I saw Grappelli accompanied by Bucky and bassist John Burr at ArtPark in Lewiston NY in the 90's ... what a night!
Will
Paul Cezanne: "I could paint for a thousand years without stopping and I would still feel as though I knew nothing."
Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
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I was able to spend some time with him a few years ago, and he was just the nicest person. Such a genuine and kind soul. Lots of stories and jokes to share. The man had some kind life, and I'm grateful we have those stories documented and songs recorded.
Bucky was a consummate sideman and IMO, the best chord soloist ever:
Thanks for posting this Michael. I love the albums he recorded with John and Howard Alden. I was fortunate to attend a house concert with Bucky and Howard. Sitting 5 feet away from them as they navigated those guitars was something I won't ever forget.
I think I found Bucky via one of his collaborations with Grappelli, decades back, and then started picking up anything that included him in the credits. Just following his sideman gigs provided an education in swing, and his albums as leader or collaborator are terrific fun--the duos with George Barnes, Grappelli, Scott Hamilton (a Zoot Sims tribute), and of course with son John. Some of Ruby Braff's last recordings were with Bucky.
When I heard the news earlier this week, I went to the CD shelves and pulled out one of my favorites--the reissue of the 1979 Black & White duo sessions with Grappelli that includes the between-track chat and retakes. Real fly-on-the-wall stuff. The "Nirvana" (or "Send in the Clowns") sessions with Zoot and Buddy Rich are also terrific (Buddy and Zoot sing!).
Googling around to jog my memory, I came across this discography. I have at least two dozen of these, and there's still a lot of Bucky for me to find--