A Lark Ascending Posted August 18, 2014 Report Posted August 18, 2014 Noticed an add in Ray's for a benefit for KW last week. Said he had been unable to play all year for health reasons. He's been looking frail for some years. Hope things improve. Quote
sidewinder Posted August 18, 2014 Report Posted August 18, 2014 Yes, fingers crossed. There is more information on the benefit gig held last week on Richard Williams' blog: http://thebluemoment.com/2014/08/17/postscript-a-benefit-for-kenny-wheeler/ Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted August 18, 2014 Author Report Posted August 18, 2014 Thanks, sidewinder. Some useful links there. Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted August 18, 2014 Report Posted August 18, 2014 The most amazing thing about this is that I just realized Kenny's 84. I thought he was much younger than that. I hope he can hang around a little longer. I'll miss seeing him live. Quote
imeanyou Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 Kenny will always be 50 something in my mind. His playing has been wonderful for so long. I knew he was over 80 and was impressed he'd kept playing at a high level for so long. Hope his health improves, playing is secondary at this stage. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I think I would have guessed he was in his mid-to-late 70's -- because I guess that's about how old he was the last time I thought about how old he was. Wishing the very best for Kenny. My own father is 87, but he's still "around 80" in my mind, so this way of thinking isn't uncommon for me. Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I was very glad to see him @ The Jazz Standard 3 or 4 years back for his 80th birthday celebration. He was very frail but his playing was as I expected - still sublime. Quote
Head Man Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I was very glad to see him @ The Jazz Standard 3 or 4 years back for his 80th birthday celebration. He was very frail but his playing was as I expected - still sublime. Good to hear he managed to get over to the US for that. When I saw him in Leeds on the same tour he looked very frail and played the whole time sitting down. Still sounded good though..... Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I was very glad to see him @ The Jazz Standard 3 or 4 years back for his 80th birthday celebration. He was very frail but his playing was as I expected - still sublime. Good to hear he managed to get over to the US for that. When I saw him in Leeds on the same tour he looked very frail and played the whole time sitting down. Still sounded good though..... Yes he played sitting down and needed assistance to get to his chair. Very emotional for anyone with a heart to see and hear him. A friend of mine went to the quintet show with Dave Holland, Jon Irabagon, Matt Mitchell and Rudy Royston. I think I got the band right and he told me for him, Wheeler was wonderous. I heard the same great Wheeler sound in a large ensemble conducted by John Hollenbeck. Quote
Homefromtheforest Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I saw him in a duo with John Taylor around 15 years ago in Vancouver. I knew he was old but it was still sort of a shock to see how frail he looked...he didn't sit down when he performed though. Managed to meet him before the show and he signed my "Gnu High" CD booklet! Quote
sidewinder Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 I think the most recent time I've seen him was with his Big Band for the 80th Birthday gig. It was sublime, although he was a bit on the frail side - some fantastic new big band arrangements featured proving that his arranging gets better and better. Before that - a gig from the 75th Birthday Big Band with Norma Winstone and also around that time a concert with the group featuring Lee Konitz, John Taylor and John Abercrombie (I think). I also saw him about 15 years ago with Fred Hersch. Oh - and a performance at NorthSea some years ago. First time I saw him was with Azimuth plus Tony Coe back in the 1980s. Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted August 20, 2014 Author Report Posted August 20, 2014 I've lost track of the number of times I've heard KW in the flesh - everywhere from swanky concert halls to the side rooms of pubs (a magical concert in the early 90s with Gordon Beck playing Bill Evans tunes). I think I first saw him live with Dave Holland - the band that made "Jumpin' In" - in the upstairs room of a packed Nottingham pub. He was a name I knew before I started consciously listening to jazz - turned up in the sideman credits of a number of rock records. Always loved his lyricism and way with a strong tune; yet he has that willingness to jump beyond his comfort zone out into the free world. It was trusting a musician like KW that made me try harder as a listener in that direction. I've seen him a few times over the last ten years and, to be honest, he's been a bit shaky. Still the tone and ideas but that pure holding of notes had gone - not a complaint, we all are destined for that future. Last time was in a band with an equally frail Bob Brookmeyer. What remains as strong as ever is his writing. His recent CDs have been beautiful. Here's hoping for a recovery and many more new compositions. Quote
xybert Posted August 20, 2014 Report Posted August 20, 2014 On The Long Waiting, released 2012, you can hear that Wheeler is no spring chicken. But for me it's okay, it just is what it is: "I'm 80 something and i'm expressing myself. This is where i'm at." I kind of love that about jazz in general. Quote
sidewinder Posted August 21, 2014 Report Posted August 21, 2014 (edited) Last time was in a band with an equally frail Bob Brookmeyer. Was that at Cheltenham about 5-6 years ago? If so I caught that gig - had forgotten that Kenny was in the lineup. First time I heard him on record, thinking about it, was on Anthony Braxton's 'NY Fall 1974'. Not his most typical playing. Edited August 21, 2014 by sidewinder Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted August 21, 2014 Author Report Posted August 21, 2014 (edited) Last time was in a band with an equally frail Bob Brookmeyer. Was that at Cheltenham about 5-6 years ago? If so I caught that gig - had forgotten that Kenny was in the lineup. That's right. Another occasion where we've sat in the same room oblivious! KW always comes across as a modest chap. One of the things I like about him is his generosity to other musicians. He'll turn up as a sideman on any number of dates. There are a lot of discs out there by little known groups/orchestra's with 'featuring Kenny Wheeler' as a hook in. Edited August 21, 2014 by A Lark Ascending Quote
sidewinder Posted August 21, 2014 Report Posted August 21, 2014 Last time was in a band with an equally frail Bob Brookmeyer. Was that at Cheltenham about 5-6 years ago? If so I caught that gig - had forgotten that Kenny was in the lineup. That's right. Another occasion where we've sat in the same room oblivious! Amazing ! Even more amazing was the fact that I'd forgot Kenny was in that concert.. Quote
mjazzg Posted August 21, 2014 Report Posted August 21, 2014 here's another review of the Benefit gighttp://www.londonjazznews.com/2014/08/report-kenny-wheeler-benefit-concert-at.html Quote
Van Basten II Posted August 22, 2014 Report Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) Unfortunately he didn't come around these parts too often , saw him only once , local musicians around here are doing also a concert benefit for him. Edited August 22, 2014 by Van Basten II Quote
alankin Posted August 22, 2014 Report Posted August 22, 2014 There's a note in the comments section that they may post a recording of the concert on Soundcloud with an option to make donations for a download. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 A great musician cannot pay for nursing care. Quote
uli Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Retweeted by fabrizio bosso Stefania Cuccato @stefaniacuc 1h Il 24 settembre alla Casa del #Jazz a #Roma concerto per aiutare #KennyWheeler con Bosso Pieranunzi Rea Di Battista http://www.tmnews.it/web/sezioni/spettacolo/dopo-londra-anche-a-roma-un-concerto-per-aiutare-kenny-wheeler-PN_20140912_00172.shtml Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.