Unexpected encounters with musicians

[Chuck Nessa]

In the late ‘70s my phone rang and it was Andrew Hill – I was astonished because we’d never met. He said he was back in Chicago because his mother was failing and he wanted to be there for her. He said he needed a “night out” and wanted to find some musician friends performing and he figured I was the guy to do that. A couple nights later I picked him up at his mother’s house and took him to Roberts Show Lounge to catch Jodie Christian and later the Enterprise Lounge to hear Von Freeman and John Young. A great time was had by all. The next morning Andrew was on the phone to say his mother passed while we were out and to thank me for making it all so easy.