Mike Hennessey RIP

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"British journalist* and pianist Mike Hennessey died last week in Durchhausen, Germany, it was annonced today. He was 89. He had retired in Durchhausen in1989."

*And much much more, including biographer, Johnny Griffin, Klook et al.

RIP.

[Alison]

There always seem to be so many deaths in your sphere, Revox.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Yes, depressing isn't it! And as Ronnie Scott used to say, "I'm not feeling too well myself"! (Joke)

Anyway...
.
"Hennessey slips easily into a state of recall. The stories abound, about the piano playing, compositions, productions, books and liner notes. He has been there, done it, rubbed it and probably played it. Hennessey is the universal man, albeit one whom William Blake would have failed to understand, although Art Blakey sure did.

The hip among the British are likely to say "man" to each other, and then lower their eyes in embarrassment because it seems, well, not quite British. Appropriate to form, yours truly enjoyed conversation with a man one could easily meet at Lord's (cricket) or down the boozer (pub) for a pint of warm beer. Having said all that, we are talking about a bloke who has played with Messrs Griffin, Golson, DeFranco, Clark Terry and Nat Adderley, and plenty more besides. His own interviews have ranged from the sublime - trailing around Paris with Thelonious Monk in a interview that eventually took fourteen hours (he spoke slowly?), to the ridiculous - a two word comment from Miles Davis, the second word of which was, characteristically, "off." ....

- Portrait of Mike Hennessey: Laurence Brasier.

BN.


"