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Let me tell you about @natechinen, my friend of over 20 years and one of the world’s foremost jazz critics and scholars.
He’s doing something important, and should be recognized for it - but jazz has always been the land of unsung heroes. To give him a bit of his due - a thread.
He’s doing something important, and should be recognized for it - but jazz has always been the land of unsung heroes. To give him a bit of his due - a thread.
Jazz is an old art form, over a century, which means there are many true luminaries who have a lot of road behind them. Legends from the 40s and 50s, now in their 80s and 90s, most still playing.
(It is VERY HARD to stop playing jazz. It’s joyful stuff.)
(It is VERY HARD to stop playing jazz. It’s joyful stuff.)
When you think of jazz, maybe you think of Miles Davis, or Coltrane, or Herbie Hancock... that’s from the 60s, mostly, and the folks from that era are in their seventh decade, minimum.
My point is that jazz is chock full of elderly legends.
You know where this is going, sadly.
My point is that jazz is chock full of elderly legends.
You know where this is going, sadly.
The Coronavirus has devastated the elder statespeople of jazz. From patriarch Ellis Marsalis to seminal early guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli to trumpeter Wallace Roney (59!) and many more, we’ve had a significant jazz death almost every day.
Which brings us back to my friend Nate.
Which brings us back to my friend Nate.
Nate is a magnificent writer - like truly great, with a rare ability to put music into words in a way that doesn’t feel overwrought or strained. He writes it, you hear it.
Let me tell you - that is HARD.
Let me tell you - that is HARD.
Nate works for @wbgo these days - one of America’s great jazz radio stations. He’s sort of an ambassador for the art, and goes to a lot of festivals and concerts; does reviews and interviews and just generally keeps the torch lit. It’s a cool job, and he does it really well.
Another part of Nate’s job is obituaries. He writes beautiful pieces celebrating the lives of wonderful musicians. Each is meticulous and specific. For example, here is his piece about Mike Longo, who passed in late March: https://www.wbgo.org/post/mike-longo-prominent-jazz-pianist-known-his-tenure-dizzy-gillespie-dies-83#stream/1
Do you know Mike Longo? Probably not. He had a great jazz career, but he was a sideman, and even jazz frontmen don’t always break through to household name status. But in that piece, Nate DID NOT STINT.
The man’s life was noted and celebrated, put in the record. As it should be.
The man’s life was noted and celebrated, put in the record. As it should be.
The pace of these deaths have been accelerating, as with all COVID-related losses, and it’s gotten to a point where Nate is writing one of these almost every day.
He knew many of these players personally, and if he didn’t, he knows their music. It’s not easy.
He knew many of these players personally, and if he didn’t, he knows their music. It’s not easy.
But still, every piece notes and celebrates, adds to the record. Jazz is a small circle of artists, and so no loss to jazz is a small loss, and that’s how Nate treats every musician we’re losing.
They’re all huge under Nate’s pen, and it’s been amazing to see.
They’re all huge under Nate’s pen, and it’s been amazing to see.
I spoke to him the other day and asked if he still keeps up with his normal process when a jazz musician passes - he listens to a ton of their music, soaks it in, then gets to work. My thinking was that with the volume he’s dealing with, maybe he was, you know, not doing that.
The pause spoke volumes. “Uh, yeah,” he said. “I’m still doing that.”
Anyway, I just wanted to shine a spotlight on what he’s doing - there is no small loss to jazz, and Nate Chinen is making damn sure we know it.
And now, the plug - Nate wrote a spectacular book recently called PLAYING CHANGES, about what jazz is *now*, as opposed to what you probably think it is or was. It’s incredible, one of the best books about music I’ve ever read: https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Changes-Jazz-New-Century/dp/1101870346
Here are a few more of his recent obits, all worth your time:
https://www.wbgo.org/post/henry-grimes-bassist-avant-garde-pedigree-and-storied-return-dies-covid-19-84#stream/1
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826189681/jazz-guitarist-bucky-pizzarelli-dies-from-the-coronavirus-age-94 https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/824801424/wallace-roney-intrepid-jazz-trumpeter-dies-from-covid-19-complications-at-59
https://www.wbgo.org/post/henry-grimes-bassist-avant-garde-pedigree-and-storied-return-dies-covid-19-84#stream/1
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826189681/jazz-guitarist-bucky-pizzarelli-dies-from-the-coronavirus-age-94 https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/824801424/wallace-roney-intrepid-jazz-trumpeter-dies-from-covid-19-complications-at-59
That’s it. Not all heroes wear capes etc etc
