Von einem Musikerkollegen erhielt ich soeben eine Mail. Ich bin in Zeitnot und habe nur ganz kurz drübergelesen. Ich stelle den Text hier unter Vorbehalt und ungeprüft ein:

"Soulpatrol"
DIG "Fathead" in Action - R.I.P.

This sad news comes from our friend Scott Galloway. I hadn"t heard of the passing of David "Fathead" Newman. I suppose the news of his passing got buried under the avalanche of Obama news recently?

---

Good Evening,

On the day we gained a fantastic new President, we lost a great Texas tenor sax giant by the name of David "Fathead" Newman. Many of us heard our first taste of Fathead via the smokin" solos and ensemble horn parts he played on Ray Charles records. When I was coming up, it was all about three performances he recorded as a leader: his 1972 recording of "Lonely Avenue" (f/ Cornell Dupree on guitar), his recording of the Roy Ayers composition "Foxy Brown" a little later in `74, and my very first taste being the Atlantic Records Lp Double Barrelled Soul from `68 that he co-led with organ great Brother Jack McDuff.

Below is a link I found of Fathead live playing the Ray Charles smash "Hit the Road, Jack!" The video quality is not the best, but the audio quality is and the whole band is in top form, especally Mr. Newman. Dig how he integrates elements of Sonny Rollins" "Alfie"s Theme" into the melody at the head of his solo. This was captured in 2006, which proves that The Man was pretty much puttin" The Thing down to the very end.



I never got to meet or interview Mr. Newman but I will never forget him for putting a whole lot of soul in my bowl during my early years of music nourishment.

Say the brother"s name...and may he rest in peace.

--A. Scott Galloway

---

Auf der offiziellen Seite ist es bestätigt.

www.davidfatheadnewman.com/tribute.html