Jim Monroe

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=51 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="29002330dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <B>Jim Monroe</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=269 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="2ed00c00dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <I> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="543" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1335 WIDTH="537"><div> <I><B>Edited from the Topeka Capital Journal</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>By Bill Blankenship, </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Published Monday, November 7, 2005:</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Jazz in Topeka has lost its most zealous fan and biggest promoter with the death of Jim Monroe. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>From 1977 until his death, Monroe served as president of the Topeka Jazz Workshop Inc. and shepherded what is believed to be the longest-standing, continuous jazz series in the nation. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>As an audience member, Monroe was unparalleled, said Chuck Berg, a University of Kansas professor, jazz musician and nationally published critic, who also reviews jazz for The Capital-Journal.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>"Talk about an enthusiast," Berg said. "He was the first one to start applauding after an inspired solo. He was the first one out of his seat to lead a standing ovation."</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>But Monroe did more for jazz than just listen to it. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>A lot of his travels included going to jazz festivals, where he would hang out with musicians and befriend them. He would return to Topeka with new contacts and ideas for shows. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>"Jim's friendship with so many jazz stars, his attention to detail and skill at making booking arrangements, and his dedication to promoting jazz are the qualities that has given Topeka such outstanding jazz events over the past three decades," said Marcene Grimes, TWJ board member and historian and the widow of its first president, Jim Grimes. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Nowhere did Monroe demonstrate that knack better than at the seven Memorial Day weekend Topeka Jazz Festivals he organized from 1998-2004 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. The festival folded this year under another artistic director. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The festival, which brought to TPAC players from across the country and around the world, cemented Monroe's reputation as a jazz impresario. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>"He really helped give Topeka and the state of Kansas a national and international presence. He was obviously touched in deep and profound ways by the music, by the musicians, and he just wanted others to appreciate that sense of the miraculousness that he always sensed in the best of jazz," Berg said</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><I>.</I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> From Jennifer:</div> <bR> <div> I am very saddened to hear of Jim Monroe's passing. </div> <div> He was a man who didn't sit on the sideline and wait for others to dictate tastes, he involved himself in the betterment of the art form he so believed in. </div> <bR> <div> Topeka, Kansas has born the brunt of much scorn and criticism on a national level because of a small extremist group who promote divisiveness and hate. Jim promoted inclusion and love and enriched the lives of Kansans as well as people from around the world. In many circles Topeka is thought of with fondness and admiration because of Jim's involvement. </div> <bR> <div> He was one of the only Jazz impresarios to give me a break in the period following my transition. Oh, others fulfilled their contracts but hardly anyone gave me the chance that he did, and he did it repeatedly. Jim gave me the opportunity to present my music without imposing himself on the results. I played with players of my choosing and selected my material. </div> <bR> <div> Jim always made me feel like a respected artist and best of all, a normal person. He gave me hope at a time when I needed it desperately. </div> <bR> <div> He left a legacy to be proud of and made a difference in many people's lives, including mine. </div> <bR> <div> I will always have a place in my heart for him. </div> <bR> <div> Jennifer Leitham</div> <div> November 8, 2005 </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></I></div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=160 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="29100a00dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="921" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 53 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="musing_in_duality.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Musing in Duality"><U><IMG SRC="25b27260.jpg" border=0 width="39" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>  <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HOME"><U><IMG SRC="25c26260.jpg" border=0 width="38" height="38" 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