Ed Summerlin dies

[brownie]

From The Los Angeles Times

OBITUARIES

Edgar Summerlin, 78; Musician Wrote Jazz-Based Liturgical Works

By Don Heckman, Special to The Times

October 13, 2006

Edgar E. "Ed" Summerlin, whose 1959 composition, "Requiem for Mary Jo," was one of the first significant uses of jazz in a liturgical service, died Tuesday in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He was 78.

Summerlin had been hospitalized for several weeks suffering with complications of treatment for cancer.

"Requiem for Mary Jo" was written as an outpouring of grief over the death of his 9-month-old daughter. He subsequently wrote several other jazz-based liturgical works, including "Episcopal Evensong," "Jazz Vespers Service" and "Liturgy of the Holy Spirit."

Born Sept. 1, 1928, in Marianna, Fla., Summerlin received a master's degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1952 and studied composition with Gunther Schuller and Hall Overton. He taught jazz composition, theory and saxophone at the University of North Texas in the late 1950s and was director of the jazz program at the City College of New York from 1971 to 1989.

After freelancing in the '50s as a tenor saxophonist with the bands of Sonny Dunham, Ted Weems, Tony Pastor and others, Summerlin became an active participant in New York City's experimental jazz scene of the 1960s. He performed with Don Ellis, Steve Swallow, Ron Carter, Sheila Jordan, Steve Kuhn, Eric Dolphy and Slide Hampton, and co-led the Improvisational Jazz Workshop.

Summerlin also composed and/or arranged for Carter, Kuhn, Freddie Hubbard, Dave Leibman, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lee Konitz. As a tenor saxophonist his style was eclectic, reaching from jaunty, straight-ahead playing to horn-scouring avant-garde sounds.

His albums include "Ring Out Joy" (Avant-Garde), "Liturgical Jazz" (Ecclesia Records), "The Improvisational Jazz Workshop," "Sum of the Parts" and "Eye on the Future" (all on Ictus Records).

Summerlin is survived by his wife, Karen Jones Summerlin, his son Jeff, and two granddaughters, Meghan and Erica.

[clifford_thornton]

RIP to an interesting figure. I'll be spinning the Heckman-Summerlin LP in his honor.

[paul secor]

He lived a half hour away from me and I never knew it.

RIP.

[corto maltese]

According to the All Music entry on Ed Summerlin, his "Requiem for Mary-Jo", written in response to the death of his nine-month-old daughter, is the centerpiece of his 1959 debut LP "Liturgical Jazz". I have that album but there's no "Requiem for Mary-Jo"  (or anything similar) on it.

Does anybody know if a recording of this "Requiem" exists?

[clifford_thornton]

Seems like that piece was performed several times but I'm not sure if it was recorded.

Never owned/heard Liturgical Jazz but would pick it up if I saw it.

[fasstrack]

He was my arranging teacher and the head of the jazz department at City College in the late '80s. I thought Ed was a rough customer then, but that was my immaturity. It took some years to realize that he was a great guy and on my side. (Same goes for Ron Carter). I got to hear a lot of his music and found it challenging and interesting. Serious listening.

I miss Ed today.

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks Joel.