Updated - BillF, RIP

[Dub Modal]

RIP. Much respect to him and condolences to his family. 

[Aggie87]

Sorry to hear this, Rest in Peace, Bill.

[ghost of miles]

BillF and me at the train station in Manchester, June 2016:

[Teasing the Korean]

So sorry to hear this.  RIP.

[ghost of miles]

Kate and I stayed with Bill and his wife Angela for three days in Manchester. Each morning he gave me a quick saxophonist blindfold test when we came downstairs for breakfast. I guessed Tubby Hayes and Sonny Rollins correctly, but bombed the other one. I *think* that’s what we were up to in this particular photo:

[optatio]

I am very sad ... R.I.P., Bill ...

[Dan Gould]

6 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

Kate and I stayed with Bill and his wife Angela for three days in Manchester. Each morning he gave me a quick saxophonist blindfold test when we came downstairs for breakfast. I guessed Tubby Hayes and Sonny Rollins correctly, but bombed the other one. I *think* that’s what we were up to in this particular photo:

 

Two observations: I thought you were going to say he administered the blindfold test, with the understanding you wouldn't get any breakfast if you missed, and, Bill was a consistent commenter on BFTs but almost exclusively for naming tunes, IIRC, and never for compiling himself. So kinda funny he did his own on you, David.

[mjzee]

So sad to hear.  RIP.

[ghost of miles]

8 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

 

Two observations: I thought you were going to say he administered the blindfold test, with the understanding you wouldn't get any breakfast if you missed, and, Bill was a consistent commenter on BFTs but almost exclusively for naming tunes, IIRC, and never for compiling himself. So kinda funny he did his own on you, David.

😂 Fortunately it was a very casual, friendly blindfold test and breakfast was served regardless!  He was a joy to hang out with and certainly enhanced my appreciation of British jazz history, among other things.  I wish Kate and I had been able to pay a return visit.  

I also noticed that his last post was on January 19, just three days before he passed away.  He died of lung cancer (apparently from exposure to asbestos at some point, according to Angela--he had never been a smoker) and must have known that he didn't have much time left.  Not surprised that he didn't mention anything about his illness on the board... but I think he did know that he was much appreciated here.

[sidewinder]

Damn - I wonder if it was a problem with school buildings e.g. ceilings or pipe lagging at some stage of his teaching career? That is such a cruel illness, very sad to read that.

Great picture ghost - that's as I remember Bill from my visit. He seemed young to me for his age.

Edited March 13, 2024 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Thanks for posting the photos, good to put a face to the name.

[Royal Oak]

That's very sad to hear. I met Bill a few times between 2016 and 2018 - he dropped some CDs at my house once, and I visited his house two or three times when I bought a lot of his vinyl and CDs.

He was certainly a very spry fellow in those days, and seemed to be enjoying his retirement, making full use of his free OAP travel pass as I recall.

Though I hadn't spoken to him in a while, I did think about him, reminded by the fact that many of my LPs and CDs contain Bill's elegant signature hidden unobtrusively about the covers.

Ghost - please pass on my condolences, if you are in touch with his wife again.

[Niko]

RIP, missing him.

[John Tapscott]

I will miss him. He was a good friend on this Board. I had several long Skype calls with him over the past few years. He was a very interesting and intelligent fellow whose tastes in jazz often coincided with mine.  R.I.P. my friend.  

Edited March 13, 2024 by John Tapscott

[Dan Gould]

36 minutes ago, rdavenport said:

 

Ghost - please pass on my condolences, if you are in touch with his wife again.

I think if she's interested, his widow should be directed to this thread, perhaps in a few days, to see how many post here. I didn't interact with Bill too much and not at all off--board but he was so active and also a supremely nice presence. 

[HutchFan]

I'm sorry to hear of this news.  He will be missed.

R.I.P. 

[Royal Oak]

20 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

I think if she's interested, his widow should be directed to this thread, perhaps in a few days, to see how many post here. I didn't interact with Bill too much and not at all off--board but he was so active and also a supremely nice presence. 

Yes, good idea.

[GA Russell]

Rest in Peace, Bill!

Bill was one of the members whom I followed.  Every day I would receive an email stating that Bill had given his thumbs up approval to a record someone else was listening to.

I remember the time he was tickled to announce that he had been mentioned in Marc Myers' Jazzwax column!

[Rooster_Ties]

Gosh that’s sorry to hear, and with my dad almost 97 now — I have to confess I don’t think of 84 as being “that old” — even if I do realize otherwise. RIP.

[Stompin at the Savoy]

😢

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Sorry to hear about Bill's passing. As the years fly by, it seems like they get shorter.

[sgcim]

Sorry to hear this, RIP..

[ejp626]

RIP - Also very sorry to hear this.  Mostly interacted with him on the What are you reading? thread, where he was working his way through Graham Greene and had just started in on Eric Ambler.

[Quasimado]

Thanks Bill.

[John L]

RIP Bill