Friday, July 23, 2004
Illinois Jacquet swings home
Sax player and band leader Illinois Jacquet is dead. I saw him once, eight or ten years ago, at Tavern on the Green in Central Park, NYC. He had put a small, maybe 16 piece, band together. They swang! Man they swang. They played the standards, and a few originals, with a precise mix of multi-layered arrangement and individualistic virtuosity. It was a small enough band that every musician could show through, but big enough to have big-band harmonies, rhythms and range. The effect of that big band in that small room was joy-inspiring. They'd start a song, or the music would hit a change, and I would almost laugh out loud. I couldn't stop smiling all night.
Every musician in the band that night was a world class player, and I am sorry there was no program with their names to take home. A few months ago I was pretty sure I saw Jacquet's trombone player from that night in Union Station in Washington, DC. I wanted to stop him and thank him for that wonderful night. But I hesitated. Maybe it wasn't him . . . and the moment passed.
Indeed, the moment passed. Thank you, Illinois, for a magical musical evening. I will cherish it for the rest of my own days.
Every musician in the band that night was a world class player, and I am sorry there was no program with their names to take home. A few months ago I was pretty sure I saw Jacquet's trombone player from that night in Union Station in Washington, DC. I wanted to stop him and thank him for that wonderful night. But I hesitated. Maybe it wasn't him . . . and the moment passed.
Indeed, the moment passed. Thank you, Illinois, for a magical musical evening. I will cherish it for the rest of my own days.
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