[Dixielandjazz] Remembrance of Jim Beebe - finally

[Don Ingle]

Had sent it in a Word fiule by error. Not a good day for writing obit notes.
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   Remembering a Friend – Jim Beebe

   When Judy K sent word today (Sunday) of Jim Beebe’s passing, it was not totally unexpected. Still it was a hard bit of news to receive.
   I had the great good pleasure to not only know Jim but to work with him in the house band at Chicago’s Jazz Ltd. I played there for most of five years from 1963 to 1968, and Jim came on the band in 1966. We shared the front line for over two years and it was a time of the most pleasurable music making of my life.
   Jim had a rollicking style – he loved Trummy Young, and I think idolized Turk, but he let his own spirit and sense of fun speak through his trombone is a style that was his own -- a very recognizable one.
   We shared a lot of time philosophizing about all manner of subjects well beyond music.
Jim was an erudite and well read man, and we had many lively discussions about the works of various writers, various composers, both jazz and classic. We also laughed a lot over shared musician stories about players we had known over the years. (Frankly we built a whole new “library” of tales about another band mate at Jazz Ltd., Barrett Deems. Jim once said he knew a lot of Barrett stories but I knew the rest of them. Perhaps nobody will ever know all of them.)
   Jim’s problem with declining lung health began at Jazz Ltd. about 1967. I came in to work one night and there was a sub – Danny Williams – on the trombone chair. I asked what happened and was told that Jim was in the hospital. He had woken in the night unable to breath and was rushed to the hospital where it was found that he had sustained a lung lobe collapse. They had to re-inflate the lung and he was off a week more before able to return to work. He had some loss of power for a few weeks more, and he had told me since that that was the start of some of the problems.
   I saw Jim from time to time after Jean and I had left Chicago to come to Michigan. In fact I played several Jazz Ltd. Reunion Band dates with him in the ‘90’s, and worked a weekend with his band in Chicago. We’d kept in touch through email, and it was always a great bit of fun to read his recollections of other jazz bands and musicians here on the list. 
   It was a sad day when he had to hang up that old horn. More recently I knew that Jim’s repertory health was declining fast. I called him at the nursing home where he was being cared for several weeks ago and we talked for awhile; it was clear that even talking took a lot out of him, but his spirit was upbeat, his courage inspiring, and without saying it in so many words, we knew we were saying good bye for now.
   To dear Judy, who shared her strength through all of this, we should all tip our hats to a loyal lady with a great courage of her own. To all of us who consider ourselves Jim’s friends, take cheer in that he is in a better place, being at peace with his leaving, and that he left us many good memories to lift our spirits.
   Jimmy was proud of his service in the US Marines. The Corps’ own motto sums up the life of Jim Beebe, a jazz musician and a great friend. SEMPER FI, Jim. You were “always faithful” to the jazz music you loved. We are glad to have known you.
Don and Jean Ingle