sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bill Evans, Brian Torff, Diz Disley

Gene Lrc Ad Libitum e, Iazzletter PO Box 240, OiaiCA93024-0240

band. I'm the best bass player of any band I'm in'" One Bass Player to a Band Always a mentor to young bass players, Milt said: "I'd invite the new young bass players to come to my home' house. We'd make a big pot of An old high school friend told me, ayear or so ago, that I was Some of them stayed at our gig, I recommend them. I got Brian Torff always talking about one Ray Brown. I am astonished that at chili. If there was a job LaFaro was fantastic' When he was seventeen I had the brains to appreciate him. his first . . . . Scott job with at Webster Recently I heard some 1920s dance-band recordings, killed, I finished a recording electronically enhanced. And the bass players were playing Hall for him. He was amazing!" 1970s, a remarkable advance in the uses of the not even roots and fifths but only roots. Thumpthump-thump- In the early prominence: the work of Scott LaFaro, thump, same note for a full bar at atime. instrument came into all-too-few recordings Jimmy Blanton, in his too-little-time with espec ially his performances in his Drummer Jack DeJohnette told me he died when he was only twenty-four introduced a new *ith th" Trio. - (he played then), he -flexibility to bass lines, especially in pizzicato solos. Others that when he had a trio in wait for the new Riverside were contributing too, among them Walter Page and later, and the rest of the group would late into the night and . showed albums by the Evans group, then sit up Oscar Pettiford what kind of facile rapidity could be achieved on the listening. He said, "Bill Evans changed not only the way LaFaro changed the nature of instrument. piano is played, he and Scott told me, "Bass has made more progress than trios." on piano, so was any other instrument in the last fifty years The As widespread as Bill's influence was young bassist who came instrument hasn't changed bodily, but the balance of strings LaFaro's on probably every other the brilliant Brian Torff, who rose to has changed, the teaching has changed. . . . up after him, including years with in "The word bass means bottom. It means support' That's piominence during his three Thompson. Don, who also plays the prime requisite of a bass player, support. Architecturally, a duo as successor to Don the brass instruments, told me it has to be the lowest part of the building, and it has to be piano, drums, and almost all really got him to dig into the deeper strong, or the building will not stand . . . ' We are like Atlas, that it was LaFaro who standing in support." exploration of the bass. players have missed the message said to me once: "Bass players are very Don said, "A lot of bass guys hear the fact that he played protective of each other. I would find it almost unbelievable of Scott LaFaro. Too many He figured out the top end if yo, told me you'd ever heard a bass player say something real fast. Scotty had some chops. play fast arpeggios' Too many bass about another bass player that wasn't good. If you look at the of the bass. He could they don't hear the beauff of history of the instrumentin jazz, you can see why. The public players, I think, play fast but hear how supportive he was never used to notice bass players. They were always the guys his melodies. They also don't Evans. He played pretty busy who came into the group and were given one order,'Walk!' when he played behind Bill I don't think he ever seemed to get in the way Once in a while they'd be thrown a bone, like, 'Walk - one sometimes, but chorus solo.' Finally they managed to break away, because of or take the music awaY from Bill." the last thing players like Torff and LaFaro the proficient bass players who came along." And of course they play "It's like family," Milt said. "You might have nine or ten do is to play roots and fifths. Essentially front-line instrument, and I brothers and sisters, but your Mama is your Mama. We come counterpoint duets with the The best of them are fascinating' one to a customer in jazz. There's only one bass player in a enormously respect them.

