David S. Ware, RIP
The great saxophonist David S. Ware has passed at the age of 62. I knew he had been sick for a long time. He received a kidney transplant 2 years ago, donated by a fan, which goes to show the devotion of the followers of this titanic artist. I had hoped this would mean many more years for a man at the peak of his artistic powers, but alas, no. However, those additional two years of life meant some more great music. RIP.
RIP indeed. I heard him just once, with Matthew Shipp in Oakland in the ’90s, and will always remember it.
A frickin’ shame and a guy I only saw once.
His version of sonny rollins’ “freedom suite” is a good place to start listening, and I would also recommend “corridors and parallels” and “surrendered.”
Surrendered is one of the best jazz albums of the last 20 years. I love that album.
as long as we’re talking about ware, we should note that his long-time bass colleague, william parker (who is on surrendered), is still alive and well and a total monster and shouldn’t be missed.
Indeed. I thought that album of Curtis Mayfield covers he put out awhile ago was pretty outstanding.
Am I having deja vu, or did another jazz musician also die in Vilnius recently? I tried googling it, but evidently “jazz”+”Vilnius” is very common.
I caught Ware at the VisionFest in 2011. He and his band totally tore it up. We’ve lost another huge player.
Bummer. RIP. Saw this guy years ago and he just about knock the hair off my head. I has big sad today. Thanks for posting this obit…
An amazing musician. He will be missed.
Ow. One of my absolute favorites. Truly sad. Surrendered is phenomenal. I also loved his take on Rollins’ Freedom Suite.