Hi all,
I see lots of postings from people here who obviously have had the chance and pleasure actually to speak with some great musicians. I am curious about with whom, given the chance, you'd most like to sit down and talk? I'm not sure what specific criteria are suitable, but let's just say jazz musicians and/or critics with whom you have NOT spoken. Living or deceased, it doesn't matter, but it can't be someone you've met and talked with before.
So here's a stab at my own list:
1. Cannonball Adderley - Somehow his intro to "This Here" off the San Francisco set always makes me smile. I've read he had a huge knowledge of music in general, and I've also read that he was very personable (could be wrong, but I think he'd be incredibly interesting).
2. Branford Marsalis - mainly because of one opinion, and one with which I disagree, at that. In the most recent Jazz Times, he said that, were he king, he'd ban guitar from jazz recordings. I'd love to discuss that and see if I could convince him otherwise.
3. Pat Metheny - the Kenny G diatribe alone makes me think he'd be really entertaining to listen to.
4. Keith Jarrett - around the time he was recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I heard a nice interview with him on (IIRC) NPR's Fresh Air (might have the wrong program, but definitely NPR). I liked how he described creating "The Melody at Night, with You" (regardless of what you think of that album, the way he described its genesis was enthralling).
5. Kenny Dorham - someone whose (so I've heard) intellect went well beyond music, and the DB reviews make me think he had a lot of interesting and worthwhile things to say.
6. Tal Farlow - I'd love to hear about why he gave up music to be a sign painter from his own mouth.
7. Pat Martino - what it was like having to relearn all over again after his aneurysm.
8. Charles Mingus - I just know he'd have interesting things to say...but I'd wanna sit a healthy distance away.
9. Kenny Clarke - I'd love to hear about the beginnings of bebop and why he decided to become an expat.
10. Gary Giddins - I enjoy his writing a ton.
01-03-2003 11:23 AM
Brian Olewnick
Mingus, most definitely.
01-03-2003 01:07 PM
Michael Rosenstein
John Carter, John Carter, John Carter -- One of my great regrets is never having had a chance to hear him live.
John Stevens -- For those interested, there are some great video clips of interviews with a number of musicians about Stevens currently posted on the BBC Radio 3 web site.
01-03-2003 04:19 PM
ssmith36
I can't come up with 10 musicians that I'd really love to meet and talk to, since I don't necessarily feel a *personal* (as opposed to musical) connection to many musicians whose time passed before my own. I have a much easier time listing 10 performers I wish I'd heard live, as opposed to having a conversation.
Perhaps Billy Higgins would have been an exception for me, since by all reports he was a lovely person. Ditto Michael Rosenstein's vote for John Carter, one I wouldn't have come up with on my own but should have. And I think conversations with Coltrane and Ayler would have been fascinating, though probably a lot of work in the latter case.
Among the living, I've been lucky enough to have personal and professional interaction with a great many musicians. However, I'd love to sit and speak with Cecil Taylor, whatever "difficulties" that might pose. The one time I met him, we spoke only momentarily and only talked about the recent passing of Etta Jones. (Cecil was a devoted fan - I'd seen him at a few of her shows at the Village Vanguard.) I'd love to just sit for hours and talk to him about his life and work.
And I bet Clark Terry can spin a yarn like no one's business.
Tanager, I always tend to take Branford Marsalis's opinions with a whopping dose of salt. He's a great talker and one of the funniest people I've ever had the chance to speak with, but I get a sense that he says a lot of things just for effect. (And some other controversial things he's said, like his infamous Cecil Taylor slam in the Burns documentary, were taken out of context and misreported.) I think it's fair to be especially suspicious of someone who claims to want to ban guitar from recordings, but also plans to issue his pal Doug Wamble's debut on Marsalis Music.
01-03-2003 05:28 PM
Pat Frisco
Julius Hemphill. He seemed like such a gentle spirit. So soulful, yet so forward thinking in both his playing and writing.
Thelonius Monk. Just to observe and give him a big hug.
John Lennon. To have a smoke with and talk about legalization.
John Coltrane. Wow. What could I possibly say. I think I'd just want to have a cup of tea with him and watch him practice.
Charles Mingus. To have a couple of shots and go dancing.
Frank Zappa. To talk about the absurdities of the world and the latest trends in hair gel.
James Moody. (Is he still around?) To tell him how full of shit he is about Ornette.
Phillip Wilson. To ask him what was happening when he continually knocked over cymbal stands and let sticks fly into the crowd during a frenzied 70's performance with Braxton in Detroit.
George Adams. Just to see how he made that tenor sax sing.
Albert Ayler. My introduction, as a teenager, into this music. Or Dolphy, perhaps.
01-03-2003 05:45 PM
Captain Hate
I did some programming at a college radio station, at which I met a guy who had been to one of Cecil's extended workshops. He told me that CT liked to be taken by surprise by questions. Shortly after that there was a reception at which Cecil was surrounded by sycophants and swells; this guy goes up and sez "Hey Cecil, who you like in the Super Bowl?" Cecil cracked up and then answered him.
Regarding Hemphill, I went to a workshop at Oberlin in the 80's that the World Sax 4tet put on. Lake and Murray were the friendliest and most helpful; Bluiett was kind of standoffish. It was shortly before Hemphill split from the group and I felt bad for him because he was reeking of vodka in the middle of the afternoon (this was after he'd already lost his foot to diabetes). He was playing some awesome blues on the soprano. I wanted to go talk to him but I wasn't sure it would've been welcome.
