‘Live’ Love from the Constellation: Harrison Bankhead’s life, intensity, and spirit celebrated by admirers in Chicago and beyond…
Harrison Bankhead, March 1, 1955- April 6, 2023
Silently, “A Joyful Noise” began, as 39 images appeared on, then disappeared from, a screen situated center stage at Constellation, 3111 N. Western Avenue. Four photographers – Lauren Deutsch and Michael Jackson, from Chicago, and Andrzej Hajdasz and Krzysztof Machowina from Poland – had contributed these in-the-moment memories, some black-and-white, most others in color, to honor Harrison Bankhead, the bassist/cellist who died on April 6 at age 68.
Beginning in black and white, with Bankhead’s cello embraced into his body, and ending in color, where an image is captured from behind him, seated, as he plays cello, “Portraits of Harrison Bankhead” documents the diversity, energy, and intensity the Waukegan-born and based artist embraced. Some other seen/scenes included: Bankhead employing a double-bow approach on his upright…in the foreground, seated, with cello, top hat on, with bassist Henry Grimes in the background…and at the Jazz Showcase, leaning into his bass, while Charlie Parker’s eyes watch from the floor-to-ceiling photograph behind him…
“Celebrating the Life of Harrison Bankhead,” the event’s subtitle, continued with a video edited by Jonathan Woods from Auspice NOW. Bankhead is seen seriously sawing his bass strings while singing along, Slam Stewart-style, while a pianist and drummer accompany. Then he is heard again, sans axe, directly addressing the camera, describing how a local homeboy he jammed with introduced him to bassist Malachi Favors, drummer Don Moye, and saxophonist Ornette Coleman. These moments were Bankhead’s introduction to avant-garde musical expression and eventual membership in the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).
And then he would meet saxophonist Fred Anderson, Chicago’s champion for free music through the Velvet Lounge, his South side sanctuary of sound.
“He told me, ‘Man, you gotta remember one thing. All you have to do is keep playing. Forget about any type of fame or becoming rich,’ ” Bankhead, free-bopping a trademark, multi-colored shirt flowing past his waist, recalled. “(Fred said), ‘Always practice, all the time….You are always gonna get an opportunity to do things if you’re ready. If you’re not ready, you’re not going to be able to do it anyway.’
“Most of the things I’m doing here in Chicago have a basis with my stay with the great Fred Anderson,” Bankhead continued. “He is the Master. He is the Master Blaster! He turns July into June, and he tells leap years to jump over the moon!”
Bankhead’s live and recorded credentials include two solo albums, and releases with Anderson, 8 Bold Souls, Nicole Mitchell, and numerous other creatives from the AACM and beyond.
Woods’ video also included remembrances from Poznan, Poland, where Bankhead played the first “Made In Chicago” festival 16 years ago. Paolo Zucca, a festival attendee who later arranged for Bankhead and other AACM members to perform at another festival in Italy, said: “Even though he was a big guy, he moved gracefully, flying over the bass like a dragonfly. For me, it was a shock to see this musician.”
Zofia Juszczak, whose late husband co-founded the “Made In Chicago” festival, also invited Bankhead to play privately at her home for some friends. His performance would receive high acclaim…amid some intrigue.
“There were rumors that he worked for the government, the FBI, because of his dark glasses,” Juszczak recalled, before sharing another story about surprising Bankhead outside Constellation. “When I opened my car window to say hello, I will never forget his surprise and joy. ‘Oh my gosh! Sweetheart!’ (he said). It was ‘Boo Boo,’ ” she said, invoking his internationally known nickname.
Solo tributes on the video also came from cellist Frederick Lonberg-Holm, Tatsu Aoki, who played a three-stringed Japanese instrument called the shamisen, and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, who played “Nature Boy.” Douglas Ewart, Mankwe Ndosi, and Davu Seru expressed themselves through spoken word, body movements/vocals, and marimba, respectively. Cellist Tomeka Reid, bassist Silvia Bolognesi, and violinist Mazz Swift improvised “Harrison In the Sky.” Asked afterwards via email about her video’s origins, Reid said: “It was recorded during my residency at the Civitella Rainieri foundation in Umbria, Italy. Funny story is that we were recording it and had set up the camera and didn't realize that it had slid!!! We had made several attempts at recording a video and we thought we had it all set up and them...womp wooooomp!!! But we just took it as a sign that Harrison was with us up in the sky!! LOL! So we kept it and sent it to Lauren (Deutsch).”
