Henry Grimes RIP

[ep1str0phy]

Sorry everyone for, like, everything (including my second post of this nature in a couple of days), but I'm hearing that the great Henry Grimes is gone. (Not confirmed by any official outlets, but I'm hearing the word "confirmed" from other musicians on social media, including Stephen Haynes) 

I was just confronting the monumental task of unraveling what I have of Lee Konitz's discography when I got this news. Henry's 60s work is of course legendary, but it's also valuable to note that he's one of only a handful of greats from the heyday of free jazz who managed a true second act. I, for one, will return to epochal sideman appearances like Out of the Afternoon or Where is Brooklyn--and/or Henry's own The Call--to memorialize his contribution to this music. There's so much to hear for those of us now left. 

[JSngry]

Those of us with a certain spiritual training (currently accepted or otherwise) might be starting to feel like this is a "Rapture"-like event going on amongst our ranks. Perhaps we knew this day was coming, but were not sure in what form, or when.

There are implications to this.

But - RIP to a true giant, not just of music, but of lifejourneying.

[Hardbopjazz]

This is a nightmare. Too many are being stolen from the world in too short of a period. RIP Mr. Grimes. 

Hopefully your not charged extra for taking your bass on the flight to the next gig. 

[ejp626]

I saw him once in his comeback phase at Hot House in Chicago in 2005.  He was playing as the Henry Grimes Quartet with Marshall Allen and Fred Anderson!  Mark Sheldon was also there and took some photos of the memorable night:

I did get one of the autographed CDRs he was selling, which was Nile Suite (Dennis Gonzalez Inspiration Band with special guest Henry Grimes).  I actually saw this in the basement the other day, so I still have it, but it will probably take a while to dig out (now that I am looking for it).  I have a fairly low quality rip I did back then, but as soon as it turns up, I'll have to archive this a bit better!

Thanks for the inspiring music. RIP

[clifford_thornton]

He was something else, and from somewhere else. Sometimes that latter part could be frustrating, but he was true.

RIP.

[Chuck Nessa]

From WBLV studios a few years back. Later Henry, Margaret and Marshall went with us to Plumb's market for boxes of fried chicken for a late night snack.

 

[Misterioso]

RIP Henry Grimes

Going to listen to Tranquility later to honor Henry Grimes and Lee Konitz.

[sidewinder]

RIP, yet more dreadful news. Such great playing and some wonderful recordings.

I saw Henry after his comeback one year at the Cheltenham Festival. Caught his BBC interview with Alyn Shipton and then the performance with Paul Dunmall and Andrew Cyrille, which was something else. Something of a miracle comeback.

Edited April 18, 2020 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Damn, I wish this would stop happening. Will be listening to his ESP date later

[mjazzg]

6 hours ago, sidewinder said:

RIP, yet more dreadful news. Such great playing and some wonderful recordings.

I saw Henry after his comeback one year at the Cheltenham Festival. Caught his BBC interview with Alyn Shipton and then the performance with Paul Dunmall and Andrew Cyrille, which was something else. Something of a miracle comeback.

Profound Sound Trio, that was well worth the drive to Cheltenham.

I saw Grimes with Ribot at Oto as well, magic evening

Edited April 18, 2020 by mjazzg

[sidewinder]

‘Profound Sound Trio’ - that’s the one. Done at a time when Cheltenham were still doing reasonable priced all-weekend tickets.

The BBC interview was done as part of their ‘Jazz Legends’ series, recorded the afternoon before the performance. Dave Liebman was also recorded that weekend.

Edited April 18, 2020 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Tribute here https://thebluemoment.com/2020/04/18/henry-grimes-1935-2020/

as always from this writer, nicely written and pitched

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

The BBC interview was done as part of their ‘Jazz Legends’ series, recorded the afternoon before the performance. 

I wonder whether that's on BBC Sounds,I'll have a look

[sidewinder]

28 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

 

I wonder whether that's on BBC Sounds,I'll have a look

I recall that he was there with his wife. Shipton’s interview covered much of his career, from the Rollins period onwards. The bonus for me was that it was free admission !

Edited April 18, 2020 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

Not ‘Jazz Legends’ but ‘Jazz Library’ and in 2009. The BBC site has some details, including the playlist. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kksny

Edited April 18, 2020 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Thanks. The recording doesn't seem to have been archived

[OliverM]

Terrible succession of music giants leaving. Grimes was so unique and fascinating (almost literally, his bow playing so luminous) .

[ghost of miles]

He died of Covid-19. Nate Chinen has an obituary up at WBGO:

Henry Grimes, bassist of avant-garde pedigree and storied return, dies of Covid-19 at 84

[brownie]

Rest in Peace.

Sweet Soulful master player.

[CJ Shearn]

RIP

[Steve Reynolds]

Saw him a few times since the comeback

missed the incendiary trio with Dunmall & Cyrille from 2009, I think. It’s a very intense set - I missed it because I knew it was going to be very very hot in the hall and I understand it was even hotter!!!

RIP to a true improvisor 

[Guy Berger]

RIP Henry.  Thanks for your amazing contributions.

[sidewinder]

33 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

 I missed it because I knew it was going to be very very hot in the hall and I understand it was even hotter!!

It was certainly incendiary. I can still picture it now, Henry hanging on in there in the middle of a maelstrom !

[sonnyhill]

 

I saw him play many times.  I also saw him in the audience at many, many shows around NYC with his wife.  The three recordings with Don Cherry on Blue Note are favorites of mine.

[clifford_thornton]

3 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

He died of Covid-19. Nate Chinen has an obituary up at WBGO:

Henry Grimes, bassist of avant-garde pedigree and storied return, dies of Covid-19 at 84

yeah, I saw that 2004 concert -- was fun indeed. Grimes was a bit hesitant but the sound was certainly there.

[ghost of miles]

Steven Isoardi posted a link on Facebook to his 2010 Current Research In Jazz essay about Grimes' re-emergence in Los Angeles after the Signal to Noise article:

 

There are many layers to this story. Certainly the return of a great artist is the most prominent and is story enough. But there is also the re-emerging elder giant meeting the young neophyte, also with a difficult past. And the role played by the three young students contributed significantly to this special event in the spring of 2003. All of them grew enormously as artists and as people. As this story was unfolding, Oakwood’s headmaster, James Astman, observed, “Nick has done something remarkable and wonderfully humane.” [24] And much was done by Henry for Nick, for all of those who contributed to make this a success, and for fans of good music everywhere. Henry’s life was changed and his career re-launched, and perhaps Nick has found his direction in life...

It is also a story of supportive communities—musicians, poets, journalists, researchers and archivists, students and a school administration, cultural space organizers, from East L.A., North Hollywood, and South Central L.A., as well as from the East Coast—all pooling their talents and energies to support Henry. It was an inspiring aligning of forces, something that in many other locations and contexts might not have happened. Fortunately, this was different and resulted in a special, unique experience with no down side. Everyone won.

The Return Of Henry Grimes