01-03-2003 06:35 PM
Mingus
er, Mingus? no doubt. ala Frisco; a couple of shots of tequila and all night rants on Tijuana.
Miles Davis: He *can't* be all that surly. Love to talk about how concious/delibrate he was about changing "the sound", and *finding* those incredible *sidemen*.
Hamid Drake. He makes the notion of "poly-rythmes" 1st grade stuff.
01-03-2003 09:09 PM
walter horn
I want some quality time with Joelle Leandre and the whole Parkins clan.
01-03-2003 10:23 PM
Pete C
I'm generally not especially interested in talking to musicians unless they happen to be friends or associates of mine, but I'm sure I could have made an exception for Don Cherry.
I almost met John Cage. He was supposed to read something to open a benefit I put together in 1982 for a magazine I published. We spoke on the phone, but he had to cancel because something came up in Toronto--a paying gig I think. So Jon Gibson opened with a solo soprano performance. I was very disappointed that Cage couldn't make it. The evening was called "A Benefit for Nothing" because we were going to publish an issue devoted to nothing and nothingness.
01-03-2003 10:33 PM
Valerie
1. Bird
2. Billie Holiday
3. Lester Young
I'm sure there's more I could think of and will later on.
Would you all think I was being obnoxious if I said I'd met and even hung out with some of the following that were mentioned above?:
Mingus
Kenny Dorham
Cannonball
Monk
Miles
Branford
Metheny
Billy Higgins
John Coltrane
Clark Terry
James Moody (and he more than certainly is still around and playing his ass off!)
John Cage
BTW, on second thought, you don't have to answer my question!!
01-04-2003 12:00 AM
Valerie
Don't know how this double-post happened but I apologize nevertheless.
01-04-2003 12:00 AM
bostontricky
Nobody wants to talk to Charlie Parker?
Among those not mentioned to date:
Don Ellis. What's with the transition from big band to Third Stream to the Hindustani thing back to big band again?
Jimmy Giuffre. In 500,000 words or less, tell me everything that happened post-Brookmeyer...
George Russell. What was going down after the Sextet/Septets dissolved in 1962 and before Electronic Sonata with the Swedes in 1967?
Chris McGregor, Mr. Jelly Roll, Lennie Tristano, Horace Tapscott, Joe Harriott.
01-04-2003 12:07 AM
Valerie
<Nobody wants to talk to Charlie Parker?> Does my mention of Bird count?!?!?
01-04-2003 12:24 AM
bostontricky
Val, you got me by minutes.
01-04-2003 12:28 AM
Dennis González
Michael (and Steve Smith), John Carter was a wonderful, gentle, generous and shy man. Amazing music came out of him. And John Stevens was witty, funny, and a hell of a drummer. I met both of these men right before they died. I couldn't believe they left so soon.
Captain Hate, I spent a week (evenings) with Julius Hemphill. He would have been very happy to spend time talking to you. He seemed very lonely in some ways, and his companion was his dog, Buster Bee. He took forever to get his words out, and so you had to listen very carefully and remember what his last word was so that you could piece his sentences together. He was more fluent on the sax than in words. He had the blues.
Tanager, I'd heard that Keith Jarrett had mellowed after his bout with the Syndrome. I met him during his Belonging tour, years before his illness, and his sidemen (Garbarek, Danielsson, Christensen) were excited and gracious...Jarrett was quite the asshole, ordering everybody around, and away from him. He traveled with his own personal Steinway and a piano tuner, and played hypnotically.
My wife and I used to get together with Pat Metheny whenever he came through town, or if he happened to be in a city where we happened to be. He was about 19 or so when we met him, and this continued for about 10 years...he was always on the road and didn't eat very well, so my wife would take him and his band huge platters of homemade food and fruit trays, home baked bread and homemade jelly. He was always smiling, even when he was beat, always the lifelong teenager, and now he's known all over the world. I haven't seen his face in almost 20 years now.
And Billy Higgins saved my friend, Charles Brackeen's life by playing once a week with him in Los Angeles. Until Billy died, I always knew I could find Charles. When Billy died, Brackeen disappeared again, and someone here at JC was wonderful in giving me the number that connected me with Charles again. Billy Higgins was a blessing. I never met him face to face.
01-04-2003 01:02 AM
Valerie
Dennis: I feel like Billy H. is *still* a blessing as his "stuff" was so powerful, it's still around (at least in L.A. and with me)!! LOL and smiling, as well!! But no one smiled like Billy!!
Regards,
Valerie Bishop
01-04-2003 02:04 PM
hornplayer
Pops
Trane
Bird
Monk
Mingus
Ella
Sassy
Duke
I also have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to hang out with and have substantive conversations with quite a few of the folks named here.... 'Way back I was in such awe I didn't dare approach them! Too bad for me!
No one's mentioned Diz! one of the nicest cats who ever was!
01-04-2003 02:22 PM
walter horn
Dennis, thanks for the tres cool anecdotes!
And boston t, of course EVERYONE wishes they could have chatted with Bird!
01-04-2003 03:54 PM
Pat Frisco
Pete, back around 1980 I was in NYC with a friend of mine. As we were getting onto the subway, Don Cherry was getting off, dousn' gouni (spelling?) in hand. Obviously we didn't get on, opting to approach him instead. He was genuinely pleased that we stopped him. He was most gentle, friendly, and warm. Only talked for a few minutes, about the scarcity of creative music venues at that time, etc... A brief but memorable experience.
