RIP CBGB's Freestyle Jazz & Rashid (Sun Ra)

As of now, the Freestyle Jazz nights at CBGB's are history, as the club itself may be soon despite some benefit shows. When Dee Pop came to the stage to make the introduce the bands for the final night on Sunday, there were some sad groans and moans from the crowd but he didn't want to hear any of that. This was still a celebration, he insisted, not just of the people there but of this marginalized music and the home that it had there. Though a four-hour drive earlier that day meant I didn't have the energy to stay long, it was indeed a celebration. Not just seeing Roy Campbell, Joe Morris, Sabir Mateen and others on stage but the collection of people boisterously chatting each other up at the other end of the club. Normally, such distractions would be annoying but here, old friends were enjoying the moment, maybe wondering where and when they'll be able to gather like this again (hopefully before the next Vision Festival in spring '06).

Another sad jazz goodbye to report, courtesy of Gary Smoke. "Manuel Palanque aka Rashid passed away over the weekend. He used to play trumpet for Sun Ra. Manny worked for me and was one of my closest friends. He got sick after work on Thursday evening and was taken from the subway to LI College Hospital. He fell into a coma and died on Sunday. Please notify anyone who may know Manny and feel free to share my e-mail address with them."