Most of us have seen the full spectrum of the "circle of life"...We've welcomed new life into the world and bid farewell to lives with legacy. Losing parents will always leave an indelible mark on our lives...
As we grow, we continue to understand more about them, their struggles, and the memories that they left with us.
The quietest day of my life: was when my mother passed away…The
quiet was deafening, the reality was immediate and the loss: a myriad of quiet
yet chaotic streams of thought swirling everywhere. I’ll never forget when I
got the call August 4, 2010…I dutifully started to pack my things for the 5
hour flight back east.
Here
I am, 10 years later, with a host of revelations and a ton of emotion. Having spent
a good part of the last 10 years organizing memorials, writing obituaries and
paying tributes, the tide of losses has somewhat, temporarily subsided. I am using these moments to express my grief and acknowledge the loss of my mother.
Somewhere, the reality of this great loss does not surface for us until this- a reality it becomes. We know it will happen, but until it happens, we get lost in the surrealism of what we must accept. I understand the words "no more", yet my mother's soul is all encompassing. I feel her energy each and every day.
My mother was "fair of face", "Monday's child", born March 7, 1921. She was a beautiful woman with a classic photogenic allure, poise and a winning captivating smile. Her tough as nails exterior concealed the squishy emotions that she kept protected behind a brick wall reserved only for her own soul... To know her feelings one had to listen to the music that she enjoyed. It painted a canvas of her triumphs, defeats and challenges.
So many people shared with me the wonderful things that my mother had done and what a purely generous and giving individual that she was. She never spoke of what she did for others... She just lived her life's credo by the song she wanted sung at the celebration of her life.
The
thing that I most remember about my mom was her singing. Her range, mezzo
soprano held a strong, educated vocal presence. When I was ten years old, she bought
me a piano and then went through a search for the right piano teacher. Within a
week I was playing…As time went on, I would accompany my mother as she sang. I
spent most of my time practicing, writing and imagining, in the 60s, how I could possibly
bring everything I heard in my mind to fruition with full production value. I don’t think if I even had a vision through a
crystal ball that I could imagine, where music would go and how the
technologies transcribing it in a listening form would change.
What
I most remember was that my mother had a favorite song. It was the song that
she requested be played for her memorial. I made sure that all of her end of
life requests were met and especially her favorite song. I listened as the gentleman played and sang my mother’s favorite song… And the entire
time I listened; I was wondering why everyone sang the song like it was a song
of sadness. It isn’t…It is really a song of joy…It was then that I decided that
I would commit myself to do an arrangement of the song that connected to the
spirit of doing for others.
Alma Bazel Androzzo
My
mother’s life song was written by pianist-songwriter and lyricist Alma Bazel Androzzo (1912-2001) in 1945. “If I Can Help Somebody” was written in Pittsburgh
where the Tennessee born songwriter was raised. It is considered a great gospel
anthem and has been covered inumerable times since it was first published from Tennessee Ernie Ford to Patti LaBelle.
Many Real Schoolers have said that this
song was a favorite of their parents. Martin Luther King, Jr. first heard the song
and was so inspired by it, that he encouraged his close friend to record it. That
was the infamous recording that most of us grew up with released by The Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson in 1963.
Exactly two months to the day before he was
assassinated, King gave a sermon called, “The Drum Major Instinct.”. In a chilling self-proclaimed eulogy, he quoted the lyrics to Androzzo’s song at the conclusion of
his sermon.
It is odd that not much is written about Alma Bazel Androzzo, a writer whose most popular song has impacted so many worldwide. Music is our saving grace in trying
times.
Now, several months shy of what will be her 100th birthday in 2021, I celebrate my mother with thanks and love. Her buying me a piano and those piano lessons gave me an outlet to creativity. And now, I am able to accompany her soul with the arrangement of her favorite song. I feel my mother smiling...
So how did this wonderful group of people come together? We all had someone in common. I know that had it not been for Tommy Thomas who was a brilliant gospel writer, I may never have connected to any of the people who are part of this effort. So here I am connecting the dots: I met Tommy Thomas (Tommy T) about 1979, Tommy had just come back from touring with Nils Lofgren. Wornell Jones also was part of the touring band. When Tommy returned to the states from the tour he created a gospel group called Tommy T and company. Both Wornell and I became part of the group...Little did any of us know that we would throughout the years become a family. To our family came a very young singer named....
LaVan Davis
Many years ago, back in the day, there was this kid barely out of his teens who had a powerful voice, goals and dreams, and an infectious sincere spirit. That spirit has lasted to this day. I adopted him as my baby brother from another mother. Most people know him in his work with Tyler Perry, but the creative talent that he is has been long in the making. He was a singer before he was anything else with impeccable range. After Tommy T & Company joined the LA Mass Choir in the late 80s. But few know that he received classical training where he met the other singer on this project, Debbie Dey.
He knows how to tell a story through his vocal work. LaVan expressed the core spirit of what the lyrics Alma Bazel Androzzo's lyricsreally mean. He and Mo Beeks start a conversation as the song begins: each in his own way.
This guy from Chicago right here is one of the best vocalists to ever hit a stage! He is an unbelievable talent. I met him back in the day at a studio session almost 40 years ago. We have done many holiday and get-together hangouts enjoying conversations, food and just basic chill sessions.
What he has given to this project is not only his voice as the headliner with LaVan Davis, but laid back key board chops that give balance: an underlying theme gives ground to a contemporary jazz feel to a timeless classic gospel anthem. He was initially a drummer but transitioned to keyboards. And he's been playing keyboards ever since. I call him the busiest guy in the business...
He tells me he "hates the way his voice sounds." I'm incredulous-- are you kidding me?! Evidently, everybody agrees with me. He was nominated for a Grammy in 2015 with the group Blind Dog Smokin'. As a founding member of the group Himalaya in Los Angeles with guitarist Keith Andrew, the group had a great run on the contemporary jazz circuit and built up quite a reputation, touring nationally in New York, Washington D.C., Memphis and San Diego and appearing at the Santa Barbara Jazz Festival.
When I hear my friend Debbie Dey's beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, I hear my mother's voice. It really floors me every time I hear her sing. She sounds so much like her, I was moved when I heard her singing O, Holy Night...It were as if they had the same vocal fingerprint...Hearing her voice I knew that having her as part of the project would bring my mother's voice back to life. The contrast of classic vocals against a contemporary backdrop made time stand still for me.
She is singing the line in the song that I most remember my mother singing. It is this part of the lyric which seems to define the conviction in Androzzo's lyric.
Debbie started her career as an Apprentice Artist with Opera Pacific where she sang the role of the Valkyrie in Wagner‘s Die Walkure. She also sang Valkryie at the Hollywood Bowl with John Mauceri directing the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Singing as a resident artist with Repertory Opera Company based in Pomona she has appeared in many leading opera roles...
When I met Debbie it was as a colleague in the fitness industry. When she told me of her vocal career, I was captivated and have been a fan ever since.
Talk about someone who's got it like that. I met him at the late musician Rich Cason's (Dyke & the Blazers) studio and we've been friends ever since...I had heard mention of him years earlier, like in the late 60s... Lucius is an awesome guitarist, who hails from Yoakum Texas. His style is everything that's earthy and grounded. His dad gave him a guitar when he was 10 years old and he's been playing ever since. I like to describe Lucius' guitar style as warm, sweet, country, blues and soulful...It's always a pleasure to work with him.
Usually this time of the year, Lucius is playing as guest guitarist with Charlie Daniels and has been since 1997. They've shared some great moments on stage ever since. Sadly, Charlie passed away on July 6th.
Evidently there are a lot of people with the name Bobby Watson! The only one I know is the Grammy award winning bass player with the group Rufus who loves my cooking! He's played with everyone, had his own band and is a current member of The Cookies...It's always a pleasure to talk to Bobby and have him over for the hang outs...
Ten years ago I met him, through Wornell Jones when he came to the states for Tommy T's memorial. Bobby asked if he could get his bass out and play on the track when it was in its infancy...It was a wet chilly evening in November, but a "gathering evening" with good energies always changes the climate.
Bobby is a down to earth guy who brought his Memphis Tenn roots with him on the song...Now that things have somewhat changed with our hangouts, we may have to have to do a virtual hangout before we have our live one with all the gang.
Back in the day in 1975, this video is what the real school is all about. The musicianship back in the day was extraordinary. It was a great time for music...The RSPs of yesterday are still doing it today.
Wornell Jones
Sometimes when I'm canvassing Youtube, I see comments from listeners asking about what ever happened to Wornell Jones? Nothing happened! He's still around doing music and just released his EP Faster Forward a few months ago. So if anyone asks me why I had two bass players on the song, the answer is ---because they were both there. In fact, they were the only two people in my studio who performed or played the same day...
Born in D.C., Wornell was a member of the group The Young Senators, the "it" group back in the day in the Nation's Capital. The Senators aka The Emperors of Go-Go were the back up band for Eddie Kendricks on his second album, People Hold On.
Wornell released his self-titled album in 1979 and it is still going strong! We never knew we were both from DC until a conversation years later. Then in the 80s he relocated, making Japan his home. He's writes, produces and has a successful music school: T.A.S.I (The Art of Singing Institute)
Wornell in 1979 on tour with Nils Lofgren. Tommy T on keyboards.
________________________________________
Chey Renay
My mother could have never imagined that one day her oldest
granddaughter would be one of the vocalists singing in tribute to her.
Chey lends her voice to the project and definitely nails it, yet another layer from the voice of a whole new generation.
She is a singer songwriter as well as a business professional with her successful online site for custom jewelry designs: 12th Summer
A lot of things I didn't understand then, I understand now. Our beginnings together were awkward. We grew in love. My mother had a daring sense of independence and gave me every skill that I would ever need to survive... "You are no less than anybody in this world" she would tell me..That will always stay with me...
I really thought my mother would be here forever, but as she has become an ancestor, her spirit lives in her grandchildren and great grandchildren and those moving forward who will come to know about her by the visuals left behind...We don't get to pick our parents. They are given to us by destiny...I feel the fortune in that destiny.
To all the wonderful people who were part of this project, I cannot thank you enough... My mom's favorite song...
Several years ago, Obie Jessie asked me to write his bio. We met back in 1978 on Sunset Boulevard. He was one of the people I greeted in passing as I was continuing my commitment to walk the full stretch of Sunset as a newcomer to Los Angeles. He was outside of an office building where he had had a meeting with Otis Blackwell. Yes...The Otis Blackwell also penned as John Davenport who wrote "Great Balls of Fire", "Fever", "Don't Be Cruel" and "All Shook Up."
The Atlanta Jazz Festival with Eddie Davis on trumpet.
Back in the day I met a lot of people. There was no Google even though there was internet closed to the public. It wasn't until Google that I discovered great legacies being created by many of my friends/colleagues. I started talking with them about the possibility of a newsletter about our generation of musicians and artists, performers and the people of our generation that were no longer the focus for the advertisers.
Concert in Japan
Our generation, as our parents' generation, was becoming lost and there was still so much to contribute. We grew up with icons from our parents' generation. Technology was changing, the world wide web was growing.
When I talked to Obie about it, he said, " Puddin', you are way ahead of your time." I knew it was something I had to do and I launched Real School People in November 2007. It was Obie Jessie who told me, "Attach your name to it. People need to know you and what you do."
In writing, his bio back in 2007, I began to see what an amazing legacy Obie Jessie had forged through his work. His tenacity and role as mentor can not be unrecognized. He was a griot of music history. And yes, his legacy includes some amazing genealogy.
I remember once when he came to visit, we checked iTunes to find the numerous covers of many of his songs. He would visit and he would listen to projects I was working on. I can honestly say that he was very instrumental in many of the things I learned about mixing music and audio. He knew a lot about sound, audio and mastering. Back then, there was real fidelity that wasn't destined to be compromised through a compressed MP3.
I worked on projects with him and would be in the studio all night. It would take hours before the mix was "right" coupled with that unforgettable sound: the "whir" of the audio tape either in rewind or fast forward. Those are memories that really can't be explained, but remembered. There are many of us who do.
So, in sharing the bio I originally wrote for the incomparable Obie Jessie, you will see the amazing trivia created in his life as a producer, writer, vocalist and musician and entrepreneur. Looking back: it was a true honor to be asked to write about him. I remember when he brought over a huge package of photos, memories and articles. Looking forward: the honor is a treasure.
OBIE JESSIE BIO
If there were a list of the most interestingly, notable, intriguing individuals on the planet, Obie Jessie would be the first on the list. His is a story that celebrates talent, resolve, longevity and knowledge; all enduring graciously throughout the more than 50 years that he has been writing, performing and producing.
He’s toured Europe, Japan and the United States. Using his experience in the industry, he shares knowledge through workshops and seminars on blues, jazz and rock and roll.
Looking at the new model of “career” with which current young artists define success, we realize that their concept of developing a career is thin in comparison to that of Young Jessie. Obie Jessie: who transformed himself from age 15, when the music business was a newer frontier, through 6 decades, commandeering the growth path his career would take.
Blind Lemon Jefferson
To write his story, one must begin before he was born, where the blues runs deep in Obie’s genealogy. It begins with cousin and legendary gospel blues icon in the 1920s, "Blind" Lemon Jefferson who in 1927 wrote “Black Snake Moan” and recorded it on Okeh Records. The sullen, blues song resurfaced in 2007 when Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Lazarus, a broken blues singer performed the song in the film of the same title.
Obie recalls the family accounts of “Blind” Lemon, who died penniless in Chicago seven years before he, Obediah Donnell Jessie was born on December 28, 1936 in the small black suburb of Lincoln Manor, just south of Dallas, Texas.
James Jesse
His father, James Jessie, made his living as a cook, while his mother, Melinda, nicknamed "Plunky", was a homemaker. She played piano in church, and taught Obie how to play ukulele and piano, introducing him to the genres of blues, hillbilly, and the most popular music of the times: jazz.
It was mentor, cousin and trumpet player, Pete Cooley, who inspired Obie as a young child to become a musician. While his first performance was in church, Obie’s first paying gig was playing sax with Shorty Clemons, famous bandleader and notable sax player and who lived in their neighborhood.
By 1946, the Jessie family relocated to Los Angeles. They lived in the South Central section of LA: where the first jazz venues opened in the western United States.
Obie’s mother exposed him to the greatest talents of the day by taking him to concerts along celebrated Central Avenue. These musicians of color, among them, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, The Sweethearts of Rhythm, all created a fabulous ambiance of music and independence within the black community. In the 40s practically every area of the country had a "Black Broadway" due to segregation.
Obie attended the 49th Street Elementary School and befriended drummer Billy Higgins, also a student. The two best friends performed together at school functions and upon graduation, both received certificates for “the most likely to succeed in music”. They followed each other’s careers until Billy’s passing in 2001.
Obie’s junior high school years were spent at Carver. The summer following graduation from junior high, Obie’s grandmother became ill and he and his mother returned to Texas.
His first semester of high school was spent at Lincoln where he began his study of music and joined the school’s band. It was a year later that his younger brother, Dewayne was born.
Obie with his brother Dewayne
Dewayne as Otis Day
As an adult, Dewayne would portray, Otis Day of Otis Day and the Nights, in the 1978 movie Animal House. Dwayne modeled his character after Obie, enjoying more than a cult following. Otis Day and the Nights evolved into a successful touring music group on the road since 1982.