01-04-2003 04:11 PM
Pete C
Pat, I found this from William Parker:
"Use Of THE DONSO NGONI
I was first introduced to the Donso Ngoni in 1974 through the Don Cherry he was walking down west Broadway playing this wonderful instrument I was walking the other way we looked at each other I began to read poetry while Don played. After wards we walked up to the Chelsea Hotel we send the rest of the afternoon and evening taking about music and God. I have always been interested in the folk element of music and the sounds from around the world." [all typos in original]
01-04-2003 04:31 PM
Valerie
I must add Coleman Hawkins to my list!
01-04-2003 05:22 PM
Mike Schwartz
hornplayer's #17 looks like mine if I had thought to make up a list, especially Coltrane, having interviewed both McCoy & Elvin on separate occasions.
I would also like to add the keyboardist from Argentina, the late Jorge Dalto who passed at an early age from leukemia, was a force of joy and enthusiasm on every band stand I ever saw him.
And Lew Tabackin, who I'm actually going to work on booking on my show,long time fans of both he and Toshiko, who was my first full length artist feature.
01-04-2003 05:46 PM
Dr Dave
I'd love to have spent a few hours with:
Duke Ellington and Ray Nance. I loved Nance 'cause he could play and sing.
Clifford Brown. People without exception say he was a wonderful person.
Ella Fitzgerald. Behind the sunny voice, who knows what mysteries.
Art Blakey. I don't think there's be a lot of beating around the bush with Bu.
Larry Young. He covered a lot of stylistic ground in his short life.
Sun Ra. Obviously.
Art Taylor. So many sessions with so many different people...
And among the living:
Rudy Van Gelder.
Johnny Griffin. I've had the privilege of spending a little time with him when he's been in Boston over the last 10 years or so. He is funny, gracious, opinionated, and quite cosmopolitan.
01-04-2003 06:27 PM
Valerie
Dr. Dave:
Ray Nance was adorable! I used to enjoy him a lot. And don't forget his little dancing bits!
What I remember most about Ella is her shyness and modesty. Would you believe I have a wonderful piece of artwork that belonged to her (by the athlete/poet/actor, Bernie Casey) that I bought from her estate sale. I also bought a gold pin/charm that was engraved on the back to her as a gift from the musical, acting, dancing Hines Family. I think she was Gregory's godmother.
Buhaina was a trip. Real cute and "devilish" personality and a great big flirt!
Art Taylor: Well, I think you can tell if you read his book! Pretty "down-to-earth," you might say!!
I agree and wish I had met Clifford Brown or even heard him in person. Does it count that I know his lovely widow?!?
And last but not least, Dr. Dave, you're someone I actually hope to meet one of these days while I'm in Boston!!
01-04-2003 08:43 PM
Zemry
1. Louis Armstrong.
2. Duke Ellington.
3. Count Basie.
4. J.J. Johnson.
5. Lawrence Brown.
6. Tricky Sam Nanton.
7. Dizzy Gillespie.
8. Jack Teagarden.
9. Billy Holiday.
10. Miles Davis.
01-04-2003 09:30 PM
bostontricky
In Zemry's vein, add Eddie Condon.
01-04-2003 10:22 PM
Pete C
Ray Nance was a rare triple-threat: a fun singer/entertainer, an excellent trumpeter, and most importantly IMO, a PROFOUND violinist. I think he could easily have been the premier jazz violinist of his generation if he had made other career choices. Anyone who hasn't yet must check out his duet with Lee Konitz, "Duplexity" (Lee Konitz Duets).
01-04-2003 10:53 PM
Nathaniel Catchpole
Plenty of those mentioned. Plus Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Maybe Archie Shepp in the '60s.
01-04-2003 11:36 PM
Capt. W./TX.
Wish I'd gotten to know and hang out with:
Don Grolnick (a great musical mind with a wonderful sense of humor)
Bill Evans
Victor Feldman
Mel Lewis
Zoot Sims
Gary McFarland
John Lewis
Red Mitchell
Cannonball Adderley
Shelly Manne
(actually talked to Mel Lewis a few times and played a rehearsal with him in 1985.
I met Victor Feldman in the 70's when he was with the LA Express, produced a recording session with that group. When the session was over, he asked for my autograph on the keyboard parts I'd written. A very kind man-and an awesome musician; he played keyboards, vibes, drums and percussion)
01-05-2003 12:02 AM
Valerie
You guys are right on with a desire to hang with Cannonball. He was a most unusual, multi-faceted person. Both he and Nat had strong intelligence, were very cultured, incredibly articulate, and at the same time deeply soulful folks. That combination has always been extremely attractive to me. Add to that some of the best senses of humor and a s**tload of talent, and there you have two powerful brothers who were very devoted to each other. I miss them both a lot.
P.S. Cannon also made a mean gumbo!!
01-05-2003 12:39 AM
mone peterson
I'm not much for wanting to meet people just because I admire their artistic abilities, but I do think I would have liked to spend a day or so hanging around Rahsaan. Maybe go shopping with him or something.
01-06-2003 02:27 PM
ssmith36
<<Maybe Archie Shepp in the '60s.>>
Nathaniel, while I know that an interview isn't per se the same as a casual conversation, I'll just mention that I spoke at length with Shepp two years ago and he was a complete joy... open, funny, humble, deeply grateful to the musicians who had given him chances (foremost among them Trane and Cecil), and completely candid about his own latter-day years of difficulties, both with embouchure and opportunity.
Of course, it occurs to me that he might have been considerably more... difficult in the '60s.
01-06-2003 02:58 PM
walter horn
Partch.
Hey, if Yeats got to meet him, why can't I?
