. "He remembers first hearing the idea from Otis, who liked to go off on philosophers and critics who were in the business of declaring this or that thing deceased, particularly music, books, theater, small towns, newspapers, public education, motherhood, empathy, justice, hope, even God. ???Tell me this,??? said Otis. ???When I pick up my guitar and play, even if I???m alone in my house, is jazz dea" . . . .