Gerry Teekens RIP

[Chuck Nessa]

Ted Panken posted about Gerry's passing on Facebook yesterday.

[HutchFan]

Sorry to hear this news.

RIP

[J.A.W.]

Sad news, which brings back personal memories...

[mikeweil]

Sad news. He was very friendly when I e-mailed him for details about some Melvin Rhyne recording dates. I wonder what will become of the Criss Cross label.

R.I.P.

Edited November 3, 2019 by mikeweil

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have really appreciated what he did with the Criss Cross label. Thank you Mr. Teekens. Was he still in charge there? I hope the label continues on.

[JSngry]

Those earlier years left a hopefully lasting legacy of truly great recordings by truly great players. RIP, and well done!

[mikeweil]

He was in the tradition  of those producers who featured many otherwise forgotten or underrated players at a time when nobody seemed to care for recording them: Warne Marsh, Jimmy Raney, Cedar Walton, Melvin Rhyne, Tad Shull, and so many of the younger generation that deserved attention. Criss Cross and Steeple Chase were the Blue Note and Prestige of their era.

[felser]

33 minutes ago, mikeweil said:

Criss Cross and Steeple Chase were the Blue Note and Prestige of their era.

I was thinking that myself about Criss Cross.  Seeing something on that label is an inherent guarantee of quality.

[JSngry]

42 minutes ago, mikeweil said:

He was in the tradition  of those producers who featured many otherwise forgotten or underrated players at a time when nobody seemed to care for recording them: Warne Marsh, Jimmy Raney, Cedar Walton, Melvin Rhyne, Tad Shull, and so many of the younger generation that deserved attention.

[J.A.W.]

I checked this with a few people in the Dutch jazz scene who know Gerry and it has not been confirmed. Can't find anything on the 'net either.

[edit] My friend jazz/blues record store owner Sem van Gelder just confirmed it.

Edited November 4, 2019 by J.A.W.

[Peter Friedman]

I very much agree with Mike Weil's comments.

 

[Dan Gould]

1 hour ago, mikeweil said:

He was in the tradition  of those producers who featured many otherwise forgotten or underrated players at a time when nobody seemed to care for recording them: Warne Marsh, Jimmy Raney, Cedar Walton, Melvin Rhyne, Tad Shull, and so many of the younger generation that deserved attention. 

And a lot of first opportunities for younger artists who grew to stardom like Brian Lynch and a ton more.

[soulpope]

21 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

I very much agree with Mike Weil's comments.

 

A gem ....

[soulpope]

Teekens should have been knighted alone for this one .... :

[J.A.W.]

8 minutes ago, soulpope said:

Teekens should have been knighted alone for this one .... :

People are not knighted anymore in the Netherlands, they stopped doing that a long time ago 

I knew Teekens personally, but lost contact with him in the 1970s after a disagreement. That was before he started Criss Cross, he was selling records at music fairs and shows and at Sem van Gelder's dad's pub at the time; I bought a lot of records from him. Feels like a million years ago...

[soulpope]

20 minutes ago, J.A.W. said:

People are not knighted anymore in the Netherlands, they stopped doing that a long time ago 

I knew Teekens personally, but lost contact with him in the 1970s after a disagreement. That was before he started Criss Cross, he was selling records at music fairs and shows and at Sem van Gelder's dad's pub at the time; I bought a lot of records from him. Feels like a million years ago...

Metaphorically speaking  ....

[Tom 1960]

Sad to read this. I was a latecomer to the label. The early recordings for the label were at the very least very good if not great. Thank you Mr. Teekens for all the great music you added to my life. 

[J.A.W.]

16 minutes ago, soulpope said:

Metaphorically speaking  ....

Of course, that's why I added a 

[sgcim]

very sad to hear this. He used a friend of mine as photographer on some albums. One time GT was stuck for a guitarist, and he asked my friend for a cat in Manhattan for a guitarist for a Ralph Lalamma session. That's how Peter Bernstein got his start.

[mjzee]

7 hours ago, bresna said:

I have really appreciated what he did with the Criss Cross label. Thank you Mr. Teekens. Was he still in charge there? I hope the label continues on.

The last album in the "Criss Cross New Releases" thread was released May 17.  We shall see...

It was produced by Mr. Teekens, so I guess he was still in charge:

[mikeweil]

I just received a newsletter from Dutch label Challenge that looks like they are continuing the Criss Cross label. "Teekens' family intends to sustain the label and keep the legacy alive"

https://www.challengerecords.com/catalogue/1184071128/Criss Cross

[Larry Kart]

Sad news. An excellent label.

[Ken Dryden]

His son Jerry is running the label, the most recent release is by the David Hazeltine Trio:

 

I was happy that Jerry added me to his promo mailing list!

[mjzee]

I bought 3 recent Criss Cross releases, and they're all really good!  Alex Sipiagin - Mel's Vision, Michael Feinberg - Blues Variant, and Noah Preminger - Sky Continuous.  All of them were produced by the son (Jerry Teekins).  I think the label is in good hands.