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Time. I'm not sure what to make of it and the speed in which it travels. Anyway, 3 years ago today Jack passed away. Was such a good friend, I miss him a ton.
I'm posting this video because it tells you a lot about Jack in just one song. Small club, he didn't care, just wanted to play and give his best. He was encouraging and kind to a young rhythm section that he met that day. Great laugh and great, great sense of humor and fun. Fluid and easy with his hands on a guitar, like watching a fish practice swimming. Loved to play.
Warm, generous, fun, funny, intelligent and caring man.
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05-05-2026 08:52 PM
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What a player.
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I miss him both as a player and friend.
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Wonderful video. At least we have videos and albums…what a legacy!
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It's hard to believe JW isn't on the scene anymore. He worked for the same club date office I played for.
A bass player said there was a rumor years ago that JW was the illegitimate son of Johnny Smith!
I didn't know if he was kidding around or not.
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Jack didn't know who his father was for years. He turned out to be a guitarist, Jack Rivers Lewis!
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Maybe that's why there was a rumor about JS.
Originally Posted by PMB
JW told me my D`A was the best guitar in the world when he and Bucky were playing at that restaurant in NYC.
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Never met him but he was a email friend. One of my most favorite guitar players. Truly missed, also Russell Malone.
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Sad that Russell played at Jack's Memorial concert and within months, I believe, he passed away. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
Never met him but he was a email friend. One of my most favorite guitar players. Truly missed, also Russell Malone.
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I saw Jack Wilkins play with Jimmy Bruno in a live guitar duo at the North Wales Jazz Guitar Festival many years ago.
It was fantastic, one of the best guitar duos I've ever heard.
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I attended a day-long workshop by Jack and Gene Bertoncini. there were only about 10 of us attending, and it was simply stunning to hear both of them play, to see them interact and play together, and to see how Jack encouraged and coached the players willing to step out and "risk" playing for the group. (I chickened out!). I was left with the impression of an enormously gracious man who made friends well, treated friends well, and used music as a medium of friendship.
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Well said, Lawson.....right on the money. Originally Posted by lawson-stone
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That had to have been a monstrous set! Originally Posted by GuyBoden
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Some tuning challenges here, but Gene and Jack at Bellarmine:
The first video of Jack that I saw, years ago now; maybe my first video of Pete too.
Jack, Gene and another guitarist, Jeff something (Sherman?) who is unfamiliar to me but clearly a peer of these guys.
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I have not watched Peter Bernstein play before, his fingerings are quite unusual, is he self taught? Originally Posted by Cunamara
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Probably initially worked things out on his own like lots of folks. Piano was his first instrument according to an interview on YouTube, so maybe he could apply that knowledge to the guitar. According to Wikipedia, he attended Rutgers and studied with Ted Dunbar; The New School; and studied/played with Jim Hall.
And, yeah, his way of addressing the instrument is pretty unique- his technique, his lines and his tone immediately identify him. I wonder how some guitar teacher didn't try to straighten out his technique and screw him up.
Of currently performing jazz musicians, Pete's one of my ten or so favorites. I thought he and JW sounded pretty darned good together.
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Peter Bernstein's approach stood out like a sore thumb (pardon the pun) next to Jack Wilkins technique, which is a model of efficiency.
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Peter plays lines with three fingers like a proper guitar player. It’s something I aspire to having been ruined by early classical lessons.
Joking aside (well half joking), I think this may well be a conscious artistic choice. He has no trouble using all four fingers for chords. Three fingers does tend to sound fatter to my ears. I should ask him sometime…
Peter’s teachers included Jim Hall who was as ‘legit’ as they come in terms of his left hand. To judge from masterclasses and things I’ve seen, Jim did not seem like someone who felt everyone should use the same technique.Last edited by Christian Miller; 05-10-2026 at 03:45 PM.
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Three finger guitar technique lives in an oblique universe.
Call it "Diagonality" and you've got your YouTube title.
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Slap a trademark on that bad boy. Originally Posted by Cunamara
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I don't think I met Jack personally, but he was at events I had gone too and shows. I got my first album of his Windows that he played the tune Red Clay. I have never quite heard another guitarist tackle that tune and Jack was just amazing. Everything I ever heard was he that he was a gentleman and down to earth. To me that is the way to be. My own listening to him still goes and I constantly go back listening to that solo concert he did that is on youtube from the early 70's. He is in full command of the guitar at the age and look where he took it.
I have gotten to know Dmgo pretty well over time on the forum and in some private chats. Since MgO is a fine fellow, I makes complete sense that Jack and him struck up this great friendship. In the end guitars are ways of communication certainly music and emotion but in the end sometimes real winning is in the humanity and friendship. I would have never guess it has been 3 years.
The truth be known we all need to play them guitars and enjoy because this too will pass. Don't spend time playing bad music, bad guitars, it takes a toll.
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"Don't spend time playing bad music." Oh yeah.
At 66, the road ahead seems a lot shorter than it did at 26.
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We had Jack out to Spokane for our series of seminars and gigs around 2010 or so. He Was so supportive when I took a lesson with him that allow me to relax and play as well as I usually do by myself. Most other artist/instructors were a bit too intimidating for me to lighten up in a 60 minute lesson, but Jack spurred me on and we had a great time playing for an hour or so. Lovely human being.
Here he is, getting Well deserved attention from some good looking spouses, including mine :-)
Last edited by yebdox; 05-17-2026 at 08:19 PM.
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Jack.Wilkins birthday tribute- "My Foolish Heart" by Jeff...
Yesterday, 11:17 PM in The Players