Obie and DeWayne at the NAACP Awards
Obie returned to LA to complete school at Manual Arts, but transferred to Jefferson where he began his longtime friendship with Johnny “Guitar” Watson. Both young men studied piano and sax with the school’s music director.
It was in the halls of Jefferson High School where the short-lived doo-wop vocal group, The Debonairs was born. Jessie sang baritone along with Arthur Lee Maye (tenor), Thomas “Pete” Fox, (2nd tenor) and A.V. Odum (bass). Amid personnel changes, (A.V. and Arthur left), The Debonairs ceased to exist and became a group with no name, with two additional members: tenor Cornell Gunther, and bass Richard Berry. All attended Jefferson High School, except tenor Beverley Thompson who attended Fremont.
Still a group with no name, but with all personnel in place, they auditioned for Dolphins of Hollywood, a south central label owned by independent record producer John Dolphin and recorded their first single in 1953, I Had A Love, written by Jessie. The group became known as The Hollywood Blue Jays, (not to be confused with another group of older singers with the same name who recorded Cloudy and Raining.)
Despite the rawness of the record, I Had A Love picked up some momentum. At
that point the group sought out another label, ditched school for a day and
auditioned with Modern Records run by The Bihari Brothers. Under the Modern
label they re-recorded I Had A Love and renamed themselves The Flairs, after
seeing the name used for one of Modern’s unreleased subsidiary country labels.
She Wants to Rock was on the flip side of their first release and produced by
the prolific songwriting team Lieber and Stoller. (Hot Dog, Jailhouse Rock,
and King Creole as well as all The Coasters' hits.)
The Flairs debuted at The Gene Norman Jazz Concert at the Shrine Auditorium and
their performances were electric. They gained success, performing throughout
LA, Texas, Colorado and Oregon. They recorded, You Should Care For Me, Love Me
Girl, This Is The Night For Love, and Lonesome Dessert. To add to their
history, The Flairs were on the cover of the first TV Guide ever printed in Los
Angeles.
______________________________
Lieber and Stoller were instrumental in starting several careers, including,
Big Mama Thornton, Etta James as well as Obie Jessie’s solo interests.
They commissioned Jessie to sing vocals on their songs demoed for Elvis
Presley, including the songs Don’t and Hound Dog. Elvis wrote to L & S and
commented on the polish with which Obie performed the demos.
By late 1954, Obie left The Flairs and focused on his solo career and identity.
Because this very mature male voice, came from this young 15 year-old, he
debuted as Young Jessie, with I Smell A Rat (1953). Obie explains,’ “Because I
sounded like I was forty…I had this deep baritone voice. I could have called
myself Obie Jessie, but I didn’t want people to think I was old.”
The Flairs continued to thrive throughout the 60s and disbanded when Cornelius
Gunther left the group to join The Coasters.
The day after leaving The Flairs, Obie wrote his most definitive blues hit: “Mary Lou”.
He was now an Atco/Atlantic recording artist with a hit, star power and writing talent. Despite efforts from the Coasters’ manager to forfeit his successful solo career to join the group, Young Jessie did record with the Coasters on their sessions from February-December 1957; but was adamant with regards to not appearing publicly as a member of the group.
During 1958, Jessie reunited with Shorty Rogers, one of the fathers of West
Coast Jazz. Obie sang lead jazz vocals, sharing the bill with Shorty and his
group The Giants in the LA area. These opportunities with Shorty kept Obie
grounded with respect to where his heart was vocally: jazz.
When Modern Records closed its doors in 1957, Obie began working exclusively
with Lieber and Stoller who produced the two singles, Shuffle In The Gravel and
Margie.