01-06-2003 03:42 PM
jazzy mary
I would have liked to hung with Bird (I would have liked to go to the movies with him), I would have liked to have met Miles, Coleman Hawkins, Billy, Ella (my first love!), Lester Young, Bill Evans, let's see who else, Louis Armstrong. I'm sure there are others, of course.
Val, I don't think it's obnoxious at *all* your listing the folks you were lucky enough to know and hang with. Matter of fact, please spill all stories NOW!!
I know that's a tall order!! You all know who I know, 'cause I love to tell funny stories about them!
01-06-2003 04:18 PM
jamieb
1) Definately Miles, as he was my 1st major inspiration as a musician.
2) I've always been intrigued by Chet Baker.
3) I'll have to go along with a previous post, and say I'd just like to watch Coltrane practice.
4) I would have liked to get a few lessons from Clifford in person.
5) It would have been cool to hang with Diz.
01-06-2003 07:35 PM
Valerie
Ok, Jazzy Mary is egging me on!!!
Hanging with both Diz and Carmen together was a complete hoot!!! They were more than devilish!!
Got to hang with Sass quite a bit, both on the road (Europe) and in L.A. She actually loved to hang with an ex-boyfriend of mine so I got to get in on the act, so to speak!! She even came to his 40th b-day party that I gave for him. Mem-o-ries!!
Mike: You know how much I love Lew (and Toshiko). I think you'll really enjoy Lew with his sly, sarcastic, droll sense of humor!!
Duke is actually responsible for first making me aware of my femininity!! Before you conjure up all kinds of x-rated thoughts, let me quickly add that I was about 11 years old but he spoke to me like I was a beautiful woman and I just melted!! He was somethin' else, for sure!!
I had an enormous crush on Archie Shepp in the '60s when I was living in the East Village. He was one handsome dude but kind of scary to me with his obvious intensity!!
But, it's not me but my girlfriends who have the Miles stories!! But I must say that I'm not sorry about that!!
01-06-2003 09:54 PM
Dr Dave
<I just melted> That's why Duke was number one on my list. He knew how to talk to the ladies. All right, he knew how to talk to everyone...
A favorite Duke quote:
"You make that dress look so beautiful."
01-06-2003 10:24 PM
jazzy mary
Oh, I know. I've heard so many stories how Duke would make women feel so beautiful. No wonder he had to beat them off with a stick!!
Val, when we get together you can tell me the Miles' stories.
01-08-2003 11:40 AM
Valerie
JM: One lady I knew years ago actually wrote a letter to the editor of a famous magazine in rebuttal to an interview of Miles. It might have been Vanity Faire but I really don't remember. I do, however, have a copy of her letter in L.A. When I can get my hands on it, I'll reprint it here. It's positively sizzling. I believe she sued him and won an out-of-court settlement for his mental/physical abuse of her! She called him a "misogynist"(sp?) among other things.
01-12-2003 09:57 PM
Donny Baby
I'd love to have met Bird. Cannonball would be a must as would Clark Terry who sounds like a truly wonderful human being. There was a great story about Clark told by English trumpeter Guy Barker who said he played opposite Clark at Ronnie Scott's club in London and Clark said to Guy, I can help with your embouchere and invited Barker to his hotel room the next day. Barker said that without his help (free) he probably wouldn't be playing now. Victor Feldman, a wonderful musician. The Australian multi instrumentalist James Morrison (we've e-mailed each other.
I did manage to meet Art Pepper (not a nice man) and one of my heroes Shelly Manne, who was a very funny, lovely guy. Jackie & Roy (the vocal duo) were absolutely charming but one of the most entertaining musicians I ever met was the blind late English pianist Eddie Thompson, who had a fund of unreapeatable stories, mainly about his 8 year stay in New York in the 60's?, mostly about the crap he got from black musicians. There was a lot of Crow Jim about then, remember the stick than Cannonball got for employing Vic Feldman and I believe Miles did (though probably not to his face) about Bill Evans.
I remember meeting Mingus once at Ronnie Scott's, scary.
Altoist Frank Morgan was pretty unfriendly but Lew Tabakin was tremendous as was tenorist Don Menza.
Prez is a must as would be Duke.
Kenny Dorham would also be on my list, I'd forgotten his writing in Down Beat until reminded above but his reviews were superb.
Ira Gitler would also be an interesting dinner companion. I suspect he'd have a few stories to tell.
Lastly Bill Crow, if his books are anything to go by.
01-29-2003 11:50 AM
Booker Brown
1 Stanley Crouch (I agree with 50% of what he says and I'd like to try and debate the other 50%)
2 Wynton Marsalis (ditto above)
3 David S. Ware (seems to have interesting philosophies toward music/life)
4-10 Fred Anderson, William Parker, Jason Moran, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, Joe Lovano
01-30-2003 03:36 PM
Valerie
Booker: Saw and talked with Elvin last night. He continues to be the sweetest, nicest, most intelligent and humblest person. What a treat!
01-31-2003 09:16 AM
vkargatis
Dead: John Carter (was going to respond early on, but Michael Rosenstein said it first, so my incentive reduced). Carter's death is still the one that's affected me the most as a jazz listener (i.e. while I've been one [I'm 34])
Alive: Nels Cline. I want to buy him, like, a million beers. I'm lucky in being personally acquainted with many of my favorite musicians - but not Nels (yet!).
