Reflections and Prospects

2024/2025

As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past and anticipating what’s ahead. At this stage in my life, every year feels like a whirlwind of activity. One lesson I’ve picked up along the way is to approach life with as few expectations as possible. It’s not always easy, but I’ve more or less got it figured out by now.

Like everyone, I’ve had my share of highs and lows, though my life has been more of a wild rollercoaster ride than a steady journey. Two friends come to mind—one from childhood, Brother Mark, and another here in Mexico, my Spanish teacher Luis—who seem to have mastered the art of living on an even keel. They never let themselves get too high or too low, taking both the thrilling and the disheartening in measured stride.

I admire that quality, though it’s not my nature. I’m not built for moderation. My life is full of drama—sometimes to the point of nausea—but honestly, I’ve come to embrace it. At 75, I’ve grown accustomed to the ride.

I feel incredibly grateful to call Guanajuato, Mexico, my home—a place I never dreamed would become such a meaningful part of my life story. The warmth and kindness of the people here have been nothing short of transformative. In stark contrast to the polarization that seems to dominate life in the U.S., there’s an undeniable sense of unity and compassion in this community. I believe it’s rooted in a fundamental cultural difference: while the U.S. often prioritizes the dollar above all, in Mexico, family is everything.

When my partner Sherrie and I decided to exit Tucson, I had just undergone open-heart surgery a few months earlier. Understandably, I had concerns about the medical care we might find here, given the warnings we’d heard. But I’m happy to report that those fears were completely unfounded. Sherrie, for instance, began experiencing back issues shortly after our arrival. Through local friends, she connected with Dani, an excellent physical therapist, and Claudia, a compassionate gerontologist, both of whom were instrumental in helping her recover.

Claudia also introduced us to something that isn’t common in the U.S.—vitamin infusion therapy. Instead of relying on daily oral supplements, which are only partially absorbed, this therapy involves a monthly intravenous infusion that delivers all the essential vitamins directly into your bloodstream. Intrigued by the concept, I decided to give it a try alongside Sherrie.

It’s another example of the thoughtful, innovative approaches to care we’ve encountered here. Guanajuato has offered us not just a new home, but a new way of seeing and living life.

During one session, Claudia was checking my heartbeat when her expression suddenly shifted. She looked concerned and said she heard something that didn’t sound right. This caught me off guard—I’d had an echocardiogram the previous year and passed with flying colors. But Claudia strongly recommended another echocardiogram and a carotid artery sonogram, just to be safe.

The results were sobering. The scans revealed significant blockages in my carotid arteries—the critical blood vessels in the neck that deliver oxygen-rich blood to the brain, neck, and face. These are essential for keeping vital areas of the body functioning, so seeing the extent of the blockage on the sonogram was a real wake-up call. My arteries were clogged with cholesterol and other debris. Without intervention, a major stroke wasn’t just possible—it was imminent.

Claudia, sensing my growing anxiety, shared a personal story to put me at ease. Her own mother had faced the same issue, and she assured me that there was a skilled local heart surgeon who could address the problem quickly and effectively. Her confidence and calm demeanor gave me hope as I prepared to take the next step in safeguarding my health. A few days later, a miracle worker named Dr. Ramon Bautista performed the procedure, a non-invasive surgery.

The blockage in my carotid artery was serious. What was supposed to be a one hour procedure took almost two as the surgeon cleared out plaque and inserted a stent to restore proper blood flow. Remarkably, the very next day, I was up and running as if nothing had happened. You need people like this in your corner. While such expertise exists in the U.S., navigating the labyrinth of the American healthcare bureaucracy can make access far more difficult.

For thirty years, I’d been plagued by migraines. Astonishingly, after the procedure, they vanished entirely. Over the years, I’d consulted numerous doctors, yet none had connected my migraines to potential arterial blockages. Even my exceptional Japanese heart surgeon in Mexico hadn’t looked for that. If not for Claudia’s sharp diagnostic skills, you might be reading my obituary instead of this post.

