A tribute to dead Jazz musicians

[Jara sang]

Oscar Brown Jr
May 30, 2005



Leroy Vinegar
August 3, 1999



John Lewis
March 29, 2001



Lionel Hampton
August 31, 2002



Ray Brown
July 2, 2002



Gene Ramey
December 8, 1984

[ghostsofgiants]

1. Bleeding Gums Murphy

[MrScorpio]

2. One late Jazz artist that I knew personally, Gene Ramey

December 8, 1984

[wtmusic]

3. Don't forget this guy

John Coltrane
7/17/67

[BlueJazz]

4. Paul Desmond

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. A few more:

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, d. 6 January 1993:



Miles Davis, d. 29 September 1991



Charles Mingus, d. 1 May 1979:

[progmom]

10. Diz died January 6th, 1993

I have this weird thing for remembering the death dates of people I care about.

I remember hearing the NPR news update while driving home from class. It was 3:05pm. I almost drove off the road.

At the time, I had a 5 hour over night show, and I dedicated all 5 hours of it to Diz. I loved that man.

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. Ah. Thanks for the correction...

bad info from Google, it seems.

And I didn't recall the exact date, but I was pretty broken up about it myself. And Miles not too long before that, too. I discovered jazz around age 13 or so, and Miles and Diz were both still alive...they influenced my decision to take music classes and to play the trumpet. "Kind of Blue" and Dizzy's stuff with Bird were in my Discman constantly for about a year...took it to school with me all the time (and got really strange looks from people who asked what I was listening to).

[progmom]

20. I remember when Miles died

I was working in a record store, and my friend Marc walked into the room and said: "Guys, Miles is gone."

And for a brief moment, I thought he said Miles was on the phone. I pondered whether I would want to talk to him, since the one time I met him (when I was 16) he told me to go away.

But then the words sank in...and it felt like the universe had been profoundly changed. My vision went from color to black and white and I had to put my head between my knees.

[Spider Jerusalem]

21. Yeah.

The world was suddenly a darker, smaller place. That's how I felt, although I was too young to really be able to put it into words (I was fourteen at the time).

And I have tears in my eyes now, dammit...think I'm going to listen to "Kind of Blue"...or maybe "Miles Smiles"...

[Call me Deacon Blues]

6. I saw Ray Brown's last show

at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. He died two days later. He looked great, sounded great, was funny and cool. I miss him, but I think he was at peace. We should all be so lucky.

[progmom]

12. Funny - I saw him the night before you did.

I sat at a table with him and told him about my new kid. Ray and I shared a birthday and a love for dirty jokes. I feel so lucky to have been able to spend a little time with him - he used to come through town at least once a year.

[Call me Deacon Blues]

23. Lucky us

My wife & I were up to visit her sister and I asked to go to a jazz club, any jazz club. We just showed up and walked it, with no idea who was playing, had our pick of seats. I was just blown away by the show (we stayed for both). I've been expanding my collection of Ray Brown CD's ever since. Wish to god I'd gotten his autograph.

[Telly Savalas]

7. Don't forget these guys

[Monkie]

8. Thelonious Monk,resident of the fine line between genius and madness

February 17, 1982

[ProfessorGAC]

11. My Single Greatest Influence

Heard him at age 11 for the first time. Was playing piano about 6 or 7 years at that point. Ran to dad and said "I want to play like this!"

Got a coach who taught me jazz and have had people hear Monk for the first time and say that they now hear the influence when comparing our playing.

Huge, huge, huge man in the progression of jazz.
The Professor

[swag]

9. Thanks for including Leroy Vinegar.

I saw him and his band play at Atwater's, on the 30th floor of the US Bank Tower (now a high-priced pick-up joint) about a year before his death. He was old and ailing, but he still played a beautiful show.

As long as I'm in the thread, here's Jimmy Smith, who died not too long ago:

[Richardo]

13. Don Ellis

(My idol as a young, untalented teenage trumpet player in love with uncommon time signatures.)

[SnohoDem]

15. And also

<>

Dexter Gordon

<>

Bill Evans

[Richardo]

16. Buddy Rich

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

22. Can't mention Buddy without

a shout out to Gene Krupa

[Call me Deacon Blues]

24. Yeah, saw him in the 70's

Still have his drumstick.

[peekaloo]

17. Nat & Cannonball Adderley

Cannonball died in 1975 (I believe) and Nat passed 1/2/2000. I knew Nat in Florida. Funny, friendly and smart.

[progmom]

18. a few more recent ones

Percy Heath 4/30/1923-4/28/2005


Illinois Jacquet
10.31.1922 - 7.22.2004



Elvin Jones
11/9/1927- 5/18/2004


James Williams
3/08/1951 - 7/20/2004

[Richardo]

19. The Lady Day

[Lannes]

25. Art Blakey

[progmom]

26. yes - my hero.

10/11/1919-10/15/1990

[Lannes]

27. I used to play BBall with his grandson in NYC

Used to tell me stories about all the legends he met.He was running a homeless shelter when I left in the early 90s.

[progmom]

28. his death affected me more than any non-relative's death

I was 19, and convinced that his offer to let me audition for the Jazz Messengers was sincere (and it may well have been). He was always so kind to me.

[Lannes]

29. Thats amazing!

He really was a teacher as much as he was a musician.

[regularguy]

30. I miss Jaco.

Not a recent death, but tragic and *way* too early.

[Lannes]

31. Me too