September 2008 I have just had the pleasure ofreading books about both men. The first of these,. Jade Vision's, named for one of Stephane Grappelli LaFaro's compositions, has been written by his sister, Helene LaFaro Fernandez. The other is In Love with Voices, a free- By Brian Torff ranging autobiography by Brian Torff. For the sake of fair 1975, disclosure, I must tell you that I have been involved in the When fortune smiles it spreads like the sun. In professional .Iade Visions book for some time. I functioned as an adviser during my second year of touring as a American on it and have done a certain amount of editing. Rather than musician, I was invited by 's one of the major New York publishers, the book is being promoter to attend the debut of the My published by the young North Texas University Press. It will renowned French iazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli. came from great be out this coming fall. date was an attractive woman-friend who in me As for Brian's book, he published it himself' There is no wealth, lived on Park Avenue, and had no interest one a little, but I stigma in this, as there was in past years of so-called vanity whatsoever. Normally this would bother publishing; Stephen Crane published The Red Badge of was too moved by the stunning display of this masterful anything Courage himself. But now the major publishing companies genius of jazz violin to care. I had never heard have followed the record industry into irresponsibility and like it, and little did I know that soon I would be connected dishonor. Indeed, some of them in New York will tell an to the Hot Club swing style for most of my career. the work of author in effect: "Publish it yourself. We'll see what the sales At that point I wasn't all that familiar with the are, and then maybe we'll consider taking it on." And new Stephane Grappelli or of his mythic associate, trut after the technology makes self-publishing easy to execute, and legendary gypsy guitarist Reinhardt. elderly comparativeiy inexpensive. concert I was intrigued. Grappelli was an charm and grace. The value of any autobiography is in its portrayal of the gentleman in his late 60's with a limitless that recalled any events and individuals experienced by the author. A couple of He had a command of his instrument an effortiess sense decades ago, one commonly heard that jazz musicians were great concert violinist, combined with a way inarticulate. I never found them so, and both at Down Beat of swing. His singing violin soared and danced in his and later with my own publication, I have done all I could to few instrumentalists could, and in addition to could encourage them to write, among them the drummer Don imaginative and virtuoso improvisations, Grappelli the DeMicheal, who succeeded me as editor of Down Beat, wring the poetic essence out of a melody, not unlike or Bill Evans. His very bassist Gordon (Whitey) Mitchell, Red Mitchell's brother, interpretations of an emotional well that who became a prominent television writer and producer, and French style of playing came from need to another bassist, Bill Crow, who now has written several was infectious to any audience and transcended the books. Yet another whom I started writing was the late be hip. same composer and pianist Bobby Scott. In these and other cases I I could scarcely believe my luck when the in working found that not only could they get it down on paper, but they promoters asked me if I would be interested exttavaganza. had insights that only musicians could bring to bear. with Grappelli during his next American Saving on the extra airfare from Europe, Grappelli's picked up Brian Torff not only writes well, he has what it takes to quartet, (violin, two guitars, and bass) generally Once again, as I did become a writer, should he ever choose to do so. His writing local bass players wherever they went' and in this book reminds me somewhat of F. Scott Fitzgerald, in before my last two tours, I returned to the record store desperate style and otherwise, particularly in descriptions of his family bought every Grappelli disc i could find in a musical history and upbringing. He is writing about the middle west, the area attempt to learn every tune ever written in was a around Chicago where he was born, the son of a brilliant, before Meet ' Needless to say, this greal deal of prominent and liberal lawyer. daunting task. I have come to realize that a panic and One of the jewels of the book is Brian's portrait of my record collection was purchased in pre-tour This is Stephane Grappelli, who has remained a somewhat shadowy less out of leisure or recreational listening. LPs. figure says). Grappelli was truly an astonishing player, and probably why I can't get rid of those musty-smelling with Brian's permission, I offer this excerpt from his I was summoned to the first and only rehearsal I would at the somewhat outstanding book. ever have with Mr. Grappelli in his room