01-31-2003 09:23 AM
Martin
Had some e-mail contact with Nels Cline as I desperately searched for a copy of the trio's "Ground" CD. Sadly, he couldn't help me. This is one of the most annoying gaps in my record collection. Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
01-31-2003 09:34 AM
vkargatis
Martin, if you want mp3s in the meantime, I can upload them for you to download. lemme know (kargatis@kargatron.net)
01-31-2003 10:23 AM
ssmith36
Nels and I carried on a phone and mail "conversation" for a few years when I worked at Koch, the company that used to distribute Enja. He's a great, great guy - not only did he send me elaborately hand-designed cassettes with the trio music that would later end up coming out on Krown Pocket and Little Brother, but -- mindful of the fact that I'd once mentioned Kiss as having been a formative influence on my musical journey -- when we finally met in person at a New Music Monday at the Alligator Lounge (Mark Dresser solo, then Nels' trio, then the trio plus Dresser), he presented me with a 'Rock and Roll Over' button which proudly remains on display on my bookself.
01-31-2003 08:32 PM
Pete C
Steve, is Koch out of the jazz business now?
02-01-2003 12:44 AM
ssmith36
Pete, that's tough to say. The guy who ran the Koch Jazz label has been gone for a while now and there's no intention to replace him, as far as I know, which effectively puts the kibosh on jazz releases from Koch as a label. Most of the kinds of things they were reissuing are now showing up on Collectables and Wounded Bird.
As for the distrbution end, with Enja gone, that only leaves Dreyfus and whatever jazz releases happen to come from Tzadik, Pearl and ASV (all public domain early recordings in the latter two cases, of course).
02-01-2003 06:07 PM
Bill Barton
Hard to limit the list to only ten...
Of those now gone:
Mezz Mezzrow (oh, those stories...)
Pee Wee Russell
Henry "Red" Allen
Duke Ellington
Clifford Brown
Gigi Gryce
John Coltrane
Eric Dolphy
Bill Evans
Rahsaan Roland Kirk (I came close at an outdoor summer jazz festival in Vermont, but Rahsaan was taking a ride on the chair lift at the ski area where the fest took place when I went backstage, and I never managed to connect up with him later.)
Of those still with us:
Benny Carter
Jay McShann
Cecil Taylor
Andrew Hill
Randy Weston
Fred Anderson
Bob Brookmeyer
Vinny Golia
Anthony Braxton
Perry Robinson
Of those I've met and spoken with, the most memorable for one reason or another:
Gunther Schuller (I spoke at some length with him a few years back, and listen back to the tape of our conversation frequently. A fascinating and complex man.)
Max Roach (Another long interview that sticks in my mind for the depth and range of topics.)
Julius Hemphill (Hung out with him informally thanks to Bill Cole back in the 1970s, tipped a few brews, and talked about everything except music. He was a very sweet man.)
Von Freeman (One of the nicest people I've ever met. What a wonderful sense of humor!)
Charlie Haden (His compassion and commitment to human rights issues always shines through in his music.)
Jane Ira Bloom (An original thinker and another very, very nice person.)
Joanne Brackeen (She seemed rather shy and retiring but was quite eloquent talking about her music.)
Jessica Williams (She was gracious and friendly even though suffering from a bad cold and probably ready for a good night's sleep after a long duo performance with Jeff Johnson in Seattle.)
Sun Ra (I recall being somewhat nonplussed at how "down to earth" he was, not in the least "spacey" as I had sort of expected. He was more interested in talking about fishing than music.)
Chief Fela Sowande (One of the most charismatic individuals I've ever met, again thanks to Bill Cole. It was a brief but memorable encounter. The late concert organist, composer, conductor, philosopher and ethnomusicologist from Nigeria was a truly inspirational figure. Check out http://hierographics.org/felasowandephi ... inions.htm for some insights into his importance. And for some very thought provoking insights regarding Trane's spirituality from Chief Fela Sowande and Bill Cole: http://www.mcnair.berkeley.edu/95journa ... Price.html)
02-02-2003 12:11 PM
Tom Storer
Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Baby Dodds, to hear about how things were in the old days.
Jelly Roll Morton, ditto, and because he must have been such a character.
Django Reinhardt
Charlie Parker
Lenny Tristano
Paul Chambers - such a key player, and I don't think I've ever even read an interview with him!
Scott LaFaro
Tommy Flanagan (Actually, I did talk to him once... I said, "Can I have your autograph?" and he said "Yes.")
Bill Crow - I'm sure he didn't put *all* his stories in his book!
Mose Allison
02-02-2003 03:36 PM
Valerie
Tom: Not surprised that you've never read any interviews with Paul Chambers. I didn't know him well (he lived across the street from me and was living with my girlfriend) but, from my experience, he never did have very much to say. He seemed to be rather introverted except when he was "juiced". He always seemed like a sweet, nice guy but not very articulate except when he had that bass in his hands! As I said, I have a limited perspective.
Tommy Flanagan, on the other hand, was also incredibly sweet but was much more talkative. All I can say (again not knowing Tommy well) was that he was very warm and wonderful with a great sense of humor. Can't believe he's no longer with us.
02-02-2003 04:15 PM
ssmith36
>>Sun Ra (I recall being somewhat nonplussed at how "down to earth" he was, not in the least "spacey" as I had sort of expected. He was more interested in talking about fishing than music.)<<
Maybe the difference is the setting: Back when I was in college (late '80s), I went backstage to meet Ra at the Caravan of Dreams in Ft. Worth. As I approached, he was telling a small crowd of admiring onlookers how he had once lectured at Harvard on the powers of mind over time, and had then demonstrated his thesis by stopping all of the clocks on campus with the power of thought.
I smiled in admiration, and got his autograph on a poster also signed by John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick and Danny Ray Thompson.
