Willie Tee (Wilson Turbinton) died yesterday in New Orleans, the same day on which his close friend Joe Zawinul died in Vienna, both of cancer. See the next item for a remembrance and a picture of them together. Willie’s death comes barely a month after that of his brother Earl, another member of the Turbinton-Zawinul-Adderley mutual admiration society. To read the New Orleans Times-Picayune story about Willie, go here.
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
I didn’t know Willie, other than hearing him play. His part of the New Orleans Social Club set at JazzFest this year was a real highlight. He was soulful as ever.
When I first moved to town in the late 80’s, Earl was pretty active, and I heard him play a lot. He was always super supportive of the young cats. He wanted us to learn and he wanted to help that happen. It was very much about the music for Earl, as I’m sure you know. I’m not the only young white guy that has said he felt a lot of encouragement from Earl, it’s a common thread. Not all of the guys of his generation were as musically generous as he was.
I feel for their family, with them both passing in such a small time-span.