farewell farewell

So Charlie Mariano died on the 16th June. His obituary in the Times accompanied Farah Fawcett and managed to squeeze onto the pages ahead of what will no doubt be the next day’s tome of an obituary for Michael Jackson, who died a couple of days ago. At least Mariano had a long life (he was 85) unlike Fawcett, who was my age, and Jackson, who was a mere fifty.

I don’t know much about Mariano except he played at Mingus’ famous Town Hall Concert and later recorded with the man on the eccentric “Black Saint and Sinner Lady” album. He was married to pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, who also made the occasional appearance with Mingus, notably in 1962. He was also a member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble (based mainly in Germany) and ventured enthusiastically into hybrid jazz, never being afraid to experiment with eastern styles and other ‘world’ jazz forms.

What I do know is that Mariano was a brilliant and creative alto sax player. Mingus never suffered the inept gladly; he tended to surround himself with only the most original and proficient players. Mariano was one of them. I didn’t necessarily like everything he did; I’m too much of a traditionalist for that. But there’s no denying his skill and ingenuity in his chosen instrument.

So why is the entire world suddenly in mourning for Michael Jackson, yet has hardly noticed the passing of Mariano? BBC News 24 had apparently identified Jackson as the only worthy news item last evening. The woman presenter floundered pitifully while she tried desperately to maintain momentum as ‘breaking news’ whimpered out like a tyre with a slow puncture. She pumped as hard as she could, taking a breather only when the weather man could be found. A sort of media whipped hysteria is slowly seeping into Jackson’s death. I couldn’t watch any longer and retreated to the study and contemplation. The next few days are to be dreaded.

Charlie Mariano’s demise took 10 days before his death-knell reached the obituary register. That’s inequitable. I don’t begrudge Jackson his final bow; he influenced many millions and undoubtedly deserves all the posthumous encomia and plaudits to be piled on him over the coming weeks. But I know many musicians and fans will be mourning the loss of Mariano - he hasn’t slipped away unnoticed. Yet surely his passing warrants a little more attention than the odd obituary in the more intelligent newspapers and a few postings on the internet.

I wonder which programme will hit the TV screens first – a tribute to Michael Jackson or a requiem to Charlie Mariano. That’s purely for rhetoric – I know the answer, sadly. Another great jazzman is lost. When I look at the recordings I play frequently, very few musicians are still alive. But perhaps that says more about my tastes in jazz rather than the state of the music.

My next post will not mention death at all.