02-02-2003 05:11 PM
Bill Barton
<<52. ssmith36 02-02-2003 / 05:11 PM
>>Sun Ra (I recall being somewhat nonplussed at how "down to earth" he was, not in the least "spacey" as I had sort of expected. He was more interested in talking about fishing than music.)<<
Maybe the difference is the setting: Back when I was in college (late '80s), I went backstage to meet Ra at the Caravan of Dreams in Ft. Worth. As I approached, he was telling a small crowd of admiring onlookers how he had once lectured at Harvard on the powers of mind over time, and had then demonstrated his thesis by stopping all of the clocks on campus with the power of thought.
I smiled in admiration, and got his autograph on a poster also signed by John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick and Danny Ray Thompson.>>
Fishing and mind over time may very well be synonymous... Flow is the thing. My encounter was at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; Ivy League, Norman Rockwell picture-postcard New England to the max.
02-02-2003 09:36 PM
SinginSumo
Louis Armstrong (numero uno on this list)
Fats Waller
Sarah Vaughan
Harpo Marx
Leonard Bernstein
Charlie Parker (wholly dependent on his sobriety)
Jon Hendricks
Duke Ellington
Desi Arnaz
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Runners-up: The Fab Four (circa 1967)
Milt Hinton
Pat Martino
Les Paul
Tito Rodriguez
Tito Puente
Frank Sinatra (wholly dependent on his mood)
Lester Young
Arturo Toscanini
MET (among others):
Jan Peerce
Charles Mingus (quintessential boorish prick)
Dizzy Gillespie (sweetheart of a human being)
Pat Metheny (very engaging young man)
Lew Tabackin
Ray Barretto
Angel Romero
Ray Mantilla (needed to sober up...not an articulate drunk)
GLAD I NEVER MET:
Miles Davis (in a mood)
Sidney Bechet
Anita Bryant
Eddy Arnold
Ice Cube
Kathleen Battle (when she is "difficult")
02-03-2003 03:39 PM
mone peterson
Unrelated to jazz, but I met Snoop Dogg last Friday, where he referred to me as "the M to the O-N-Easy-fo-sheezy," I kid you not.
I'm never washing my name again.
02-03-2003 04:16 PM
Omar Zamora
>>Unrelated to jazz, but I met Snoop Dogg last Friday, where he referred to me as "the M to the O-N-Easy-fo-sheezy," I kid you not. <<
Dude, that's fuckin' cool. Not that I believe you, but it's a cool story.
02-03-2003 05:10 PM
jazzy mary
I totally believe Mone. hey Mone, weren't you the one who was going to hook me up with Wesley? So................??????
02-03-2003 05:12 PM
mone peterson
OZ: It happened, so don't be doggin' me in public now.
>>I totally believe Mone. hey Mone, weren't you the one who was going to hook me up with Wesley? So................??????>>
JM: You lost me. Which Wesley? Snipes? David? Willis? Crusher? Refresh my memory.
02-03-2003 05:18 PM
Tanager
Well, since I started this thread, lemme say this: I've never met one famous jazz musician. Actually, I've never met any famous musician, and I've met too damned few musicians at all (outside of playing in college jazz band, which I did poorly, in case you're curious).
I did, however, stand not ten feet from George Clinton at the Grammys in 2001, and the coolness was soaked up by all in the vicinity. Had I had the chance, I have NO idea what I would have said to the man. Maybe asked for a ride in the Mothership or something.
02-04-2003 12:36 AM
walter horn
The last time I was (quite pathetically) speechless next to a celeb was when I first waited for, then rode a bus from Alewife Station to Arlingon, where I got off. He, presumably, stayed on til Lexington. I just watched him grade some papers (with a fancy fountain pen) and thought about what I might say to him.
02-04-2003 06:23 AM
Tanager
Actually, I forgot two stories from college, neither of which involves jazz musicians, so indulge me.
One was getting a little semiprivate concert from Stevie Ray Vaughan behind Memorial Hall at UNC. A bunch of us were back there (at least a couple of us thankfully too stoned to attempt to say anything to SRV) waiting for him to show. He shows up (this is a couple of hours before show time), has the roadies put a cab in the back of an empty trailer, and plays a little concert for us wasted idiots. The only tune I remember was "Testify".
The other time was losing $80 to the harmonica player from the Kinsey Report in Greensboro, NC. This time I'd been drinking kamikazes the entire show with a buddy, and when we went backstage to meet the band (I don't recall how, I think we just stumbled drunkenly on back), I somehow got it into my head to play this guy (the harp player) in pool.
I have no idea how this slipped my mind last night, but maybe I lost more brain cells lo those many years ago than I thought.
02-04-2003 08:15 AM
Valerie
Walter: Am I missing something about who that was supposed to be?!?
02-04-2003 09:22 AM
hornplayer
Don't think so, Val... I was wondering the same thing!
So who was the celeb, Walter?
02-04-2003 09:59 AM
walter horn
So sorry. It was famous non-musician Noam Chomsky.
02-04-2003 10:15 AM
SinginSumo
Better Noam than Chom.
02-04-2003 10:40 AM
Sinnerman
Would like to have met - Mingus - Coltrane - Bird - Miles
Most memorable musicians I have have met - Don Cherry - (had lunch with Roland Kirk ) - Buster Williams -
Sam Jones - Charlie Haden
02-04-2003 11:57 AM
Pete C
"I just watched him grade some papers (with a fancy fountain pen) and thought about what I might say to him."
"Nice pen, Noam."
02-05-2003 05:33 PM
Pete C
" (had lunch with Roland Kirk ) "
Did he eat 3 courses at the same time?
