R.I.P. Clarence Clemons

[Phoenix Psaltery]

Clarence Clemons — the Big Man with the big horn — died today of complications from a stroke he suffered last weekend, said a source close to Bruce Springsteen. He was 69 years old.

[more]



Damn.

P2

[Elora Lunasea]

Oh wow. I haz a sad

I've met him a few times, years ago. Being from NJ, it wasn't unusual to run into him down at the shore. He used to have a bar down there.

Blah.

[23rdDjin]

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

goodnight, Big Man...

[Elora Lunasea]

The Jungleland solo, is one of the saddest pieces of music for me.

Very appropriate to post 23. Thanks.

[Phoenix Psaltery]

Originally Posted by Elora Lunasea

The Jungleland solo, is one of the saddest pieces of music for me.

Is it in D minor? Because, you know, according to Nigel Tufnel, D minor is the saddest of all keys.

Gonna miss the Big Man.

P2

[Elora Lunasea]

I'm not a musician. Well, as a child, I played violin but I'd be hard pressed to know one note from another any longer. I just know it hits me emotionally. It's quite haunting.

[Phoenix Psaltery]

I was making a joke, by the way. Got to when these kind of things happen to keep from crying, y'know? It was a Spinal Tap reference.

Marty DiBergi, the documentary filmmaker who made the Spinal Tap film (played by Rob Reiner) is listening to rock god Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) playing a lovely piano piece:

Marty: It's pretty.
Nigel: Yeah, I like it, just been fooling about with it for a few months now, very delicate...
Marty: It's a, it's a bit of a departure from the kind of thing you normally play.
Nigel: Yeah, it's part of a... trilogy, really, a musical trilogy I'm doing... in... D minor, which I always find is really the saddest of all keys really. I don't know why, but it makes people weep instantly, you play a... baaaaa... baaaaaa... it's a horn part.
Marty: It's very pretty.
Nigel: ...baaaa, baaaaa, yeah, just simple lines intertwining, you know, very much like, I'm really influenced by Mozart and Bach, it's sort of in between those, really, it's like a Mach piece, really, it's...
Marty: What do you call this?
Nigel: Well, this piece is called "Lick My Love Pump."
Marty: Hmm.

P2

[Kick Frenzy]

Oh man, when I heard he was getting better I was so happy.
That sucks.

I always loved his talent on the sax.

I guess he gets to join that big crazy band in the sky now.

RIP Clarence

[23rdDjin]

Originally Posted by Elora Lunasea

The Jungleland solo, is one of the saddest pieces of music for me.

Very appropriate to post 23. Thanks.

thank you (and you're welcome). i'm glad it was available, but also had to follow it up with a happier piece, with an appropriate backdrop: "Legends of Music".

[JohnnyVann]

I always thought it unfortunate that he was known as "Bruce Springsteen backup sax player" because I felt he was a great musician in his own right. Could have done a lot worse but still wish he got more individual attention.

[Morgaine Alter]

sighs so sad

[23rdDjin]

Originally Posted by JohnnyVann

I always thought it unfortunate that he was known as "Bruce Springsteen backup sax player" because I felt he was a great musician in his own right. Could have done a lot worse but still wish he got more individual attention.

he was never a backup sax player...



he was the sax-man of the E Street Band.







he did quite a bit of work of his own, on his own, and did get individual attention. if people missed that, that was the fault of the individuals for having not bothered to notice.



Discography

Clarence Clemons & the Red Bank Rockers
Rescue (1983)

Clarence Clemons

Hero (1985)
A Night With Mr. C (1989)
Peacemaker (1995)
Aja and the Big Man
Get It On (1995)

Clarence Clemons & Temple of Soul

Live in Asbury Park (2002)
Live in Asbury Park, Vol. II (2004)
Brothers in Arms (2008)

Bruce Springsteen

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
Born to Run (1975)
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
The River (1980)
Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Live/1975–85 (1986)
Tunnel of Love (1987)
Chimes Of Freedom (1988)
Greatest Hits (1995)
Blood Brothers (1996)
Tracks (1998)
18 Tracks (1999)
Live in New York City (2001)
The Rising (2002)
The Essential Bruce Springsteen (2003)
Hammersmith Odeon London '75 (2006)
Magic (2007)
Magic Tour Highlights (2008)
Working on a Dream (2009)
The Promise (2010)

