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prison guard returns as tyner's drummer

chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez
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GA Russell Mentor

GA Russell

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Thanks for posting that, Chewy. We've talked about Gravatt here before. I saw him twice in college - the first time with Lloyd McNeal in 1968 and the second time with Weather Report in 1971. I hope he records with McCoy.

marcello Newbie

marcello

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Here's my Gravatt story from my post of a couple of years ago:

In 1976 I produced a concert a concert, in Rochester, with him as the only act. He had just released "Focal Point" and the band had Ron Bridgewater, Eric Gravatt, Charles Fambrough Joe Ford and Guglielmo Franco.

When I went to pick up the band at the airport, the only band mambers to get off the plane were Gravatt and Fambrough. Joe Ford decided to go to Buffalo first (his home town to pick up his wife and kid ) and would drive to the gig from there. McCoy, Bridgewater and Franco all missed their flight. After frantic calls to Whittemore, I found out that the others got on another flight but McCoy was still missing. This is a 3pm and the concert is scheduled for 8 pm.

As soon as I get Gravatt and Fambrough into a car for the ride to the hotel, Gravatt lights up a huge joint and tells me to be cool while Fambrough laughs is ass off. Gravatt is the most surly person I had ever seen while smoking dope! He got nasty and salty.

At 7pm, still no word about McCoy as I arrive at the hotel to pick up the others. I knock on Gravatt's door many times before he opens it (naked, with another HUGE joint in his mouth ) whereupon he goes back to facing a music stand that holds sheets of paper with large Chinese or Japanese writing figures that he studies while he practices with his Num-Chucks and never says a word to me.

After a coulple of minutes a frutile questions to like " Shall we go?" and "Is everyone here?' and not getting any response, I go to Fambrough's room hoping that he will at least laugh at me again! Fambrough comes with me to Gravatt's room and shakes him out of his trance, and he dresses. Bridgewater and Franco have not checked into their rooms but I hope they find the concert hall on their own, not to mention Ford, coming from Buffalo. McCoy, I hope, at least finds Rochester.

Once again, Gravatt lights up more inspriation in the car and snarles; Fambrough laughs. I ask them if they have heard from McCoy or Whittemore? Gravatt grunts out the McCoy has been a leader for a long time, will make the gig and for me to shut up about him and leave him alone.

At the hall, Ford, Bridgewater and Franco are there. All but McCoy. At 8pm, concert time, I have 1500 people outside of the hall because I don't want to let them in and take their money if I have to cancel. I only hold out untill 8:30 because of the crowd but then at 8:45.... here comes McCoy! He made alternate travel plans and rented a car at the airport which he drove straight to the hall. We do a sound check in front of the house that McCoy turned into a mini concert, bless his heart, and then we took a short break before the real show, that began at 9:30.

He was great! The band was great! Even Gravatt was great!

McCoy play trio, duo with Ford, duo with Fambrough and with the Quintet. They played two very long sets and he really gave everyone their moneys worth, and then some.

He was a real gentleman; very quiet and focused. He meditated between sets and after the last one. It actualy took him some time to come down after the music was over. He was in a trance afterward with a wide eyed look that told you his was in a different place.

I've seen him since then with his trio but it sure wasn't the same as that night! I think it was one of those very special nights, for all.

The last I heard of Eric Gravatt, he was a prison guard. I bet he loves his job.

clifford_thornton Mentor

clifford_thornton

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The best thing I heard Gravatt on was the Byron Morris/Gerald Wise/Byard Lancaster LP on EPI. He was really something there.

Seeing him with McCoy, I thought he played too bombastically for the music - but whatever, it was still a fine performance.

Cheers,

C

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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Well, it's just that over the years, I've persoanlly known and worked with.... hmmm... 4 musicians who've been in and out of the big house for various non-violent offenses. Good players all, good guys too, just some "wrong place, wrong time" shit. But it would appear to be true that prison changes you once and for all...

Never have worked with an ex-prison guard, though.

Larry Kart Proficient

Larry Kart

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Am I the only one who sees a bit of dry, sick humor in a former prison guard, instead of a former prisoner, being in a band?

Speaking of very dry, a bit sick though accidental humor, check out the headline on this obit in today's Chicago Tribune: "Prolific knitter kept busy."

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

Posted
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Yikes!

How else could she have put that last stitch in all those hundreds of sweaters, ponchos, afghans, and baby booties she's knitted over the years?

Yeah, how else indeed but to be prolific and by keeping busy?

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

Posted
Posted

"Patsy was a prolific knitter who did absolutely lovely work," said Gloria Johnson, a fellow knitter and relative. "When you saw her, you knew her needles were somewhere close behind."

And she never got busted?

Wow, talk about lucky!

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