If you find yourself driving home extra late from a gig in South Florida you might have the AC blasting in your face, be on your second coffee, take stops and walk, and if you were lucky enough to know John Georgini, have some sunflower seeds in the shell to help keep your focus sharp.
If iron sharpens iron, “G” was diamond-studded carbide.
Amongst the most quoted of my friends in our house, John was as close to the living embodiment of the truth as I have met. He was always checking you out and wanted you to check him out to. He wasn’t shy about setting the truth as the standard or letting you know if you had strayed. True story: I knew my friendship with someone was going to end when they said about “G”, ‘ I don’t ever want to hear his name again!’
As part of the legendary Original Miami Dade Campus (now North), Music Faculty, John knew well the musicians who set the standard even before the University of Miami program was ‘happening’. Tony Pandy, John Alexander, Neal Bonsanti and Ronnie Miller, just to name a few.
When Georgini moved to the South (now Kendall), campus, the instrumental side of the department shot up immediately. Local high school band directors sent him some of their best and John led them all over the world, to great success at the North Sea Jazz Festival, on tour in Italy and at Montreux. But John could also teach those who were less than the best and bring them up to speed. Euphonium soloist and exemplary low brass teacher Charlie Knight turned to me in astonishment one day and said that, “John Georgini could make the cars in the parking lot sound good!” There were years that his MDC band sounded every bit as excellent as the UM CJB, but wait-that is “Top Secret”!
John wouldn’t except less than the best for anything. Credentials meant nothing to him and he would often remind us that “you are only as good as your next note”. He was one of the top club date musicians anywhere, and towards the end of his career his band leader just gave him a carte-blanche credit card-“just get there for the downbeat, John!” He was amongst the finest improvisers on any instrument in town, superb at crafting a melody and author of his own jazz improvisation text.
And Georgini was a great leader of student and professional groups. He was like a second father, drill sergeant, mentor and best friend for many. The enormous capacity of John and his family for love and generosity is unrivaled in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.
In addition to teaching with John for so many years, we performed together as well. He was a marvelous classical musician and assembled the best brass quartet book I had ever seen. We both regretted not recording some of our brass quartet at its heighth, probably with Claudio Osorio, John, Dr. Charles Campbell and myself. We played what seemed to be dozens of gigs each year for many years, and the group also included , at times Gilbert Johnson of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Lynn Berman from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Dominick Digangi of the Baltimore and Cleveland Symphony Orchestras. For a number of years, John played second to Gill in the Miami City Ballet Orchestra.
John Loved his wife and partner Sue, their beautiful family of Gina, Nancy, Albert and Mary Ann and the spouses (mostly), and grandchildren. John wouldn’t mind a drink of scotch, a decent cigar and relished the finest of food and wine. Many of his cars were exemplary, yet did not stick out in a parking lot. He loved craftsmanship and appreciated true expertise from carpentry to almost anything beautiful.
The parties at his house were but one way he shared his love and success with his many friends, particularly musicians, whom he respected and encouraged. You could not have a better friend than John Georgini. And when John Georgina was in your corner, everyone knew. He loved jazz, and may have loved Clifford Brown a little more than the rest of his favorite musicians. John became an expert on Brownie’s solos.
John could play drums well, collected wine and could cook! He’s one of the few who could actually quit smoking cigarettes. The wisdom he gave was from a full life well lived and lovingly observant of all that occurred beyond his own circle and circumstances to include traditions and friends of friends. John had something of an innate sense of how to handle almost any situation, and if he didn’t, was quick on his feet. He was passionate and kind, recognizing the excellence in people he did not care for and wishing them well. I remember clearly how he taught me and perhaps a few other young musicians who were more than a bit too full of themselves how to admit when you were wrong by doing so! “Sorry guys, that was my mistake at measure 51.” (!!!!). None of US could do that! And it might have been one of the best lessons he taught us. Besides time! There were os many things we learned from John.
We here in South Florida were loved and befriended, blessed and privileged to know a man who was really not too much like an angel…
but until the real thing comes along, he’ll do..
WE LOVE YOU JOHN. I LOVE YOU. You are THE BEST.
Please forgive and mis-remembrances or significant omissions. We’ll get it right..
c. 2026 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved.