[AGL] Jimmy

[Gerry]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/arts/music/26giuffre.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries&oref=slogin

When I hitch-hiked to LA in 1954 to see my idols (cool school jazz musicians) one of the first I saw I talked to was Jimmy Giuffre. Turned out he was a Texan too and was very friendly to the tall skinny kid with stars in his eyes. At the time he was playing tenor with Shorty Rogers and His Giants at a club called Zardi's. My funky, fake ID was not good enough to buy a drink (I was 17) so I drank cokes and absorbed the fabulous music of Shorty, Jimmy, and my real hero, Shelly Manne on the drums. Seems like yesterday.

Recently I purchased a jazz DVD which includes a performance by the original Jimmy Giuffre 3, superb. Nothing like it before or since. Ultimately he got so far out I could not fathom what he was doing. Think I'll give it another try.

He was a quiet giant of the West Coast scene, incredibly creative and one of the most respected (by other musicians) cats on the scene. Later moved east where he resided for the last quarters of his life. 

They don't make them like Jimmy anymore.
G
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