Musical Reminiscing

Over the years, it’s been my pleasure to sit in on jam sessions wherever the occasion presented in New York City. Recently I watched this musical tribute online, and it brought back so many memories. It was a joy to see these great artists assembled on stage together to celebrate the life and music of WBGO FM Radio’s popular long-time DJ, musicologist, and Grammy winner Bob Porter, who passed away last month from Covid19.

Bob Porter was a noted authority in the field of ethnomusicology. Several years ago, I had an occasion to share with him in conversation that his Grammy co-recipient, Professor James (Jim) Patrick, Chair of the Department of Jazz studies at the University of Buffalo, was my high school classmate and a friend from East Chicago, Indiana. Bob and Jim won Grammy awards in 1980 for writing the historical liner notes on the Complete Savoy Sessions of Charlie Parker. Jim Patrick transitioned in July 2013.

Billy Vera, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter, flew in from LA to be part of the program as he and Porter were long-time friends.

I am unabashedly proud to call Billy a friend and collaborator. I recorded his original song on my latest CD – a track entitled “Wasting My Time.”

Drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, known as one of the most recorded R&B drummers in history, was there. He was a member of the “Three B’s,” a trio that included musicians I worked with over years; Bross Townsend, piano, Bob Cunningham, bass, and Bernard Purdie on drums. Purdie and I also worked together on AFM Musicians’ Local 802’s committee to help change New York City’s archaic Cabaret Laws, which limited live music in certain commercial venues and settings.

Then there was the great saxophonist Houston Person. He first heard drummer Chip White playing on a gig with me. Person really liked Chip and soon after hired him to play with The Houston Person Group for over twenty years. Sadly, after a long, productive career, Chip also passed away last year due to Covid 19.

And another saxophonist, Detroit native James Carter, regarded as one of the modern era’s most prominent and prolific multi-reed virtuosos and, like Houston Person, a world-class jazz artist also played at the tribute. In 1996, early in Carter’s career, I was fortunate to have interviewed him in on DRUM Television after the release of his first major recording on Atlantic Records, “Conversin’ with the Elders.” DRUM TV was a Black-owned upstart network based in Harlem and distributed via cable television on Time Warner cable’s Manhattan Neighborhood Network.

Viewing this video tribute to the late Bob Porter for me conjures up a lifetime of musical memories, connections, and experiences over the arc of life. Thank you one and all for the joy you bring. I’ll post my interview conducted with the very young James Carter soon, stay tuned. And I’ll keep playing and listening to all my friends’ great music.