The George Cables Benefit

One year ago, the pianist George Cables gave his listeners a moment of music so vivid that I was moved to write of it,

…he created that rarest of musical experiences, a concert performance that remains in the mind, whole and alive.

You may go here to read about that concert.
Cables’ playing that night was extraordinary, but it was plain to everyone in the audience that he was unwell–drastically underweight, moving to the piano with difficulty. On dialysis for years, he had undergone it that very day.
Dialysis was a part of his routine on the road until his illness made staying on the road impossible. Last fall, he underwent a simultaneous liver and kidney transplant. Cables has been recuperating at home. He has a long way to go to recovery, and an enormous medical debt to meet. To help, friends have arranged two nights of benefit performances at the Greenwich Village, New York, club called Sweet Rhythm. So far, twenty-three prominent musicians are donating their talents. No doubt there will be more. Here are details sent by the organizers:

The New York All-Star Benefit for George Cables
FRIDAY JANUARY 25 and SATURDAY JANUARY 26
SETS: 8, 10, MIDNIGHT, 2AM
$25 per set and $10 minimum
SWEET RHYTHM
88 7th Ave S
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-3626

Kenny Barron,
Randy Brecker,
Michael Carvin,
Joe Chambers,
Sonny Fortune,
Billy Harper,
Winard Harper,
Louis Hayes,
Vincent Herring,
Pete LaRoca,
Peter Leitch,
Victor Lewis,
Ronnie Mathews,
Cecil McBee,
Eric Reed,
Rufus Reid,
James Spaulding,,
Steve Turre,
Cedar Walton,
Buster Williams,
Steve Wilson,
Lenny White,
Reggie Workman

Reservations are strongly advised
www.sweetrhythmny.com
If you can’t attend, and would like to contribute please visit: www.georgecables.com . The George Cables Healing Fund has been set up where all contributions (with the exception of PayPal deductions) go directly to George, or you can send a check in any amount payable to:
GEORGE CABLES
c/o JazzCorner.com
245 West 25th St. #2F
New York, NY 10001

There is little internet video of Cables, but this ten-minute clip of “Alone Together” at an Italian festival last summer captures him in fine fettle. The other players are identified in the box to the right of the little YouTube video screen.