clifford_thornton Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 I'm sad to confirm that that DC saxophonist and author Andrew White passed on Wednesday at the age of 78. I was lucky enough to see him play here in New York a few times and interview him by phone. Fascinating character -- definitely a character -- and kind man. White also played bass with The 5th Dimension and Stevie Wonder, as well as transcribing over 700 Coltrane solos. He released most of his work on his own Andrew's Music label/publishing imprint. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 Sad news. I first learned of him from Weather Report. R.I.P. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 I had a chance to look at one book of his Trane-scriptions….crazymad accuracy of detail, definitely not hack-edu work, just....incredible. As for him being a character, I remember the ads he's place for his records in, I think, Cadence(?), definitely distinct, very non-dour! RIP, and blessings to all who find a way to get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 45 minutes ago, JSngry said: I had a chance to look at one book of his Trane-scriptions….crazymad accuracy of detail, definitely not hack-edu work, just....incredible. As for him being a character, I remember the ads he's place for his records in, I think, Cadence(?), definitely distinct, very non-dour! RIP, and blessings to all who find a way to get it done. Yes, I responded and bought some of those albums based on the Cadence ads. Think I got them at Third Street Jazz, don't fully remember at this point. He was featured on Tyner's "Asante" album also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmce Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 One of the great American originals, through and through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcam_44 Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 Damn. 2020 is a shit year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 R.I.P .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin V Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 I enjoy the live album I have of his as well as the first JFK Quintet album on Riverside. I still have his massive mail-order catalog and a few newsletters he sent me. I always meant to order more albums from him (and they'll probably be impossible to get now). He seemed like a fun character. Thank you for the music, Mr. White, and rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 Sad news. I've seen a couple of his LPs in used shelves over the years. Never jumped for them, perhaps a mistake on my part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom in RI Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 My Cadences are in boxes atm, was there a session that White did with Elvin Jones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Tom in RI said: My Cadences are in boxes atm, was there a session that White did with Elvin Jones? AFAIK, no recording session, although he toured with Elvin. IIRC I saw that Jazz Machine edition in Darmstadt, Ari Brown being the second tenor. There was a Blue Note session with McCoy Tyner, Asante. He studied Coltrane so much, and still was no Trane clone. That deserves respect. I love his playing on that Tyner album. R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 They did this one: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 There's a third JFK album that remain unissued. Joe Chambers on drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) I really wish I'd bought the massive catalog book and autobiography when I had the opportunity. I think one of his younger relatives was helping him fill orders for a while; not sure whether that cottage industry will continue but I hope it does. Edited November 14, 2020 by clifford_thornton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcam_44 Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said: I really wish I'd bought the massive catalog book and autobiography when I had the opportunity. I think one of his younger relatives was helping him fill orders for a while; not sure whether that cottage industry will continue but I hope it does. If you hear anything let us know. I’d like to get them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) I will try to find out more from his close friends in DC. I knew Andrew and we got along just fine, I had a few great conversations with him, but we were not close and i am not sure he ever knew my name! I don't think he and his late wife (who was a teacher at my High School) had kids, so there is a whole estate that needs to be settled. A lot of the DC Jazz community is posting, I will keep an eye out if the topic comes up. If not, I have a couple of people I can ask after a little mourning period... Feel free to remind me in a week or so if I haven't checked in, but I did think of this issue and I would like to make sure his enormous legacy is properly preserved. Bertrand. Edited November 15, 2020 by bertrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin V Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 1 hour ago, bertrand said: I will try to find out more from his close friends in DC. I knew Andrew and we got along just fine, I had a few great conversations with him, but we were not close and i am not sure he ever knew my name! I don't think he and his late wife (who was a teacher at my High School) had kids, so there is a whole estate that needs to be settled. A lot of the DC Jazz community is posting, I will keep an eye out if the topic comes up. If not, I have a couple of people I can ask after a little mourning period... Feel free to remind me in a week or so if I haven't checked in, but I did think of this issue and I would like to make sure his enormous legacy is properly preserved. There is a good chance a lot of material could end up at the UDC Jazz Archives, unless there is a family member who can assume the mantle. I am sure this will come up very soon in the DC Jazz community. I would not be the one suggesting it to UDC, they have rejected all my suggestions in the past. Bertrand. A Bandcamp page offering downloads of his Andrew's Music releases would be fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 That would be very 21st century, but a drastic change from Andrew's philosophy - he never went online, has no website or even email address. It was all mail order. Let's see where this goes. It is a massive undertaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 Yeah, I remember you had to mail a check to his address, call him up on the phone, etc.. there's still a few of his LPs I'd like to get, as well as publications. I should have been more proactive about that when I interviewed him/saw him in concert, but the road to everywhere is always paved with "shoulda"s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 It is good you brought it up. I am sure someone in DC will start talking about it. I can start a Facebook conversation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 8 hours ago, clifford_thornton said: I really wish I'd bought the massive catalog book and autobiography when I had the opportunity. I think one of his younger relatives was helping him fill orders for a while; not sure whether that cottage industry will continue but I hope it does. Apparently the only helper he ever had was his wife, who taught at my High School. She died in 2011, and after that, he was on his won doing it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 ah, interesting -- yeah, the occasions I saw him play here in NY, he had a guy running the merch table that had come up from DC to assist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 Just now, clifford_thornton said: ah, interesting -- yeah, the occasions I saw him play here in NY, he had a guy running the merch table that had come up from DC to assist. Hmmm, I wonder who that would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 Anyone have any leads on where to get that Elvin Jones CD with White and Ari Brown at a reasonable price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 I used to see his Trane transcriptions advertised in DB when I was in HS, and I vaguely remember seeing some of them somewhere. I somehow got him confused with Anthony Braxton- did Braxton have a zillion transcriptions of Trane. also? I remember hearing a Fifth Dimension tune a long time ago with a bass player cooking his brains out on "Aquarius (Let The Sunshine In") on a live performance somewhere. I wonder if that was him? RIP, Mr White. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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