More Notes From The Dennis Irwin Benefit

March 11, 2008. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

Add new comment | Filed under: air bass, becca, benefit concert, bill frisell, body and soul, cameron brown, david berger, dennis irwin, doodlin, guitar duo, harlem nutcracker, jazz at lincoln center, joe cohn, joe lovano, magnificent music, medium height, Notes, rest of the night, standing ovation, wynton marsalis, yesterday afternoon

Dennis Irwin died at 3:30 yesterday afternoon. Four hours later, in the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe Lovano's band led off what was to have been a benefit concert. Like Dennis, Lovano's bassist Cameron Brown is white-haired and medium height -- a detail you notice with bassists. I wanted to believe he was Dennis. Wynton Marsalis spoke of Dennis's "most magnificent attitude." The rest of the night spoke to his most magnificent music. Among the moments, Bill Frisell's phrases and spaces evoking "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and Harry Allen and Joe Cohn's simple sax / guitar duo of "Body and Soul." David Berger told the story of Dennis coming to BAM to sub in the Harlem Nutcracker, a complicated, fast-paced score which Dennis virtually sightread. At the end of the first act, the band spontaneously gave the bassist a standing ovation. Dennis stayed in David's band for the next 11 years. Adorable in a tiny dress and high high heels, Aria Hendricks -- Dennis's love -- sang with her father Jon on "Doodlin'". Jon sang air bass on his solo.
-Becca Pulliam

© 2008 WBGO

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Notes From The Dennis Irwin Benefit

March 10, 2008. Posted by Michael Bourne.

Add new comment | Filed under: aria, cats, dennis irwin, drummers, jack dejohnette, john scofield, joyful story, lewis nash, lyrics, matt wilson, mose allison, Notes, paul motian

I spent the whole show backstage. I didn't even realize that Dennis passed. It was only at the last when Aria Hendricks talked about Dennis before she sang "The Nearness of You" that I knew. None of the cats backstage were being mournful. Whenever anyone said anything about Dennis, it was a joyful story. I introduced Mose Allison in the concert, and when Mose was singing, John Scofield and others backstage remembered that Dennis knew all the lyrics to Mose's songs. I was amazed by the who's who backstage. I remember looking over and all the drummers were hanging out. Jack DeJohnette. Kenny Washington. Lewis Nash. Paul Motian. And then Matt Wilson walked by. They and all of the others at the concert knew, learned from, laughed with, loved, and were swung by Dennis Irwin.
-MBourne

© 2008 WBGO
Coda: Dennis Irwin 11/28/51 - 3/10/08

March 10, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: bassist, beautiful blessings, benefit concert, cancer, dennis irwin, dies, Jazz Community, Jazz Messages, joe lovano, medical bills, music, rose hall, sad news, saxophonist, scholar

Very sad news to report. Bassist Dennis Irwin has succumbed to his battle with cancer. Many in the jazz community gathered this evening at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room for a benefit concert to help with his medical bills.

Saxophonist Joe Lovano stated, “There are certain people in life that make you feel at home no matter where you are. For me, Dennis Irwin is one of those people, one of my closest brothers in the music, a great teacher and scholar of all the beautiful blessings life has to offer.” We'll have more information as it becomes available.
-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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