Walter Booker - R.I.P.

[Lois Gilbert]

I have known for sometime that Walter has been sick. Some people have said he had 9 lives - always came back with a good fight. Having been discharged, he came home from the hospital, I believe on Wednesday. Yesterday his sister came up from DC with some of Bookie's favorite foods... he passed last night. He was 73.

God Rest and God Speed your merry soul, Bookie

[Dr Dave]

I saw Walter up on the stand with any number of people--Gary Bartz, Larry Willis, Nat Adderley, I could swear I saw him on a gig with Jimmy Cobb--and he was always a treat. It seems like he played with everybody at one time or another. He really was a piece of New York jazz history. I'm so sorry he's gone.

[Valerie]

such a talented bassist. and such a fun-loving guy. i knew bookie mostly in the '60s and '70s when he was working with shirley horn, cannonball, sarah vaughan, etc. i have great memories of wonderful times. i probably hadn't seen him for at least the past five years but knew he was struggling with various medical problems. he fought valiantly and was even positive, laughing and joking until the very end.

i can't say, rest in peace, because i don't think he would pay any attention to that suggestion!

[Ron Thorne]

I'm deeply saddened by this news, as is my wife.

Unlike many of you, we were only privileged to see and hear Walter Booker in-person on one occasion, but man was it unforgettable. It was the summer of 1975, and I was working at KJZZ-FM in Anchorage. Cannonball Adderley's quintet came to town and performed a free noontime concert in a large downtown park, followed by their scheduled concert in an auditorium that evening. The quintet consisted of Cannonball & Nat Adderley, Hal Galper, Roy McCurdy and Walter Booker. What a phenomenal band and performance!

Patti and I were invited to the after-concert party, hosted by the concert's prime sponsor, also a client of mine at K-Jazz. Naturally, we were excited to attend. As we approached the home where the party was being hosted we were greeted by Walter Booker, and as we walked up the path from the sidewalk, Walter looked at us, smiled and said, "welcome to the par-TAAY!" Walter was enjoying himself and wanted us to enjoy ourselves, too. I'll leave it at that, but the memory is unforgettable. As is the memory of all of us hanging out together after a great evening of jazz, eating Alaskan seafood, reindeer sausage, gumbo and other great stuff, into the wee morning hours. At one point I sat down on the floor in a corner with Roy McCurdy and talked about drums and drumming for almost an hour. Walter was gregarious, fun-loving and warm beyond belief.

Only a few weeks later, the teletype at KJZZ carried the news of Cannonball's death, and I was the one who shared that with our audience while doing my weekly Saturday night jazz show. I was devastated.



Thank you for touching our lives, Walter Booker~

[Gary Delligatti]

Another talented man whose gift touched many

RIP

[hornplayer]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

I saw Walter up on the stand with any number of people--Gary Bartz, Larry Willis, Nat Adderley, I could swear I saw him on a gig with Jimmy Cobb--and he was always a treat. It seems like he played with everybody at one time or another. He really was a piece of New York jazz history. I'm so sorry he's gone.

Joe Williams, too..... that big band in the sky keeps getting larger and larger. So sad.

[Mike Schwartz]

( e-mail received from a publicist)

Dear Friends,

It is with a sad heart that I announce the passing of my beloved husband, bassist, Walter Booker on Friday, November 24, 2006. As soon as I finalize the details, I will advise you of when the Celebration of "Bookies" Life will be held at St Peters Church 53rd and Lexington.
Bertha Hope





Walter Booker was born in Prairie View, Texas in 1933 and moved with his family to Washington, D.C. in the mid 1940s. It wasn’t until 1959, at the age of 26, that Bookie began playing the bass while in the army (serving side-by-side in the same unit with Elvis Presley). Shortly after leaving the service, he became a member of Andrew White’s JFK Quintet, a group of young D.C. musicians accomplished enough to attract the attention of Cannonball Adderley, who produced a recording for them. Bookie’s next gig was to tour the United States with the Shirley Horn Trio, along with Billy Hart on drums.

