Fuck this is not easy because it's not good news folks. I have brain cancer. Oligodendroglioma. Is the form. They grade these aggressive tumors on a scale from 1 to 4, (4 being the most aggressive), mine is a 3. Poopshit. The better side of the news is, that for now, they feel they got enough in the retraction so there will be no immediate surgery. That's a bit of a relief for my head. For sure. Down side is, I have to start figuring out how to attack this thing and shrink it.
I don't really know what the hell to say. Everything I try to write seems laughably inadequate.
I only met Andrew once, briefly, after his big band's Tea Lounge gig, but I've been following him on record and live for years, and watching and listening, it seemed like there was no division between the person and the music. Via Ethan Iverson, we learn that Andrew's Human Feel bandmate Kurt Rosenwinkel describes Andrew as a "pure element," which from a fan's perspective seems absolutely dead-on.
It strikes me that far too many people still don't know about Human Feel. I was talking to some young Toronto-area jazz students at The Rex during IAJE, and while they knew and greatly admired all of the individual musicians -- D'Angelo, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Speed and Jim Black -- they had no idea those four dudes had come up in a band together, nor how deep Human Feel's influence runs.
For more, I direct you again to Ethan Iverson, and to Steve Smith's writeup of the band's 2006 reunion show at Fat Cat.
Benefit shows are taking place all over the world: Antwerp, Olso, Ferrara, Ghent... here are the Brooklyn dates:
The Tea Lounge
http://www.tealoungeny.com/
837 Union St. Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
718.789.2762
• Matt Wilson group •
• Whoopie Pie - Mike Pride, Jamie Saft, Bill McHenry •
• Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant with Chess Smith and Mary Halvorson •
• Jim Black Chris Speed Oscar Noriega Trevor Dunn play D'Angelo •
Barbes
http://www.barbesbrooklyn.com/
376 9th St. (@ 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
• Jessica Pavone and Mary Halvorson duo •
• Laura Cromwell's Queen Moonracer •
• Trevor Dunn and Shelley Burgon duo •
and more TBA....
More to come, I'm sure.
Andrew does not have health insurance. Because this country is unbelievably fucked up, heath care in America is a luxury, one that the overwhelming majority of jazz musicians cannot afford. Andrew is literally fighting for his life here and he needs our help. He will likely require radiation or chemotherapy or some combination thereof.
Come to the shows. Make a donation. Buy his CDs -- they are astounding. Read his blog -- it is as uncompromisingly personal as his music.
The health care crisis in this country is indeed deplorable. Local 802, AFM has been struggling along with jazz musicians for decades to try and find ways to secure health and pension benefits for performers who work in area clubs.
Last year, the union was successful in eliminating sales tax on jazz clubs with the expectation that the owners would pass the savings on to the musicians in the form of health benefits. We are still seeking the co-operation of the clubs to make this happen, and we applaud those entities that have agreed to provide for the health and welfare of their musicians--this group includes the New School; Jazz@Lincoln Center, Highlights in Jazz, and many leaders who provide for their side musicians through union agreements.
We have a long way to go to combat this intolerable situation, but a change is in the air--and the now's the time for us to take action to ensure that our voices are finally heard.
Our thoughts are with Mr. D'Angelo.
In Solidarity,
Todd Bryant Weeks
Jazz Rep
Local 802, American Federation of Musicians
Posted by: Todd Weeks | 22 February 2008 at 11:47 AM