While you were studiously enmeshed in jazz, I was thrilled by Tennessee Williams, and I remember Marlon Brando yelling, "Blanche!"
Different paths, but similar objectives, to be absorbed by art form we loved, and I admire your loyalty to yours. In my case, I have forgotten too many names to be serious about that artform, anymore, but music is always good for the soul!
I'm glad you posted that bit of video. Note there's no piano. It's free jazz! The drummer is having a ball but he's also listening. I hear (or see) him respond to George's solo many times. Occasionally the guy sitting down next to him cracks the faintest of smiles. It's an encyclopedic solo, filled with Coleman Hawkins stuff and all the greats. It's a moment of moments. Great stuff.
Mid-to-late 70s certainly was a time music-wise in NYC and probably everywhere. I remember George Young’s name was everywhere. All you had to do was turn to the back section of the Village Voice where all the venues were advertising upcoming shows. If memory serves he had a horn section/band that was billed as “George Young and Us’n” or something like that (correct me here, Bret if you remember). I saw George with this ridiculously amazing horn section in Paul Simon’s band when he played the Palladium on 14th Street. It was otherworldly and I was lucky to have a 4th row seat. Man! Incredible. Phil Woods was in the section and I remember him specifically blowing a blistering solo on Simon’s “Have a Good Time”. Paul Simon always has first-call session players contributing to the high level of his songwriting. I am glad I was old enough to hit the clubs then and hear these amazing players. Safe flight George Young!
One of the many sessions he was on (with Randy Brecker, Joe Farrell, Will Lee, etc. etc.) was Laura Nyro's 'Smile' from 1975 - was just listening to it last night while writing about the album for my Substack.
Thanks for this tribute to Papa George. He was living in Carmel, CA, when we met him at the Big Sur Festival in the late 90's and he and my husband, Joe Agro, became fast friends. Joe wrote an article for Jazziz, "George Who" because, as great as he was, George did mostly studio work, played in the great NY clubs, and was relatively unknown outside of NYC by the general public. He was voted one of the Most Valued Players by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences' annual awards edition. A member of the original Sat Nt Live band, he was the #1 sax call in NYC for many years, playing with greats, like Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Maynard Ferguson, and even Luciano Pavarotti. He and his wife, Cynthia, would drive up to see us in Sonoma from SoCal every January for a week or so. Joe would hook him up doing Master Classes and playing with the University band, in gigs in SF and Marin jazz clubs, and George would hone Joe's playing in their spare time. At home, he wrote music, recorded many CDs, performed, and brought his group to the stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival. He loved to teach and was generous and open to his students with his knowledge and skills on the sax. George was revered in his later years as a gentleman and beautiful person by those knew him. He will be missed.
Bret, Have you seen this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArITJgLSJLw&list=RDArITJgLSJLw&start_radio=1
While you were studiously enmeshed in jazz, I was thrilled by Tennessee Williams, and I remember Marlon Brando yelling, "Blanche!"
Different paths, but similar objectives, to be absorbed by art form we loved, and I admire your loyalty to yours. In my case, I have forgotten too many names to be serious about that artform, anymore, but music is always good for the soul!
Thank you Bret! Wonderful tribute to George. And, thanks for the mention!
I'm glad you posted that bit of video. Note there's no piano. It's free jazz! The drummer is having a ball but he's also listening. I hear (or see) him respond to George's solo many times. Occasionally the guy sitting down next to him cracks the faintest of smiles. It's an encyclopedic solo, filled with Coleman Hawkins stuff and all the greats. It's a moment of moments. Great stuff.
Mid-to-late 70s certainly was a time music-wise in NYC and probably everywhere. I remember George Young’s name was everywhere. All you had to do was turn to the back section of the Village Voice where all the venues were advertising upcoming shows. If memory serves he had a horn section/band that was billed as “George Young and Us’n” or something like that (correct me here, Bret if you remember). I saw George with this ridiculously amazing horn section in Paul Simon’s band when he played the Palladium on 14th Street. It was otherworldly and I was lucky to have a 4th row seat. Man! Incredible. Phil Woods was in the section and I remember him specifically blowing a blistering solo on Simon’s “Have a Good Time”. Paul Simon always has first-call session players contributing to the high level of his songwriting. I am glad I was old enough to hit the clubs then and hear these amazing players. Safe flight George Young!
One of the many sessions he was on (with Randy Brecker, Joe Farrell, Will Lee, etc. etc.) was Laura Nyro's 'Smile' from 1975 - was just listening to it last night while writing about the album for my Substack.
Thanks for this tribute to Papa George. He was living in Carmel, CA, when we met him at the Big Sur Festival in the late 90's and he and my husband, Joe Agro, became fast friends. Joe wrote an article for Jazziz, "George Who" because, as great as he was, George did mostly studio work, played in the great NY clubs, and was relatively unknown outside of NYC by the general public. He was voted one of the Most Valued Players by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences' annual awards edition. A member of the original Sat Nt Live band, he was the #1 sax call in NYC for many years, playing with greats, like Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Maynard Ferguson, and even Luciano Pavarotti. He and his wife, Cynthia, would drive up to see us in Sonoma from SoCal every January for a week or so. Joe would hook him up doing Master Classes and playing with the University band, in gigs in SF and Marin jazz clubs, and George would hone Joe's playing in their spare time. At home, he wrote music, recorded many CDs, performed, and brought his group to the stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival. He loved to teach and was generous and open to his students with his knowledge and skills on the sax. George was revered in his later years as a gentleman and beautiful person by those knew him. He will be missed.
Cool post! That's Gabe Balthazar sitting next to him in the video.