Giuseppi Logan?

[sheldonm]

I was photographing the recent installment of Vision Fest in NYC earlier this month and went to grap something to drink. Down in the basement of the venue, there was this old dude playing around on the piano....turns out if was Giuseppi Logan. I knew next to nothing about him and still don't really know much though I've been digging around the "net" for the past few days digging up some interesting stuff on the guy. I asked him if I could make a few photos of him and he was cool with it. I sat there for about 10 minutes talking with him, asking him questions and so on. He told me he had been incarsorated for many years and was trying to get some gigs. He no longer has any teeth which I suspect would make it pretty tough to play his horn.

A few days later, Henry Grimes was doing a solo bass/vioilin/poetry reading and invited Giuseppi to play his horn. He slowly put it together when Henry introduced him, played for one tune and than sat back down. Despite no teeth, I thought his playing we pretty good for the few minutes he played.

I guess folks are trying to help him out; not sure where he is living...I saw something on line about a shelter in Brooklyn but not sure if that was recent.

Here is one of the shots of him playing piano....once I've gotten a little further in the editing process, I'll post a shot of him on alto.

Mark~

Edited June 22, 2009 by sheldonm

[AndrewHill]

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I love his ESP date and I think he appeared on another ESP date then he largely vanished. What a shame. Glad to see he's trying to get back on the scene and I wish him all the best.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Thanks for that story, Mark and, yes, there are fans to be found hereabouts. Check out the following thread:

Giuseppi Logan

[Niko]

I was photographing the recent installment of Vision Fest in NYC earlier this month and went to grap something to drink. Down in the basement of the venue, there was this old dude playing around on the piano....turns out if was Giuseppi Logan. I knew next to nothing about him and still don't really know much though I've been digging around the "net" for the past few days digging up some interesting stuff on the guy. I asked him if I could make a few photos of him and he was cool with it. I sat there for about 10 minutes talking with him, asking him questions and so on. He told me he had been incarsorated for many years and was trying to get some gigs. He no longer has any teeth which I suspect would make it pretty tough to play his horn.

A few days later, Henry Grimes was doing a solo bass/vioilin/poetry reading and invited Giuseppi to play his horn. He slowly put it together when Henry introduced him, played for one tune and than sat back down. Despite no teeth, I thought his playing we pretty good for the few minutes he played.

considering the troubles he apparently has with speaking (obviously because of the teeth...) i find it amazing how good he plays...

[Hardbopjazz]

I was photographing the recent installment of Vision Fest in NYC earlier this month and went to grap something to drink. Down in the basement of the venue, there was this old dude playing around on the piano....turns out if was Giuseppi Logan. I knew next to nothing about him and still don't really know much though I've been digging around the "net" for the past few days digging up some interesting stuff on the guy. I asked him if I could make a few photos of him and he was cool with it. I sat there for about 10 minutes talking with him, asking him questions and so on. He told me he had been incarsorated for many years and was trying to get some gigs. He no longer has any teeth which I suspect would make it pretty tough to play his horn.

A few days later, Henry Grimes was doing a solo bass/vioilin/poetry reading and invited Giuseppi to play his horn. He slowly put it together when Henry introduced him, played for one tune and than sat back down. Despite no teeth, I thought his playing we pretty good for the few minutes he played.

considering the troubles he apparently has with speaking (obviously because of the teeth...) i find it amazing how good he plays...

Thanks for posting the youtube video. I pass through that park at least once a week. I will try to find him and say hello.

[sheldonm]

Thanks for that story, Mark and, yes, there are fans to be found hereabouts. Check out the following thread:

Giuseppi Logan

...thanks Bill. The interview with the preacher-man gives me a stomach ache.

m

[musicmargaret]

Me too, Mark.

I've posted a fairly lengthy report on Giuseppe Logan here:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...49298&st=30 .

http://www.henrygrimes.com

musicmargaret[@]earthlink.net .

Edited June 29, 2009 by musicmargaret

[sheldonm]

Hey there Margaret...thanks for posting. Sorry I didn't spend more time with you and Henry at Vision Fest but the time we did share was great. Always so many people there to catch up with; time gets away from you. Henry's solo performance was cool to see and by the time he was half way into it, the place was packed.

Hope to catch up with you in chicago if you're making the trip to Fred's festival week.

m

ps....say "hello" to Henry!

[musicmargaret]

... Henry's solo performance was cool to see and by the time he was half way into it, the place was packed...

