In January, Rifftides reader Donna Shore sent a remembrance of Bryce Rohde, the pianist and music director of the Australian Jazz Quartet. Outside of Australia the talented musician’s achievements received too little notice when he died in January. Updated slightly, here is Ms. Shore’s tribute, with video of Rohde’s trio performing the piece that she mentions. The video’s opening includes a biographical sketch. The low-level hum at the beginning quickly disappears.
My dear old friend Bryce Rohde passed away early this year at age 93. A genius, a proponent of George Russell’s Lydian Concept of Tonal Organization, he had been my friend since the early 60s. I will miss his sweet and kindred spirit and his brilliant piano dexterity and composition.
His composition “Windows of Arquez,” has a lot of meaning to our old Sausalito contingent, Donlan Arquez was the overseer to the entire property landscape of Gate 5, hence the title.
RIP: Bryce Rohde. I will miss my dear old friend, he enriched my life.