Tina Marsh, Austin's avant-jazz leader, gravely ill

Thank you Howard for your beautiful tribute to Tina-an amazing woman, vocalist, composer, and educator who has been an inspiration to all who have come in contact with her.
Tina was our guest composer and performer with our big band in July 2007, here is a segment of that performance "Milky Way Dreaming". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn_zhLuW17E

Thanks for this, Howard.

A small note - I was at the Creative Music Studio with Tina in summer '79. (She may also have been there in '80.) She did some tremendous things there-Roscoe Mitchell was artistic director, Braxton, George Lewis, and Leo Smith guests for a week each. One memory I've often told students about was our performance of a Braxton piece in which we had to make sounds at different heights in space according to the dynamics. Tina took it to an incredible level and inspired everyone there, singing very softly with her mouth on the floor, etc. It was unbelievable and triggered this incredible performance that made Braxton come back the next day with Nickie and a professional video setup.

I've followed her work from afar since then, through CDs and news and friends (Ken Filiano, ROVA) and she's been a real hero of the music and her community. Thanks again for letting people know. I wish her whatever is best for her in this difficult time.