Some thoughts after the passing of Pharoah Sanders

With the death of Pharoah Sanders, we’ve lost one more connection to that era of jazz and American music. I’m talking about the late 50s into the 1960s. The hard bop to free jazz, the new thing. I mean, who’s left?

(There are European composer/improvisors I could name, but I will stay focused on the Americans in this case.)

 

Marshall Allen is still carrying Sun Ra’s torch, who is 98 years old as I write this. I read that it was Sun Ra who told Farrell Sanders that his proper name was Pharoah. I saw Marshall with the Arkestra in Portland, OR last June. He and they are still kicking it.

 

Sonny Rollins lives on, though he is unable to play his instrument any longer.

 

Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock from the great Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s are still with us. I just saw Ron Carter live and he sounded great. Wayne, last I saw him on video, sounded frail and I’m not sure he’s playing any more. Herbie resurfaces now and then but I haven’t kept track of any current playing he might be doing. 

 

Benny Golson is still around, as are Charles Lloyd and Reggie Workman.

 

When you get to the new generation in the mid-to-late 60s, we’re still lucky to have some of those people around. Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, Famoudou Don Moye, Oliver Lake, Andrew Cyrille, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette.

 

Pianist Dave Burrell is still with us, and I’ve read that he recently donated his archives to the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

Speaking of Pittsburgh, I know I’d be remiss in not mentioning Roger Humphries, best known for playing drums on Horace Silver’s “Song for my Father” from 1965. He still plays, and plays well. 

 

I’m doubtlessly forgetting many others deserving of attention. 

 

Drummer Anton Fier also recently died. I don’t know how. He was of a different generation than those listed above. A mutual friend made an online comment that he had gotten to know Anton in the past few years, and that Anton had given up playing the drums. The reason? Foot problems, back problems, and the physical toll of loading and unloading drums over and over to drive long distances for little money. That’s a young man’s game. As another friend, Lindsey Horner, observed once, “The cost of equipment and repairs keeps going up, but the bread at gigs remains the same.”

 

This addresses what broader point I have to make, besides recognizing these people. Being a musician can be a tough life with inconsistent work and pay. Even those who have lived the most comfortably, have still gotten there by working hard and for countless hours. You owe it to yourself, and maybe even them, to see these people perform if you have the opportunity. I almost missed out on seeing Ron Carter, and I would have regretted it if I had. 

 

I know someone reading this uses Spotify. I understand the appeal, but it’s an illusion if you think it’s helping the musicians. Yes it puts the music in people’s attention, but almost nobody benefits from Spotify except for the biggest name pop artists (and Spotify itself). If you’re still on physical media, buy a CD or LP once in a while, or a band t-shirt should there be any. That’s the way you directly benefit the artists. But most of all, get out there and experience the music live! It’s where the art truly lives.