being a component in my holding on to hope and life.

-Adriel ðŸ˜ƒðŸ˜ðŸ˜˜

<b>Title edited by Brad Bechtel.</b>

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 1 Jul 2013 6:13 am

Sorry to hear about your medical problems, AJ. Glad you're on the mend. Welcome back

John Mulligan · Post by **John Mulligan** » 1 Jul 2013 6:27 am

I can't possibly answer your questions, but I am glad to hear you made it and are working at working again! Keep posting!

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 1 Jul 2013 6:29 am

Welcome back! I'll have to think about your questions and reply later, but I'm glad to see you back on the forum.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 1 Jul 2013 6:35 am

So sorry to hear about your ordeal AJ and glad you're climbing back. I'll think about your questions. Hang tight! Glad you're back.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 1 Jul 2013 6:37 am

Thanks Rick! Amazingly enough I never once feared death. I know in my heart that this is merekyv the current leg of my journey and I am valuing everything I learn from this path. I cherish the pain because, it teaches me to grow my empathy so I can understand other people's pain, I want to help people and to effectively do that i feel that I need to inhabit at least some semblance of similar suffering. I never get more than I can survive.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Jul 2013 7:32 am

Adriel, welcome back and very sorry to hear about your suffering and setbacks. I know you've been through a lot. I was thinking about you, hoping for some good news.

I use quite a few techniques that I would guess have their roots in Flamenco guitar, although I've never formally played that style (only dabbled). The way I see it is "by any means necessary."

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 1 Jul 2013 9:01 am

Welcome back.......glad to hear you're on the mend.....glad you had some competent doctors and that the FDA didn't ban any procedures you needed.

I think seeing/learning Spanish/flamenco right hand techniques might be helpful in conjunction with steel playing.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 27 Aug 2014 9:59 am

I went on line to see what I could find about AJ and found this:

Click Here

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Aug 2014 10:48 am

Damn! So sorry to hear this. AJ was a really nice person and a valued member here. So sad.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 27 Aug 2014 11:59 am

Man, that's some very sad news...I've really missed his presence on the forum. RIP, Brother.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 27 Aug 2014 12:23 pm

I was just going to post about my medical experiences and offer AJ some encouragement until I got down to the lower posts. Sounds like he was a good guy.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 27 Aug 2014 1:48 pm

Oh man, that's a drag. Sorry to see this.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 27 Aug 2014 2:18 pm

Last night, I was setting up a video chat software and pressed the "find connections" button and Adriel's name was the only name that came up. We weren't even Facebook friends. I had no idea.

I'm really sorry he's gone. I met him once at a gig of mine in Boston and we stayed in touch every now and then. I wish I had done more to help him, because he hit some rough patches.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Aug 2014 3:20 pm

He was very courageous in the face of daunting medical issues.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 28 Aug 2014 6:37 am

That's a real shame. I enjoyed his postings.

I've edited the title of this thread, but will leave it here. I've posted a new discussion on the Gone Home section of the forum mentioning his passing.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 28 Aug 2014 7:16 am

Very sad, and he was only 40 years old. I'll miss his contributions here.

Jana Lockaby · Post by **Jana Lockaby** » 29 Aug 2014 8:16 am

I didn't realize he was so young. He never gave up.
I hope he has peace, and, now, the freedom to do what his body would not allow him to do while he was here.

Jim Newberry · Post by **Jim Newberry** » 29 Aug 2014 9:16 am

It is an inspiring story and I did enjoy his posts. It's sad that we didn't hear of his passing sooner. You can't really tell from words on a computer screen what somebody's going through.

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 29 Aug 2014 10:26 am

Terribly sad that someone so young has passed. He certainly had a wonderful attitude -- he inspires me to complain less and do more. We'll miss you, AJ.