Died On This Date (November 22, 2011) Hans Reichel / German Avant Garde Guitarist

Hans Reichel
May 10, 1949 – November 22, 2011

Photo by Raymond Mallentjer

Hans Reichel was a German experimental guitarist and luthier.  Reichel’s break as a musician came in 1970 when he submitted a tape to the German Jazz Festival in Frankfurt.  The judges were impressed enough to invite him to perform at a newcomers concert.  Reichel went on to release his first album, Wichlinghauser Blues in 1973.  No fewer than 40 releases followed.  Most of his recordings are solo, but he has included a vocalist or other instrument from time to time.  In 1997, Guitar Player magazine included Reichel on their list of 30 Most Radical Guitarists.  He also invented and built several guitars and basses over the years.  Some were fairly standard while others were somewhat more radical, like the Daxophone, which is a single wooden blade attached to a block which holds a microphone.  Hans Reichel was 62 when he passed away on November 22, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

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Lower Lurum - Hans Reichel

Died On This Date (November 22, 2011) Paul Motian / American Jazz Drummer

Paul Motian
March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011

Paul Motian was a gifted jazz drummer who first came to prominence as part of Bill Evans’ influential trio with whom he played from 1959 to 1964. He went on to play with a who’s who of jazz greats including Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, and Charlie Haden to name a few.  Beginning in the early ’80s, Motian fronted his own trio that included Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano.  He released over 30 albums over the course of his career.  Paul Motian was 80 when he died of a bone marrow disorder on November 22, 2011.

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The Story of Maryam - Paul Motian Quintet

Died On This Date (November 13, 2011) Yvonne “Miss Dixie” Fasnacht / Iconic New Orleans Gay Club Owner

Yvonne Fasnacht
DOB Unknown – November 13, 2011

Yvonne Fasnacht was an accomplished New Orleans clarinet and saxophone player, as well as the proprietor of Dixie’s Bar Of Music, one of the city’s most revered jazz clubs.  Fasnacht first learned to play her instruments while attending trade school, and before she knew it, she was playing in such all girl outfits as Southland Rhythm Girls and the Smart Set.  These gigs afforded her the opportunity to tour the US and even appear in a Hollywood short film.  In 1949, Fasnacht opened Dixie’s Bar of Music which quickly became one of New Orleans’ hottest clubs where rich and poor; gay and straight; and celebrity and common folk could all co-mingle and have a good time.  The club has been cited as one of the country’s first openly gay bars, and it was Fasnacht who created a safe and accepting environment, even in the face of local authorities who raided the joint fairly regularly.  The club, which operated until 1964, became a magnet for Hollywood elite as well. It was not uncommon to find the likes of Truman Capote, Rock Hudson, Gore Vidal, or Danny Kaye sitting at a table.  The club’s place in New Orleans history is so well-regarded, that the 35-foot mural of jazz greats that hung on one of its walls is now on display at the New Orleans US Mint as part of the Louisiana State Museum.  As reported by WWLTV, Yvonne Fasnacht passed away on November 13, 2011.  She was 101.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.



Died On This Date (November 11, 2011) Michael Garrick / Jazz Pianist

Michael Garrick
May 30, 1933 – November 11, 2011

Michael Garrick was an influential English pianist and composer who was one of the earliest practitioners of merging jazz with poetry recitations.  Mostly self-taught on the piano, Garrick formed his first group while studying English literature in college.  During the late ’60s, Garrick began working choral groups into his music, a style which quickly earned him praise.  Over the course of a career that spanned five decades, Garrick released over 30 albums and collaborated on numerous others.  In 2010, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire.  As reported by Tiny Mix Tapes, Michael Garrick passed away on November 11, 2011.  He was 78.

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Michael Garrick

Died On This Date (October 28, 2011) Beryl Davis / Popular Big Band Singer

Beryl Davis
March 16, 1924 – October 28, 2011

Beryl Davis was a popular British big band singer who got her start fronting her father’s (Harry Davis) band during the 1940s.  During WWII, Davis entertained the Allied troops, and it was around this time she was discovered by Glenn Miller who hired her to sing in the Army Air Force Orchestra.  She also toured Europe with Stephane Grappelli and George Shearing during that period.  She eventually moved to Los Angeles where she sang with Frank Sinatra for about a year on Your Hit Parade.  In 1954, Davis formed the Gospel quartet, the Four Girls, with Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, and Connie Haines.  They released several hit albums and singles including perhaps their most popular, “Do Lord.”  Beryl Davis died from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease on October 28, 2011. She was 87.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.