EKE BBB Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 Acclaimed tuba player dies THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CLIFTON, N.J. -- Don Butterfield, a tuba player who performed with such stars as Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Sinatra and whose work can be heard on the "Godfather: Part II," has died at age 83. Butterfield died Monday of an illness related to a stroke he suffered about a year ago, his wife, Alice Butterfield, said Wednesday. Born in Centralia, Wash., Butterfield wanted to play the trumpet for his high school band but was handed a tuba by the band's director because there were no more trumpets. He went on to study at the Juilliard School in New York. During a five-decade career, Butterfield performed as a studio musician, recording with notable artists, and for television commercials and movie soundtracks. Alice Butterfield said her husband played in just about every music club of note in New York. He was a member of the American Symphony and the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, and toured the country. "He just loved the tuba when he got it, that was his instrument," said Alice Butterfield, who said her husband's stroke left him unable to play music. "He just fell in love with it." David Demsey, a professor of music and coordinator of jazz studies at William Paterson University, said Butterfield "brought back the tuba and took the oompa out and added a melodic tone." In a 2003 interview with The Record of Bergen County, Butterfield acknowledged that the tuba could be viewed as ungainly and unglamorous. He compared the instrument to "an interstate truck driver." "We're not going to be racing in the Indianapolis 500," he said. "At the same time, we understand that we have a certain function in the orchestra." Quote
brownie Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 More sad news! Loved the sound of his tuba. He contributed so much to that Mingus classic album 'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady'. Quote
sidewinder Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 More bad news. A class player - liked his work on the Teddy Charles Tentet albums in particular. Also that one with Gil Melle. RIP. Quote
mikeweil Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 (edited) Oh no - he anchored countless brass sections. An unrecognized giant of his instrument. Most probably would only miss him if they were played those sessions with the tuba part edited out. R.I.P., and many thanks for the constantly good work. OTOH - the all star band in heaven really needed a good tubist ...... Edited November 30, 2006 by mikeweil Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 Oh no - he anchored countless brass sections. An unrecognized giant of his instrument. Most probably would only miss him if they were played those sessions with the tuba part edited out. R.I.P., and many thanks for the constantly good work. That's RIGHT. An essential component of so many recordings and we never really heard him. Oh Lord, what a bad period we're having. MG Quote
paul secor Posted November 30, 2006 Report Posted November 30, 2006 It's just a small part of his legacy, but I always smile when I listen to Jimmy Heath's Swamp Seed and hear Don Butterfield's tuba playing Monk's left hand figures on Nutty. RIP, Mr. Butterfield. Quote
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