I hate mysteries. Sometimes it feels like my whole life has been a giant search in which I find more question than answers. I’ve always wanted to know why my family left San Ildefonso Pueblo. I’ve always wanted to know why my great-great-grandmother committed suicide. And I’ve always wanted to know how it is I’ll find the one rock upon which I can break an ankle in an otherwise clean basketball court. Whatever the mystery, I don’t usually have a lot of answers. However, I’m hoping Frogville Records in Santa Fe can help me solve the case of the reel-to-reel master.
Among the great mysteries of my life is that of the panacoustic chord system that my grandfather, Ernest Rocha, invented. I didn’t know Ernest. His panacoustic system seemed to be a figment of his imagination that wasn’t real. However, within the last several months, an uncle of mine (who I’ve never met in person) has sent me the panacoustic system. This week, uncle Ray sent me a package that contained hundreds of pieces of music that my grandfather left behind. What’s more, Ray sent me a reel-to-reel master. He doesn’t know what it contains.
I spent an entire afternoon this week searching for a way to hear its contents and perhaps even digitize it. After several calls and visits to a few recording studios, I found THE joint: Frogville Records.
I spoke to a man named “Big John” and he agreed to place the quarter inch master on his deck and record it onto a thumb-drive. While he didn’t indicate a hard timeframe, he did say he could possible have it ready by Halloween. I thought that was fair, and while the tape may even be blank, at least Ray and I will know the contents of that reel-to-reel. Its exciting to me that this tape might contain music that my grandfather left behind. My hope in studying his music is that it can do some good in the world. Music consumed my grandfather’s life, to the point of hurting his children and grandchildren.
I don’t begrudge him. As a matter of fact, I respect his single-minded focus. He used his time on earth to find something bigger than himself and to me, that’s noble. He hurt people, perhaps, but from my perspective, the pain cannot have been for nothing.
Something tells me that Big John will come through and that there is actually something salvageable on the master. At least there will be one less mystery in my life of searching. As I said, I hate mysteries.
