[Dixielandjazz] Happy birthday Laurindo Almeida
Ken Mathieson
ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk
Wed Sep 30 18:14:54 EDT 2020
Hi Norman at al
Sorry to arrive so late at Laurindo's birthday celebration. Norman wrote
"...Laurindo was friendly, accommodating and a charming person who was
articulate and spoke with a slight Portuguese accent." I'm sure Laurindo
would have been very quick in pointing out (and with great politeness)
that his accent was Brasilian (with an 's') and most certainly not
Portuguese.
I never met Laurindo but would have enjoyed swapping tales about my
experiences of playing with a Brasilian band in São Paulo in the early
1970s. I had recently arrived there thanks to my day-job with a
pan-global textile company and had gone to a night club with some
colleagues, one of whom had told the bandleader I was a jazz drummer
from Scotland. To my surprise I was invited up to sit-in on a couple of
straight-ahead jazz tunes. At the end of the evening and, again to my
surprise, the bandleader asked if I'd like to join the band. He
explained their drummer was a law student who wanted a year off from
band duties to study for his law finals. I had no drums or cymbals with
me, but it turned out that the kit of American Rogers drums and Avedis
Zildjian cymbals belonged to the band, so no problem.
He then asked me to play a samba on my own, so I played what commonly
passed for a samba in UK and all the band fell about laughing. One of
the waiters rushed into the kitchen, brought out the staff there and
asked me to do it again. When I did they all fell about laughing too.
The bandleader then said his drummer would teach me to play Brasilian
rhythms properly if I'd teach him how to play swinging jazz drums. I'm
sure I got the best of that deal.
Decades later, I was in LA for the LA Classic festival and went over to
Roy Harte's Vintage Drum Shop in Hollywood on the hunt for a good
vintage chinese cymbal. I was the only customer in the shop, so I asked
him about the 1953 session he played with Laurindo and Bud Shank where
they played Brasilian tunes in a sort of watered-down Brasilian style,
pre-dating the arrival of bossa nova in the USA. He laughed and said
neither he nor bassist Harry Babasin knew anything much about samba,
never mind early bossa nova and they tried to follow Laurindo's attempts
to teach them with varying degrees of success. Time was short in the
studio, so there was a lot of repetition in their patterns. When I told
him of my introduction to real Brasilian drumming, we both had a good
laugh at our shared embarrassment/humiliation.
Laurindo was a bit of a trail-blazer in his move to the States in 1937
(a lot of his countrymen made the same move to escape a brutal military
dictatorship in the 1970s), but he remained in touch with trends in his
native land for the rest of his career and combined jazz, Brasilian
music and classical music in a long career at the top of a very
competitive profession.
Ken
On 30/09/2020 17:00, dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com wrote:
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> 1. Re: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14 (Shaw, Tim)
> 2. Welcome (Robert Ringwald)
> 3. Re: Fwd: 12th Old Jazz Festival in Pozna?, Poland (Richard Pearl)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2020 06:36:59 +0000
> From: "Shaw, Tim" <Tim.Shaw at vidrl.org.au>
> To: Stan Brager <stanbrager at gmail.com>
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14
> Message-ID: <1600756617589.52774 at vidrl.org.au>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
>
> Stan, He did some nice stuff with the MJQ which you'll probably like if you haven't heard yet -
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE4XuTIhXjM
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Stan Brager <stanbrager at gmail.com>
> Sent: 22 September 2020 15:46
> To: Shaw, Tim
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14
>
> Laurindo Almeida has been a favorite of mine for a long time although I haven?t played his music in a while (most of my collection is on CD and I rarely listen to any LPs. I've got a CD of his entitled "Virtuoso Guitar".
>
> Thanks for mentioning Laurindo.
>
> Stan
> Stan Brager
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ROBERT Calder [mailto:serapion at btinternet.com]
> Sent: Friday, September 18, 2020 12:58 PM
> To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14
>
>
>
>
>
> I still somewhere have the first recording I acquired by Laurindo Almeida --
>
> there is absolutely no reference to jazz either in the sleevenotes or in the music.
>
>
> I was reminded of it when a very senior Jewish historian, Bernard Wasserstein
>
> was complaining that he wanted Klezmer without jazz. I knew I had something
>
>
> of the sort from a sale, and looked it out... Recorded in Hamburg, the CD had some
>
> jazz-free clarinet work of a high quality by . . . Herb Geller!
>
>
>
>
> The Laurindo LP I have is all Bach. I realise I must have had it nearly fifty years,
>
> it was in a jumble sale and came along with similar repertoire.
>
> You couldn't get anything for that price nowadays, I paid in pre-decimal British
>
>
> currency and despite my protests the not very efficient volunteers refused to
>
>
> take more than a shilling (!!!) nowadays five pence, for 5 LPs. Tuppence old money it cost,
>
> less than the present one (once new) penny! Herb decades later I had at three for a pound,
>
> but in a huge sale of bankrupt stock....
>
> Both of these of course are evidence of exceptional musicianship. Not a slither or a scoop
>
>
> from Herb, and wholly idiomatic from Laurindo! Actually I paid something equally small for
>
>
> a CD of Laurindo and Ray Brown, in Germany.
>
>
> Enhances considerable gratitude for their music at whatever price!
