RIP Mundell Lowe

**Stringswinger** · 12-02-2017, 07:07 PM

Mundy passed away today at the age of 95. A few years ago I lent him an amp for a recording session. A truly nice man and a great player.

May we all live as long and play as well.

**vinlander** · 12-02-2017, 07:16 PM

I was so impressed he was still playing in his '90s, truly a huge loss
RIP

**richpiv** · 12-02-2017, 07:42 PM

There is a fairly recent YouTube video of him, Bucky and John Pisano. Every now and then I wish I was born 30 years earlier.

**docbop** · 12-02-2017, 07:55 PM

So many great memories of Mundell, he taught Film Scoring at the music school I worked at and we talked all the time. A lot of people don't know he was a busy arranger and composer for film and TV as well as a great guitarist. Mundell was one of the nicest people and cared a lot about young musicians. RIP Mundell.

**neatomic** · 12-02-2017, 08:01 PM

rip mundell lowe! an under the radar great!

what a career..played with the greats...did tv, films, sessions and had his own recordings

here he's trading with johnny smith!

cheers

**Jazzstdnt** · 12-02-2017, 09:31 PM

Rip

**jameslovestal** · 12-02-2017, 09:53 PM

I had seen Mundell many times. The first time was at Donte's in North Hollywood CA back in the late 70s when I was a teen. During the last set he asked for request and I asked for Far From Vanilla a rather odd song from his 1955 The Mundell Lowe Quartet Album. He asked me 'you really want me do to that?'. Yea, I did since we had heard standards all night.

I saw him every 4 or so years from then at various clubs in So Cal. He always was solid with a nice flow and swing in his playing. Saw him once with Ron Eschete and while Ron was technically 'hotter', I realized that I was partial to that 50s style guitar that Mundell was so good at.

He was always willing to discuss music with anyone that would listen. He also turned me on to Polytone amps. Hey, if Mundell had one, that was enough for me!

**guido5** · 12-02-2017, 10:21 PM

He will be missed!

**TOMMO** · 12-03-2017, 04:07 AM

RIP Munell Lowe. I first heard him on a compilation when I started to listen to jazz guitar and he immediately got my attention.

**goldenwave77** · 12-03-2017, 08:33 AM

Great player, and gave a boost to lots of other players (Tal F., IIRC). Versatile....all-around...a life well-lived.

**Marty Grass** · 12-03-2017, 10:08 AM

**rob taft** · 12-03-2017, 06:22 PM

Another passing of one of the guitar greats who had a front seat from the era of Bop through Modal jazz and other than Bucky Pizzarelli, I can't think of anyone left standing.

**mrcee** · 12-03-2017, 06:39 PM

I had that album with Far From Vanilla on it. I wonder how often he got requests for it.

**docbop** · 12-03-2017, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by rob taft

Another passing of one of the guitar greats who had a front seat from the era of Bop through Modal jazz and other than Bucky Pizzarelli, I can't think of anyone left standing.

Sonny Rollins, Barry Harris, jimmy Heath, Harold Maybern is 81 and he didn't play Bebop era he did emerge right after that. A bit younger is Kenny Burrell after that George Benson, John McLaughlin and Pat Martino born in early 40's. So including other instruments not many of the early Jazz men left.

**neatomic** · 12-03-2017, 07:40 PM

gods bless sf's own-guitarist-eddie duran..92!...played with bird, shearing, norvo, goodman, getz, tjader, guaraldi. etc...a real maverick

cheers

**rob taft** · 12-03-2017, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Sonny Rollins, Barry Harris, jimmy Heath, Harold Maybern is 81 and he didn't play Bebop era he did emerge right after that. A bit younger is Kenny Burrell after that George Benson, John McLaughlin and Pat Martino born in early 40's. So including other instruments not many of the early Jazz men left.

I was referring to guitarists. I realize their are a number of musicians who have been around for a while. Lou Donaldson for example is 91. By front seat I was referring to a musician who had been privy to being around to see or play with everyone Bennie Goodman, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday to Bill Evans. I realize he dodn't play during the Bebop era.

Regardless, I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

**DRS** · 12-03-2017, 09:27 PM

I love the work he did on Sarah Vaughan's album After Hours.

**Buzzz** · 12-04-2017, 08:09 AM

The look on Mundell's face as he watches Roy Buchanan in the 1st video shows what a beautiful soul he was

**Buzzz** · 12-04-2017, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by docbop

Sonny Rollins, Barry Harris, jimmy Heath, Harold Maybern is 81 and he didn't play Bebop era he did emerge right after that. A bit younger is Kenny Burrell after that George Benson, John McLaughlin and Pat Martino born in early 40's. So including other instruments not many of the early Jazz men left.

Barry, who will be 88 on Dec. 15, still holds court every Tuesday night in NYC from about 6 pm to midnight, coaching piano players, singers and other instrumentalists www.BarryHarris.com

**AndyV** · 12-04-2017, 12:54 PM

A southern gentleman and great jazz/studio musician. RIP.

**goldenwave77** · 12-04-2017, 03:19 PM

Mundell L. had a LONG career.

Born 1922, left home at 13, went to Nashville, then to Bourbon St in New Orleans, and by 1942 was in an Army band. Introduced to Ray McKinley by John Hammond, and after war worked with McKinley's Big Band 1945-47.

Moved to NYC, played frequently at Café Society, playing with Mary Lou Williams, Red Norvo, and Ellis Larkins. Staff musician at NBC 1950-65, but also played jazz gigs with Bennie G., Billy Holiday., Lester Y., Bird, Mingus and Bill Evans, and "many of the who's who of 1950's and 60's jazz".

1965-on, moved to California and active in film and TV scoring, and teaching, and playing side dates

(Above info. from Scott Yanow's The Great Jazz Guitarists)

Pretty sure, he turned over his Red Norvo gig to Tal Farlow, due to other projects....read this somewhere.

Anyway....long busy career. Yanow's book lists at least 15 albums as a leader, as well as too many sidemen records to list.