[Dixielandjazz] Don Kinch RIP

[Rick Campbell]

Dear Listmates,

This is bit of a puzzle to me.

Don Kinch, celebrated cornetist and bass player, passed away on July  
28 at age 94 in Portland, Oregon. He is survived by his third wife  
Patty Bagan Kinch and two sons from an earlier marriage.

Yet, he expressed a desire to have no services, no local obituary, and  
no fuss. It has been very difficult to research.

Those of us who knew him in Oregon are in a terrible dilemma: he was  
one of the finest trad jazz cornet players of his time, and later one  
of the finest bass players (tuba, helicon, and upright), and later one  
of the most respected lutiers, specializing in damage to string  
basses, on the West Coast.

I have forwarded Hal Smith's write-up on Don from the Frisco Jazz  
Society to the American Rag, which details his early involvement with  
the Firehouse Five, then the Castle Jazz Band, then Turk Murphy, and  
finally his own Don Kinch and the Conductors band, which I remember  
fondly. I am also in contact with his son Michael.

My guess is that this mailing list would have many more things to  
share about Don that would result in a quality tribute. I welcome your  
postings.

Should we say more, or simply let him fade away as he wished?

Rick Campbell
Milneburg Social Aid and Pleasure Society Jazz Band
Portland, Oregon USA
503-701-7356
ricksax at comcast.net