September 2008 women run-down Wellington Hotel in mid-town Manhattan. I who made these huge, larger than life casts of nude into his loft to pay my arrive$ with bass in hand and was introduced to the two in his first floor studio. Walking ladies was English guitarists, Diz Disley and Ike Issacs. You would rent past those eight feet tall, naked later be a gteat have thought that someone in central casting had selected something to behold. My loft would McPartland, George their names because they were as different as a Bronx rehearsal space for Grappelli, Marian who would come by' I accent and an English one. Ike was quiet and refined, a Shearing and many other musicians of thread in remote scholar of the guitar, and a meticulous playet. Diz was a would occasionally find empty spools the early 1900's ruffian, devil-may-care, go-to-hell type character who corners that no doubt harkened back to this building' listened to no one and played his own way. A colorful and the immigrant workers who toiled in a.m., to play with Stephane master of ceremonies for all of our concerts, with his thick The next day I was up at 5 in anticipation of his Yorkshire accent he would introduce me as "Brian Torff, Grappelli on the NBC Today Show, Hall. The limousine picked the phantom plucker of ." Diz approved return engagement at Carnegie through the misty of the fact that I played in his estimation a "real bass, not me up around 5:30 a.m. and driving were just opening up, I felt as if I one of those amplified cricket bats." dawn as the fruit stands was a tough town that took a I met the great Grappelli straight out of the shower, only was in a dream. New York give much back' more than wearing a towel and a smile, sporting a light, high, raspy lot out of you, but it could so my origins so voice that lifted a charming French accent. In great spirits any other place I have known. I never forgot as if I had snuck as he anticipated the tour, he pulled out his violin a few thire was always a sense of amazement, out as an minutes later and we launched into I Can't Give You into an exclusive party and was about to be found Anything but Love, the song that Grappelli would always imposter at any minute. classic standard play to open his concerts and had been made famous by Grappelli's repertoire consisted of played with . With Ike and Diz on guitars, we ran tunes mixed with a few of the things he had of through a few more songs but like a child with a short . It was a very limited list Stephane, attention span, Stephane soon had had enough. I quite approximately twenfy songs mainly because did not trust his expected a lengthy two to three hour rehearsal where we who could play or sight-read anything, forgetting a melody would carefully go over all the tunes for our upcoming tour, memory on stage. He had arealfear of have hardly noticed' but to my astonishment, Stephane put his violin away aftet that I'm sure his loving fans would were so captivating that you the first fifteen minutes declaring, "I do not like to rehearse, His presence and demeanor before the first just play for the public!" I thought to myself, "Well, that's could feel he had charmed his audience fine for you. you're a world-renowned master of your note; they really loved him. I was always amazed by the the people who came to instrument, but I am a twenty-one year old kid who has no range in age and the diversity of idea what the hell he is doing. I can play Gloria, Louie see the group. Iazz, folk, blues and even admiration and respect' Louie, and Knock On Wood, and Autumn Leaves (finally), followers flocked to see him in "ze public is like a but I don't think that is going to work for me here." I was "Bree-on," he once explained to me, starting to get used to spending the early part of my young lemon, you must squeeze them." France for the first time, musical life in the deep end by being forced musically to Later in life when I visited the more sense to me as I keep swimming or risk tlie alternative. Stephane's life in sound made all wandered through the Parisian streets. The feeling I got world, the French By this time I had moved into a spacious 2,000 square foot was that despite all the troubles in the Grappelli loft at 53 Mercer Street in Soho. I yearned for some space lived by the idea of "we must live'" Stephane idea and he and got plenty, you could have staged a basketball game in was the epitome of that infectious the living room. I was on the second floor that got very communicated that through his music' that ranks little light, but the brick walls and wood floors made up for It was the beginning of a musical friendship Wherever we traveled" it. Those were the days when Soho was affordable for the as one of the highlights of my life' and Royce Hall at artists who had pioneered what had once been a warehouse, from the club Rosie's in New Orleans birthday), to small textile, shipping area, and the location of numerbus turn-of- UCLA in Los Angeles (for my 22"d Stephane had all the the-century sweatshops in lower Manhattan. My rent started clubs in the Midwest, touring with a rock band. Though he was at $350 per month with my landlord being a figurative artist spirit and energy of being in

