Stephane Grappelli - tributes and recollectionsSend yours
What a wonderful legacy Stephane Grappelli has left us - not only his
artistry and musicianship but as a role model for growing older in the
music business. I hope we all age like he did. I will miss you
Stephane.Lenny Solomon
I met Stephane Grappelli in Detroit in 1982. He played at
the ponchatrain hotel. After the concert he invited me back
to the lounge room where the musicians were relaxing. He
gave me a photo of himself, it hangs on my wall today. We
kept in touch through writing over the years. Stephane
Grappelli was such a kind and caring person. He was one of
the most humble people I've ever met. As far as his music,
what can one say, he will remain the grandfather of jazz
violin. My favorite quote of his is from an interview for
current biography. He was speaking of jazz and he said
"jazz music is of the heart and not of the head, technic
doesn't have much to do with it". I love every note he ever
played.David Matte
Although I was trained in the strict classical traditional, I cannot think of
a single person more responsible for my passion for music in general and the
violin in particular than Stephane Grappelli. I have yet to meet a musician
or non-musician, be they classical, jazz, or headbanging rock aficianados, who
hasn't been knocked out by his work. To quote Mark O'Connor, I love every
note Stephane Grappelli has ever played. Nobody can live forever (it just
seemed that way with Stephane), but as far as I am concerned the world was a
better place with Stephane Grappelli in it. I know he will be sorely missed
by his legion of fans worldwide, among whom I proudly count myself.GRPLI@aol.com
I met Stephane around 1981 at The Bayou in Washington, DC -- a somewhat improbable
venue for his Hot Club style group with the two guitars. He didn't speak much
English, and I don't speak much French, but I told him he was my primary
inspiration as a jazz violinist. I also mentioned to him that my favorite album by
him was the double album done with the Oscar Peterson Trio, as it is a more
"straight ahead" outing (and of course, what can you say about giants such as Oscar
Peterson and Niels Henning Orsted-Pederson?). Stephane was very warm, gracious,
and knocked back at least two scotches straight up!Armen Boyajian
