Three Wishes

When Nica queried Budd Johnson as to what he would wish if given the opportunity to have three wishes granted and he related this to her:

1. 1. “That’s a very good question. First of all, I would love to play my instrument – I mean, give it all I have to give. I would love to get recognition. And play my horn the way I know I could – and it’s just me, the reason, if I don’t! I would really love to play as well as I think I can.”
   2. “This may sound very corny, but I have a very wonderful wife, and I would like to make her very happy. The only way I think I could do this is: get with that instrument and really play it, so I could make the money to do the things I want to do for her.”
   3. “I want recognition amongst my friends. I crave sincere friendship. I do have a lot of friends, but I think this might bring us closer together. I seem to have lost track of all them. I had to go my way, reasons… everybody had to do what they had to do.

This is how you get separated. When I used to live up to 152nd Street, They all used to come up to my house, Monk, Bird. They all used to come by and we exchange ideas, and they would say, ‘Write this down for me.’ They would hum it, and I would write it down. They remember my son when he was a little baby in the crib! And I miss all of them.

The reason I put that first is that if I were able to master the horn – I guess nobody can have all this – I would have all my friends, be able to visit them, and be around. I have a lot of dear friends who have gone to the top. And they still like me. But they are busy and I am still scuffling! It’s a funny thing. The better you get, you travel in different circles, automatically. I hope someday to attain all this. This is all I know, the music. All this is one thing.”

*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter

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