"Jimmy Giuffre, A Jazz Portrait" on WGBH Tonight at 9 p.m.

[Lazaro Vega]

(From the Jazz Programmer's List).

I'm sorry to report that I just heard from Juanita Giuffre that Jimmy

died of pneumonia and Parkinson's today (April 24) two days before what

would have been his 87th birthday. I met them (via email) because they

listened regularly to my show and we discovered that Jimmy and I shared

our birthday, April 26. We usually exchanged cards this time of year.

He was most famous for "Four Brothers" with Woody, or with Shorty

Rogers "Martians Go Home" or the Lighthouse All Stars, but fewer are

aware of the beautiful very personal music he made in the 70's, 80's

and 90s, much of it very free but in a thoughtful, non-aggressive kind

of way. He was very important as a teacher as well, notably at the New

England Conservatory. I'm spending the evening listening to some of

Jimmy's great trio music... right now the trio with Paul Bley and Steve

Swallow "Fly Away Little Bird". I just read a beautiful article on

Jimmy written about 5 years ago by Rex Butters on allaboutjazz.com .

Jim Wilke

I was going to play a few things by Jimmy on my show tonight to celebrate

his birthday.

Now I will also play, "Jimmy Giuffre, A Jazz Portrait" a half hour radio

documentary I Produced about 10 years ago. It's Jimmy telling his own story,

in his own voice, complemented by the music he heard and made throughout his

long career.

He was still teaching at NE Conservatory at the time, coming in to Boston

from West Stockbridge, MA a few days a week. I also visited Jimmy and

Juanita at their beautiful stone mill house in Western Massachusetts to

complete the interview when Jimmy got too ill to travel into Boston. I'll

air this program tonight at 9pm, Eastern Time.

Rest in Peace, Jimmy

Steve Schwartz

Jazz from Studio Four

Friday, 8p-midnight

WGBH, 89.7FM, Boston

ww/wgbh/org/jazz

__________________

[ghost of miles]

Thanks, Lazaro--I was going to post this myself, so much appreciation.