In 1964 Bookie moved to New York City. Almost immediately he was hired by trumpeter Donald Byrd. From there he went on to join Stan Getz, and throughout 1965 and ’66, alternated between Getz’s group and that of Sonny Rollins. Between 1967 and ’69 Bookie recorded and toured with Ray Bryant, Art Farmer, Harold Vick, Betty Carter and, most notably, with Thelonious Monk’s last group.

In 1969 Bookie was invited to join the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, an association which lasted until Cannonball’s untimely death in 1975. Also during that time he designed, built, and ran the Boogie Woogie Studio, a mecca for musicians from all over the world.

From 1975 to 1981 Bookie was Sarah Vaughan’s bassist and continued to produce recordings at his studio. He and the studio helped shape a number of up-and-coming young groups, including Natural Essence. And he became deeply involved with Brazilian music, ultimately forming Love Carnival and Dreams, one of the more successful Brazilian jazz groups on the New York scene.

After leaving Sarah Vaughan, Bookie went to California with the John Hicks Trio to record an album, a trip which resulted in a West Coast tour with the trio accompanying saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders. The tour culminated in the recording of an unforgettable live video/concert. Shortly thereafter, Nat Adderley asked Bookie to join his new quintet. Bookie played with the quintet until Nat’s demise last year.

For the last five years Bookie, together with Jimmy Cobb, has been actively touring as part of the Bertha Hope Trio. In addition to the Walter Booker Quintet, Bookie has also formed Elmollenium, based on the same core group as the Quintet (plus Bertha Hope) and dedicated to playing the music of Elmo Hope.

[Valerie]

thanks for the above, big bro'! nat couldn't have died last year though. it has to be longer than that unless my mind is playing tricks again!

for the past 24 hours, i've been remembering off and on. the above also reminded me of other things i had forgotten. boy, i sure remember that studio well in its first incarnation on 87th st. then it moved further uptown, maybe around 101st street.

[Ron Thorne]

Valerie, your mind isn't playing tricks on you . . . this time.

Nat passed away on January 2, 2000 at the age of 68.

[Lilsis]

My husband and I arrived in New York City on Wednesday, November 22nd to see family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. As spouse and I were on our way to Saint Luke's hospital to see "Bookie", my brother called my cell phone to tell me that Bookie had been discharged that day. The following day, Thanksgiving, I called and spoke to Bertha and Bookie was resting. We spoke for a while and Friday, on our drive back to Atlanta, Mickey Bass called my cell phone and gave us the devastating news. Although the news was a bummer, we had an interesting drive back to Georgia of tears and laughter reminiscing all the love, fun, and good times we have had with "Bookie".

My deepest condolences go out to Bertha and the family. My family has known Walter Booker and his family since I was "knee-high to a duck" and he has always been my other 'big brother'. I am grateful for his friendship, his spirit, and his music. What a huge loss. I am going to miss him so much!! I will especially miss him asking "Hey Sis, when are you going to make another carrot cake?"
Peace, Love, and Blessings

Keep the Music Playing

[willfb]

R.I.P. to a wonderful musician.

One of my most memorable times hearing live music was the first time I ever saw Sonny Rollins live, around 1969 at the Village Vanguard, and Walter was his bass player. Hearing the Rollins tidal wave in person for the first time (I was about 18 years old) was an incandescent experience. And Walter was such a key cog in the great Cannonball quintet of that era, too.

[Valerie]

The "Celebration of a Life" Memorial Service for Walter M. Booker, Jr. will be held as follows:

Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 7:30 P.M.

Saint Peters Lutheran Church
619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 935-2200

[Mike Schwartz]

I'll be leaving NY that very morning after IAJE....would love to be there.

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

I'll be leaving NY that very morning after IAJE....would love to be there.

i was scheduled to leave that very evening, big 'bro, but i'm going to try to change my arrival and departure plans.

[Valerie]

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