September 2008 up to that point' nearing seventy years of age, his youthful spirit and love of had been dominated by brass instruments seen by many as life were transmitted through every note he played. His Django, who died in the early 1950's, is for guitar melodies could be both poignantly sad, yet at the same time the genius who pioneered a unique conception on the whimsical and filled with hope. There was much laughter improvisation, and he has a profound influence Stephane showed the on our tours, and it was incredible to stand next to a musical instrument to this day. Django and voices giant every night onstage. I was just a lucky guy who was unlimited potential that their authentic instrumental once again in the enviable position to learn first hand from had to offer. a master. 1939, the Hot Club I was continually struck by the Ftenchioie de vivre that When Germany invaded France in England. In emanated from Steph. He wanted to go everywhere, see broke up and Stephane Grappelli fled to jazz Shearing, everything, and taste everything. I looked forward to our , he united with blind pianist George night, often long walks that we would take in virtually every town. If and they performed in the city virtually every bombs fell over there wasn't much to do, he was gloomy; "I would rather be at great risk to their lives. While German unusual when assassinated on the streets of New York than stay here; the city during the blitzkrieg, it was not their tables even the umbrellas don't open on Sunday," he would danger landed nearby for patrons to get under take cover beneath the grumble. Stephane often complained about the hard travel while Shearing and Grappelli would subsided. There would be a and when we played a small club, such as The Arc in Ann piano until the terrifying noise job was over. Arbor, Michigan, he would lament, "Why we must come blackout due to the bombing and after their streets of London here?" His attitude would turn around the next moment it was usually Shearing, who knew the when they brought him, what was in his words, "an as only a blind man could, who would lead Grappelli back recollection of amusing little soup." It didn't take that much to make home. Grappelli's turrre Jive Bomber is a matter how trying the Stephane Grappelli huppy. those days and a reminder that no hope that music can With his usual effervescent sense ofjoy, you would have world becomes, people still need the never known how much hardship he had had in his life. bring to their lives. The union of Reinhardt and Grappelli was rather brief. a form that is Grappelli was born in 1908, and after losing his mother at around eight years or so, but they created major the age of four, he was then temporarily placed in an now so popular around the world it seems that every string group and Django orphanage by his father, who was unable to take care of him city's music scene has a Hot Club France after World War II, d,ue to his commitment to France during the first World festivals abound. Returning to obscurity War. Later on his father, a studious man, gave him a violin Stephane, ever the practical man, went into hotels as they at age 12 with an accompanying method book, and young playing for wealthy patrons in chic Parisian Modem jazz of Stephane soon started busking on the streets of Paris, dined and clattered silverware to his music. playing in courtyards where people would throw down the 1950's reigned and the public, with ever a short great jazz violinist. As the spare change in appreciation. He was a musical natural who memory, forgot about the visibility taught himself how to play the piano, often accompanying legend of Django grew, Stephane Grappelli's him out to vocalists, and he also learned the saxophone so he could faded into the distance until Diz Disley sought It was the perform with dance orchestras. He did what he needed to do perform at the 1973 Cambridge Folk Festival. had played in a Hot to survive. first time in many years that Grappelli and quite As a young man, Grappelli soon was caught under the Club style format, and he was apprehensive response he received spell of the American jazzicons Louis Armstrong and Duke incredulous at the ovetwhelming raised on Ellington, as had his soon-to-be partner, the Belgian gypsy from a young audience that had been guitarist, Django Reinhardt. The unique and original and . He'was born again. his mercurial demeanor, it was Diz Disley who Quintet of the Hot Club of France were not merely imitators Despite of jazz, Grappelli and Reinhardt would transform the really pushed Grappelli into returning to concert his American style by blending it with French music mixed performances and must be credited as the force behind with gypsy elements. They would become the first comeback. Diz always had something cooking, and when years he told me important European jazz musicians of their day by blazing he got an idea in his head, that was it. For buy a used an original trail for string instruments in jazz, a genre that of his great, get-rich-quick scheme; he would