Gary U.S. Bonds

Dedication (1981)
On the Line (1982)

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (1990)

Zucchero

Blues (1987)
Oro incenso e birra (1989)
Zucchero (1991)
Diamante (1994)
Spirto Divino (1995)


Selected Others

Dan Hartman: Images (1976)

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes: I Don’t Wanna Go Home (1976)

Pezband: Pezband (1977)

Ronnie Spector & The E Street Band: "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" / "Baby, Please Don't Go" (1977)

Scarlet Rivera: Scarlet Rivera (1977)

Intergalactic Touring Band: Intergalactic Touring Band (1977)

Carlene Carter: Two Sides to Every Woman (1979)

Janis Ian: Night Rains (1979)

Musicians United for Safe Energy: No Nukes (1979)

Michael Stanley Band: Heartland (1980)

Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I (1980)

Various artists: In Harmony 2 (1981)

Greg Lake: Greg Lake (1981)

Schwartz: Schwartz (1981)

Blue Steel: Nothing But Time (1981)

Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul: Men Without Women (1982)

Ian Hunter: All of the Good Ones Are Taken (1983)

Joe Cerisano: Trouble At Home (1983)

Michael Stanley: Poor Side of Town (1984)

Aretha Franklin: Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985)

Twisted Sister: Come Out and Play (1985)

Soundtrack: Porky's Revenge (1985)

Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City (1986)

Jersey Artists For Mankind: "We've Got The Love" / "Save Love, Save Life" (1986)

Various artists: A Very Special Christmas (1987)

Narada Michael Walden: Divine Emotions (1988)

The Four Tops: Indestructible (1988)

Todd Rundgren: Nearly Human (1989)

Soundtrack: Home Alone 2 (soundtrack) (1992)

Lisa Stansfield et al.: Swing – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1999)

Joe Cocker: Unchain My Heart (1990)

Nils Lofgren: Silver Lining (1991)

Alvin Lee: Zoom (1992)

Roy Orbison: King of Hearts (1992)

Jim Carroll: A World Without Gravity: Best of The Jim Carroll Band (1993)

Dave Koz: Lucky Man (1993)

Great White: Sail Away (1994)

Luther Vandross: This is Christmas (1995)

Craig and Co.: My Newish Jewish Discovery (1997)

Various artists: Humanary Stew – A Tribute to Alice Cooper (1999)

Nick Clemons Band: In the Sunlight (2001)

Creation: World Without Windows (2005)

Tyrone Ashley’s Funky Music Machine: Let Me Be Your Man (2007)

Stormin' Norman & Friends: Asbury Park — Then And Now (2008)

Lady Gaga: Born This Way (2011)



Filmography

Film

New York, New York (1977)
-Cecil Powell

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
-The Three Most Important People in the World

Fatal Instinct (1993)
-Clarence

Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
-The Louisiana Gator Boys

Swing (1999)
-Jack


Television

Diff'rent Strokes
-Mr. Kingsley: "So You Want to Be a Rock Star" (1985)

Jake and the Fatman

-Blue Danny Boyd: "Why Can't You Behave?" (1989)

The Flash
-Darrell Hennings: "Honor Among Thieves" (1990)

Nash Bridges
-Big Barry in three episodes : "25 Hours of Christmas", "Aloha Nash" and "Javelin Catcher" (1996)

The Sentinel
-Workman: "Dead Drop" (1997)

The Weird Al Show
-Miner: "Mining Accident" (1997)

Viper
-Leo Duquesne: "The Getaway" (1998)

Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular
-one episode (1998)

The Simpsons
-Narrator: "Grift of the Magi" (1999)

My Wife and Kids
-Johnny Watson: "Micheal's Band"

The Wire
-Roman: "Moral Midgetry" and "Hamsterdam" (2004)

'Til Death
-Himself : "Eddie's Book" (2009)

[JohnnyVann]

23, I know. As do other "true audiophiles" (which I don't count myself as one, I'm not knoweldgeable enough) but my point was, to the greater public he will always be known as "The sax player in Bruce Springsteen's band". Wrongly or not, that's just how the public will see him. That is what I find sad