James Russell Albrecht Obituary
James Russell Albrecht Jr. — Jim, Pop, Dad, Papa Jim, Felipe Santiago — 76, blew this pop stand peacefully on Saturday, May 23, to the tune of Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This," surrounded by his closest family.
Jim, born in Rochester, MN on March 25, 1950, was raised in Indianapolis. A graduate of Pike High School's class of 1968, he earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from IUPUI. After a decade-and-a-half stint as a clinical psychotherapist at Wishard Memorial Hospital, Jim returned to his roots in music, where his heart would remain for the rest of his life.
An accomplished bassist, Jim started his music career in high school after landing a Columbia record deal and touring as lead singer and writer with his band, The Joys of Life. From there, he graced the world with sounds from Speakeasy, Small Talk, and most recently, the Cold Cuts. More than a musician, Jim was a creator. He was an accomplished arranger, composer, producer, a masterful audio engineer, manager, recording studio owner, and — most importantly — an incredible mentor and educator to many.
About 15 years ago, Jim traded Indianapolis for Cincinnati to be with his wife, Lynn Bruckmann. Together they built a life filled with joy, music, laughter, great food, summers in Canada, and so much love.
Outside of music, his hobbies included graphic design and jewelry design and fabrication (his pinecone earrings were the best). In recent years, thanks to his wit, humor, and Photoshop skills, Jim brought his alter ego Felipe Santiago to life and even became, for one magical Christmas season, Santa Claus himself, complete with a long beard (what a labor of love) and an old-timey Santa suit. His passion for experimenting with AI only added another layer to the creativity, curiosity, and joy he brought to everything he touched.
Jim also spent considerable time building beautiful Glarry basses and connecting with fellow bassists on the online forum TalkBass. In true Jim fashion, he achieved Gold Supporting Member status there, where he was beloved for his positivity and friendliness and will be incredibly missed.
Jim was a lifelong learner and the absolute best listener. He had the innate ability to make anyone feel like they were the most important person in the room, giving them his full attention and consideration. His perception, curiosity, and thoughtfulness shaped every conversation, and his foundational interest in psychology meant most things for him were an experiment. He doted on his grandchildren, always interested in their interests, while also quietly encouraging just enough mischief to embarrass their parents.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James Sr. and Joan Albrecht, and several lifelong friends he considered family — Jozell Carter, Michael Dolan, Paul Martin, and Ivan Rogers to name a few. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Bruckmann; his children, John (Amanda) Albrecht and Marie (Brent Jr.) Albrecht; his grandchildren, Adriana, James, Brent III, August, and Lennon; his sisters, Julie (Virgil) Henke and Jerri (Bill) Bruckmann; and his nieces and nephew, countless cousins, friends, musicians, and chosen family.
His warmth, wit, humor, generosity, and kindness were unmatched. His religion was simple: love. In lieu of a traditional memorial service, Jim requested a party (maybe we'll make it a fiesta) with a hot mic, great music, and plenty of Corona (don't forget the lime and Franks). So in honor of Jim, a proper party is in the works. Until then, keep your tailgate up.