The young 50s teen star worked the Apollo Theatre and toured the country,
sometimes sharing the bill with BB King, The Platters, Little Willie John and
Bobby Blue Bland, The Coasters as well as friend, Johnny “Guitar” Watson. Young
Jessie had releases on Capitol, Vanessa, Bit and Mercury Records.
By 1959, Obie discarded the "Young Jessie" image. He admitted that this most
pivotal, career altering decision came while living in New York and meeting
Duke Ellington. One can just imagine the rush and excitement in Obie’s soul
while speaking with such a legend; and from that brief experience in time, Obie
changed from the genre of doo-wop to jazz. Although he had personally emerged from Young Jessie to Obie Jessie, he was still billed with his original moniker.
It takes an artist of perceptive wit to understand the necessity for change,
and for one so young to realize the concept, shows a depth of maturity far
beyond the age of 19. For him to exit the doo-wop train before the wheels fell
off was a deeply intuitive move. It’s no surprise, however, as his mother,
Melinda had inducted him into the world of jazz as a young boy.
Obie recorded his first jazz work for Capitol, The Wrong Door. During the early
60s, Jessie was writing and recording on Mercury Records with Quincy Jones.
Obie comfortably transitioned as a jazz vocalist and pianist and settled into
his niche, in which he was brilliant. In 1962 he cut Be Bop Country Boy and My
Country Cousin backed by Bumps Blackwell’s orchestra in the 50s.
He briefly attended Los Angeles City College but left to tour when Mary Lou hit
the charts. He later resumed his music education under the renowned jazz
pianist, Dolo Coker and further enhanced his professional training through Dick
Grove’s School of Music.
From 1964 to 1991 Obie Jessie became a familiar face to the supper club venue
with his Obie Jessie Trio and was music director for Esther Phillips from
1976-1981.
He recorded the album Whatever Happened To Jr? with musicians Oscar Brashear,
Doug Carn, John Heard, Billie Higgins and Bennie Maupin.
His second CD, “Here’s To Life” is jazz gold, and his unforgettable creation,
Trane Home, marked by the positive alliance he had with the late artist, John
Coltrane, touches everyone’s soul. The story behind this song starts back in
1957 when Obie had a blues band: Young Jessie and the Deacons, a 6-piece band
of jazz musicians. They were due to leave for San Francisco, but one of the
horn players was late and missed the gig. Once in San Francisco, sax player
Walter Benton introduced his friend John Coltrane at the sound check and Obie
hired him for the gig that night.
It’s stories and memories of this texture that makes us long to hear
more about
Jessie and it was even more endearing hearing them in his own words.
Obie Jessie has written over 200 songs, among them. Don’t Happen No More,
recorded by Pat Benatar, Pie In The Sky and The Man Ain’t Ready by Esther Phillips. It’s not unusual these days to find much of his work online,
covered by numerous blues groups making their mark. His hit Mary Lou has been
covered by an innumerable number of blues and pop artists including Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Seeger, Steve Miller and Frank Zappa.
Obie’s fans are truly blessed by the focused sharing of his experience through his vocal deliverance. It’s all there: every high note and low note, a testament to the integrity and drive it takes to continue to ride the wave in the music business.
We come into the world as descendants and leave as ancestors. Obediah Donnell Jessie, Young Jessie, Obie Jessie, leaves his descendants a rich legacy of works that are immortal. Many with backstories to be shared for generations to come. His contributions to the entertainment industry are deeply embedded in the early landscape of the entertainment industry.
It was an honor to work with him and to know him, to share ideas and listen to his wisdom. He mentored many and gave of himself and to his fans tirelessly.
When I hear my friend Debbie Dey's beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, I hear my mother's voice. It really floors me every time I hear her sing. She sounds so much like her, I was moved when I heard her singing O, Holy Night...It were as if they had the same vocal fingerprint...Hearing her voice I knew that having her as part of the project would bring my mother's voice back to life. The contrast of classic vocals against a contemporary backdrop made time stand still for me. 
granddaughter would be one of the vocalists singing in tribute to her. 
