Don Pullen

[Bright Moments]

i heard that once don pullen was performing and he hit the piano keys so hard that he dislocated his finger. the story continues that he just kept on playing and finished the set.

is this true? does anyone have the details? when, Where? etc.!

enquiring minds want to know! B)

[danasgoodstuff]

Ouch!

[kh1958]

The one time I saw Don Pullen live, it was in an auditorium and I was below and to the right of him, so I couldn't see his fingers on the keyboard. He was amazing to hear. I've read that he would leave blood on the keyboards from playing the keys with his knuckles.

[John Tapscott]

It's probably true. 20 years ago or so, Pullen played so hard on a brand new Yamaha Piano at a jazz festival in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that it required extensive repairs. The music shop owner who supplied the piano was absolutely (and understandably) livid.

[Tom Storer]

Hell, that's nothing. Michel Petrucciani, who was afflicted with a bone disorder, used to break fingers!

[Bright Moments]

never did get an answer to the question posed above. -_-

[rockefeller center]

When I listen to the music of pianist Don Pullen, two flash-bulb images accompany the VU meters flickering inside my head. The first is that of a sweet-faced toddler, her eyes opened wide in a state of wonder, her mouth open, too, halfway to a smile. This little girl graces the cover of Healing Force, Pullen's first album from 1976. She's not identified but I've always imagined her to be Don's baby daughter. The other image in my cerebral scrapbook is more live-action short film than snapshot. It's around 1980 and Don is at the piano playing with the repertory band Mingus Dynasty. Charles Mingus had died the year before and some of his ex-sidemen formed the group to keep their boss's music alive. A few minutes into the piano solo on "Haitian Fight Song," something amazing happens. Pullen begins throwing down a series of ferocious righthand clusters -- one of his trademarks -- when, shockingly, he dislocates a finger. In obvious pain he attempts to shake the throbbing digit back into place, all the while continuing the tonal barrage with his left hand. Without hesitation, Pullen completes his musical statement, then steps off stage to address the injury. This odd choreography comes off so matter of factly, I get the distinct impression he's done this dance before.

http://www.wfmu.org/Playlists/Doug/doug.980501a.html

[7/4]

Wow. Sounds inspired!

[Bright Moments]

thanks rock!! B)

[Bright Moments]

happy birthday don.

B-)

[Alexander Hawkins]

Just listening to 'The Magic Triangle' with Don Moye and Joseph Jarman. Some great playing all round. I especially like the 3 way blues!

[Christiern]

Considering the fact that Pullen had AIDS, the blood on the piano keys account is even more frightening.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Considering the fact that Pullen had AIDS, the blood on the piano keys account is even more frightening.

Nice.

(post that is)

[couw]

Considering the fact that Pullen had AIDS, the blood on the piano keys account is even more frightening.

[Christiern]

Well, I happen not to belong to those who avoid the realities of AIDS. If you know anything about AIDS, you will know that my post was serious as your life. So, I don't understand the reaction.

[Harold_Z]

As a guy who doubles on piano now and then...Chris is 100% right.

[KAR120C]

Well, I happen not to belong to those who avoid the realities of AIDS. If you know anything about AIDS, you will know that my post was serious as your life. So, I don't understand the reaction.

The finger dislocation occurred in 1980, when very few people had contacted AIDS. The first cases of AIDS in the US were not even reported until 1981. Pullen died in 1995.

[Free For All]

The finger dislocation occurred in 1980, when very few people had contacted AIDS.  The first cases of AIDS in the US were not even reported until 1981.  Pullen died in 1995.

I think the finger dislocation was a separate incident (I don't think a finger dislocation is necessarily a "bloody" injury, is it?)

The "bloody knuckle" incident that Chris was alluding to may have happened later, perhaps on several occasions.

Edited April 4, 2005 by Free For All

[clifford_thornton]

I didn't know he'd died of AIDS. Still, I doubt from touching the blood on the keys one could 'get it.' It's actually a fairly difficult disease to get.

[Christiern]

Well, I happen not to belong to those who avoid the realities of AIDS. If you know anything about AIDS, you will know that my post was serious as your life. So, I don't understand the reaction.

The finger dislocation occurred in 1980, when very few people had contacted AIDS. The first cases of AIDS in the US were not even reported until 1981. Pullen died in 1995.

Not quite accurate, Kar120C.

• We do not know how many people developed AIDS in the 1970s, or indeed in the years before. Neither do we know, and we probably never will know, where the AIDS virus HIV originated. But what we do know is:
  
  "The dominant feature of this first period was silence, for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was unknown and transmission was not accompanied by signs or symptoms salient enough to be noticed. While rare, sporadic case reports of AIDS and sero-archaeological studies have documented human infections with HIV prior to 1970, available data suggest that the current pandemic started in the mid-to late 1970s. By 1980, HIV had spread to at least five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia). During this period of silence, spread was unchecked by awareness or any preventive action and approximately 100,000- 300,000 persons may have been infected."
  
  - Jonathan Mann -1
  

Maurice, Pullen's lover, died of the disease some time before Pullen did. He may well have harbored the virus for a while. Anyway, blood is precisely one of the easiest ways for AIDS to transfer from one person to another (hypodermic needles, for ex.). AIDS-contaminated blood on piano keys could spell danger to a subsequent player with a small finger cut. Bear in mind that concerts often have several pianists playing the same piano.

I am not saying that anything like that happened, just pointing out the possibility.

[BFrank]

That's OK. Apparently Senator Bill Frist (a/k/a "Doctor" Bill Frist) seems to think that in MIGHT be possible to get aids from tears or sweat.

The Daily Show has shown the same clip from ABC's Sunday morning show a number of times showing George Stephanopoulos aghast that Frist won't back down from this statement.

[Tom in RI]

I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on tv. But, common sense would seem to indicate that if someone (Pullen, or anyone else) leaving blood, saliva, anything on piano keys, would likely wipe them down when finished. Seems only to be common curtesy. From everything I've read I agree with Clifford Thornton. As I underrstand it, the AIDS virus cannot survive outside of the body for a long time.