Sunday, December 14, 2008

r.i.p. prince lasha

a fort worth original is gone. was sorry to receive this communique from dennis gonzalez today:

John Handy, Bay Area saxophonist has announced that the legendary flutist/saxophonist Prince Lasha passed away in Oakland, CA (Dec.11). Many people will remember his own recordings (especially with Sonny Simmons) and his associations on records with Eric Dolphy, Elvin Jones, Dennis Gonzalez, and many others and in later years with Odean Pope. Lasha was born William Lawsha in Forth Worth, Texas on Sept. 10, 1929. Lasha (pronounced La-shay) went to school and was a boyhood friend of Ornette Coleman.

that's him playing flute on eric dolphy's "music matador."

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

whoa, didn't see this anywheres in the Bay Area.
saw him a few years back, playing with Billy Harper. a very nice man too, he was surprised when I recognized him right away.
still had his chops too, altho could barely walk to the bandstand
cheers, -ig

11:28 AM  
Blogger Aram Shelton said...

Thanks for posting - almost no news of this anywhere. He was a great player and wrote great music.

12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oops, my bad.

Ely has corrected me --- the gig was with Odean Pope, the tenorman from Philly.

RIP PRINCE!

cheers, -ig

10:41 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19743

12:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I will miss Prince, He was a dear friend and I wish to correct you on music matador, prince wrote that song and it was one of his favorites, Steven Labonte

3:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In the arena of sound...there was no bull! "..his sounds sublime...
...will last through time, oh...the music matador of melody." Prince was the missing link in the melodic evolution of this work---Bird, Trane, Dolphy-and this spirit clan is together again..and still healing. kosmelodically, sweet lorraine

1:35 AM  

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