Patrick Gogerty
tric...@aol.com
Word came to me last night (not yet officially confirmed) of the death of
Patrick Gogerty, in Palm Springs, CA. I first heard him play at a
rehearsal, to which I was invited by Bill Coffman, at the Old Town Music
Hall, in El Segundo, CA, around 1977--Gogerty was working on his album
“American Beauty.” Coffman couldn’t have picked a better way to
introduce me to the world of ragtime; Gogerty’s crystalline touch on that
magnificent Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand was perfectly suited to
the warm elegance of Lamb’s rags.
Gogerty played pensively but surely, no bombast, from the heart. He’d
sort of hover over the piano; his long fingers would hang in the most
relaxed way, seeming to wag over the keys, and the music would magically
emerge.
He was a regular at the Maple Leaf Club in Los Angeles, at least
in the 70’s when I was there. I remember one afternoon, he performed
Lamb’s “Bohemia” at a languid, hypnotic pace, that was perhaps too taxing
for the impatient masses. He received applause, nonetheless, and
returned to the piano for an encore: “Bohemia” again, slightly slower!
There hasn’t been such grumbling since the premier of “Rite Of Spring.”
Was it arrogance? Gogerty’s approach was always from a respect for the
music--a connoisseur’s aesthetic. I think he was teaching us to slow down and listen.
tric...@aol.com
I'm told that Dick Broadie, a friend of Pat's, is looking for sheet music to 1) Maple Leaf Rag, and 2) Didn't He Ramble, so that they may be performed at Gogerty's memorial service this Saturday, in
Palm Springs. If any out there are capable of faxing the music and would like to do this, Broadie's fax number is (760) 778-8962. This is all the info I've got on the matter; it came to me second
hand.
BCABBR
I have heard this as well, and from a close friend of his, so I'm afraid
that
it's true. We'll miss him at the Monterey Bay Ragtime Festival. Although
I only knew him for a few years, he was a good freind. Musically, his
smooth,
understated style was a refreshing contrast to some of the other ragtime
players.
There's a nice picture of Patrick on our new web-page, taken during a
lighter
moment at last September's MBRF.
You can access this at http://bcaweb.bayarea.net/
(He's on the right hand side of the group photo.)
We'd like to learn more about Patrick ,so that we can make up a general
news release for the media in the Monterey Bay Area. I understand that he
was in some famous rock bands back in the 1960's.
If you knew Patrick well and have some information that you'd like to
share,
please E-Mail me at: BCA...@BayArea.Net
Thank you,
William Kenville
Monterey Bay Ragtime Festival