Juni Booth (1948 - 2021)

[soulpope]

Juni Booth (1948 - 2021) .... R.I.P ....

[Hardbopjazz]

RIP 

[clifford_thornton]

Sad loss. Saw him play at the Vision Festival with Billy Bang and Frank Lowe, that was a treat. Pretty sure it wasn't the only occasion but that concert really sticks out.

[felser]

RIP.  Appreciated his work with McCoy Tyner.

[clifford_thornton]

He was around 18 when he first recorded with Sonny Simmons and Marzette Watts for ESP. A talented guy.

[JSngry]

RIP and thanks for being there and doing that.

[kh1958]

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
 

Dear Friends:

As I got ready to write my weekly newsletter I heard the news about bassist Juini Booth passing.  It kind of took the wind out of my sails.  I've known Juini since I was a young man and he was always very kind to me.  I remember the first time I'd ever even heard of Juini Booth was when I was 18 years old and knew the McCoy Tyner "Live at Montreux" with Juini Booth on bass.  He gets a long and rhapsodic bass solo interlude between McCoy's expansive compositions.  Playing with a beautiful tone and soulful melody - it's one of those solos that has stayed inside me all my musical life.  The first time I met him on the streets of the East Village, at some session in some dive bar, I couldn't believe I was meeting him.  I sang his solo for him note for note.  He looked pleased and smiled.  From that time we were always friends and he always called me "Michael" rather than my more familiar nickname, Spike.  As I developed over the years we were friendly and did play together on occasion.  When I took over Smalls I began to book his groups through the years.  He always had a friendly and affectionate "hello, Michael", whenever I saw him.  More recently I saw him during the blur that was COVID.  He came by the club when New York was deserted and offered words of encouragement.  His peaceful and gentle demeanor and slender frame - with beboppers heart and the soul of the warrior musician.  I will miss this person and another window in the rapidly fading old New York.  Rest in Peace, my friend - Juini Booth.

Spike Wilner

Edited July 12, 2021 by kh1958

[felser]

Thanks for sharing that.  It's beautiful.

[romualdo]

RIP Juni

[Gheorghe]

On 12.7.2021 at 7:41 PM, kh1958 said:

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
 

Dear Friends:

As I got ready to write my weekly newsletter I heard the news about bassist Juini Booth passing.  It kind of took the wind out of my sails.  I've known Juini since I was a young man and he was always very kind to me.  I remember the first time I'd ever even heard of Juini Booth was when I was 18 years old and knew the McCoy Tyner "Live at Montreux" with Juini Booth on bass.  He gets a long and rhapsodic bass solo interlude between McCoy's expansive compositions.  Playing with a beautiful tone and soulful melody - it's one of those solos that has stayed inside me all my musical life.  The first time I met him on the streets of the East Village, at some session in some dive bar, I couldn't believe I was meeting him.  I sang his solo for him note for note.  He looked pleased and smiled.  From that time we were always friends and he always called me "Michael" rather than my more familiar nickname, Spike.  As I developed over the years we were friendly and did play together on occasion.  When I took over Smalls I began to book his groups through the years.  He always had a friendly and affectionate "hello, Michael", whenever I saw him.  More recently I saw him during the blur that was COVID.  He came by the club when New York was deserted and offered words of encouragement.  His peaceful and gentle demeanor and slender frame - with beboppers heart and the soul of the warrior musician.  I will miss this person and another window in the rapidly fading old New York.  Rest in Peace, my friend - Juini Booth.

Spike Wilner

Thanks for sharing this !