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy offers potential treatments for various conditions by using cells to repair or replace damaged tissues. In the U.S., the use of embryonic stem cells is controversial, primarily due to ethical concerns from religious groups, such as the Evangelical movement and the Catholic Church, which oppose research involving the destruction of embryos. In contrast, Mexico has more permissive regulations, including therapies using placenta-derived cells collected after childbirth, avoiding the ethical debates tied to embryonic cells.

While these therapies hold promise, many are experimental, and efficacy varies. Patients should be cautious, as some clinics offer unproven treatments that can lead to serious side effects. Researching clinics for proper regulatory oversight and consulting qualified healthcare professionals are crucial steps to ensure safety and understand potential benefits.

I have been receiving stem cell treatments for several months.

So what’s the deal with stem cell therapy? It’s a groundbreaking treatment that uses the body’s natural healing abilities to repair and regenerate tissue. Stem cells can transform into various cell types, accelerating recovery from injuries and reducing inflammation, a key factor in chronic pain. They also promote heart tissue regeneration, improve circulation by fostering blood vessel growth, and are particularly helpful for autoimmune conditions like colitis, which I have.

Stem cell therapy isn’t just for healing—it’s touted for its anti-aging benefits, such as improving skin elasticity, reducing wrinkles, and stimulating collagen production. Not that I’m overly concerned about wrinkles at this point but hey, why not?

Unlike surgeries, stem cell treatments are typically minimally invasive, involving injections that require little downtime and carry fewer risks. Despite its potential, the therapy remains experimental for many conditions and is hard to access in the U.S.—another reminder of the American system’s limitations. What changes RFK Jr. might bring to US healthcare, if he takes the reins, is anyone’s guess.

2024 was quite the year for my health. With Claudia and my dedicated healthcare team, I’m entering 2025 optimistic and ready for even better days ahead.

Since moving to Mexico in 2022, I’ve kept up my Jazz Video Guy activities, though on a smaller scale, being far from the heart of the scene. Then, this past spring, a record producer reached out with a dream opportunity: would I be interested in doing a documentary on Horace Silver? Absolutely. I’ve been a devoted fan of Horace since I was thirteen and still spin his music regularly. With four documentary features under my belt, I was thrilled at the prospect of telling his story.

I quickly connected with Horace’s widow and his lawyer, who is also the executor of his estate. The project gained momentum fast—zero to sixty in just a couple of months. I invested thousands of dollars upfront and was ready, willing, and eager to bring this vision to life. Just as I prepared to make the pilgrimage to New York City—Mecca for jazz aficionados—rights issues reared their ugly head.

Having navigated similar thorny paths, I sensed the problems were beyond my ability to resolve. Suddenly, I found myself staring down a familiar nightmare: shyster attorneys and narcissistic record label presidents. I made the difficult decision to pull the plug. It was heartbreaking, but it was the right call.

I remain confident I could have created an award-winning documentary on one of jazz’s greatest legends, but I just wasn’t willing to wade through the muck and mire of the music industry. Some battles just aren’t worth fighting, even for the love of jazz.

Just two days after I pulled the plug on a Horace Siver doc, an email arrived—an invitation to join a course on AI filmmaking. I’d been dabbling with ChatGPT since its public debut on November 30, 2022, when OpenAI introduced the world to this revolutionary conversational AI. Its rapid rise in popularity was no surprise, given its uncanny ability to engage in human-like dialogue and assist with everything from creative writing to problem-solving.

Then came AI video in 2023, and holy cow—filmmaking would never be the same. The technology exploded, opening doors I couldn’t resist stepping through. I jumped at the chance to learn the ropes, completing an introductory course this past July. It’s been one of the most rewarding and challenging creative endeavors I’ve ever undertaken. Even in just six months, the tech has evolved dramatically, with new AI video generators rolling weekly. When a groundbreaking technology hits the scene, everyone scrambles to stake their claim—and that’s exactly what’s happening with AI video.

