passings | music clip of the day

2020

Friday, May 15th

only rock ‘n’ roll

Little Richard, 1932-2020

“Tutti Frutti,” 1956 (screen test, The Girl Can’t Help It)

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“Long Tall Sally,” 1956 (Don’t Knock the Rock)

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“Good Golly, Miss Molly,” 1958

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“Rip It Up,” early 1960s

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“Lucille,” 1973

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When you look at today’s Grammy winners – God bless them – half of them were discovered when they were 10 years old, were groomed, and had managers and publicists. Little Richard just clawed his way to the top at a very early age with nothing except a tremendous amount of talent and gumption.

—David Kirby, author of Little Richard: The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2009)

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Chicago

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2020

Sunday, May 10th

passings

Little Richard (aka Richard Penniman), singer, pianist, songwriter, December 5, 1932–May 9, 2020

“Didn’t It Rain” (trad.), live, New York (Apollo Theater), 1985

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“Yes, God Is Real” (K. Morris), 1960

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“Peace in the Valley” (T. Dorsey), 1961

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)

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reading table

The hope that is left after all your hopes are gone—that is pure hope, rooted in the heart.

—Br. David Steindl-Rast (1926-), Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer (1984)

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2020

Thursday, May 7th

what’s new

Susan Alcorn (1953-, pedal steel guitar), live (Quarantine Concert presented by Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago), 4/29/20

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lagniappe

random sights

a while ago, Maine (Monhegan Island)

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reading table

LET THERE BE PHYSICAL SUDDENNESS!

—Michael McClure, poet, playwright, songwriter, etc., October 20, 1932–May 4, 2020, from “PLUME ODE”

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2020

Saturday, May 2nd

passings

Tony Allen, drummer, August 12, 1940–April 30, 2020

Today, remembering him, we revisit some old posts.

8/15/18

like nobody else

Tony Allen (drums), “Wolf Eats Wolf,” 2017

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9/23/15

Perhaps the greatest drummer ever.

—Brian Eno

Tony Allen—three takes.

Recording studio, 2009

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Paris, 2015

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Istanbul, 2015

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3/3/15

what you simply cannot do

Listen to this drummer without feeling lighter, livelier.

Tony Allen (drums, vocals) & Band, live, Luxembourg, 2011

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9/22/12

Questlove (:10-) & Tony Allen (1:25-), live, Paris, 2011

What a contrast. Questlove, focusing on power and momentum, pushes the beat. Tony lies behind it, skips ahead, lies back again, favoring suppleness and elasticity.

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.

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2020

Wednesday, April 22nd

passings

Henry Grimes, bassist, November 3, 1935–April 15, 2020

With Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone), Don Cherry (trumpet), Billy Higgins (drums), live, Rome, 1962

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With David Murray (tenor saxophone), Hamid Drake (drums, MCOTD Hall of Fame), live, Finland (Kerava), 2004

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With Kidd Jordan (tenor saxophone), live, New York, 2010

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)

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2020

Tuesday, April 21st

passings

Lee Konitz, alto saxophonist, October 13, 1927–April 15, 2020

With Warne Marsh (tenor saxophone), et al., “Subconscious-Lee” (L. Konitz), live (TV Show), 1958

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More?

With Elvin Jones (drums), Sonny Dallas (bass), Motion, 1961

“I Remember You” (V. Schertzinger, J. Mercer)

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“All of Me” (G. Marks, S. Simons)

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“Foolin’ Myself” (J. Lawrence, P. Tinturin)

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“You’d Be so Nice to Come Home To” (C. Porter)

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“I’ll Remember April” (G. DePaul, P. Johnston, D. Raye)

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)

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2020

Wednesday, April 8th

passings

John Prine, singer, songwriter, October 10, 1946–April 7, 2020

Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about “Sam Stone” the soldier junky daddy and “Donald and Lydia,” where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that. If I had to pick one song of his, it might be “Lake Marie.” I don’t remember what album that’s on.

—Bob Dylan, 2009 interview

“Lake Marie” (J. Prine), live (TV show), New York, 2000

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.

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2020

Tuesday, March 17th

passings

Charles Wuorinen, composer, June 9, 1938-March 11, 2020

Flying to Kahani (2005); Orchestra of the League of Composers (C. Wuorinen, cond.), live, New York, 2016

In 2011, jazz composer Carla Bley called Mr. Wuorinen ‘the greatest composer working.’ And the proudly poly-stylistic composer John Zorn, who has worked in forms ranging from klezmer to punk rock, recently called Mr. Wuorinen ‘a true artist whose intense and uncompromising vision produced work of remarkable beauty and drama.’ ‘He never wrote an insincere note in his life,’ Zorn continued. ‘He was a powerful role model and I loved him dearly.’

—Tim Page, obituary, Washington Post, 3/14/20

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lagniappe

random sights

early yesterday morning, Oak Park, Ill.

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2020

Monday, March 9th

passings

McCoy Tyner, pianist, December 11, 1938-March 6, 2020

John Coltrane Quartet (JC, 1926-1967, tenor saxophone; MC, piano; Jimmy Garrison, 1934-1976, bass; Elvin Jones, 1927-2004, drums), “Impressions” (J. Coltrane), live (TV show), San Francisco, 1963