Yes, unfortunately the Vision Festival is one of those festivals with concerts and other events overlapping in separate spaces of the venue. So Milford Graves's set that evening was scheduled in the upstairs space for 9 p.m., but being the third concert in that space for the evening, things were running late by then, and Milford's concert didn't begin anywhere near on time.

Meanwhile, Henry's set was scheduled for 9:45 in another space. So Milford's audience stayed till the end of his concert (naturally) and then came over to the space where Henry played, arriving about halfway through.

Likewise, many in Henry's audience would have headed off to hear Lisa Sokolov afterwards, and her set was supposed to begin at 1O:15 in the space where Milford had played earlier, and so Henry's audience would probably have arrived at Lisa's concert halfway through...

And so it goes, to quote Mr. Vonnegut's refrain.

[jostber]

A new release on Tompkins Square is just around the corner:

[AndrewHill]

Glad to see he's recording again. I can't read the sideman credits on that pic you posted, do you know who his band is? Thanks.

[Joe]

From: http://www.tompkinssquare.com/

Legendary saxophonist Giuseppi Logan will release his first album in 45 years on NYC's Tompkins Square label, February 23, 2009.

Logan recorded two albums for the ESP label in the mid-60's featuring Eddie Gomez, Don Pullen and Milford Graves, The Giuseppi Logan Quartet and More.

The Giuseppi Logan Quintet, recorded in September 2009, reunites Logan with two of his closest collaborators from the '60's, pianist Dave Burrell and drummer Warren Smith. Also joining him on the session are Francois Grillot, bass and Matt Lavelle, trumpet and bass clarinet. The album features five brand new Logan compositions, and several standards.

Logan will maintain his rigorous schedule of appearances around the New York City area with his group, as well as his steady solo gig in the NW corner of Tompkins Square Park.

*** A limited number of Autographed copies will be available exclusively via tompkinssquare.com starting Feb 23 ***

[JSngry]

Warren Smith, that's a guy who's really hung in there, eh?

[AndrewHill]

NICE. Thanks for the blurb. Looking forward to it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Warren Smith, that's a guy who's really hung in there, eh?

Everyone should check him out on the recent Bill Dixon set (Tapestries for Small Orchestra). This is a wonderful set of 2 cds and one dvd. The dvd is worth the price of admission. It is on Firehouse 12.

[clifford_thornton]

What Chuck said. His vibes/marimba playing on that Dixon set is tremendous.

The Logan is interesting, though I'm not sure yet if it is essential. I need to spend more time with it.

[AndrewHill]

Thanks for the rec on Bill Dixon/Warren Smith rec. Hope the new Logan warms up to you Clifford!

[Guest Bill Barton]

Warren Smith, that's a guy who's really hung in there, eh?

Everyone should check him out on the recent Bill Dixon set (Tapestries for Small Orchestra). This is a wonderful set of 2 cds and one dvd. The dvd is worth the price of admission. It is on Firehouse 12.

What Chuck said. His vibes/marimba playing on that Dixon set is tremendous.

The Logan is interesting, though I'm not sure yet if it is essential. I need to spend more time with it.

Definitely agreed that Warren Smith is a Master, and that the Bill Dixon collection is essential. If you haven't heard Smith with Bill Cole's Untempered Ensemble, that is worth checking out too.

[Chuck Nessa]

Not sure I would use the words "tremendous" or "Master" for Smith. Why can't one just recommend something and leave it at that?

[jlhoots]

Smith also plays well on an Engine Records CD by a double trio with Taylor Ho Bynum & Steven Haynes on brass.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Not sure I would use the words "tremendous" or "Master" for Smith. Why can't one just recommend something and leave it at that?

Perhaps. But after hearing him in a wide variety of contexts over the years I stand by my original statement. Big time.

[AllenLowe]

has anyone listened to the new Giuseppe Logan stuff on Tompkins Square? It should never have been issued. He just cannot play anymore, I am sorry to say.

[papsrus]

has anyone listened to the new Giuseppe Logan stuff on Tompkins Square? It should never have been issued. He just cannot play anymore, I am sorry to say.

Yes, and yes.

I suppose there's something there for devotees. Courage, for example -- and I don't mean that in a disparaging way at all.

[Hardbopjazz]

Sad to hear this. I did like his playing.

[clifford_thornton]

I wouldn't say it's not worth checking out, at least. It grew on me. Reviewed it for AAJ if anyone's interested.