Bright Moments Posted June 20, 2004 Report Share Posted June 20, 2004 (edited) thanks all! i'm a dad too! 3 kids and 1 more on the way! B) Edited June 20, 2004 by Bright Moments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted June 20, 2004 Report Share Posted June 20, 2004 Not an Organissimo Dad but he has lots of fans here. From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Jazz dad unfazed by fame, success By Gregory Lewis Staff Writer As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, E. Carol Webster was thumbing through a book on jazz musicians one day when she came across a picture of her father. "She called me up and said, `Daddy, your picture is in this jazz book,'" recalled Lou Donaldson, an alto saxophonist who is in the International Jazz Hall of Fame. "That's what I do," he told the younger of his two daughters. "Yeah, but I didn't know you were famous," she responded. For Webster, a Fort Lauderdale psychologist, being the daughter of a saxman who has played and recorded with such legends as Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown and Philly Joe Jones never fazed her because it never fazed her father. What impresses her about her father is his love and respect for family, his humility and willingness to help others in his profession. "He never got caught in the mix or the outer trappings of celebrity status," Webster said. "He never saw himself as a superstar. He knew that family mattered and partners matter." Webster will follow a traditional Father's Day ritual: tracking Donaldson down by telephone. He's on the road, performing as he did when she was a child. Today, he's in the Catskill Mountains of New York playing a festival. For presents, because Donaldson is an infamous teller of bad jokes, his daughter says, she sent him two video tapes: Black Entertainment Television's Comic View, a show of standup comic acts, and the movie Barbershop. Webster hopes he might pick up better material. Although Donaldson traveled for weeks and months at time, he remained an integral part of his daughters' lives. He said he didn't do anything special in raising them, just spent time with them when he wasn't on the road. He mostly encouraged them to do well in school. Donaldson, 77, lives in the Bronx, N.Y., and has been married for 54 years to Maker Donaldson. Both are North Carolina natives. They had two daughters: Lydia and E. Carol, both of whom eventually moved to Fort Lauderdale. When the girls were growing up, every day he was home, he took them to the ice cream truck, a luxury most kids who lived in the projects in the Bronx didn't experience often. He'd bring them gifts from his trips all over the world. "I made them think they were rich," he said. "I spoiled them.'' He also exposed them to music -- E. Carol played the violin and cello until she went to college -- and alternative politics. He would take his daughters to Harlem to hear street speakers like Malcolm X, to give them different perspectives of life than the ones taught in school books. "I'd make them stand there with me and listen," Donaldson said. "These were progressive people speaking. I think it taught them to be progressive and make advancements." While her father didn't explain much about what was being said, she watched as he interacted with those who were there. She noticed how people responded to the speakers and how her father related to people and made them feel valued. "It's where I got the sense of community, of nation-building," she said. "He wasn't expressive. He expressed himself through music. But for me, it was modeling how he dealt with people and situations. I learned I had to adapt, adjust and fit in and take from a situation what there was to learn. I use it consciously today." Webster admired the rebel in her father, as he battled the recording industry. Donaldson, who went to North Carolina A&T University at 15 and earned a degree in political science, knew the importance of owning the publishing rights to his music. He paid attention to contract details and stood up for his rights when many musicians were just happy to play. "The record executives didn't like that," Donaldson remembered. "They didn't like you to have much say about the business. I had family responsibilities. I had to make a certain amount of profit." The importance of being independent and standing up for oneself were lessons Webster learned as an adult as she began to discuss her father's career with him. Those things have helped forge their close relationship. She still calls on dad to work his sax magic at annual dinner dances of the African-American Success Foundation, which Webster created nearly five years ago, to fund and present research that dispels misinformation that stereotypes blacks. "It is very important to me because the foundation was started in honor of my other daughter, Lydia, who passed away," Donaldson said. Lydia, a recruiter for Broward County schools, was 47 years old when she died suddenly of a pancreas disorder in 1994. For his part, Donaldson is proud of his "always aggressive" daughter, who was valedictorian of her high school class, earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a doctorate at New York University. "She's a hard worker, a workaholic" he said of Webster. "She can't take a day off." The saxophonist said it's funny that his daughter didn't know how he made a living but not illogical. "I never did a lot of practicing around the house," he said. "They were sleeping when I came in at 4 a.m. and saw me midday and then I had a golf club in my hand. Carol used to tell her friends, `I think he plays golf.'" Looks like Lou Donaldson had a very nice Father's Day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 I had a very nice Father's day with brunch and gifts from my kids but it just got added to because my in-laws are visting and my father in-law is a bit a jazz fan. He's British and always talks about hearing Victor Feldman during "the War" (as we old-folks call it) when Feldman was a child prodigy on drums. So I just ran out to my local Borders where they only had one Feldman cd but it looks interesting. It's all Latin numbers and the musicians include Scot LaFaro! Feldman plays both piano and vibes on it. Can't wait to hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thanks for the nice thoughts. Took my oldest son to his hockey game this AM. Yes, in WNY we still have hockey leagues at this time of year Spent the rest of the day at the local 6 Flags Amusement Park. Had a great time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Great Father's Day hear, the best in recent memory. A publice "love ya'!" is called for, so here it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Happy Father's Day! Toughest job there is, from what I see. My two older brothers have kids. No Noj Jrs or little Nojettes just yet. I can hardly watch my nieces run around the pool, so I'm sure to be a nervous wreck as a parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Kevin I'm sorry to hear about you dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 To all the organissimo dads a happy albeit belated fathers day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfricaBrass Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thanks Maren (and everyone else)! This was my first full day in my new home (in my new town). It was a great way to spend this Father's day. I think I spent more time unpacking and setting up toys for my son, than actually working around here. I hope all of you dads out there had a great day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'll join in on the thanks as well, Maren! I hope everyone had a great day yesterday, and I wish the best for you and your father, Kevin. I had my kids this past week, and it was a wonderful time. They woke up early yesterday (actually, they wake up early every day! ), but told me I had to stay in bed until they were ready for me to come out. They colored some pictures for me, and my six year old got out some cereal & milk, and had them ready for me at the table Took 'em to church, and then to the restaurant of THEIR choice (McD's), and then went swimming. All in all, couldn't have asked for a better day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted June 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thanks Maren! I'm a Dad too! (I'll forgive you for forgetting to mention me... ) I'm so sorry, Conn! But I did think of you, and your handsome son, right after I left the computer (DOH!) for a day-and-half, and hoped I could re-edit my original post before you saw!!!! Now I need the "50-lashes-with-a-wet-noodle" smiley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted June 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Kevin, you have all my prayers and hopes for the best for your Dad (and you and your family). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Thanks Maren! My 7- and 9-year-olds put together a nice breakfast spread on the table out back and colored some swell looking pictures for me! No jazz cd gifts....but we did get a new shaving mirror for the shower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 To all the organissimo dads a happy albeit belated fathers day. Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainyDay Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 Happy Belated Father's Day to you all! I must say, the kids whose dads post here are pretty lucky. Hope all you dads were spoiled rotten yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 I must say, the kids whose dads post here are pretty lucky. I'll say. Imagine what they are getting away with while dad is spending all that time on organissimo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainyDay Posted June 21, 2004 Report Share Posted June 21, 2004 I must say, the kids whose dads post here are pretty lucky. I'll say. Imagine what they are getting away with while dad is spending all that time on organissimo. Here, here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 Now I need the "50-lashes-with-a-wet-noodle" smiley I'll give Catesta the honors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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