Tuesday, January 30, 2007

RIP: Jimmy Gomes

I just heard that musician and veritable institution Jimmy Gomes, leader of the Jazz Example, who presided over the proceedings at Buffalo's famed Anchor Bar for countless eons, has passed.

Drummer Danny Hull, in his recently brief but poignant tribute, called Gomes "Buffalo's Art Blakey," and mentioned that there is "no one swinging harder in Heaven, and no one better dressed." Amen. (Well, there's one that's quite a bit better dressed, and James Brown will give Gomes a run for his... what? Clarence said they don't use money in Heaven. But you get the picture).

I haven't seen the Jazz Example in years, and the last memory I have intact of seeing Jimmy swing his socks off was back in the 80's, but man, did he swing. And those funky custom leopard shell Kents were something to behold, too.

RIP, JG. Tang tang tang, t-tang-a-daaaaaaaang...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, this is depressing news. I used to live down the street from the anchor bar and went to hear him play all the time. a great player and such a nice man. this makes me sad.

Anonymous said...

Yes. We are losing many of the generation(s) of musicians that we grew up on. It makes me nostalgic for all of the great nights of music at all of the little places that many people don't even know about (some of them still here, many are gone).

Years ago, we used to here some incredible live music at the CPG, for instance.

GJ

Anonymous said...

That should have been "hear some incredible live music..." of course, but maybe there's some poetry there somehow...

GJ