ValerieB

That's correct. Stan Tracey was awarded an OBE (Officer) in 1986. His new award is a CBE (Commander), which is a "promotion" from OBE. thanks, again, blue! unfortunately, i don't know how to correct the thread title.

Mucho kudos to Mr. Tracey who has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire!

i believe you're still missing the point: nobody is saying that it's not perfectly ok to be "dissident" or to just state that you didn't appreciate OP, etc. i think it's common sense, however, that a RIP thread might not be the best place for those kinds of comment. i've noticed that another more appropriate thread has now been started. just wish it had been done sooner and that some of these posts could be transferred to it.

Hi Valerie, Can you recall the tunes they played? I'm very curious. Wayne's arrangements of older tunes (Children of the Night, Serenata, Orbits, Angola, etc..) are as intricate, fleshed out and exciting as his new material. there is a don heckman review of the concert in the l.a. times of the other day. they did "speak like a child," "footprints," "prometheus unbound," "dai-nanko" for sure. when my old, tired brain thinks of some of the others, i'll edit this post. sorry.

very sad to lose one of our best but i know he had not been enjoying a good quality of life for many years. may he rest in peace. and my sincere condolences to his many fans, friends, family and especially his wife and daughter.

and they did it again a week ago today at ucla!! the most amazing concert with nathan east and vinnie c. and the ucla student wind orchestra. they mostly played wayne and herbie classics with new arrangements and it was breathtaking! and herbie actually played solo a new tune he wrote in tribute to dr. isaku ikeda, the buddhist leader. it was beautiful and i noticed many wet eyes around me! i predict herbie will start writing again in the future (at least many of us hope so)!!

curious as to who does impress you. do you not think that herbie has written a lot of incredible music, even if it is a long time ago? his tunes from the '60s absolutely knock me out. just gorgeous. each to his own though.

i used to work there in the Village in the '60s with Cosby and the cats!!

you should all know by now that herbie most definitely "marches to his own drummer" and is pretty "quirky" but he sure has given us lots to be grateful for!

amen to what you've said, Shawn!

WHERE DID YOU HEAR THIS?!?!?

he just played on the north sea jazz cruise 5 months ago and was a joyous spirit and played his butt off!! i wish him a peaceful, comfortable journey. i know a friend of his from years past who is going through the exact same thing. it's rather eerie, to say the least.

i totally agree with you, alexander, and just posted as much on another jazz website. and although i don't condone his actions at all, i was really disappointed that today's obit in the l.a. times chose to use his abuser ID as the title of the obit. cheap journalism, i would say.

if i ever learn how to scan pictures and put my hands on some of the pictures, i will. i just remembered that ike had me go to a clothing designer/seamstress to make me these hot pants outfits with tunics or dresses over them to wear at the studio!! that's what was happening then in fashion!!

i was never an ikette! Now, Val, a new picture of you formed in my head until that sentence! actually, david, some folks thought at the time that i was prettier than some of the ikettes!! pictures of what i looked like in those days would blow your mind, i think!

Madison, WI. Sometime in the '70-73 range I'd guess. the time fits but i know i didn't make that gig. they sure were hot in those days.

where was the show, chuck? the early '70s was when i was working for ike & tina and sometimes went on the road with them.

they actually had a composite character in that film who was part me and part an ex-ikette. the ikette who wouldn't take no stuff from him and introduced tina to buddhism and how to chant to get away from him!! now, suffice it to say, i was never an ikette! the portrayal of ike was fairly accurate, i guess, but also one-sided. he most definitely was more than a one-dimensional figure. he could be extremely charming and fun to be with but he was very domineering with his women, that's for sure.

whoa!! i had heard a rumor weeks ago that he was ill and in the hospital. i worked for him in the '70s in his recording studio but hadn't seen him since he played in an oakland nightclub right after his release from prison. he sure was a vital and vibrant man and it's hard to imagine him sick, let alone deceased, that's for sure.

i am really sorry to hear that he has left us. as i remember it, he was the house band at a very popular spot in st. thomas, called "sebastians on the waterfront". it was a very hip, comfortable, attractive club, on a hill overlooking the water. as i recall, his jazz trio played six nights a week. since it was so very long ago, i really don't remember much else except he was a good player. he had/has many family members in st. thomas and i met some of them during a return visit in the '80s.

is this the same Neal Creque who i used to listen to in person in the virgin islands in the '60s?!?

thanks so much, Adam. will definitely be watching out for more info.

i'm not positive about this but i think the beautiful original cover was done by Bennie's then or future sister-in-law, the very famous artist, Betye Saar.

because i really don't have anything to contribute to this thread aside from knowing the talent this man had, i haven't posted, especially because my experience reflects what was posted above. i only "knew" him when he was in trouble. very sad. a daily struggle for him while possessing the "gift". an all t6o common story, especially in those days. for me it was meeting him and his wife in the '60s through elvin jones and keiko.

the l.a. times has a small obit just published today!