[AGL] 'Bye Joe

[Gerry]

I recall driving to Dallas one night back in the '60's to see Cannonball Adderly, the great alto saxophonist. The musicians in the band were young, slick, highly talented and black--except for the large, balding, white-haired man who played piano. This was one of the funkiest soul jazz groups whose repertoire was straight out of the black churches of the South. Not only was the pianist white but he was not even an American by birth. He was an Austrian and his name was Joe Zawinul. But his piano playing and his compositions were as funky as you could get. Apparently these contradictions did not bother him as he toured with black groups and turned out great blues tinged compositions for half his lifetime. All in all, he was a fine musician who had the ability to write hit tunes for jazz groups and who developed a large following along the way...in spite of the seemingly impossible odds of overcoming his birth and culture. Alas, he is no longer with us.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/arts/12zawinul.html?ref=obituaries

G
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