September 2008 were some of our finest Rolls-Royce in England, bring it over to America, drive it Great American Music Hall all ovgr the country on a holiday until he got to the West moments. prominent musician brought some rather Coast, and then "flog it" (sell it). I thought he was uazy and One night, a the dressing room. Perhaps we never thought he would do it, but a few years later he potent marijuana back to on that occasion, because actually futnttea his dream. After buying the car and ielebrated life a bit too much some of us were flying like a making all the affangements to ship it to America, he drove when we got to the stage that select the Rolls Royce all over the south, east, and Midwest, 747, and being in San Francisco, I suspected might have been on the same ending up in San Francisco where he soon found a willing members of the audience Stephane went into a solo buyer. The day before he was to deliver the auto, he went plane. After a few numbers one song that went on and on for sightseeing and parked the car at a high, scenic hilltop cadenza at the end of brilliant than the one that point, overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Only one little several minutes, each idea more solo reached a burning climax, he problem occurred here, he forgot to put on the emergency had preceded it. As his and time stopped with a parking brake. When this happens, it can really ruin your stopped. There was a dead at me and asked, "What we are whole day. thud. He turned, looked what the song had originally Getting out of his beloved chariot, Diz was looking out playing?" He had forgotten I, but we recovered eventually' over Alcatr az and the beautiful view of the bay when the teen and so had odd pink-colored paisley shirts car slowly began groaning and sliding downhill' He ran Stephane wore rather can only hope that the remnants of after the Rolls as it picked up speed but it was too late' By with velvet pants and I wardrobe, complete with multi- the time it reached the bottom of the hill, it had hit my own 7b's stage are long gone from this earth' everything in its path and resembled a stunt car at the end of patterned polyester shirts, popular, baby blue 'leisure suit' of which a demolition derby, sans the Rolls charm. After he told me biz sported the though he would often state, "I can't this story, all I could say in utter disbelief was, "Diz, what he was quite fond, my hotel room, take off my pants and happened?" In his typically dry, English manner, he matter- wait to git back to is Right." He was indeed a man of simple of-factly answered. watch The Price was our concerts were an audio "Gravity, my dear boY, gravitY." pleasures, but the reality feast and a visual nightmare" of excellent players such as ln music. you are what you play' Even before the first note, always consisted extraordinary Scottish guitarist, and the very presence of the performer sets up what will happen Martin Taylor, an jazz-rock influenced ' next. Siephane Grappelli had that presence because of who from England, the energy that helped to modernize he was and what he had lived. He had modern ideas but They addid the drive and something that Grappelli felt was preferred a jazz that was based on past values. Though he the Hot Club concept, purist, Stephane was drawn to young ioved and admired young musicians, he had trouble with important. Never a and the new ideas that the modern jazz idea of cool detachment and lack of players for their excitement, energy, He was often bored and rather emotion. "What can you do about that?" he once asked' itrey Urougfrt to the music. Django fanatics' who "Jazz is not a study but a feeling. It is a thing of the heart'" dismayed by the fundamentalist Hot Club music should be played The tours were like a celebration of life that had certain virruaily insisted that the as if it were written down accompanying rituals. Before every concert, we would note foi note like the recordings. performance. Both Grappelli and gather backstage and drink a toast (usually Chivas Regal) to for a string quartet modern musicians, and music, life, and the joy of making a living doing something Reinhardt *"t. fot*u.d-thinking, would have found this cult, who are we adored. We would then take our instruments out of their I'm sure even Django earlier work as if they are stalkers, to cases and informally launch into a few random tunes in the still following their indeed. dressing room to get the night started. This was important be rather silly with temper tantrums that for literally setting the tone for the evening. When we Stephane could be a rascal out into an angry jig' walked out on stage the feeling between the audience and would result in his breaking an airport. He knew when to the band was electric, even before the first note began' sometimes in the middle of just before the bill arrived to "arrange Grappelli was deeply loved and had a particularly strong leave a restaurant not help loving this special following in San Francisco where our performances at the my affairs," but you could character. He was an inspirational role model for scores of

