Dave Black RIP

bernhard

Founder Drummerworld
Staff member
December 5, 2006:
Very sad to announce:
Dave Black - the great Duke Ellington Drummer - passed away today at 12:00 noon West Coast time.
He died in his sleep and is now not suffering from the terrible pains he was dealing with cancer.
It was very important to him that his playing abilities lived on. He was an incredible musician and an inspiring drummer.
He was a beautiful and loving person and a consummate musician.

Please check out the Videos and spread the word.....


Bernhard


http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Dave_Black.html


Steve Smith wrote to me:

He is a great jazz drummer who was one of the early double bass drum players.
His chops were amazing, like Buddy's and Louie's. I've known him for years because we both lived int eh San Francisco area.
He sent me a home made Dvd of him playing in a church that is incredible, his chops will blow you away.
Billy Strayhorn wrote him a feature for Duke's band called "Gonna Tan Your Hide." There is a great solo on that too. In that he does something close to what Thomas Lang is doing now. Dave plays single strokes very slowly on the double bass and then speeds them up so they are super fast, then he keeps the feet going and does the same thing with the hands, he was ahead of his time.

Steve Smith
 
Thats really sad. Amazing influencial drummer. May he RIP.
 
Sad news, his contributions to druming are unmeasureable and hes was a gift to us all, may his soul rest in peace.
 
Just watched those Videos - all i can say is "wow". Amazing drummer with amazing feel and incredible technique. I am totally blown away right now.

Too sad he's gone!

Bernhard - if you can find any more Videos with him, I'm sure everybody here would be happy about that. What an amazing drummer!
 
Great drummer. Too sad. I liked those snare dynamics he got on those videos. Really good (but of course, Steve Smith went a little to far, i guess... not exactly "just like Buddy's" (chops), but great and tasty. I'd LOVE to have a class with him).

Rest in peace.
 
Another legend has departed us- Great drummer with a great style! His presence in the drumming world will be missed, but his influence will be eternal.
 
Very Sad ;;;
Yes Dave was A great player[[[[ HE took drum lessons from
Bill Walsh / of Tollen and Walsh " Music City " Phila.
Thank You For Telling Me///
BUTCH Axsmith
 
from Rex Allen:

Hi Bernhard,

Just visited your excellent site, and enjoyed the extended treatment your
gave my dear friend and colleague, Dave Black. Thank you for noting his passing
which occurred on Monday, December 4.

The Dave Black Memorial will be held:

Sunday, December 17, 2006 @ 2:00pm

Imanuel Lutheran Church

1420 Lafayette Street

Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 523-0659

Nice to see the videos of Dave you included on the site, which were from a
live concert we did in 1988 with Rex Allen's Swing Express®.

As one of only a handful of full-time working Swing bands on the West Coast,
the 5-piece Swing Express featured Dave on hundreds of appearances - nearly
every week for THIRTY YEARS. And prior to 1977, we knew one another on a
freelance basis for some years.

Dave gave notice about a year and a half ago when health issues caused him to
restrict his volume of work and traveling.

We were extremely close (am a trombonist/vibist, but play drums, as well),
and I was honored to have helped promote Dave's name in contemporary drum
circles for years.

Our long association also includes Dave's 5-year stint with my 14-piece REX
ALLEN BIG BAND (he replaced ex-Tommy Dorsey drummer Tom Widdicomb) in the 1980s.

More importantly, and in connection with Dave's long-standing connection to
Gene Krupa, Dave was selected by me to be the drummer for the first official
and estate-sponsored GENE KRUPA ORCHESTRA, when I was appointed leader of that
orchestra. Our co-leading relationship lasted from 1986-1992 and included
numerous tours, public and private appearances in the United States.

For some reason this long and important association, which significantly
shaped Dave's latter career and contributed substantial portion of his income,
seems to have been overlooked in the usual reportage.

Just want to set the record straight, especially on your special site.

Thanks again, and Keep Swinging!

Rex Allen
Founder, America Swings Again!®
http://wwwold.riverwalkjazz.org/profiles/rexallen.htm
 
Thank You, Bernard, for posting this about the passing of a "true great and inspirational drummer", Dave Black. May he live in our musical hearts forever! And Thank You, Dave Black, for your contributions to the world of percussion! And may you continue to........


Play On!


Heaven is surely smiling...Dave, Buddy, and Gene are now on stage...And what a show it must be!
 
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Im a little slow at reading some of the articles in Drummerworld. I was cruising thru the bio's of drummers when I came upon a familiar name...Dave Black. It was back in the 80's when I had the very good fortune to meet him and his lovely wife in San Francisco. I knew his son, Brtitley, ( my wife and Britley worked at an Insurance company together and I got to know him quite well. He played drums in a band called "Crime" and being a struggling drummer myself we were instant friends). One afternoon I was picking up my wife from her work and Britley's parents were ther visiting him. I had no idea who his father was at the time, when he introduced me I was in a state of shock to say the least. My parents had a lot of Duke Ellington music around the house and although I wasn't into that genre of music I heard it a lot and really learned a lot from it (albeit unknowingly). Needless to say I was in awe!! We talked for a good while at the office and somehow, I think it was my wife that invited them over to our house for coffee and cake. They were very nice and said yes. I was in shock again!! We lived in an old Victorian on Hayes street on the bottom floor. I had converted the back bedroom into a studio for me and my bandmates to practice in. My kit was set up in there all the time. When he saw my set he was amazed at how nice of shape it was in. It was a 1979 Pearl Export kit I had restored. He said that Britley's kit was in horrible shape and he'd wished he would take better care of his equipment, we both laughed. I asked if he would like to play them, and low and behold he said "YES". I was in shock again...this time I had goosebumps and the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end. At this time I didn't ask him how old he was but he was probably in his late 60's. He played my kit better than I ever did when I was younger. He showed me a few things that I didn't think were possible. My kit was a single bass kit with a double bass pedal. His feet were so fast I was just amazed. He even played my Hi-Hat stand...from the pedal all the way to the clutch and back down again. Now I know nobody had ever done that before. I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. I only saw him once or twice after that (he was really busy then). Anyway... to make a short story long...I was really said to hear of the passing of such a great man, not to mention a really great musician. My wife passed away some years ago now, and I'm sure he missed his wife as much as I did mine. It was sad to hear that Britley had passed away also, but now that he has passed they are all together now in a much better place and my wife is probably serving them coffee and cake again as well!! Thanks Dave and we will always miss you terribly!!!! GOD SPEED!!
 
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