ValerieB

i have extremely pleasant and strong memories of this lovely man. since i attended or listened to practically every red sox game from 1956 to 1960, i think probably explains it. curt's sidekick, bob murphy, also passed fairly recently. i wish the obit had mentioned how many years he had been married to jerre as it must be well over 50 years! i remember them as an extremely handsome couple. he was a supreme professional as well as gentleman.

it's just killing me that i can't be there!! rest assured, i'd be there every time you played!! best, valerie bishop

Valerie, I highly recommend this book on the whole story behind "Strange Fruit." thanks very much, ghost!

His uncle, not his father, was the one who produced "Strange Fruit." (Probably this was just a typo!) i actually remember billy saying that it was his father but it sure makes more sense if it were his uncle.

i, too was recently "enlightened" about billy's jazz connections through his one-man show. i knew very little before seeing it. had heard about the commodore record store and the label but not much more than that. it was a mind-blower to learln that billy's father was the one who recorded billie holiday's "strange fruit" when no one else would touch it!! billy did the "ziggy" bit in the show. the entire three-hour performance was so incredible that i'm trying to see it again before it closes next week! and the night i went is when president clinton came out on stage to receive a check from billy. the audiences throughout billy's tour had been contributing to a katrina fund (where billy matched every dollar donated). the whole thing was just too cool for words!!

yes, i've been receiving those damn things too and forwarding them on. i've also been receiving them from paypal. aren't i the lucky gal?!? NOT!

rhetorical question: and where is he today?!?

he was playing his ass off but definitely could have done without that setting!

i don't believe so.

where was donny hathaway when we really needed him?!? of course, we always need him.

on separate occasions, i heard mingus, toshiko, carmen mcrae, herbie manne and hancock, and many others there. i was very fortunate to be in nyc during the sixties.

. . . and i plan to see them in los angeles in a few weeks at the jazz bakery.

sorry, i guess i didn't read the first post thoroughly. didn't know the age factor. agree with you that that's a bit too old for terence.

I am a Terence Howard fan, but are you basing that on a possible resemblance or on his ability to bring the role to life? both, although i've never seen him play this kind of role. he's so good though that i'd bet on him pulling it off.

that reminds me that when curson and i were neighbors, dolphy as well as bill barron also lived within a block or two of us.

Well, yeah. Sleep after sex is not uncommon. touche!!! just have to chime in that, unfortunately, mr. bey bores me too, although he has a nice-sounding voice. i just don't like how he uses it. shirley horn, however, could never bore me. neither could johnny hartman.

i just saw him at iaje last month for the first time in decades! he was blown away when i told him that we were neighbors in the '60s in the east village. he was very warm and friendly and even kissed my hand! we also laughed about the fact that both of us have gained a few pounds since those days!

the absolute best person for the role is terence howard!

hearing sherman's student group perform was very poignant. the group with herman riley and ricky woodard was especially hot as was sherman's original group minus two. carl randall and louis van taylor were incredible, as always. i was very glad to meet the three guys mentioned above but sorry that there just wasn't time to hang as i had to fly out of the club at 4pm. it was a packed room, filled with lots of love for a magnificent person. the only part of the program i could have done with less of was the ba'hai stuff. just too much and too long for a short program. the irony was that sherman hardly ever talked about his faith - he just lived it! he was "in your face with love". i believe it was kenny burrell who said that.

Justo Almario's daughter's name is Naima, and she was named for the tune. And I believe she was born in the early to mid-seventies.

Is that you, III?!? Valerie Bishop

just want to add a big "amen" to that! and the guy is a sweetheart as well!

bertrand: i will be at the memorial service on sunday. i cannot imagine that kenny won't be there. he's more than likely one of the organizers of the tribute/memorial. and he's been one of sherman's staunchest supporters in every conceivable way, especially these last years during sherman's health problems. best, valerie

sure wish i could make it but 3,000 miles stands between us! there's an article in the current downbeat about tolliver. it was really good to see you at iaje, david! best, valerie

i think chris had big problems that related to his being sean's brother. and that bears itself out, very sadly, on this "chris rip" thread.