02-05-2003 05:35 PM
GoodSpeak
In no particular order:
Miles Davis
Steve Khan
Ray Brown
JJ Johnson
Jimmy Smith
Poncho Sanchez
Pat Metheney
Dizzy Gillespie
Wynton Marsalis
Percy Heath
There are MANY others, but if I could have just sat down and had ten-fifteen minutes to talk with the Great Miles Davis...my life would be complete.
I'm a trumpet man to the end.
FWIW,
TimMc
02-05-2003 08:52 PM
Pete C
"There are MANY others, but if I could just have sat down and had ten-fifteen minutes with the Great Miles Davis...my life would be complete."
If I could witness that, MY life would be complete.
02-05-2003 08:55 PM
Valerie
In fact, GoodSpeak, I would have paid a goodly sum to see you sit down and spend some time with Miles AND Jimmy Smith - together, at the same time!!! Oh, my heavenly stars!! I'm hyperventilating!!
02-05-2003 11:06 PM
Bill Barton
An intimate dinner with Miles, Mingus and Jimmy Smith? Ah, the mind reels...
02-05-2003 11:58 PM
mone peterson
>>There are MANY others, but if I could have just sat down and had ten-fifteen minutes to talk with the Great Miles Davis...my life would be complete.>>
Goody and Miles. Holee shit. I'm getting giddy just thinking about this. What's the over/under on "motherfuckers?"
Val: What was/is Jimmy Smith like?
02-06-2003 01:22 AM
Valerie
Mone: <Val: What was/is Jimmy Smith like?>
Don't know how to say this diplomatically: He's a complete crazy, outrageous, obscene, mostly out of control person!! At least, that's been my experience. There are tons of people who've had the same kind of experiences though. (That's why it cracked me up to hear GoodSpeak say he'd like to spend time with Miles AND Jimmy!!) Lots of us just cross the street if we see him coming, so to speak (no pun intended)!! I know he's been very sick for awhile so maybe he's mellowed a bit. He and his wife have had to move (I think as a result of some of his "problems," so he's no longer around L.A. Let the record state that I didn't know him well at all - quite deliberately!
02-06-2003 09:29 AM
hornplayer
....his wife, Lola, is a lovely person. Must have the patience of a saint!
02-06-2003 11:41 AM
Mike P
I love Jimmy Smith as an artist. As a person he leaves a lot to be desired. I will never forget seeing him at The Jazzwork Shop in San Francisco years ago. He was drunk and felt like ripping all of the other jazz organist apart one by one. He kept reminding anyone that he is the world's greatest and the others weren't shit.
I too, have had dealings with Lola Smith. A very fine person.
02-06-2003 02:47 PM
mone peterson
I've only encountered Jimmy on one occasion, a set in San Francisco promoting DOT COM BLUES. I'm tellin' you guys, he was so mellow, I thought he was going to fall asleep. Never figured he was so ornery in real life! Maybe he's bipolar.
02-06-2003 04:09 PM
SinginSumo
Though to the best of my knowledge not a musician, I'd like to meet Mone.
02-06-2003 05:48 PM
walter horn
I hear the screen puts at least pounds on him, though.
02-06-2003 06:07 PM
mone peterson
Sumo: Former gigger, so I don't think I qualify. But likewise.
JC musicians I'd like to meet include Dennis G., Erik Lund, Nat Catchpole and Walter Horn (and Walter Horn's cat!) and some day I may get to meet all of 'em!
02-06-2003 07:19 PM
Pete C
I've met Horn. The way he kvells about a good Vietnamese meal is very musical.
Of Mone's list, Nat is the only one I haven't met. And maybe he'll hop over to The Hague in July.
02-06-2003 07:24 PM
GoodSpeak
Valerie,
Crazy or not...the experience alone would have been memorable. Besides, who said anything about meeting them both on the same day or at the same time?
Unusual cases don't worry me, I teach teenagers, remember?
I would have also liked to have met Joe Williams if for no other reason than to just say, "Thanks". What a tremendous voice.
02-06-2003 08:34 PM
walter horn
>>I hear the screen puts at least pounds on him, though.<<
Ten. Ten pounds. You know, it seems like I can almost never make a post anymore without leaving out at least.
02-06-2003 10:48 PM
walter horn
BTW, (1) Cherches orders particularly well (at particularly good restaurants); and (2) when I do finally meet Mone, I'm planning on losing at least $20 playing 5 card high-low (what I call "boneyard"). $13 to him and the other $7 to Goody.
Hah! I did it. I leave out any words!
02-06-2003 10:52 PM
mone peterson
Walt: If we do hook up with Goody, one of us has to work on a Miles impression.
02-07-2003 12:11 AM
GoodSpeak
Five Card Draw and I'll take you both to the cleaners
02-07-2003 12:32 AM
walter horn
At five card draw, I can lose $50 in the same amount of time. Better stick with boneyard.
02-07-2003 07:45 AM
jazzy mary
Does anyone remember who was supposed to hook me up w/ Wesley!!!????
Most famous person I've met: Paul McCartney, most famous jazz musician: probably Max Roach or Elvin Jones. Most famous jazz musician I've ever dated: well, there's only been a few. So, I'll leave that alone now.
02-07-2003 01:35 PM
Valerie
Alright, Ms. JM: The question is about musicians you wish you'd gotten to meet!!! It's clear to me that you're just dyin' to tell "all". You better be careful!! LOL!!
02-07-2003 02:36 PM
jazzy mary
All right, all right!!! I forgot Joe Williams. So the most famous musicians would be :Max, Elvin, Joe Williams. Oh, what about Tony Williams or Bobby Hutcherson or Pharoah Sanders??!! Or Freddie Hubbard? Man, this is hard!
