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September 19, 2014

Kenny Wheeler, Trumpeter and Flugelhornist, Is Dead at 84

Kenny Wheeler, the trumpet and flugelhorn great who was born in Canada but spent most of his life in Britain, where he became a major jazz star, died Sept. 18 at age 84. The place and cause of death were not announced but Wheeler had been in ill health for some time; he’d been living in a London nursing home and had recently been hospitalized. Wheeler’s versatile approach ultimately allowed him to work within various milieus, including big band, post-bop, fusion and free jazz. As a leader he recorded albums for ECM, CAM Jazz and other labels and he served as a sideman or collaborator with a range of diverse artists including Keith Jarrett, Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell and Dave Holland. As an educator, Wheeler was a founding patron of the Junior Jazz program at Britain’s Royal Academy of Music and was the subject of a yearlong exhibition at the Academy Museum. (Jazz Times)

„UAJO plays the Music of Kenny Wheeler“ titelt die wunderbare CD mit dem genialen kanadischen Trompeter, der übrigens 1995 eine 3-Tages-Portrait im P&B hatte. Das letztmal war Wheeler im Oktober 2012 auf Einladung von Uli Soyka mit u.a. John Abercrombie, Jan Roder und Peter Ponger zu Gast – damals schon von Alter und Krankheit gezeichnet. Nun erhielten wir ein Schreiben (siehe unten), das uns informierte, dass Kenny Wheeler dringend Hilfe von Außen benötigt. Das UAJO erklärte sich spontan bereit, nochmals das Wheeler-Programm zur Aufführung zu bringen. Die Musiker verzichten auf die Gage und die Eintrittseinnahmen gehen an unseren Freund Kenny!! Kommet zuhauf! CH

Als wir 1993 nach dem für uns erfolgreichen Billa Big Band Contest beschlossen, das frisch gegründete UAJO weiterzubetreiben, war Kenny Wheeler unser erster Gastmusiker/Komponist, der uns dann bei unserer ersten gemeinsamen Tournee1995 quasi ohne Worte musikalisch die Waldn nach vorne richtete. Es folgten einige gemeinsame Tourneen u.a. 1998 durch Kanada, CD Aufnahmen mit dem UAJO und einem Quintett und Kenny steuerte auch Arrangements und Kompositionen für unsere späteren Programme bei. Insgesamt war das Zusammentreffen mit Kenny für uns ein immens wichtiges und prägendes, und wir wollen ihm mit diesem Konzert in dieser schwierigen Phase seines Lebens ein wenig helfen. Kennys Part werden abwechselnd die Trompeter des UAJO übernehmen. (Christian Maurer)

Hugh Fraser here- I hope this communication finds you healthy, happy and following your creative compasses as intensely as always!  One of the most important influences that runs through all of us is individual and collective experiences with Canadian music genius Kenny Wheeler. Evan Parker and Norma Winston contacted me a few weeks ago informing me that he is in immediate need. Now 84, he has been placed in a 24 hour care facility while his wife, Doreen, was admitted to hospital with more heart problems. She is now in the home with him but unable to care for them in their home. While their family is exploring options to secure home care or a suitable alternative, they are in immediate financial need. To buy some time for this transition, friends of Kenny Wheeler are rallying to raise any funds to cushion this difficult period. I am suggesting a benefit concert of Kennys music from mostly artists that have worked for him in your own communities. Evan just did the first small group one in London, I have one at the end of August, but I think a series of big band ( or small group) concerts from us at the earliest convenience with all proceeds to the Friends of Kenny Wheeler PayPal account would be marvellous. Individual contributions are welcome as well. The PayPal email account is: friendsofkennywheeler@gmail.com. I have talked to Kenny many times, and when suggesting this series in Canada, his spirits were noticeably raised- more for the fact that we all remember him and love his music so much that we would present many evenings of his compositions. So Kenny! I will leave all details to you, but would like to be informed of the dates and groups to compile a press and public awareness thrust of these events as we proceed to focus our efforts. I am structuring a big band evening with members of the groups that have performed with him here, forwarding the proceeds to him and getting the artists to sign a card to be mailed to Kenny. Kenny's mailing address at the home is:  Kenny Wheeler ℅ Woodfield Grove Care Home, Rectory Lane, Loughton, Essex, England, IG10 3RU
Let me know what you can do, with whom, where and when, and I'll post it on my web site and would invite you to do the same. Lots of peace, love and music, and I hope to see and hear you all sooner than later!

Eintritt: Mindestspende 18.- €