Post by Jonel on Nov 3, 2003 10:28:33 GMT -5
Oliver Sain
(John May)
Musicians invoke Sain's spirit in celebratory wake
By Kevin C. Johnson
The standard wake just wouldn't do to mark the death of one of St. Louis'
beloved blues musicians, especially when that musician was Oliver Sain.
"Party Hearty," a song of Sain's included on his "St. Louis Breakdown: The Best
of Oliver Sain" CD, described the scene Sunday night during his "musicians'
wake" at the Eddie Randle & Sons Funeral Home. A who's who of St. Louis' blues
and jazz community turned out to jam one more time for the master in a New
Orleans-inspired wake that was both vibrant and joyous.
Sain died Tuesday after a long battle with bladder and bone cancers. The
saxophonist, known for songs such as "Bus Stop" and "Soul of a Man," often was
referred to variously as the Man With the Golden Horn and St. Louis' Ambassador
of Rhythm and Blues. He also made his name as a producer, songwriter, arranger
and band leader.
Few tears flowed for Sain in the standing-room-only house. In their place were
smiles, applause and jokes as musicians, many of whom worked with Sain over the
years, lined up informally in front of Sain's open casket to deliver a bluesy
throwdown, just the way Sain would have wanted.
Sain was eulogized earlier Sunday at an afternoon funeral service at
New Cote Brilliante Church of God. He will be buried at 2:15 p.m. today at
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery after a procession that begins at 1 p.m.
from Eddie Randle, 4600 Natural Bridge Road.
But on Sunday night, admirers poured into the funeral home nonstop, and the
music heated up.
Bassist Jimmy Hinds told the packed room that musicians should "just get on up
and let the instrument go" as he called up artists by name when it was their
turn to perform.
"I'm just waiting my turn," said guitarist-singer Richard "Beau" Shelby, who
called Sain the Boss Man and credited him with helping him understand how
things are done in the recording studio.
Gregg "Happy Guitar" Haynes, who said Sain once accepted a meal at Goody Goody
Diner as payment for musical services, got the evening going strong as he led
several musicians through Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin' on the Sunset."
"I think Oliver would approve," Hinds told the crowd, which responded heartily.
Bluesman Little Milton Campbell of "I'm a Lonely Man" and "We're Gonna Make It"
fame was among the notable musicians who performed Sunday night, accompanied by
Eddie Fischer.
Theo Peoples, a singer who has performed with the Temptations and the Four
Tops, led a powerful rendition of "Teach Me Tonight" that featured a showy solo
from tenor saxophonist James Warfield Jr. Singer Mae Wheeler announced that she
called Peoples at home in O'Fallon, Ill., at the beginning of the wake to tell
him to make his way over there immediately, and he obliged.
Among those in the house were musicians from Sain's last band - singer Marsha
Evans, drummer Frank Williams, pianist and trumpet player Jack Kent, bassist
Lonnie Bond and guitarist Michael Harris.
Evans said some of her fondest memories of Sain were in their earliest days
together in the 1960s, when after a recording session the band members would
coerce Sain into taking them to breakfast at the Chase.
"He would give us the funny eye," she recalled. "But those breakfasts were fun
and relaxing."
She visited Sain the day before he died and sang "Let's Stay Together," with
Sain moving his hand to her words. "We'll always be together," she told him.
Also present Sunday night were singers Naomi Stevens and Erma Whiteside,
pianists Johnnie Johnson and Brenda Foster, drummers Sam Harris, Kent Hinds and
Keith Robinson, blues harmonica player Tom "Papa" Ray, saxophonist Ralleigh
Grandberry III, bassist Terry Coleman, guitarists J.R. Reed and Tony T., and
scores of others.
Former Ikettes Bobbie Montgomery and Jessie Lucas attended, as well as Herb
Sadler of Ike's Kings of Rhythm. Ike Turner, who said last week he wouldn't
miss the funeral, didn't make it. He said at the time that the California fires
were nearing his home.
Gregg Allman said in an e-mail he was deeply saddened to hear of Sain's death;
the Allman Brothers Band had recorded Sain's "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing."
Guitarist Phil Westmoreland, who collaborated with Sain on the original version
of "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" that featured Fontella Bass and Bobby McClure,
said, "This is a sad occasion, but we want to make him feel good."
There seemed little doubt that they did just that.
Reporter Kevin Johnson
E-mail: kjohnson@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-340-8191
Courtesy of the St. Louis Post Dispatch
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/Entertainment/Music/08FE52C6269FD26986256DD3001CEEDD?OpenDocument&Headline=Musicians+invoke+Sain's+spirit+in+celebratory+wake
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:yourock: :clapping: