Even as I typed the above title, I could see him in my mind, rolling his eyes at the drama of it. Karl. How utterly heartbreaking this is. I know we are all rocked by the grief and shock.
Karl and I met each other through our mutual friend Nat Drake. I think it was at Bouche Bar on 5th Street in the EV. We ruled the night in the East Village of the 90’s and early aughts! We flew around that town together! Drinking, mischiefing, making art. He taught me so much about music, introduced me to Bill Frisell and Morton Feldman when I told him I loved Philip Guston the painter. I painted his portrait that first summer. He gave me blank sheets of music paper and I drew him on it. I still have them. I remember Wake Up Call and the song entitled “East Brother” that he wrote about his father. Hanging around at Cornelia Street and the loft watching them all play, Arun Luthra , Joel Fraham, Chris Woltman, all these gifted musicians living gritty artists lives in New York City. These are some most beautiful memories I have. We kept in touch until I left NYC a few years ago, making plans and promises that never happened. He was a genius, as his peers all say. Shy, self effacing, kind, smart, handsome, humble, funny Karl. His friendships were one of the most important things to him in life. We were all so lucky, how lucky were we to get Karl!! One snowy night after we closed down Bouche Bar, he and Nat Drake and I drunkenly tried to steal a giant yellow earth mover! We were all so drunk. Thankfully we couldn't get it started. He loved his sister Lisa so much and talked of her often. He was proud of her. If you were Karls friend, he was proud of you. He blessed us all with his considerable artistic gifts and humility. He showed the way for other artists. I was so happy to see how much he was flourishing and being of service to so many in the city he loved so much! Karl, I love you. Im so sorry you had to leave us so soon. Too too soon. It’s a devastating loss. I can’t believe I’ll never see him again. 
My heartfelt condolences go out to Lisa Wenninger, and all of Karls friends, most especially Arun, Joel, Chris and Nat. Those were the days, guys. I am better for having known him.

I’ll carry his heart and his memory inside my heart, as will we all. - Marianne McGinnis, Philadelphia PA.