Norman's wake was last night...over 600 people showed up. The funeral is in about an hour.

At the wake, his brother Benny, one of the best sax players in the South, played one classical and one jazz piece, accompanied by a piano player. A local jazz duo played a prelude, and another brother, Johnathan played "Silent Drummer".

This is always a moving event. Johnathan is as good as Norman was. The piece starts off softly...almost inaudible. Mallets are used. The piece builds dramatically and then slowly fades away to silence, symbolizing the passing of the drummer. After the short service, various combinations of Norman's friends played impromptu tributes to a mainstay of the jazz community here.


Learned something about my long-time friend that I didn't know. He, Mike Allen (a powerhouse jazz keyboard player)and Duke Madison (fantastic sax man) would show up at a Ramada Inn I played for years. While I was doing my B-3 Rhodes solo set, they sat in the lobby. When I backed my partner, Preston Weber, on bass and guitar when he did his folk/country/sing-along, they sat directly in front of me calling out hokey tunes and saying "Give that bass player some"!...clapping, yelling, clogging and generally making good natured fun of me.

Last night, I found out that Norman, who always bragged of working with people like Ahmad Jamahl, Les McCain and Roland Kirk
ALSO WORKED QUITE A WHILE WITH CHARLIE DANIELS! There were photos of the two of them! Man, if I had known that when he was alive, I'd have given the kidding back-big-time.

Sadly, all three of my "hecklers" are now gone, but playing with them was as good as it gets.

I told Norman's family about your good wishes, and they were very thankful.

So am I.


Russ

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 01-09-2007).]