Vernon Alley - R.I.P.

[Lois Gilbert]

Vernon Alley, the world-renowned jazz bassist who played with his generation's greatest musicians and was considered this city's most distinguished jazz artist, has died. He was 89.
Alley, a lifelong San Franciscan who broke down many racial barriers during his musical career, died Sunday after a long illness.

Musicians say Alley could have become one of the biggest names in jazz. Instead he decided to spend his career in his native San Francisco, where he attended high school with Joe DiMaggio. Jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks called Alley “the dean of San Francisco jazz.”

Born in 1915 in Winnemucca, Nev., Alley and his parents moved to San Francisco not long after his birth. A high school track and football star, Alley's interest in jazz started when his parents took him to see jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton perform.

Alley began his career playing clubs in San Francisco's Fillmore District before World War II and started his own band, the Vernon Alley Trio, in 1939. In 1940, Alley went to New York and joined the Lionel Hampton band and two years later moved to the Count Basie Orchestra, reaching the pinnacle of the jazz world at age 27.

But Alley left the Basie band after several months to return to San Francisco, where he stayed the rest of his life. He became a fixture on the city's night club scene, worked on television and radio and served as musical director of the Blackhawk, the city's top jazz club.

During his career, Alley played with jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Erroll Garner, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Ella Fitzgerald.

As chairman of San Francisco's black musicians union, Alley fought racial barriers and advocated for the integration of the city's jazz clubs. After the black and white unions merged, he served as chapter president for many years.

Alley was hospitalized with a minor stroke in August 2002 and spent the rest of his life in a residential care program.

Alley is survived by his brother Eddie, 94, and a longtime companion, Lorna deRuyter. A memorial service is scheduled for Monday in San Francisco

[Mike Schwartz]

As the world celebrates Count Basie's 100th Birthday this year, let's remember Vernon Alley as a former member of Basie's famed organization.

I met Mr. Alley very briefly on a couple of occasions, the one that really stands out was at the Fairmont Hotel in SF the day I taped a radio interview with his long time friend Oscar Peterson.
The two gentlemen told tales and shared memories and kinship for a couple of hours that day while I was there. I was the human 'fly on the wall' listening to the Grand Masters talk music, humor, life, and lots of jazz... When the time came for Mr. Peterson and I to go to tape, Mr. Alley sat in on the taping as an interested friend; when I had concluded, they continued thier visit with one another.

Mr. Alley was friendly, warm, charming, generous with his time, elegantly dressed that day.
From what I've been told, he had a lengthy stretch of doing jazz radio in SF, though I know little else about that phase of his career.

He is another of those rare individuals who is spoken of in the most glowing terms by all, and who never had a bad thing to say about others.

RIP to a great musician, a SF icon who will be sorely missed...

Thanks Ma.

Goddamn, this has been a horrible year for Jazz.

I say this as I listen to Eternal from the Branford Marsalis Quartet, which was dedicated to the many legendary artists who died this year. Malachi Favors, Elvin Jones, Steve Lacy, Ray Charles, Ralph Wiley, Sue Metcalf, Tony Meilandt, Kathy Levine, and Patricia Fiero.

AND Mr. James Williams, Ma, who I know was dear to you.

God bless this artform, and all who practice it.

I can't remember a year that compares.

Makes you really stop and take stock.

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

As the world celebrates Count Basie's 100th Birthday this year, let's remember Vernon Alley as a former member of Basie's famed organization.

I met Mr. Alley very briefly on a couple of occasions, the one that really stands out was at the Fairmont Hotel in SF the day I taped a radio interview with his long time friend Oscar Peterson.
The two gentlemen told tales and shared memories and kinship for a couple of hours that day while I was there. I was the human 'fly on the wall' listening to the Grand Masters talk music, humor, life, and lots of jazz... When the time came for Mr. Peterson and I to go to tape, Mr. Alley sat in on the taping as an interested friend; when I had concluded, they continued thier visit with one another.

Mr. Alley was friendly, warm, charming, generous with his time, elegantly dressed that day.
From what I've been told, he had a lengthy stretch of doing jazz radio in SF, though I know little else about that phase of his career.

He is another of those rare individuals who is spoken of in the most glowing terms by all, and who never had a bad thing to say about others.

RIP to a great musician, a SF icon who will be sorely missed...

What a wonderful, priceless experience you had, Big Bro'. Thanks for sharing it with us.

xoxo