Les Spann- The final Days...

[van]

I finally found out what happened to guitarist/flutist Les Spann, who seemed to be everywhere back in the 50s and 60s, playing with Duke Ellington's small group, Quincy Jones' big band, and Dizzy Gillespie's Quintet in those decades.

He was also playing octave solos on these records before anyone knew who Wes Montgomery was.

Anyway, in the Dizzy bio, "Groovin' High" by Alan Shipton (a meticulous researcher), he quotes Junior Mance as saying:

"Quite recently, he (Les Spann) died... he ended up on skid row, at rock bottom. Somebody rescued him and checked him into the hospital to dry him out.
Cats were taking him music paper, because he loved to write. They gave him every encouragement. One day, he checked himself out of the hospital and back to skid row. He died in the Bowery."

[ott...@hotmail.com]

Wow, I wondered what happened to him.
I Had (I Can't find it anymore) a nice LP of Les with a group containing a French Horn player, possibly Julius Watkins.

Definitely a fine player he was.
Bg

[patmp...@gmail.com]

Sometimes it goes the other way. Rock guitarist James Williamson was in a band with junkies. He was very talented but disappeared suddenly. I thought he was dead. It turned out he became an electrical engineer.

Rock guitarist Brian May became a professor of astrophysics. That's one of the most unbelievable things ever, if you ask me.

[rpjazzguitar]

Reportedly, he and his father built his first guitar. May used it throughout his career and you can now buy a replica. I recall that they used wood from an old fireplace. Bright and talented, is my guess.

[decap...@yahoo.com]

Sad to hear that.

TD

[Tony Done]

I think Brian failed to finish his PhD way back in order to take up a
music career, and then went back and finished it decades later. The uni
(Leeds?) him Chancellor, he is a folk hero with the students. I don't
think he ever planned on becoming a scientist in later life, he just
wanted to tidy up unfinished business.

--
Tony Done

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=784456

http://www.flickr.com/photos/done_family/

[JNugent]

I have that LP (and the CD reissue): "Gemini". Les played guitar and flute.

<http://i.imgur.com/gwDdXPz.jpg>

[ott...@hotmail.com]

> > I Had (I Can't find it anymore) a nice LP of Les with a group containing a French Horn player, possibly Julius Watkins.
> > Definitely a fine player he was.
> > Bg
>
> I have that LP (and the CD reissue): "Gemini". Les played guitar and flute.
>
> <http://i.imgur.com/gwDdXPz.jpg>

Yeah, Thanks.
That's the One, there are some tracks to listen on the tube for any one interested.

<https://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=youtube+%2b+les+spann&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4VASN_enCA526CA528&q=youtube+%2b+les+spann&gs_l=hp....0.0.0.10365...........0.lPB7BFtsGYc>

Bg

[van]

Thanks for the link!
Very swinging session with some great players.
French horn + Guitar sounds great, and French Horn + Flute sounds even better.
Les was playing Wes' stuff before anyone- maybe even Wes!
They must have known each other.

[joel fass]

On Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 3:21:51 PM UTC-5, van wrote:

I knew Les in his final days (the 1980s). He used to hang out in Tompkins Square Park, and occasionally would come visit Eddie Diehl at the Folklore Center. He drank his beer, would play my guitar (and drool on it), but he seemed to be at peace. He showed me the counter-line to Con Alma one afternoon. He also told me that when he felt musical he would sit down and write a big band chart. His friend told me that once when Dizzy Gillespie played Washington Square Park Les hung around and after the show approached Dizzy, saying 'John Birks'. Dizzy turned around, irate, and said 'that's exactly the condition you were in last time I saw you'---and stalked off. I thought Les was a nice man, and I'm glad I got to spend a little time with him.

[homebo...@gmail.com]

Early 80s, Washington Square Park. Out of desperation, the jazzbo band busking in the park let me (and my white SG) play with them one afternoon. A homeless looking guy came by and wanted to play my guitar. Being a selfish arrogant know nothing youth, I said no. The other guys said, "Oh, that's Les Spann", which meant nothing to me except that I should let him play. I was amazed and humbled. I still remember voicings he used on the bridge to "Girl From Ipanema". Then he walked off and I never saw him again. A security guard at a place I worked (we struck up a conversation 'cause he saw me going to work with my guitar-I would practice in the stairwell at lunch) filled me in a bit, but it wasn't 'til the internet that I was able to track down his music. You can't judge a book by it's cover. Stay humble.

[joel fass]

On Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 3:21:51 PM UTC-5, van wrote:

I knew Les. He used to hang out at Tompkins Square Park. He would sit on a bench and drink beer, keeping to himself. I think he approached me when I was playing in the park. We made friends. He never was disheveled, or looked or acted like a drunk---he seemed very much at peace. We would trade my guitar (he never brought his, and I'm not sure he even had one anymore) back and forth, and play for each other. He taught me the counter-line to Con Alma---which he may have created. Sometimes he would drool on my Guild X500, but I didn't care, just wiped it off. He had visited the Folklore Center, where Eddie Diehl did repair work. Eddie had played a tape we had made with then-bassist, now famous economist/talking head/author Jared Bernstein. Les dug it, and told me that. The only time I saw him get upset was at a guy coming too close to us to 'spread the word'. 'Go preach the Gospel over THERE!'. He told me also that when he wanted to express himself musically he would write a big band chart---also that DB had paid him $50 once to write an article on the up-and-coming guitarists in jazz. He had called it 'The New Breed', but DB changed the title. A friend of his told me a disturbing story: Dizzy Gillespie had played with his big band in the park. Les approached him, and Diz was facing the other way. 'John Birks!', Les cried out. 'That's exactly the condition you were in last time I saw you!', Gillespie rejoined---and turned on his heels and stormed off. Not exactly the last word in compassion---but he ws said to have no tolerance for 'weakness'. I remember with fondness the time I spent with Les (earliest '80s). He was a nice and gentle man, and still sounded good...

[Dom Minasi]

On Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 3:21:51 PM UTC-5, van wrote:

I use to see him at Birdland..wonderful player on both guitar and flute