We went through so much together, and I love you so dearly! From the pain and torture of high school, to taking the SKAFISH message throughout the USA! Knowing you has made my journey more enriched and I cannot thank you enough for all we’ve shared — from playing piano for the high school choirs and musicals to improvising together by ourselves, recording ambient tracks before there was ambient and ultimately, doing the band. To you and yours!

Jim Skafish

When I was growing up, I’d had strict classical training on piano and organ; but, I’d never played any rock, pop, or jazz … I mean never! Fortunately for me, at the time Jim as putting together the band, I was feeling pretty lost about what to do with my life. I’d been going to Notre Dame for two years, and I hated it. I wasn’t a jock, and I wasn’t a scientific brainiac; I was an artsy-fartsy teenager looking for something, but not knowing what. ND was not the place for me.

Then, in the summer of 1976, Jim invited me into the Skafish fold. I had no idea what I was in for. I’d known Jim since junior year in high school, but I never suspected what he had in mind for the band. (Jim and I had a religion class together. There’s a lot I could say about that, but it’ll have to wait for another time. Anyway, the two of us were the two best piano players in the school, so got lots of performing opportunities.)

Being in the band was an outrageous experience for me. I was exposed to so much music and culture I’d never experienced before. Some of it was scary, some depressing, certainly some shocking, but it was all built on the capabilities of some very fine musicians, and Jim knew how to create interesting music … very interesting. I’m no talking about the lyrics so much, but the underlying structure, harmony, and texture of his creations.

In listening to these great cuts 30 years later, I’m blown away by what we did, Jim especially, of course. I have no real recollection of being able to play some of that hard stuff. But regardless of who played it, the music is still relevant today, and it is still very vibrant. My new favorite (for which I don’t play on the CD) has to be “There’s a World.” When we started working on it in Jim’s basement, I didn’t find it all that interesting. But Jim would actually ‘build’ songs with the band, starting with a very simple version on which he would build some amazing music. It was fascinating to watch the creative process unfold and exciting to perform the ‘finished product.’

The band members were all excellent musicians, and I learned a lot from them. I have to thank Jim for challenging me to go to unchartered musical regions. It was a huge adventure we took, one that I wouldn’t give up for the world. Seeing this material finally released is, to me, a very sweet acknowledgement of our collective efforts, efforts to say something totally new, musically and sociologically. Thanks for everything, Jim.—David Procházka

Jim Skafish