From: Ted Thompson Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 11:58:17 -0700 This NG might be interested in knowing that Tal Farlow, one of the all time great jazz guitarists died this morning (July 25, 1998). The world has lost not only one of the greatest masters of jazz guitar, but also one of the finest human beings ever. Ted Thompson From: STOPmushmouth@mindspring.com (Keith Ganz) Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1998 17:26:39 GMT I will remember Tal as the greatest bebop guitarist of all time. Incidentally, I saw that 32 records released a cd with a bunch stuff from the recordings with Eddie Costa on piano. That stuff is brilliant. RIP Tal... Keith Ganz From: TONYBARONI@worldnet.att.net Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1998 10:16:50 -0400 Gonna miss Tal. He did an in-store jazz clinic for us 3 years back. All I can say is that he was a monster. This man could've dropped the guitar and made more music than any 10 modern guitarists. I feel priveliged to have known him . Tony Baroni From: relish5079@aol.com (Relish5079) Date: 26 Jul 1998 03:34:17 GMT Very sad news. Tal came into a club I was playing at once and luckily I didn`t see him until the set was finished or i would`ve been pissing in my pants! I treated him to a bagel or something at a nearby diner and I think I still have the bill (this was in the early 80`s)! He was a quiet guy who wasn`t into the self publicity bullshit most guys are into nowadays so he was only well-known among the musicians who treasured his work. Jimmy Raney was the same way. I met him also and he was the same quiet type of guy who also hung it up for extended periods of time (like Tal) due to being fed up with the hassles of being an uncompromising jazz guitarist. Tal, unfortunately never seemed to really come back to his highest level of playing after he retired, but then again, nobody has come up to that level anyway (other than Jimmy Raney-once Tal`s roommate and close friend, and Johnny Smith- another guy who couldn`t put up with the bullshit of the music business and also retired- beginning to see a pattern?) Anyway, Tal, rest in peace- all`s well that ends. From: havant@earthlink.net (Harry Avant) Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 21:54:03 GMT I was able to meet him a couple of years ago. A man with very large hands and an even larger smile. One of the most down to earth guys I've ever encountered. While he wasn't as well known as he should have been he did leave behind some outstanding recordings, so his music will be around for a long time. Harry Avant From: "Melvin F.Wolfsont" Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 22:11:54 -0700 ...Mel Wolfsont here, I'm the one with the help of Mort Fega, the former NYC Jazz disk jockey who was responsible for bringing Tal back in front of the public in the late sixties. We teamed him up with Johnny Knapp a fabulous pianist and a young physician bass player from New Zealand who was an interne at a hospital in the area. The name of my club was FRAMMIS; musicians came from far and wide to hear this virtuoso play. Tal and I became very close, he stayed with me here in California whenever he was in the area, and would write from all parts of the world when he was on the road. This was truly a gentle giant of a man, a true innovator, a delight to be near. I'll miss his dry sense of humor and his wonderful ability to instill that thing called, "listening". Mel Wolfsont From: hearn@dowco.com Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 06:06:03 GMT I too share in the sense of loss in learning of Tal's passing. Last night, I was at a friend's place and he played "Tal" (Verve) with Eddie Costa and Vinnie Burke. Neither of us new about his passing. I hadn't heard this record and was totally enthralled by his playing. Today, I heard the sad news. Thankfully, I have his records and the memory of seeing him play in L.A. in the mid-80s. Ron Hearn From: jonpollack@aol.com (JONPOLLACK) Date: 27 Jul 1998 19:13:52 GMT Sad news about Tal. I saw him once in Boston back in the 80s and chatted with him between sets. He seemed like a real gentleman. Can't understand why so few of his ides for Clef, Norgran, and Verve remain unavailable (the usual commercial considerations not withstanding, of course). Jon Pollack From: swingdoug@aol.com (SwingDoug) Date: 27 Jul 1998 17:38:48 GMT What a major drag. My roommate is a student at Manhattan School of Music. his guitar teacher, Jack Wilkins, was supposed to get Tal in next semester for a master class, and I was hoping to sneak in. My first couple of years in college were filled with many an hour listening to "Tal" and "The Return of Tal Farlow". I always loved the spirit he brought to music and it's sad that he had to go. But I'm sure he and Wes and Joe Pass could put on a heavenly Great Guitar show. Maybe Charlie Christian would join in too. From: gclip@bellatlantic.net Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 05:21:25 -0400 ...I am a former student and longtime friend of Tal's and he meant so much to me as a guitarist, but even more to me as a friend. In this last year before he passed, I was working with Tal to get him on the net and using his computer for recording..(he was a great artist and was very intriqued with graphics capabilities on the computer), and to make him available to his friends and fans via e-mail, but alas he left us too soon. I have provided a link to your page via my guitar page for a few years now and I hope you dont mind. If you ever would like to call on me, please do so. Phil From: "stephen g. hinds" Date: Sat, 01 Aug 1998 21:40:22 -0700 Last year, the Tampa (Florida) Jazz club had Tal in for a concert at the Jazz Cellar. In attendance was Red Norvo. My son and I were thrilled by the speed and dexterity Tal still showed. After the two sets, I went up to Tal with my copy of a 10" LP (Norgran MGn-19) The Tal Farlow album, and he was gracious enough to autograph it for me. I also got Red's autograph, and although he was confined to a wheelchair, he was very gracious also. The 10" LP with Oscar Pettiford,Barry Galbraith and Joe Morello includes the following tunes: If There's Someone Lovelier than You,With the wind and rain in your hair,My Old Flame, Gibson Boy,You and the Night and the Music,Love Nest,Blues in the Closet, and Everything I've Got. There'll never be another Tal. Steve Hinds From: "Farlow, Donna C, CFCTRCFCER" Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 08:27:13 -0400 I had the pleasure of seeing him play only once in 1994, it was an exhilarating experience. We have several of his CDs and continually look for more in every music store we visit. He will be missed! Donna J.C. Farlow From: Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 19:59:52 EDT He was a major influence on my playing and like you I'm fortunate to have known him Two of my most treasured possessions are a photo of Tal and me at the Pizza Express in London, which Tal signed and a copy of Shane's Book signed by both Shane and Tal). It is so sad to hear of his death but I knew he had not been well through musician Friends in New York. Alisdair "Chirps" MacRae Birch From: Bruce Bryant Date: 04 Aug 1998 00:16:09 EDT I didn't know he died until I read this just now. I had the pleasure of of hearing Tal in person in october 1991 in a club here in downtown St. Louis. He was moving ALL over with those bony fingers and played a version of the worn-out standard "Misty." The voicings he used made it sound truly space age ... Bruce Bryant From: greg clayton Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 22:29:04 -0400 I knew Tal and took 3 lessons with him and jammed with him for many hours. he was a terrific guy as well as a guitar ledgend. Greg Clayton From: "Cullen Jackson Caldwell, Jr (Jack)" Date: Sun, 20 Sep 98 00:09:22 PDT Played with Tal in the 70's, and have played with several disciples since then. Missed the NYC memorial today.........Kicking myself still for not planning to go in....Weather was nice, and Tal would have liked that. Great artist and human being. Jack Caldwell