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Bootsie Barnes RIP - Covid-19


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Tenor saxophonist Bootsie Barnes, 82, has passed from Covid-19.  He was a constant factor on the Philly scene for decades, a fine player.  Here is more from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/live/coronavirus-covid-19-philadelphia-pennsylvania-new-jersey-deaths-confirmed-case-updates-news-20200423.html

Robert ‘Bootsie’ Barnes, noted Philly tenor saxophonist, dies of coronavirus at 82

Local legend tenormen Bootsie Barnes (left) and Larry McKenna. To celebrate their 80th birthdays they recorded the 2018 album "The More I See You." Barnes died Wednesday from the coronavirus.
MICHAEL BRYANT / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Local legend tenormen Bootsie Barnes (left) and Larry McKenna. To celebrate their 80th birthdays they recorded the 2018 album "The More I See You." Barnes died Wednesday from the coronavirus.

Robert “Bootsie” Barnes, the Philadelphia tenor sax player who played with Lee Morgan, Philly Joe Jones and Albert “Tootie” Heath among many other jazz luminaries, died on Wednesday at Lankanau Medical Center in Wynnewood at age 82.

His wife, Sandra Tuner-Barnes, confirmed her husband’s death on Thursday. She said he had been hospitalized for 22 days, and the cause of death was coronavirus.

Mr. Barnes was widely respected and well known in the jazz world for his hard driving playing, earthy tone and adventurous spirit. He grew up in the Richard Allen Homes in North Philadelphia, was particularly in demand as horn player who paired off with organists in the great Philadelphia tradition, teaming with Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. When starting out, he also frequently played with his childhood friend Bill Cosby whom he met in kindergarten, and who was a jazz drummer before he moved on to comedy.I

In the 1970s, Mr. Barnes toured with saxophonist Sonny Stitt. Over the decades, he served as a mentor to generations of young Philadelphia jazz musicians. In recent years, he frequently played with fellow Philly sax man Larry McKenna, with whom he recorded the 2018 album The More I See You, in celebration of both of their 80th birthdays.

— Dan DeLuca

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6 hours ago, mikeweil said:

R.I.P. 

I only knew him from Don Patterson's Muse LP, "Why Not?" - he sure played some fine solos on it.

That's where I first came to know him. Seemed like it took a while for there to be more that I could get to hear, but when it started coming available, I was like oh hell yeah, bring it on, THIS cat can PLAY!

RIP and what a drag that so many people hear "Bootsy"(sic) and only think of Collins, if they think at all.

I swear - Jazz is being Raptured.

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Bootsie was Philly Jazz- I often headed south from New York several times per year to hear him - a real natural player.

I heard that his grandson is a serious student of jazz writing a doctoral dissertation on Bootsie’s contribution to jazz music.

R.I.P. Bootsie- a Philly legend loved well beyond Center City.

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