[Dixielandjazz] Jim Rothermel by Bryan Gould of Swing Fever

[Robert Ringwald]

May 17, 2011
Last night Jim Rothermel died. For all of us who have followed his medical story,
through Jim's emails, or the grapevine, it's been an indelible experience, all the
more so for those of us who are near Jim's age.
Laurie and I had a fine visit with Jim and Marianne several evenings ago. He was
in good humor, talkative and resigned; what he described as a "slow fade."  This
week the fade sped up. Suddenly we looked up and he was gone.
Not many of us will forget the fight he put up - the fundraisers, the emails, the
ups and downs with his treatment - all of which Jim presented to us, almost journalistically,
blow by blow.
And then there are the recording sessions. What a display of determination and energy!
With less than a few weeks to live, Jim put together two recording dates at his apartment,
and mixed these on his computer into what will become a posthumous album.
At Kaiser Hospital
, Jim was a beloved patient, tickling the nurses with clarinet melodies. When we
heard him at the fundraisers we were astonished at his vitality. Could this be the
same man who then had less than 50/50 chance to live? Some of us said that we had
never heard him play better. When I mentioned this to Jim he said, "Well, I never
knew whether the present solo was going to be my last one.
Please send this on to anyone who you think might want to know about Jim.
Best wishes,
Bryan Gould
www.swingfever.com


--Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
Fulton Street Jazz Band
530/ 642-9551 Office
916/ 806-9551 Cell
Amateur (Ham) Radio K6YBV

"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner."
H. L. Mencken 1880-1956