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Bobby Hutcherson RIP


CJ Shearn

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I'm sorry to hear about your mother's passing CJ.  My condolences to you and your loved ones on your loss.

Damn it's depressing to read about Bobby Hutcherson's passing.  Not entirely surprising, but sad nonetheless.  I only got to meet him once, but that only served to confirm the impression I got from seeing him in concert and hearing him interviewed ont he radio that he was one cool and beautiful man.  I wish he could have been here to witness the tribute concert SFJazz had already lined up in his honor this fall.  I'm thankful he was with us as long as he was and I'm very grateful for all the music he left us.

May he rest in peace.  May his wife Rosemary and all the Hutcherson family take comfort in the knowledge that he was genuinely loved and respected by many and his music touched the lives of so many, many more.

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1 hour ago, The Jazz Aficionado said:

 

 
 
 

 

The Great African-American Classical Art-Form

R.I.P BOBBY!!!!!!!

Bobby Hutcherson [Playlist] 81 Tracks 9 Hours 22 Min 
https://open.spotify.com/…/…/playlist/4vbSL1M61SWmZKN5BHO8xq

Image Credit: Nadja von Massow (nadworks) Photographer: Nadja von Massow Subject: Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphonist Source: live concert at 2007 JazzBaltica Festival (Salzau, Germany), July 30, 2007.

Bobby Hutcherson was born to Eli, a master mason, and Esther, a hairdresser. Hutcherson was exposed to jazz by his brother Teddy, who listened to Art Blakey records in the family home with his friend Dexter Gordon. 
His older sister Peggy was a singer in Gerald Wilson's orchestra and personally introduced Hutcherson to Eric Dolphy (her boyfriend at the time) and Billy Mitchell. Hutcherson was inspired to take up the vibraphone when he heard Milt Jackson play "Bemsha Swing" on the Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants LP at the age of 12.

Still, in his teens, Hutcherson began his professional career in the late fifties working with Curtis Amy and Carmell Jones, as well as with Dolphy and Charles Lloyd at Pandora's Box on the Sunset Strip.

He made his recording debut on August 3, 1960, cutting two songs for a 7-inch single with the Les McCann trio for Pacific Jazz (released 1961), followed by the LP Groovin' Blue with the Curtis Amy-Frank Butler sextet on December 10 (also released by Pacific Jazz in 1961).

In January 1962, Hutcherson joined the Billy Mitchell-Al Grey group for dates at The Jazz Workshop in San Francisco and Birdland in New York City (opposite Art Blakey). After touring with the Mitchell-Grey group for a year, Hutcherson settled in New York City (on 165th street in The Bronx) where he worked part-time as a taxi driver, before fully entering the jazz scene via his childhood friend, bassist Herbie Lewis

 

Edited by The Jazz Aficionado
double tried to delete one of the post sorry
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RIP  As already said, not unexpected but still a blow on what happens to be a fairly gloomy day.

Some of my favorite BN albums feature Bobby.  I'll make sure to spin Dialogue today.  I didn't get that many chances to see Bobby Hutcherson play (or Andrew Hill for that matter), but I managed to see both of them two or perhaps three times.

I saw the Bobby Hutcherson Sextet play Iridium in 2003, and I saw him as part of the SF Jazz Collective in 2005.  I think I saw him one other time, but I can't recall the details at the moment.  I am sorry I didn't make the effort to come to the Chicago Jazz Festival last summer, as he was one of the headliners.

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What's the title of that Milt Jackson record? "Ain't but a few of us left"? I wished I could follow Bobby wherever he's going now. And you know that, in his own way, he's still going. Instead, I'll just stay here and express thanks for all the music.

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Thanks for all the great recordings, and four live experiences in my case, all wonderful.

1984: At Lush Life in New York City.

1987: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (The Timeless All Stars)

1987: at Caravan of Dreams, Fort Worth.

1997: At Village Vanguard.

The Vanguard date was particularly awesome, as I was sitting in the front row, right by his side by side vibes and marimba.

 

 

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R.I.P. - and thanks for the music. There were some years where I played some of his albums almost every day.

Saw him live in the 1980's with Hadley Caliman and Eddie Marshall - still remember this very vividly. Sad news ....

Edited by mikeweil
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This one hurts.  Not a surprise but it still hurts,. He was my favorite vibraphonist.  I loved the directions he took the intrument.  There were others at his level of course so no disrespect to them but Bobby was special to me.  

 

NP Medina (Blue Note) i'm going to be playing his music throughout the day.

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