>
>
>
>
> Robert R. Calder
>
>
> `
>
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From: dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com
> To: serapion at btinternet.com
> Sent: Friday, 18 Sep, 20 At 17:00
> Subject: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14
>
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Happy birthday Laurindo Almeida (nvickers1 at cox.net)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2020 15:24:48 -0500
> From: <nvickers1 at cox.net>
> To: <nvickers1 at cox.net>
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Happy birthday Laurindo Almeida
> Message-ID:
> <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAuAAAAAAAAAEwpExOvJ3BIsrCUSS//QGYBAMO2jhD3dRHOtM0AqgC7tuYAAAAAAA4AABAAAACdKJHtCIBpRpnyYUI/M/vPAQAAAAA=@cox.net>
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> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> To: some musical friends, DJML
>
> From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Pensacola
>
>
>
> Today is birthday anniversary for the late Brazilian/American guitarist
> Laurindo Almeida.
>
>
>
> He and I became friends when he appeared for our second Pensacola JazzFest
> in 1984. It was an unusual event in that our three guest artists were all
> guitarists.
>
>
>
> Chuck Wayne had performed for us as the solo out of town artist for our
> first JazzFest. He had been guitarist for George Shearing's quintet when
> Shearing first came to the US. When he resigned that position,
> guitarist-whistler-jazz chromatic harmonicist Jean "Toots" Thielemans had
> replaced Wayne in the quintet.
>
> Brazilian/American guitarist Laurindo Almeida had come to the US in the late
> 1940s. He explained that he'd been playing in a Brazilian casino when a
> reform president had come in and closed the casinos, so it was a good time
> to immigrate to the U. S.
>
>
>
> Laurindo joined the Stan Kenton orchestra and rode the bus for three years,
> learning English simultaneously. Parenthetically, he had some wonderful
> expressions somewhat on the "blue" but expressive side. Surprised, I'd ask,
> "Laurindo, where did you learn that expression?" Answer was always the
> same, " With Kenton!"
>
>
>
> At any rate, Laurindo was friendly, accommodating and a charming person who
> was articulate and spoke with a slight Portuguese accent.
>
>
>
> Over the years, we had Laurindo back about 3 or 4 times. Subsequently, he
> always came with his wife, Deltra Eamon Almeida. She was a lyric soprano
> and Laurindo wrote some wonderful arrangements for her. So when he came, we
> always made an opportunity for "Didi" to sing for us, too.
>
>
>
> Laurindo had a quartet in LA. It included bassist Ray Brown. They couldn't
> travel as a group since all had other commitments, but made some great
> recordings.
>
> He did travel as a duo with Ray Brown and told some wonderful stories about
> those adventures.
>
>
>
> He also traveled with the Modern Jazz Quartet for the their 20th and 40th
> anniversaries. After he completed the MJQ 40th anniversary tour, He
> remarked to me when recounting their adventures, " None of us are spring
> roosters anymore!"
>
>
>
> In the early 90's, after Dick Gibson's annual Labor Day jazz party had
> shut down, There was a jazz festival in Los Angeles, located at the
> Marriott Airport facility.
>
> I would fly in a day early and then drive north to Laurindo's home in
> Northridge, CA and the three of us would go to dinner to celebrate his
> birthday.
>
> His home was at the top of a high hill overlooking the San Fernando valley.
>
>
>
> The last visit, before his death from a recurrent stomach cancer, was in a
> rented home-he fortunately had earthquake insurance. The Northridge
> earthquake had damaged his home and destroyed his 5 grammy awards. He had
> gotten new replacements from the Academy, still in their boxes. I wanted
> him to open all five so I could get a photo but he allowed us to open one
> for the photo.
>
>
>
> So, I just wanted to share this reminiscence and memory of a wonderful man
> and superb musician. He told great stories about his career in the movie
> and music industry.
>
>
>
> Happy birthday, Laurindo! Suggestion: celebrate Laurindo's birthday by
> choosing some of his works on YouTube.
>
>
>
> Norman Vickers
>
> www.jazzpensacola.com
>
>
>
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> ------------------------------
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> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:57:25 -0700
> From: "Robert Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com>
> To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Welcome
> Message-ID: <AA795349F35B459485E24041042BD545 at DESKTOPH17A93O>
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> To Ted des Plantes and Dan Zeilinger to DJML. Both are fine musicians.
>
> Guys, introduce yourself to the List.
>
>
> Bob Ringwald
> DJML Moderator
>
> Amateur (ham) Radio Station K6YBV
> rsr at ringwald.com
> www.ringwald.com
>
> A cold seat in a public restroom is unpleasant.
> A warm seat in a public restroom is worse.
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> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2020 10:41:07 +0000
> From: Richard Pearl <banjomobile at msn.com>
> To: Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com>
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: 12th Old Jazz Festival in Pozna?,
> Poland
> Message-ID:
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> It did and it looks great !
>
> Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com>
> Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2020 4:26:00 PM
> To: Rich Pearl <banjomobile at msn.com>
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: 12th Old Jazz Festival in Pozna?, Poland
>
> I have just received the 12th Pozna? Old Jazz Festival banner. I hope it goes through.
> Cheers,
> Marek (in lock-down)
>
>
>
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