B. Goren. Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 My dear friend Nitzan Kremer infored me that pianist Dick Katz passed away. Nitzan was informed by Helen Merill. Rest in peace Mr. katz. You have done enough and now you deserve the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 A fine talent... RIP, Dick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 a truly great man - this is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 There was always something interesting associated with his name. Hard to beat that. RIP, & thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 I am absolutely devastated by this - Dick and I were pretty close in the '80s, though only sporadically in touch the last 10 years or so - brilliant man, fine writer and critic, musically astute; he played my wedding in '82. A true gentleman of jazz, as Symphony Sid would have said, a witness to a lot of important music and musicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 I have always enjoyed his playing on Benny Carter's "Further Definitions", among other albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 Sad news. I absolutely love his albums with Helen Merrill - some of the best vocal jazz ever recorded, and I guess Katz had quite a hand in there. And indeed he was a fine writer, I always enjoyed his liner notes (mostly on reissues where he wrote new notes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 A very sad loss of a consummate artist. R.I.P. I will play his trio LP on Reservoir tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 (edited) I absolutely love his albums with Helen Merrill - some of the best vocal jazz ever recorded, and I guess Katz had quite a hand in there. Me love 'em too - some of the first vocal jazz I ever bought! Katz was co-founder and co-producer for Keepnews in the early days of Milestone. Edited November 11, 2009 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 there's a great live LP with Roy Eldridge and Richie Kamuca - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 Very sad news indeed. I have long enjoyed the piano playing of Dick Katz. Three recording with Katz as leader are all very good. Three Way Play - Reservoir (with Steve LaSpina and Ben Riley) The Line Forms Here - Reservoir (with Benny Golson,Ryan Kisor,LaSpina,Riley) Piano & Pen - Atlantic with Chuck Wayne or Jimmy Raney, Joe Benjamin, Connie Kay Jazz Piano International - Atlantic (Katz plays 4 trio tracks with Ralph Pena & Connie Kay) These last 2 have been reissued on CD on Collectables. Piano & Pen with The John Lewis PIano Jazz Piano International with Dave pell Octet-Love Story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 "Piano and Pen" is a nice album. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Brown Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 I first heard Dick Katz when he was a member of Tony Scott's quartet along with Milt Hinton and Philly Joe Jones. He absolutely knocked me out on that Brunswick album and continued to do so on every other record he made, either as a leader or sideman. And damn, Katz was also a brilliant writer. I'll never forget the notes he wrote for a Thelonious Monk album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 A superb musician, and tragically underappreciated. I'll be spinning a few of his sides in the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Sad news. I absolutely love his albums with Helen Merrill - some of the best vocal jazz ever recorded, and I guess Katz had quite a hand in there. And indeed he was a fine writer, I always enjoyed his liner notes (mostly on reissues where he wrote new notes). +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted November 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 http://blogs.wnyc.org/culture/2009/11/10/j...katz-1924-2009/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 This is very sad news! A favorite underrated pianist for a very long time (going back to his days with Tony Scott!). Ironically one of his best album (on Beehive) was titled 'In High Profile'. JazzWax had a highly readable interview with him last July! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 That's an interesting read, thanks for posting the link brownie! He was on quite a few great albums and played with almost everyone it seems! Very wide range! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Always liked his recordings with JJJ and Kai Winding. Sad news - RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Some of my favorite Dick Katz playing is on Percy France's I Should Care (Endgame) recording. Thanks for the music you gave us, Mr. Katz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 I also have, from about the same time, a wonderful recording of Dick backing Dickey Wells - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 Maybe I need to re-evaluate - my assessment was that he was a solid, competent, versatile guy you'd use in the studio if you didn't have access to a 1st-tier pianist - wouldn't knock your socks off, wouldn't mess things up. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 (edited) Jimmy Raney told me years ago that Katz had a rehearsal band that he and Marshall Brown played in when I mentioned Marshall. I went to the West End in the 80s to hear a Monk tribute band that Katz led with Lee Konitz, my buddy (before I knew him) John Eckert, and Leroy Williams. I remember Katz saying at the end of the gig---and not looking very pleased---'let's play a couple of chorouses of "Nutty" and go home'. Maybe he was tired. It was a good band. I'm sure Phil Schaap eulogized him. He was a frequent Bird Flight guest. I didn't know Dick Katz myself, but I am sorry to see him go. Every time a good musician from his generation goes all the history of his playing life goes with him. And they are few left from those days. Edited November 11, 2009 by fasstrack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Maybe I need to re-evaluate - my assessment was that he was a solid, competent, versatile guy you'd use in the studio if you didn't have access to a 1st-tier pianist - wouldn't knock your socks off, wouldn't mess things up. Guy He was one those subtle guys that you'd only notice when he was missing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Sad news... RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.