danasgoodstuff Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 "Somewhere there's music, how sweet the tune..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Sad news. A fine documentary on BBC a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 RIP indeed. And yes, like Bill Barton said, there was more to this man than this solid body guitar thing and multitrack wizardry (with or without May Ford) for 50s MOR EP record buyers. Hope his jazz credentials will also be given their proper dues (provided the scribes manage to look far enough beyond his 50s Capitol stuff in either direction). Guess I'll spin that Les Paul Trio (1944-45 transcriptions) LP on Circle CLP-67 tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LWayne Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Truly a remarkable man. After years of procrastinating, I finally saw Les Paul last year at the Iridium while in town on a business trip. My wife accompanied me on that trip and was overjoyed to hear Les recount stories from the stage (some of them were a little risque which added to the entertainment). He was a great performer and will be sorely missed. LWayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 A moment of silence among the 18 million guitar players in the world. -_- Then, get back to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Schlouch Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 I had the chance to hear him at the Iridium in New York City in June 2000 and say to him at the end of the concert all my admiration for its music. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 What a life, what a career! RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 I hope Les and Gil Melle meet in heaven and sort shit out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedwork Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 (edited) i used to work at The Iridium as a server (and doorman/reservationist) for about 2 years in 2002-2003. i had the good fortune to work nearly every monday night during that period and got to see Les play countless times. despite the mean-spirited owners of the club, the workers all had a blast come every monday. it was sold out (or nearly) every week, 2 sets a night. after the 2nd set (i think it was the 2nd...) he'd have a line of 20-30 people waiting to shake his hand and have him sign their guitars. every week. regularly people had come from all over the country w/ this monday night activity on the itinerary. he'd meet and speak w/ every single person at nearly 90 years old - at midnight. unfuckingbelievable. great great guy. he did play nearly the same set over and over, but it didn't matter. somehow it was always fun and musical. and he'd tell many of the same jokes again and again. but they were funny every time. he was partial to giving Radio Shack a hard time! hilarious. he'd come up w/ new stories and go off on tangents all the time and the band would have to get him back to the music. it really ended up being nearly half stand-up, half music most mondays. he was most definitely a storyteller. all of us servers took turns taking dinner orders for the band every monday but Les had the same thing every week: "I'll have the chicken." his band was killer, especially his bassist nicky parrot who i've mentioned here on the forum before. and he'd joke around w/ her every night, telling the same risque jokes involving her (she is HOT!) and she always seemed to take it in the right spirit. he's old school and having fun. it's been so long now i don't remember it, but he told the same risque joke so many times about Nicky that sometimes he'd just be on auto-pilot and do the set-up wrong so it didn't make sense and she'd have to try and fix it. nobody cared. all of us servers would laugh at the gaffe and watch the crowd as they changed from puzzlement to slowly getting the intended joke after they heard us laughing at the misfire. it was always a good time. he still had terrific tone every time i saw him play. if i remember right, he ended every set w/ "How High The Moon" preceded by "Over The Rainbow," which was always particularly lovely. and he was still sharp enough to be able to play on most of the tunes his guests would call out. he had people sitting in most weeks; from killer playing locals (jazz and blues players) to big name rock stars. no matter who came on stage, Les would be sure to give 'em an ego check. he never took himself, or them, too seriously. thanks for so many good times Les Paul. working in the room while you were playing is one of my fondest memories of nyc. RIP. Edited August 18, 2009 by thedwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Great post. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I hope Les and Gil Melle meet in heaven and sort shit out. What's this in reference to? Did they have a fight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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