Bert Wilson was an undersung musician and an extraordinary man who died earlier this month. An underground hero of saxophonists far beyond the Pacific Northwest where he lived, he was so unusual and so little recognized that Rifftides is departing from our policy of not publishing verbatim announcements from elsewhere. Here is Jim Wilke’s alert to a special broadcast this weekend devoted to Wilson’s music. Bert Wilson was an inspiration, mentor, and brilliant saxophonist who passed on … [Read more...]

Ben Tucker, RIP There has been a civic outpouring of affection for bassist Ben Tucker, who died on June 4 in his adopted hometown, Savannah, Georgia. Tucker was killed when a car smashed into his golf cart. He was 82. He moved to Georgia four decades ago after establishing himself as a valuable sideman in Los Angeles, then New York. Tucker worked with pianists Carl Perkins, Billy Taylor and Marian McPartland, among many other leading jazz artists. He is on record with Bob Dorough, Herbie … [Read more...]