September 2008 years His young violinists (Jean-Luc Ponty, Didier Lockwood, Darol the first day I met him, some twenty before. remained the same. Anger, Randy Sabien, , and Richard Greene, body had aged, yet his indomitable spirit they leave among'others) who would come backstage to meet this The timeless ability of the artist is the mark great man. He was always gracious, supportive and behind. There are those who are merely popular and work does not move interested in their work. I have noticed this with most of the famous for a given moment, but their more than older musicians with whom I have played. You felt that or resonate past that point. The classic artists are can be used as a they cared about your development and always saw the noteworthy; they create a form that a starting greater humanity in life and music. springboard for inspirational ideas, providing The legacy of Django I never heard Grappelli play one note out of tune in all point for the conception of others. Hot Club the years I was with him in tune with music, in tune with and Stephane has resulted in a worldwide producers Pat Philips life. Whatever musical ideas- came to him, he executed them musical scene, and the New York presenting flawlessly without strain, ego, or purpose. He appeared to and Ettore Stratta have seen great success in such as the guitarists be a self-taught musician, but the truth is that he had studied outstanding European musicians the French classical music tradition and approached the Bireli Lagrene, Angelo De Barre, Dorado and Samson Pierre Blanchard, violin from that perspective. His solo piano playing, which Schmidt, violinists Florin Niculescu and Beier. conjured up Teddy Wilson, and , was and the accordionist Ludovic play with also remarkable. I know from working with him that For many years I have had the opporfunity to that while there are Grappelli was such a musical natural that while he never these musicians, and I have to say do not feel that practiced either violin or piano, he played them both many fine Hot Club groups in America, I standard as do these effortlessly. they play this music on as high a environment and It was Stephane Grappelli who taught me a few things French musicians. It is a question of about grace. With the attitude and energy of youth context. Americans generally coming from a blues, rock, of combined with the wisdom of a seasoned-musician, he folk and bluegrass context, do not have the advantage a deep offered an important lesson to all. One warm, Indian growing up in the French-gypsy culture. This is life from a very Summer day in Victoria, British Columbia, Steph and I musical tradition that is learned in caravan the oral tradition' went for a walk. Stopping in a nearby park, we sat down on young age, and is passed on through play in life, you must go to a bench, took off our shirts and basked in the afternoon sun. Whatever music you want to in the immersion Around us were elderly people, many of whom were using the source and spend a great deal of time not a lifetime, to canes, walkers, and wheel chairs. "My God," remarked of that culture. It can take many years, if an art form. Stephane, "it is sad that they are so old." After a moment, it begin understanding the essence of people and like a hit me that many of these people were his age, maybe even There is a light that shines from some to younger. The very source of Stephane Grappelli's passion beacon, it beams right into those who are lucky enough play and love the for life and music had kept him youthful, alive, and on the come in contact with this force. I still concerns me that road. music of Reinhardt and Grappelli, yet it time, Stephane I toured with him from 1976-1979, and went back again as Django's legend increasingly grows over This is wrong' in 1984. One of my personal highlights was performing a! Grappelli's career is too often overlooked. that evolved and the London's RoyaietU"rt Hall in 1978 for Grappelli's 70'h It was Grappelli who had the long career portrayed in birthday. Many years passed and I went on to other things, shaped a large body of work, so beautifully A Life in the but we stayed in touch through letters, The last time I saw the BBC documentary, Stephane Grappelli: no less Stephane he was in his mid-80's and he had returned again Jazz Century. I realty believe his artistry is was the irascible to Carnegie Hall. This time I was back in the audience with important than his partner. While Django which makes for my daughter, Hilary, a young violinist. All the heavyrveight gypsy soul and an eccentric character professional jazz, classical, and country fiddlers were there to see the great stories, Grappelli was the consummate job, master play from his chair, still sounding brilliant and who showed up on time while doing the best possible youthful. Hil and I went backstage and though Stephane and that never makes for as much colorful press. this was very tired and had a very long line of well wishers Yet Steph always had a good sense of humor about whom he waiting for him, his eyes lit up when he saw me, not unlike and his love/hate relationship with Django, would often have to fetch from a bar or pool hall just as it

