Ben Meyers

Where you come from:  Northern Ohio

Where you live now:  East Village, NYC

What age you were at the time of the photograph:  32

How old you expect to live to be:  90 if I’m lucky enough to go of natural causes.

Have you ever known anyone who died of AIDS?
not personally, but there are things in my life that came from friends of friends who died of AIDS.

Have you ever known anyone who died at a young age?
yes, more than anyone should.

What is something that you do that gives you real joy in life?
Taking a musical risk with my instrument and having the band I’m playing with catch me and run with the challenge I’ve offered.

What about yourself do you really like?
My musical memory.

What would you like to see people do to change the world?
Learn to listen to each other compassionately and learn to communicate with each other nonaggressively.

What is a favorite memory?
When I managed the bookstore where my photo was taken, listening to Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan” in the morning before opening the store, with a hot cup of coffee and strong sunlight coming in the windows. It was a beautiful space, and the tenor sax riff -> acoustic bass -> sleigh bells -> yodelling in that song were completely transformative. Every time I hear that song, I’m back in that bookstore (closed for years now), anticipating another day of serendipitous marvels.