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11-02-2008, 01:30 AM
| | | | Mel Graves, in his own words
My teacher and mentor years ago. Brilliant composer, bassist, and teacher. Missing him already, I did get to speak to him earlier this week. http://www.metroactive.com/bohemian/...aves-0844.html
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11-03-2008, 03:08 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Thomastik - Infeld Strings | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NYC & San Francisco | | | Mel Graves
I would like to say the same. Mel was my first bass teacher and taught me so much about the bass and how to develop your ears as well as composing. I wish I could attend the concert being given in his honor.
I encourage everyone to seek out is music and his bass playing. He has prodigious gifts as a bassist and I am proud to be one of his former students. he has made albums with Art Lande, Joe Henderson, Dewey Redman among others. I believe he also played with Monk while he was living in New York. |
11-04-2008, 11:55 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Tx | | | Wow, that is a real bummer. He is a great guy. I have met him a few times around here. That really sucks. |
11-05-2008, 05:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Ridgewood, NJ | | | This is really sad. I lost track of Mel after he moved to NYC with a composition grant, and I never could get any information on his whereabouts. I tried getting to Zeitlin, but never got past the office staff.
In the 70's, I used to go to San Diego every 2 months on business. Mel had gone there to study with Bert Turetzky. Mel was playing in a hotel lounge we went to after work. I talked to Mel, and next thing you know, I'm sitting in. We hit it off very well. After that, every time I went to SD I'd visit Mel at home. He introduced me to Jaco's work. Mel was friendly, generous, and disarmingly honest, great qualities for a teacher, and increasingly rare in a society which seems to encourage self-centeredness.
I'll try to write to him thru SSU unless someone can e-mail me his address.
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Certified to teach the Alexander Technique. see donaldhigdon.com
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11-05-2008, 07:35 PM
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Last edited by MR PC : 11-23-2008 at 02:06 PM.
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11-10-2008, 02:12 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Thomastik - Infeld Strings | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NYC & San Francisco | | | Mel Graves
Mel Graves passed on Saturday, November 8th. there was a tribute concert at Sonoma State University Sunday, November 9th. I contributed an open letter to Mel as part of the Concert program notes.
Also, for anyone in the New York or Massachutesets area. Myself and fellow Sonoma State Alumni, Jason Robinson will be performing a Concert at Amherst University along with George Schuller tomorrow night (November 11th) at 9pm. This show will be dedicated to the memory of Mel Graves. |
11-10-2008, 02:23 PM
| | | | Mel Graves OBIT
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article...0251/1052/OBIY
I was at the concert last night. Denny Zeitlan and Art Lande played 4 hand piano at Mel's request. Mel asked that Peter Barshay take his place on the stand. Mel Martin reeds, George Marsh drumkit. Randy Vincent on guitar. As Mel's wife said, "he is here tonight and he loves you all". Amazing feeling.
Many tears of joy shared. |
11-10-2008, 02:35 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Thomastik - Infeld Strings | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NYC & San Francisco | | | concert last night
hey did you happen to get a program. I would love to actually see the program
Last edited by bassdogEmer : 11-10-2008 at 02:43 PM.
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11-10-2008, 07:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago | | | I never knew Mel personally, but my good friend and long time band-mate, saxophonist Rich Fudoli played with and knew him for years. He most recently played a number of concerts with him along with John Abercrombie and George Marsh and always spoke very highly of him. Another one gone way too soon... |
11-11-2008, 01:40 AM
| | | | Mel Graves Program, Pages 1 & 2
Here's the Mel Graves Program, Pages 1 & 2 (Total 4 pages) from the Tribute Concert.
Last edited by MR PC : 07-12-2010 at 07:41 PM.
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11-11-2008, 01:43 AM
| | | | Here's the Mel Graves Program, Pages 3 & 4 (Total 4 pages) from the Tribute Concert.
Here's the Mel Graves Program, Pages 3 & 4 (Total 4 pages) from the Tribute Concert. Andrew, if you'd like, I can post your letter to Mel as well. It was included as an insert in the program.
Last edited by MR PC : 07-12-2010 at 07:41 PM.
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11-11-2008, 07:06 AM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Thomastik - Infeld Strings | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NYC & San Francisco | | | thanks yea sure you can post it - I just wanted to see the layout. Looks like a great concert. Mel was a special cat. |
11-11-2008, 03:05 PM
| | Registered User
Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cuernavaca 1 hr S Mexico City | | | RIP (QEPD) |
11-11-2008, 07:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Yeah, I just got a call from Art Lande. He just got back from the concert.
I never met Mel when I lived in the bay area, but I know he was a real force.
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
11-12-2008, 09:07 AM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Labella strings,Warwick Basses | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New York,NY | | | Wish I could've been at the concert for Mel @ SSU on Nov 9th.I studied with Mel when I went back to finish my degree in late 90's.I had already studied with quite a few teachers prior to Mel,but he left quite an impression on me.Mel didn't "pull punches" and he was a wealth of knowledge.I have a video of Mel & I playing a bass duo of SOLAR for my graduation.We both traded solos and accompanied each other.At the end Mel,nearly a foot taller than me,gave me a big hug.I'll always watch that video in fond memory! PeAce MeL....... |
11-12-2008, 09:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | | I never met him, but he was kind enough to say some nice things for my book. RIP.
__________________
"It takes a pretty great drummer to be better than no drummer" -Chet Baker
BECAUSE AWESOME CAT IS AWESOME!!!!!
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11-21-2008, 12:18 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | | |
11-25-2008, 01:18 PM
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12-16-2008, 09:15 AM
| | | | I was also a student of Mel Graves. We had met through my stepfather and I ended up going to Sonoma St. I ended up studying with him twice after dropping out the first time and finishing up my degree the second time. I have to say that he did make a lasting impression and I am sure that he "lives on" in many if not all of his students and friends.
I'll share one little story:
When playing in his ensembles as Sonoma State, he would cut no one any slack in the band. There was much hard work done to get the music to "lift the bandstand" as he would say. The payoff at the end of one semester during the jazz ensemble performance was looking over in the wings of the stage. There was Mel, listening and bopping to the music - really into it. You knew it you were swinging if Mel was dancing.
I am sure Mel is dancing now. I do miss him!
Andre |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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