John Stubblefield - RIP

[Kevin Bresnahan]

It is being reported over on Jazz Corner's Speakeasy that John Stubblefield lost his battle with prostate cancer and died yesterday, July 4th.

I will always remember the joy he had on the bandstand. I saw him twice with the Mingus Big band and both times, he was the highlight.

RIP John. The pain is gone now.

[Clunky]

It is being reported over on Jazz Corner's Speakeasy that John Stubblefield lost his battle with prostate cancer and died yesterday, July 4th.

I will always remember the joy he had on the bandstand. I saw him twice with the Mingus Big band and both times, he was the highlight.

RIP John. The pain is gone now.

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I saw him once with MBB and he was soulful. RIP

[Guy Berger]

rip, John

more: My first recollection of him is seeing a PBS special on the 2002 (?) Newport Jazz Festival. Bill Cosby's big band was on and the tenor player was really tearing it up... it was Mr. Stubblefield.

Guy

Edited July 5, 2005 by Guy Berger

[king ubu]

R.I.P.

Saw him once with the Mingus BB, but he was looking tired, and remained seated when soloing (only twice in two sets, anyway). Too young!

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I have very fond memories of hearing him many times with the Kenny Barron Quintet, which was a great, very underrecognized band - Eddie Henderson, Stubblefield, Kenny, Cecil McBee then David Williams, Victor Lewis. Every member had a strong personality and there was a great deal of contrast possible, but they worked beautifully as a unit.

Boy, Stubblefield got around - recordings with Jarman, Braxton, Miles, McCoy, Gil, Hemphill, Ibrahim (and many others), and then some serious straightahead stuff with Louis Hayes and Nat Adderley! That's quite a resume.

Mike

[sidewinder]

I just saw him the once - about 15 years ago in a club gig with Louis Hayes, sharing the front line with Charles Tolliver and Gary Bartz. What a lineup ! He was very much in his prime and that's the way I want to remember him. RIP - I'll try to dig out the very fine Enjas, 'Bushman's Song' and 'Countin' On The Blues', tonight.

Edited July 5, 2005 by sidewinder

[Dave James]

I only remember him in the context of the Kenny Barron group Mike refers to. The gentleman could play.

RIP.

Up over and out.

[B. Goren.]

He was only 60. Definately too young to die.

RIP John.

[medjuck]

I remember reading an interview with him in Coda and thinking "What a great guy". He had a wonderful atitude about music and life and was very grateful for the help he'd gotten from other musicians-- especially Mary Lou Williams.

[DrJ]

One of the few jazz artists I've had the pleasure to meet personally...after a show with McCoy Tyner's Big Band at the Blue Note in Greenwich Village. What a warm, genuinely kind man, in addition to his obvious talent. Damn, I'll miss him.

[Chuck Nessa]

I first encountered him in the late '60s, Chicago, AACM atmosphere. He was a big man with a good sound, solid conception and a big heart. He spent the next 30+ years demonstrating these qualities to the world. We are thankful.

[kinuta]

That's a shame, poor guy.

I really like the work with the Kenny Barron Quintet, all the cds they did are great.

[mikeweil]

Very soulful player that wore his heart on his sleeve, unique sound. He plays some great expressive solos on Victor Lewis' Audioquest CD. I was afraid I would read this after the reports on his illness ....

R.I.P.

[Elissa]

How very sad. One of the sweetest fellows in NYC. Stubbs always had a bear hug for me no matter where he was in his illness; always made me feel part of the family. No attitude, just cascading soul. A beautiful man who will be missed by many.

[king ubu]

I'll have to spin this one soon:

That's the one I first heard Stubblefield... one of the first jazz discs I heard.

[Guest]

rip, John

more: My first recollection of him is seeing a PBS special on the 2002 (?) Newport Jazz Festival.  Bill Cosby's big band was on and the tenor player was really tearing it up... it was Mr. Stubblefield.

    Guy

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Dear Guy,

John Stubblefield performed with Bill Cosby's "Cos of Music" at the Newport Jazz Festival on 11 August 2001. I was there. Cosby began with "Singing In The Rain" while a light rain shower had begun. Fortunately, it stopped. I stayed backstage during the concert. I have yet to see the PBS broadcast of it. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed John's performance.

I share this with you all:

written 5 July 2005

At five minutes before seven on the evening of the forth July 2005, after enduring great suffering with remarkable strength and courage, our beloved John Stubblefield left us on a soft note held gently at the end of a bitter sweet ballad.

Surrounded with love by wife Katherine Gogel, sister Joyce Pattillo, cousins Harry Stubblefield and Stephanie Barber, and by friends Rolando Briceño and Yvonne Colon, John quietly passed away into paradise, where he will compose brilliant works and perform music to fill the universe with love, hope and joy. We will continue to be inspired by John’s generosity of spirit, his for ever glowing soul, and the vision of John’s smiling face, which always lights up the lives of everyone he encountered.

Thank you for sharing with us your thoughts about how John touched your lives.

May peace be with us all.

Sincerely,

Katherine

[JSngry]

Thank you for sharing that with us, Katherine. You husband was (and will always be) special to many of us here.