September 2008 it seemed sad was time to perform. Sometimes on stage he would chic Paris we all know from the movies, but his death, such an important artist announce to the audience, "Ladies and gentleman. we to me that ten years after building to honor his would like to play a composition by my dear late partner, did not even have a plaque on the he had once lived' Perhaps Django Reinhardt, Nuages." Then this charming, dear and memory at the location where before this is done' giurdfuth..ly elder man would lean over to me with a smile more time and distance is needed in Paris is Pdre Lachaise' It on his face and whisper in a voice only I cortldhear. "That The most famous cemetery gaze at a rnap that leads cunt. " is a haunting place where visitors high tombstones to Every night I was featured on one song and as I put forth them through ornate and impressively lie Oscar Wilde, Colette, my best effort, Stephane would stand close by offering the graves of the famous. Here Stein, and Edith Piaf, words of encouragement. "Allez, go baby, go." He seemed Molidre, Proust, Ravel, Gertrude jazz pianist, , pleased and proud while I came to see him as a grandfather with the late French next Fr6d6ric Chopin' hgrr" in my musical life. Musicians have a unique career in fittingly buried almost right to rock and roll history, that the very nature of our artistic interactions often forge Teenagers with their reverence for grave of Jim Morrison, deep human bonds that go beyond the usual, more bring their guitars and flock to the His grave is a modest sight conventional working environments. At our best, jazz the izard king of Doors fame. between other more musicians pull together, support and encourage one another, compared to most plots, stuck in an afterthought, building what my French musician friends refer to as mon ornate stones and seems more like the fact that his legend is my brother. Anything less than this is merely a job, especially when one considers frdre, life' Unlike the and I am grateful to have experienced this special probubty bigger in death than he was in gravesites, it is strewn with camaraderie so many times in my career. surrounding, neatly kept poems, lyiics, flowers, cigarette butts, and photos of wish to be noticed' Can the Ten years after his death, I went to Paris and took the Metro people who have visited and to find where Stephane Grappelli once had lived. It was the dead ever rest? gtay February last day of January and a cold wind blew through the Upon leaving the cemetery on a my pocket one last time, Pigalle area as I walked past a commercial district of sex afternoon, I pull the map out of inhabitants of Pere Lachaise. shops, discount clothing stores, cafes, and souvenir shops listing the most well known climb the long, compiete with plastic figurines of the Eiffel Tower. I and I spot, Grappelli, S, violoniste Qazz).I crematorium, to find the continued down narrow streets in search of 9, rue de inclined, cobblestone road to the are interred. On the black marble Dunkerque, the address where I had directed all my letters' location where his ashes alongside his father's, I finally reached the Hotel Picardy, just down the road stone number 4l7,bearing his name red lipstick kisses, a loving from the Gare du Nord, and I was disappointed to find an there are three faint traces of old, run down and yellowed building on a corner. The tribute left in the afternoon light' wander into a caf6 lobby was small. cramped. and anything but elegant. I had Shaken after saying good-bye, I Though Steph has heard Stephane had a very fashionable apartment, yet I aoross the street from the cemetery. impact of this day found it hard to believe that it could exist in such a been gone for ten years, the dramatic on the bistro sound building. The few chairs in the cramped lobby were covered surpriies me. I order un cafd, and and Stephane Grappelli by sheets and bags of lauhdry were sitting by the front door, .y.i"* I hear Django Reinhardt the Metro back ready for pick up. The young man at the front desk had piaying Tea for Two.l pay the bill, taking from a day's work' never heard of Stephane Grappelli, whose life had been home with Parisians who are returning recently colrunemorated in a sold-out concert at the Salle My eyes fill with tears while a few people stare. passes with them, but the Pleyel, just a few weeks before my arrival in Paris' He Seasons change and thp time your life never really seemed bored when I told him that he was a famous French important people that come into when am backstage in jazz m:usician who had lived there for a long time. leive you. In the quiet moments I occasionally get a I know Stephane never got over the desperate poverty he the dressing room before a concert, I way they shine when faced as a child, and that the orphanage he lived in, which vision of dressing room lights, the Regal. had been run by the famous dancer Isadora Duncan, was too they bounce off a bottle of Chivas painful an experience for him to relay to others. Certainly Brian Torff ihe location of his apartment was a lower rent area than the -

