Peter Rand
December 13, 1939-November 8, 2017

The Seacoast Jazz Society lost one of its own when Peter Rand died about three months ago. Peter was an active SJS Board member around the years 2009-2011, stepping down only when he moved away from the Seacoast to Ohio. During his tenure on the Board, Peter helped launch the Seacoast Jazz Appreciation Project, an ongoing SJS program that presents outstanding jazz musicians in sessions that combine performance with audience dialog, one of our most successful initiatives. In fact, even after moving away, Peter continued to make significant donations to the Jazz Society to help fund these SJAP sessions.

Two years ago, Peter returned to New Hampshire, this time to Meredith, and re-connected with us. When a year or so ago we formed our Advisory Board, we invited Peter to join it and he did so gladly, remaining in that role until the day in November that he died.

Peter was a chemist, an entrepreneur, a musician, and a father to five children. Born in New London, Connecticut, he was the eldest son of the late Charles Rand, a physician, and the late Margaret Rand, an artist. He was raised in Canada and spent his youth largely in the Canadian Maritimes before striking out to explore life across North America.

Peter championed curiosity and adventure as foundational to a life well lived. He was fiercely independent and yet empathetic and profoundly kind. He loved the outdoors, was the consummate hockey player, and always found pleasure in good food and wine. Peter loved to travel, exploring Europe, Asia, and North America extensively. He was a man of strong faith, and loved his church. As a self taught jazz guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Peter was as comfortable in studio sessions as he was jamming with a broad range of talent over the years, including big bands, trios, and quartets. His playing was jazz—clean, crisp, and wildly technical—at the same time that he could indulge rock, country, and alternative styles. He had perfect pitch, both in music and love.

The Seacoast Jazz Society’s Board of Directors offers its condolences to Peter’s wife Pat and their five children. We will miss him.