Allegiance

Fucking hell.

Andrew D'Angelo, of Human Feel and many other influential groups, sent an email around earlier today directing people to this notice on his website:

SAXOPHONIST ANDREW D'ANGELO HAS BRAIN TUMOR

On Friday, January 25, 2008 world-renowned saxophonist/composer Andrew D'Angelo suffered a major seizure while driving in Brooklyn, NY. Tests in the hospital revealed a large tumor in his brain. Andrew will undergo brain surgery at some point in the next few weeks. At this time, it is believed that the tumor is not cancerous, but this will not be confirmed until a biopsy is performed.

Like many Americans, Andrew has no health insurance. A fund has been established to help with the costs of his surgery and recovery. Donations can be sent via PayPal to donate@andrewdangelo.com. We deeply appreciate any efforts that can be made to spread the word about Andrew's situation.

Benefit concerts are currently being planned for New York City and Boston. More information about these concerts will be posted on www.andrewdangelo.com as soon as it is available.

Andrew D'Angelo, born 1966 in Seattle, Washington is one of the key members of Brooklyn's avant-garde jazz community. His work as a composer, performer, and bandleader has been a pivotal influence on his peers, as well as on younger generations of musicians. Andrew first achieved worldwide notoriety as a member of Human Feel with his longtime friends Jim Black, Chris Speed, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. After moving to Brooklyn in 1986 he joined the downtown music community centered around the Knitting Factory, working with musicians like Mark Dresser, Erik Friedlander, Bobby Previte, and many other leading artists. He is also currently a member of the Matt Wilson Quartet and Hilmar Jensson's band Tyft. Skirl Records released "Skadra Degis," the debut of Andrew's trio with Jim Black and Trevor Dunn on January 31, 2008.

For more information, please visit www.andrewdangelo.com.

Please take a moment to sign Andrew's guestbook and wish him well.

UPDATE: Andrew is blogging from his hospital bed. Because yes, he actually is that fucking hardcore. See also the photo gallery, wherein you can check out his MRIs and CT scans.

Surgery has apparently been delayed until at least Wednesday, possibly even Thursday or Friday. The good news is that Mount Sinai's Neurosurgery Department is the bomb.

We are pulling for you, Andrew.

Comments

[Ted Reichman]

1.

darcy- thanks for posting this. FYI there's a tiny but important typo in the press release (not your fault- that was an early draft that got sent out). The URL for Andrew's site, and most important, for the Paypal donations, should have no apostrophe in it: andrewdangelo.com

thanks!
ted

[DJA]

2.

Hey Ted,

Fixed. Please convey our best wishes to Andrew -- here's hoping for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

[John-Paul Pagano]

3.

Wow. I used to follow downtown jazz pretty seriously. Hadn't thought about it for a couple of years. Terrible to see Andrew, whose music I never really listened to but whose name I was well aware of, afflicted like this. I wish him the best.

[jonn]

4.

grererret