ORIGINS

In 2007 Kessler visited the Pablo Casals Museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He saw the recreation of Casals’ studio, researched his life and times, and watched videos of chamber music performed by the maestro and his colleagues.

Realizing that although he wanted (and richly deserved) such a venue to house his own music, performances, writings, photographs and stuff, the likelihood of achieving that during his lifetime was tenuous at best, and more probably nine-nous or less, unless he became famous. At this point, eighty years in, he realized that he was, with each passing season, increasingly unlikely to ever play professional big league baseball and thereby achieve international exposure, to say nothing of a seven-figure salary and a sweetheart in every stadium. By now, he reasoned, the only way he would be famous were if he became a President or a movie star — and he’s never going to do either!

But wait, this is the 21st Century, with its technological advances. He can invite everyone to his Digital Museum, which family, friends, colleagues, sycophants, audiences and stray netsurfers may visit at their convenience, while in the comfort of their respective homes, clad in leisurewear, without enlisting babysitters, lacing up their tall boots or paddling their canoes to Puerto Rico.

So, as we said, welcome to the JEROME KESSLER COLLECTION. Listen to his music. Read his stories. Explore the world through his photographs.