It reminds me of the smartphone wars. When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, its camera was a massive draw. Samsung wasn’t about to let Apple dominate, so they jumped into the fray, sparking a fierce battle for market share. Each company released better cameras and new versions of their phones yearly, transforming photography and video forever. Today, smartphone cameras are so advanced they’ve revolutionized how we capture and share the world around us.

AI video is following a similar trajectory. The technology is advancing at breakneck speed as big tech and scrappy startups compete to deliver better tools. While AI video isn’t quite ready to replace traditional filmmaking, it’s closing the gap quickly—and everyone in the entertainment industry knows it. That’s why so many people in show biz are running sacred.

In the meantime, I’ve fully embraced the medium, diving into the world of AI to create music videos and embark on an entirely new project. This one is a bold departure from anything I’ve done before—unrelated to jazz and far beyond my usual scope. It’s a story I believe will strike a chord with many, delving into profound themes of life and death.

As 2024 draws to a close, it hurtles toward the finish in a storm of chaos and uncertainty. What awaits in 2025, as the world swims in a sea of change? In the meantime, I’ve made the bittersweet decision to hang up my Jazz Video Guy hat—or maybe just toss it onto the pile of retired dreams. After 18 years and a dizzying 2,500 videos, the catalog is alive and kicking on YouTube, waiting for the next insomniac jazz fiend to stumble upon it at 3 a.m. in a bebop haze.

This gig was never about cashing fat checks. If it were, I’d have pivoted to cat videos a long time ago. No, the goal was always pure and noble—it was about the music, the legends who create it, and the joy of shouting, “Look! Jazz is alive!” into the internet void. And it worked to the tune of nearly thirty million views.

I’m endlessly grateful for the chance to tell so many stories, even if some of them were met with views so low, I could count them on one hand while holding a cup of coffee. But hey, jazz isn’t about the numbers—it’s about the swing, the soul, and the strange beauty of it all.

The tipping point for stepping away from platforms like YouTube and Facebook came from a mix of rights issues and algorithm-driven censorship. Hiring a lawyer might have resolved some of the legal hurdles, but I simply don’t have the resources—or the patience—for that kind of fight. What made things worse were the relentless algorithm changes on both platforms. Back in the early days—2006 for YouTube and 2010 for Facebook—I could build an audience based on the quality of my content. But as TikTok rose and attention spans shrank, discovery and engagement became increasingly difficult.

Now, even when a video is found, only about 15% of viewers watch it through to the end. Thankfully, AI video has been a game-changer, offering me a new creative outlet. And by posting on my blog, I can bypass the censorship and fickle algorithms entirely.

Looking ahead to 2025, I see a horizon full of exciting opportunities. AI filmmaking is just the beginning, and I’m eager to see where it takes me. As I close this chapter, I feel incredibly lucky to have new adventures waiting in the wings. I am truly blessed.

Now, I’m on a mission to build a life that doesn’t just survive the madness but flips it the bird and thrives. Picture it: an unshakable fortress of mindfulness, compassion, and resilience, complete with a moat and a drawbridge to keep out the BS. And no, this isn’t some Instagram-spirituality nonsense—it’s a battle plan. Life’s sucker punches are coming in hot, and the goal is to turn every gut-check moment into a victory dance.

Chaos? Meet calm. Noise? Say hello to clarity. It’s alchemy for the soul, baby.

But let’s not sugarcoat this—pulling it off is harder than herding caffeinated cats. The world’s a mess right now, spinning so fast we’re trapped in a cosmic Tilt-A-Whirl. Trying to stay Zen in the middle of it all resembles meditating at a heavy metal concert while dodging crowd surfers. And yet, the daily grind of it—clumsy, awkward, hilarious—builds something solid. Call it Zen armor, call it whatever, but it’s what lets you march straight through the fire without turning into toast.

Is it easy? Hell no. Is it glamorous? Not unless you count crying in yoga pants as high fashion. But is it worth it? Hell yes!

2025? Bring it on.