Hey wait a second!! This *is* supposed ot be about musicians we wish we could have met, but aren't people talking about the ones they have met too?
02-07-2003 02:57 PM
Valerie
Mary: What musicians do you wish you had met?!?!?
02-07-2003 03:00 PM
jazzy mary
Tons!! Ella, Billie, Louis, Bird, Miles, Coltrane, Basie, Johnny Hodges, Duke, Sarah, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Chambers, Sonny Payne, Philly Joe Jones, Blakey, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Brownie, Cannonball Adderly, Hank Mobley.......the list goes on and on. So many great, wonderful ones!!!
02-07-2003 03:15 PM
Valerie
JM: You know how I hate to "brag" (tee-hee!), but would you believe that I've seen/met 17 from your list above?!? Blows my mind!!
Not to be picking on YOU, my dear, but why does "everyone" seem to spell Adderley incorrectly?!? I've even seen it spelled wrong on album covers (maybe that's exactly how it's been spread far and wide incorrectly)!
02-07-2003 04:20 PM
MAKPJAZZ
Tons!! Ella, Billie, Louis, Bird, Miles, Coltrane, Basie, Johnny Hodges, Duke, Sarah, Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Chambers, Sonny Payne, Philly Joe Jones, Blakey, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Brownie, Cannonball Adderly, Hank Mobley.......the list goes on and on. So many great, wonderful ones!!!
JM,
From your list - I consider myself so fortunate to have met:
Ella, Basie, Duke, Sarah, Philly Joe, Blakey, Mobley. I'd would have loved to meet the rest of the musicians you listed. I did hear Johnny Hodges live, but did not meet him. I met Duke at a concert he have at Symphony Hall in Newark when I was about 13 years old. Still have his autograph, in fact! Also met Red Garland back in the 80's. He kissed my hand and I STILL haven't washed it
Only kidding! Marla
02-07-2003 04:54 PM
jazzy mary
Valerie, Inexcusable my misspelling "Adderley" and here I've got his "Know What I Mean" cd right in front of me!!! Thanks!
Marla and Val, I am so jealous of you guys!! I forgot another biggie on my list--Dinah Washington. From what I heard she was "somethin' else"!!
02-07-2003 05:05 PM
Valerie
JM: Did I ever tell you my "x-rated" Dinah Washington story?!?
02-08-2003 12:30 AM
mone peterson
Ooh ooh, tell the x-rated Dinah story!
02-08-2003 12:42 AM
Valerie
Mone:
Dinah was appearing at Fenway Park in Boston (I don't even remember whether it was during a ballgame or a regular concert) and there were lots of underage people there. As a part of her act, she told a joke about walking over an open manhole cover and a guy working in the hole yelled up at her and said, "Dinah, I always knew you weren't a natural blonde!"
It was really "x-rated" because I was a very young girl and I don't think I really understood what was going on but knew somehow it must have been "dirty" joke!! From what I was told in later years, that was a very mild joke for her to tell!!
02-08-2003 12:56 AM
hornplayer
ROTFL. Valerie!!!
Joe told WONderful Dinah stories. She was his favorite girl singer, and they sang together back in Chicago when he was still Joe Goreed and she was Ruth Jones.
02-08-2003 03:36 AM
Dennis González
Thanks, Moné...almost met you this past Christmas, but no luck! We'll meet soon. Yeah, Pete C. How's it hangin'?
02-08-2003 06:11 PM
GoodSpeak
OK.
[self deleted]
Heaviest of pretentious sighs.
02-08-2003 10:50 PM
mone peterson
What, Goody, WHAT?
02-09-2003 02:12 AM
Pete C
"Yeah, Pete C. How's it hangin'?"
Well, thank you.
02-09-2003 11:43 PM
Valerie
"Yeah, Pete C. How's it hangin'?"
"Well, thank you."
Oh, Pete, you continue to just kill me!! I think you're going to have to marry me - not this year - but soon!! Did I ever tell you that I married my ex-husband mainly because of his sense of humor?!? But I didn't divorce him because of it!! LOL!!
02-10-2003 12:01 AM
walter horn
Check her bank book first, Pete.
02-10-2003 09:54 AM
jazzy mary
Yeah, I've heard some Dinah stories too! Some more for my list: Duke Pearson, Wayne Shorter (maybe I will meet him someday), Sonny Rollins, Herbie HAncock (maybe some day too).
02-10-2003 10:49 AM
Carlos Homs
Im gonna cut it down to five.
Wayne Shorter- I'm a pianist who tries to play like this saxophonist. He's great.
Charles Mingus- Looks like a cool guy
Russell Gunn- funny guy, very controversial
Kenny G- I just want to punch him
Michel Camilo- my favorite
02-10-2003 10:50 AM
Valerie
JM: How about June 28th at Carnegie Hall for meeting Herbie and Wayne?!?
02-10-2003 02:00 PM
Pete C
"Charles Mingus- Looks like a cool guy"
Even post-cremation?
02-10-2003 02:20 PM
jazzy mary
Valerie, uh, SURE!!??????????
02-10-2003 03:48 PM
PJS53
Sure wish I could have met Bix. Maybe even invite him to an A.A. meeting. Unfortunately he was long gone before A.A. existed.
One of the sweetest guys I've met was Elvin Jones. Very genuine, funny, and just a great hang.
I got an address from the Local 802 Musician Union book....never got a reply [ most letters returned], and I learned years later that the address wasn't current.