Chris Carani: Design patents — and all that jazz

When he was a boy, Chris Carani's musician father would tote Chris and his brothers to gigs at all the Chicago jazz landmarks. Night would fall. Smoke would fill the bar. Sumptuous sounds from the bass, the saxophone, the singer would seep into the place. Chris would stay awake as long as he could, falling asleep on two chairs pushed together to make a bed.When he was about 5, he took up the violin.When he …