<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> </head> <body><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><style>p{margin:0}</style><div><br></div><div><p><br></p><p>I still somewhere have the first recording I acquired by Laurindo Almeida --</p><p>there is absolutely no reference to jazz either in the sleevenotes or in the music. <br></p><p>I was reminded of it when a very senior Jewish historian, Bernard Wasserstein</p><p>was complaining that he wanted Klezmer without jazz. I knew I had something <br></p><p>of the sort from a sale, and looked it out... Recorded in Hamburg, the CD had some</p><p>jazz-free clarinet work of a high quality by . . . Herb Geller! </p><p><br></p><p>The Laurindo LP I have is all Bach. I realise I must have had it nearly fifty years,</p><p>it was in a jumble sale and came along with similar repertoire.</p><p>You couldn't get anything for that price nowadays, I paid in pre-decimal British <br></p><p>currency and despite my protests the not very efficient volunteers refused to <br></p><p>take more than a shilling (!!!) nowadays five pence, for 5 LPs. Tuppence old money it cost,</p><p>less than the present one (once new) penny! Herb decades later I had at three for a pound,</p><p>but in a huge sale of bankrupt stock....</p><p>Both of these of course are evidence of exceptional musicianship. Not a slither or a scoop <br></p><p>from Herb, and wholly idiomatic from Laurindo! Actually I paid something equally small for <br></p><p>a CD of Laurindo and Ray Brown, in Germany. <br></p><p>Enhances considerable gratitude for their music at whatever price!</p><p><br></p><p>Robert R. Calder <br></p><p>`<br></p></div><br><blockquote style="margin: 0 auto; padding: 0 2em; border-left:2px solid #00ADE5; white-space: pre-wrap "><br><br>------ Original Message ------<br>From: dixielandjazz-request@ml.islandnet.com<br>To: serapion@btinternet.com<br>Sent: Friday, 18 Sep, 20 At 17:00<br>Subject: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14<br><br>Send Dixielandjazz mailing list submissions to<br>
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Today's Topics:<br>
<br>
 1. Happy birthday Laurindo Almeida (<span class="wt_Email">nvickers1@cox.net</span><span></span>)<br>
<br>
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Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2020 15:24:48 -0500<br>
From: <<span class="wt_Email">nvickers1@cox.net</span><span></span>><br>
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Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Happy birthday Laurindo Almeida<br>
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To: some musical friends, DJML<br>
<br>
From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Pensacola<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Today is birthday anniversary for the late Brazilian/American guitarist<br>
Laurindo Almeida.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
He and I became friends when he appeared for our second Pensacola JazzFest<br>
in 1984. It was an unusual event in that our three guest artists were all<br>
guitarists.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Chuck Wayne had performed for us as the solo out of town artist for our<br>
first JazzFest. He had been guitarist for George Shearing's quintet when<br>
Shearing first came to the US. When he resigned that position,<br>
guitarist-whistler-jazz chromatic harmonicist Jean "Toots" Thielemans had<br>
replaced Wayne in the quintet.<br>
<br>
Brazilian/American guitarist Laurindo Almeida had come to the US in the late<br>
1940s. He explained that he'd been playing in a Brazilian casino when a<br>
reform president had come in and closed the casinos, so it was a good time<br>
to immigrate to the U. S. <br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Laurindo joined the Stan Kenton orchestra and rode the bus for three years,<br>
learning English simultaneously. Parenthetically, he had some wonderful<br>
expressions somewhat on the "blue" but expressive side. Surprised, I'd ask,<br>
"Laurindo, where did you learn that expression?" Answer was always the<br>
same, " With Kenton!"<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
At any rate, Laurindo was friendly, accommodating and a charming person who<br>
was articulate and spoke with a slight Portuguese accent.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Over the years, we had Laurindo back about 3 or 4 times. Subsequently, he<br>
always came with his wife, Deltra Eamon Almeida. She was a lyric soprano<br>
and Laurindo wrote some wonderful arrangements for her. So when he came, we<br>
always made an opportunity for "Didi" to sing for us, too.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Laurindo had a quartet in LA. It included bassist Ray Brown. They couldn't<br>
travel as a group since all had other commitments, but made some great<br>
recordings.<br>
<br>
He did travel as a duo with Ray Brown and told some wonderful stories about<br>
those adventures.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
He also traveled with the Modern Jazz Quartet for the their 20th and 40th<br>
anniversaries. After he completed the MJQ 40th anniversary tour, He<br>
remarked to me when recounting their adventures, " None of us are spring<br>
roosters anymore!" <br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
In the early 90's, after Dick Gibson's annual Labor Day jazz party had<br>
shut down, There was a jazz festival in Los Angeles, located at the<br>
Marriott Airport facility.<br>
<br>
I would fly in a day early and then drive north to Laurindo's home in<br>
Northridge, CA and the three of us would go to dinner to celebrate his<br>
birthday.<br>
<br>
His home was at the top of a high hill overlooking the San Fernando valley.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
The last visit, before his death from a recurrent stomach cancer, was in a<br>
rented home-he fortunately had earthquake insurance. The Northridge<br>
earthquake had damaged his home and destroyed his 5 grammy awards. He had<br>
gotten new replacements from the Academy, still in their boxes. I wanted<br>
him to open all five so I could get a photo but he allowed us to open one<br>
for the photo.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
So, I just wanted to share this reminiscence and memory of a wonderful man<br>
and superb musician. He told great stories about his career in the movie<br>
and music industry. <br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Happy birthday, Laurindo! Suggestion: celebrate Laurindo's birthday by<br>
choosing some of his works on YouTube.<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
Norman Vickers<br>
<br>
www.jazzpensacola.com<br>
<br>
 <br>
<br>
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End of Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 213, Issue 14<br>
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