Herb Geller RIP

[medjuck]

I just read a post on Facebook saying Herb Geller has died. The source was All About Jazz

http://news.allaboutjazz.com/news.php?id=107712#.UrXxKGRDu4v

[J.A.W.]

Has it been confirmed on a "non-social media" site yet? I think we should be very careful with messages like these after the Horace Silver debacle.

[jazztrain]

I had an e-mail about this from Jim Eigo this morning that linked to Doug Ramsey's blog which, in turn, mentions that the news came from Herb Geller's family.

[AllenLowe]

so sorry to hear this; I don't exaggerate when I say that Herb was one of the nicest people I ever met in the world.

[medjuck]

Has it been confirmed on a "non-social media" site yet? I think we should be very careful with messages like these after the Horace Silver debacle.

Is All About Jazz a social medium?

[J.A.W.]

Has it been confirmed on a "non-social media" site yet? I think we should be very careful with messages like these after the Horace Silver debacle.

Is All About Jazz a social medium?

Well, its forum can be regarded as one.

By the way, the link in your first post doesn't work anymore, at least not on my computer.

I can't find anything on the internet confirming this, no newspaper site (either American or German), no magazine site, nothing.

Edited December 21, 2013 by J.A.W.

[jazztrain]

There's this: http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/12/herb-geller-1928-2013.html

[J.A.W.]

There's this: http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/12/herb-geller-1928-2013.html

Thanks for posting that link. Sad news, I loved his playing.

Edited December 21, 2013 by J.A.W.

[Joe]

I trust that he and Lorraine are jamming together again now.

[king ubu]

r.i.p.

[jlhoots]

Fire In The West

R.I.P.

[Cyril]

That's sad news.

He was a very nice man and a fine player. I remember, he played always some songs for me at the piano as soon as he saw me.

R.I.P. Mr. Geller.

[Peter Friedman]

Herb Geller was one of the last living musicians of those who were active in the West Coast jazz scene of the 1950's.

It was just pointed out to me that Jack Sheldon is still with us. Who else is still around?

Had a chance to hear Herb Geller play at one of Ken Poston's events in L.A.

Can't recall what year it was, but I estimate it was about 9 or 10 years ago?

I do remember that herb played beautifully, and was perhaps my favorite among

the many musicians who performed that weekend.

[Cyril]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IJ79eXCDzw

[mjzee]

Was just listening to Geller backing Chet Baker on the Last Great Concert discs on Enja. RIP.

[paul secor]

I trust that he and Lorraine are jamming together again now.

I've always enjoyed the recordings they made.

Thanks for the music you gave us, Mr. Geller.

[sgcim]

Very sad to hear. One of the alto greats of all-time.

RIP, Mr. Geller.

[Cyril]

His website: http://www.herbgeller.de/

Edited December 22, 2013 by Cyril

[sidewinder]

Had a chance to hear Herb Geller play at one of Ken Poston's events in L.A.

Can't recall what year it was, but I estimate it was about 9 or 10 years ago?

I do remember that herb played beautifully, and was perhaps my favorite among

the many musicians who performed that weekend.

He was there in 1999 - the venue was Balboa. Agree that Geller played superbly right through the weekend (hot off the plane from Germany if my memory is right) and with some very varied mid-sized group lineups. A most professional set of performances and an excellent weekend all round.

He used to tour a lot here in the UK and it was always good to see him in the jazz listings lineup. Sad news, jazz is a much poorer place without the likes of Mr Geller. RIP.

Edited December 22, 2013 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

Herb Geller was one of the last living musicians of those who were active in the West Coast jazz scene of the 1950's.

It was just pointed out to me that Jack Sheldon is still with us. Who else is still around?

Howard Rumsey (now 96)

Andre Previn

Dave Pell

Claude Williamson

Edited December 22, 2013 by sidewinder

[Head Man]

What sad news. He was probably the musician that got me interested in West Coast jazz. I remember paying big bucks for Japanese copies of his Emarcy albums on vinyl back in the day. I still play his music regularly.

[BillF]

Herb Geller was one of the last living musicians of those who were active in the West Coast jazz scene of the 1950's.

It was just pointed out to me that Jack Sheldon is still with us. Who else is still around?

Howard Rumsey (now 96)

Andre Previn

Dave Pell

Claude Williamson

Yes, Pell is still around. I saw a local octet playing Pell numbers not too long ago. I asked them where they got the arrangements and they said that Pell sends them!

[king ubu]

Bill Holman, too

and Chuck Flores

Lennie Niehaus

Paul Horn, if he counts ...

[AllenLowe]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I thought Herb was a more interesting saxophonist than Art Pepper.

[Larry Kart]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I thought Herb was a more interesting saxophonist than Art Pepper.

And I'm sawing away at that limb. BTW, Geller said in an interview somewhere that Pepper in his mid-to-late-'50s prime was no great shakes in his opinion, although I don't recall whether Geller also said that he himself was a much better player. Don't get me wrong, I like Geller, although his solos do seem rather same-y after a while; and when it comes to rhythmic variety, tonal flexibility, long-range logic of construction, you name it, prime Pepper was in another realm altogether.

Also, BTW, check out if you can Gene Quill's solo on "I Feel Pretty" on Manny Albam's "West Side Story" album. Remarkably loose, wild, and fluid.