We’re sitting for a minute, silent, as we consider the passing of Ed Askew. A kind and thoughtful man is gone from our living ranks! A gifted writer, artist and singer whose works will go on to be discovered and loved in the world beyond us all, is certainly a consolation of some kind.

Ed’s first album is a legend that continues to draw listeners in as it continues to grow, a legend born in the fire of his words and music. In his youth, Ed spoke – which is to say, sang – as a child, his plaintive warble and the chiming of his Martin tiple describing the world in a bedazzled and wondrous flow. Later, Ed spoke and sang as a man, but the heaven-struck quality never left his music.

We consider ourselves lucky to have experienced Ed Askew in two phases – first as listeners and fans (of his eternal initial recordings – the 1968 ESP'disk release, Ask the Unicorn, and deStijl’s fantastic archival presentation of his unreleased second album, Little Eyes), and then later (via Galactic Zoo Disc) as collaborators. This allowed us to -- however briefly -- become acquainted with Ed; the memory of our conversations in that time, and his attentive and generous presence, will be an abiding one for the rest of our days. He was a real gentle man. Now that he's gone, our thoughts are with his friends and family and the fans of his art and music. The ongoing process of gaining and loss is a grace note that will continue to honor his life well lived. Yet still, we must say goodbye, Ed Askew – knowing we’ll meet again, every time in this world that we encounter your beautiful sound.