September 2008 lubricity, and she was presumably thrilled by his way of En Passant reaching down and grabbing a fistful of gonads. Both of them seemed fixated on their orifices and appendages. As for his great "dancing" it comprised a number of Ed McMahon got stiffed. street moves, none of them very impressive. He was He died at 86 on June 23, 2009. The TV news and other something of a one-trick pony, his tour de force being a broadcasts immediately launched the unctuous paeans that counter-clockwise spin (never the reverse, as far as I have usually follow the deaths of celebrities, although McMahon seen) ending in a sudden stop. It didn't begin to compare was not someone who'd found the vaccine for polio or to what modern figure skaters do routinely and superbly. developed open-heafi surgery. He was a television He wasn't in a class with Sammy Davis Jr., when he was announcer and pitchman, best known as the sidekick and still just a boy; and certainly not with the Nicholas he second banana to Johnny Carson, made a lot of money, and Brothers, both in their childhood and later' Certainly was by accounts a nice guy. He hardly justified the hour- didn't compare to Donald O'Connor (again, when to after-hour coverage he received. O'Connor was still a boy and later as an adult). Not But it wasn't drawn out to the depletion customary on mention and Gene Kelly. such occasions. usurped the attention by Then there was his much-touted moon walk' Three days dying two days later, on June 25, and such was the after it was first seen on television, kids all over America coverage of his demise, the suspicious circumstances were doing it. And when he died, prisoners in the surrounding it, summaries of his career and exotic Philippines did it en masse in their exercise yard. Such was peculiarities, that poor Ed was dropped and forgotten. And the "choreo graphy" that his company and he resembled he was not . A few hours before Jackson's death, the nothing so much as the North Korean and Turkish armies. eadmirable and beautiful Farah Fawcett, who had co- There were no great songs, no distinguished melodies operated in the making of a documentary on cancer's and lifting harmonies or electrifying lyrics. As for his what? effects on her, slipped away like a whisper or a snowflake. having sold more records than anyone in history, so But the mewling over Michael Jackson went on and on That's like saying there are more cars on the road than few and on. At one point, looking for some real news, I counted there were in 1935. When I was growing up only a eleven TV channels covering his departure. kids owned "phonographs." TV was only a glimmer in the Show business has always been known for hooey, eye of the folks at RCA and CBS. As for his being the man hyperbole and hype. But in the Jackson case it surpassed who broke the racial barriers, has everyone forgotten Nat anything it had every achieved before. That dubious Cole and , who did it when it was hard? sociology professor and "talk show host" Michael Eric There was much talk of how he changed popular music, Dyson referred to "the genius of this man." Never have the of his "legacy." His legacy is Justin Timberlake, the latest words "icon"and "iconic" been so lavishly misused. advance in the putrefaction of American popular music. Madonna referred to Jackson as "the greatest artist in But all the usual black suspects got their faces on history." So much for Bach, Michelangelo, Schubert, television, including the unctuous and inescapable Al whoever made the Winged Victory that stands in the Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. The one black celebrity who Louvre, and all the rest pf the true geniuses mankind has got it right was Eugene Robinson, the Washington Post produced. He was just a pop singer, and not a very good columnist who on television called Jackson "creepy." one. He had a thin papyrus voice that hung somewhere One of the most brilliant men it has been my pleasure to between a twelve-year-old and Marilyn Monroe, apparently know is Larry Gelbart, the screenplay and comedy writer. consciously and deliberately pitched there, because, as he Given all the wallowing over the death of Princess Di, the repeated ad tedium, he didn't want to grow up and thought periodic excursions into the deaths of John F. Kennedy, himself to be Peter Pan. And he didn't have very good time and the others one can name, Larry said, "We need a new as compared to Henri Salvador, Frank Sinatra, Bobby television network whose motto is "All Death All Day"' Darren, , and especially the magnificent Nat I reminded him of that a few weeks back, and he said, Cole. Madonna of course may not know much about "We need still another one: Celebrity Criminals." singing, bel canto or otherwise, but over the years she has Enter Bernie Madoff, exit Michael Jackson. @ 2009 established herself as a connoisseur of crotches and - Copyright

September 2008