I thought it very, very appropriate to put this outline in this section because this story reflects, to me, the connection between the Spiritual Essence of an Kmtyw performer and a listener/admirer. Jazz embodies all the feelings, rhythms, emotions, and visions of our people-I'm talking about true Jazz-not that "smooth jazz concoction" being foisted upon those WHO DO NOT KNOW- THE DUPED ONES.
I really would like to send the UtMost strongest vibration for a Sister whom I think represents the essence, in her voice and musical vibrations, of struggle and perserverance, in the face of enormous odds and obstacles. Man, when I heard that Queen Irene Reid died, it broke my heart! What a great Sister. And you know the sad part of it? We have great Sisters and Brothers, just like Queen Irene Reid, walking around today-totally unnoticed and unrecognized by most of our people. Most of us ain't trying to keep up with or help THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK. Where were we when our great people needed help? From where I sit, seems like most of us ARE TOO BUSY- TOO BUSY BEING SLAVES TO THE SYSTEM OF wHITE DOMINATION-to take time to assist those Kmtyws WHO ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK!!
WHO ARE THE GREAT ONES WALKING AROUND NOW, DOING THE GOOD WORK AND GOING UNRECOGNIZED OR SUPPORTED BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE???
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP THEM???
Nonetheless, take a few minutes and read about Irene Reid, and then listen to her sing, and then you will know why I call her Queen Irene Reid-
Her story follows below:
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Irene Reid
The last of a dying breed. One of the greatest singers that ever graced Harlem.
Friday January 4th Legend/vocalist Irene Reid, one of the greatest vocalists that ever graced a stage, has passed.
It was the same day as most of you already know, that Earl May (Legendary bassist) also passed at 4 PM- without any warning, he went almost instantly, without suffering, survived by his wonderful wife Lee. Arrangements and funeral services will be announced soon and certainly someone with more jazz history than I, will write about the one and only Earl May, one of the kindest, generous, most precious people in the world- but in the mean time- here's a little something about Irene.
First time I went to see Irene Reid, was when her health first was failing (over 5 years ago) and she was only able to sing 3 tunes in a set. I was young in my job at the Jazz Foundation and some folks told me that Irene had not been feeling well so I went to hear her at “Smoke" on Broadway and 106 St. and I introduced myself.
I watched her perform 2 sets. You could see he was struggling with her breathing and the club owner Paul had asked her if she needs to go to the hospital but she didn't want to disappoint the crowd that had packed the place waiting in line to see what was becoming rare moments when she was feeling well enough to make the gig. At one point, she was so dizzy she nearly fainted but no one in the audience saw this going on as she had been experiencing this in a small corner that had been set aside for her to rest between tunes. Irene insisted she would not leave till she finished the second set. She saved herself for the last tune of the set, a grand finale blues. That was when I first heard Irene Reid do what so few left on Earth can do anymore- I had to literally sit on my hands to keep from pulling out a harmonica and jumping on the stage- I had not heard blues like that in ages. For the length of that one tune, not one person in the crowd remembered that they were dealing with a divorce, or an illness or the sickness of a parent, or the heartbreak of having a teenage kid at home - no one in that room remembered they had to go to work on Monday to a job they didn't want, or their life was not what quite what they had expected- for one moment, we were all free- we were complete, we were all happy and shouting from the irreplaceable irresistible reach-your-soul abilities of Irene Reid - After she finished, and everyone was on their feet standing up for her, she made her way through the crowd and asked me to help her into the car service that was waiting and we went straight to the hospital. That was the first night I had met her. We went to a hospital in the Bronx and when we got there, all they saw was an elderly person they assumed was poor, they said there were no beds and made us wait by the door, cold winds passing through us, surrounded by homeless people who were coughing and the staff had that attitude that many of us have experienced in situations like this one.