‘Live’…Love…
When word about Bankhead’s passing went public, Deutsch, the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s former executive director, contacted Diane, his sister, about arranging a life celebration. Then, with Ms. Bankhead’s endorsement, she, along with reedmen Edward Wilkerson Jr. and Mwata Bowden – Bankhead’s partners in 8 Bold Souls – began seeking participants for the June 7th event.
“We were overwhelmed, but not surprised, by the response,” said Deutsch, the celebration’s emcee. “(Harrison) was the center of gravity in all the ensembles he played in, and he was also the center of joy….This (reunion of kindred souls) is Harrison’s last gift to us.”
After a “bass choir” performance featuring six basses and two celli – with Joshua Abrams, Yosef Ben Israel, Brian Sandstrom, et. al. on the former, and Katinka Klejin and Jamie Kempkers on the latter – accompanied by poet Duriel Harris, Raynard Shelton, Bankhead’s nephew and self-admitted lookalike, addressed the maximum-capacity audience.
“The way this man played those strings…he was making love on the bass! It probably would have been illegal in I don’t know how many states, okay?” said Shelton, to laughter and applause. “The way he did those strings? Whew! Thank the Lord we were up here in Illinois.”
When reminiscing about her collaborations with Bankhead, vocalist Dee Alexander spoke about his eyes.
“Such beautiful eyes. They were wide open. You could see his soul,” she said, while pianist Miguel de la Cerna and bassist Junius Paul provided support on “Long Road Ahead,” which she and Bankhead composed. “When they were closed, you could feel his heart as he played. I’ll always remember his hands, how firm they were when he shook mine….He was my ‘Boo Boo.’ Harrison ‘Boo Boo’ Bankhead.”
Conceived during a soundcheck, “Long Road Ahead” began when Bankhead’s bass vamp caught Alexander’s ears. She then created lyrics right there. The song begins: “Long road ahead/watch your step/take your time/don’t rush through life/make the right decisions/have no regrets…”
Another Bankhead original, “Chicago Senorita,” would be performed by violinist James Sanders’ Septet – which included pianist “Baabe” Irving III and percussionist Coco Elysses – and a free-verse adventure into Space came from saxophonist Ernest Dawkins’ 11-member ensemble, with flautist Taalib-Din Ziyad, drummer Isaiah Spencer...’n them!
Elysses, who is also the AACM’s current president, stated that the collaborative will celebrate Bankhead this summer at its new location, the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. (The AACM, she added, has also lost two other members this year, saxophonist Kidd Jordan and trumpeter Rasul Siddik.)
Losing people one loves, said HotHouse founder Marguerite Horberg, can cause unintentional emotional detachments. Such emotions were erased from Horberg while she listened to Wilkerson’s Octet – which included trumpeter Bob Griffin and pianist Jim Baker – play “Third One Smiles,” a Souls original and Bankhead favorite.
Horberg, who estimated that she worked with Bankhead on more than 200 occasions, also helped him away from the stage. She recalled helping raise money to get heat restored at his house and when he needed a hip replacement.
“We raised about $6,000 immediately from people all over the world,” she said. “People said Harrison was hip, and he needed a hip, and they were down to give some money.”
Before conducting the 40-something-member Ensemble of Everyone (who played that night) for the closer, Mwata Bowden announced that Bankhead’s bass, which he inherited from Art Ensemble of Chicago member Malachi Favors, would be passed on to Junius Paul. “Thanks to the family,” Bowden said, “that bass will remain in the creative forces and with the creative community here in Chicago.”
Before the Ensemble of Everyone – which included saxophones, tuba, trumpets, basses, celli, piano, keyboard, drums, percussion, hand instruments, electric guitar, violin and vocals – Kaya Wilson, Bankhead’s niece, sang an original, a cappella piece.
Silently, everyone listened as she explained: “I sing mostly as a hobby, and music was my uncle’s life, so I tribute this song to him. It’s not jazz, but it is modern, and I’m sure he’d like it either way.”
And then, as sadness shook her still strong voice, attendees provided support through applause – think audio group hug – Wilson finished her song with these words: “Take me home, home where I belong. Home…home…
“We hope he’s home,” she whispered.
