Great Live Moments - Hilton Ruiz

April 30, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: benefit, benny golson, bourbon street, clifford, dizzy gillespie, hilton ruiz, hometown, hurricane katrina victims, Jazz Alive, jazz ballads, Listening Post, Live Music, lyrics, new orleans, performance studio, wbgo

So how can we say something so real has really gone away?
I hear him now, I always will
Believe me I remember Hilton still.

Those are actually the lyrics to "I Remember Clifford," one of the enduring jazz ballads by Benny Golson. With one modification. The name.
It should not go unnoticed that nearly two years ago, Hilton Ruiz lay unconscious on Bourbon Street in my hometown. What particularly stings me is that he was in New Orleans working on a benefit CD for and video about Hurricane Katrina victims.

It reminds me of a quote attributed to Dizzy Gillespie:
“Men have died for this music. You can’t get more serious than that.”

In 1986, Hilton Ruiz played the Steinway B in our performance studio.
Listen to "I Remember Clifford" from the WBGO Archives.

-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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James Moody at 83

March 27, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: bb kings, benefit, Birthdays, college information, cologne, daniel karcher, dropt, fundraiser, happy birthday, james moody, Jazz Alive, jazz legend, march 31st, Masters, monday night, music, newark new jersey, rest of the day, s song, scholarship fund, vignette, walt whitman, wbgo

I'm in the mood for Moody, simply because it's his birthday. Jazz legend James Moody, one of Newark, New Jersey's finest, turned 83 yesterday. Last year, WBGO celebrated Moody's contribution to music at our annual gala. Daniel Karcher and I created a video vignette for the award presentation. Here it is:

So next time you see Moody, wish him a happy birthday. Give him a hug, and you can wear his cologne for the rest of the day. I like to think that wearing Moody's cologne is like that line from Walt Whitman's Song of Myself - "A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropt."

On a more serious note, you can see Moody and lots of his music playing friends on Monday night, March 31st at BB Kings. The concert is a benefit for the James Moody Scholarship Fund at Purchase College. Information about the fund and the fundraiser here.
-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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