So I went up to the head nurse and said, “Do you know who this is? She's a very famous singer." Then I went outside for a minute and made a call to the emergency room as if I was the assistant of a very famous person who I wont name, (but who gave me permission to do this) and asked if Miss Irene Reid was in the emergency room and said that “Mr. So and so was worried about her and wanted to know if she was all right." We got a bed within 2 minutes and the head doctor came out and she was treated like the royalty she was.
Sadly, she was not able to sing much after her health started to fail her more and more. Irene had not been able to sing in any meaningful way these past few years and every time we'd speak, she would be going into the hospital or going home from the hospital. Our social worker Valerie Simon, who also loved her and was very close to her, had gotten her a special grant that paid her rent during the last few years of her life while she was homebound.
Sometimes she would be feeling so ill she could hardly stay on the phone but she never complained, she always remembered to ask how I was and how my children were and how the folks she knew were doing. Always she would sigh and just say, “it doesn't help to boo hoo about it" and then sometimes we would just stay silent knowing there was nothing much to be done but wait till the next doctor appointment just to be told nothing could really be done.
On New Year's Day I went to see her- she said she was really feeling bad and I brought along a new poodle puppy I had just gotten, knowing she missed having hers- When I walked into her room with the puppy, she had a huge smile on her face and looked as beautiful as she had when I first met her.
She said to me, “Wendy, it's too much, I feel so ill all the time, I can't do anything anymore, it's just too much." I held her and kissed her head and I had the feeling it might be the last time I got to do that. I felt such a feeling of love and sadness come over me, and I wished this wonderful, kind and caring woman some peace.
For someone like Irene, who was so filled up with the Music, not being able to give it or get it- was unimaginable and when Dr. Billy Taylor called me on Friday night with the news, I started to cry but then I was actually relieved.
Irene is now as free as her music made us- no more waiting, no more suffering. There are few people that are so filled with that much music, but it will be enough to fly her all the way to Heaven.
With Love and sadness,
Wendy
Jazz News: Funeral Services for Irene Reid & Earl May (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=16615)
Irene's Bio:
Jazz vocalist Irene Reid first rose to prominence in the 1960s before mounting a surprising comeback in the late '90s. During the '60s, she recorded for some of the era's most prestigious jazz labels, including Verve (Room for One More, 1965; It's Too Late, 1966). However, in the '70s, she disappeared from the spotlight after recording an album for Polydor, The World Needs What I Need (1971). It wasn't until the late '90s that she returned to prominence, recording some albums for Savant, beginning with Million Dollar Secret (1997).
The really great jazz vocalists share something in common with their renowned instrumental counterparts. That is, they possess a truly identifiable sound and approach that cannot be mistaken for another. For just two examples, any jazz fan worth their weight could identify Frank Sinatra or Dinah Washington in a mere few notes. Truth is though, there were many vocal artists in the '50s and '60s that never obtained star status but certainly qualified as being individualists with something important to say
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF HER PERFORMING:
Amazon.com : Music Sampler (http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0000069TT/ref=pd_krex_listen_dp_img?ie=UTF8&refTagSuffix=dp_img)
Oh my goodness, i am still smiling after hearing "Big Fat Man" with all that meat having heat and "One Eyed Man," watching him crying out of one eye but he sho did look out for her, whoo-hoo! And i really had no idea that any Sista recorded "What I Did for Love," one of my all-time favorites, and she did it so stylishly and sooo much better than the version i *previously* loved!
Well, i am most definitely not only ashamed but completely embarrassed because i had never even heard of this legendary Queen before reading your post! This is just another example of those culture bandits who rob our artistic geniuses of their just rewards!
i'm so glad i had a chance to hear this Sista and now know of her through the sample you've so wonderfully provided. i've definitely been uplifted by happening upon this posting today, asante sana! And yes indeed, we must all strive to do much better to support our people that out here using their Kmtyw genius to the fullest, they must be able to rely upon us on times of trouble, and we must always be on point for all those who have given so much to pave the way for Our People!