In San Diego, if you know music, you probably knew Chula Vista’s Max Zape. “There’s very few musicians I’ve met in San Diego County where I’d say his name, and they wouldn’t know who I was talking about,” said fellow musician Eric Mabrey. “I don’t even have to say his last name. ” “We performed pretty much all over Southern California together,” said long-term band mate Patrick Yandall. “He became a good friend, good confidant and good sounding board for when I was trying to do different things.” Other close friends proudly dubbed Zape “the Wikipedia of music,” saying the keyboard, flute, saxophone and drums player could quickly rattle off who played on any album you asked. One of Zape’s childhood best friends, Ricky Feria, now lives in Arizona. He keeps a keyboard in his living area because of Zape. “I kind of drifted from all of that, but he kept steering me back into music,” Feria said. “And so that’s just kind of the relationship we had.” Zape’s friends said the 62-year-old was home with his 96-year-old mother on Monday morning when a fire broke out in their kitchen. “They were both pulled out through a window by the firefighters,” Mabrey said. Loved ones said Zape’s mom, Chris, was still in the ICU at the Hillcrest Medical Center at UC San Diego Health as of Friday. They said her condition could change at any moment and that they’re not sure if she even knows her only son is gone. Zape was her only caregiver. “Now that Max is gone, there is no permanent caregiver,” said neighbor Gina Welker. “And then, with the house having been damaged by fire, who knows what’s going to be here.” His instruments are still there. His friends are still there. “Brother Max, I miss you, terribly,” Feria said. “I’m just still trying to get through the shock.” There will be a memorial at Humphreys Backstage on Shelter Island for Zape on Feb. 1 from 2-5 p.m. There has also been a fundraiser set up to help cover his funeral costs and his mom’s recovery after she gets out the hospital. ...read more read less