What became of Grant Green Sax Player Claude Bartee?

[ProfessorX]

What became of Grant Green Sax Player Claude Bartee? All I can find is that he played on just a handful of albums? Can anyone tell me more about this sax player?

[dandan]

Did he play on Idle Moments, if he did I love what he does.

[the magnificent goldberg]

Claude is still around. He occasionally posts on the Organissimo forum.

No, he didn't play on "Idle moments", that was Joe Henderson.

He played on Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers first two albums, "Tough" and "Saffron and soul". He and two other of Pucho's men - Willie Bivens and Neal Creque - joined Grant's band in '69. Claude played on "Carryin' on", "Green is beautiful", "Alive", and "Live at the Lighthouse".

I don't think he has recorded since then. But he's still active.

MG

[jazzowl]

I know this is an old thread but I must reply and signed up to do just this.

Sadly Claude Bartee is no longer with us. He had his last years in Oakland California and passed in the late 90's. He used to come down and play music with us at my warehouse space, despite us not being such good musicians. We had many great jams with him and heard many fine stories of his life as a jazz musician. He was very giving, appreciative and modest. We found out at his funeral that he had succumbed to AIDS. We were very saddened to lose his friendship and his mentoring. God Bless you Claude!!

[Naiade S]

Hi, yes I knew Claude Bartee in San Francisco in 1979-82. I met him at a Buddhist meeting and he became friends with my then-husband and me. We had Claude over for Thanksgiving dinner, our first Thansksgiving in SF (I still remember: Cornish game hens.) I listened to him play at the Buddhist Culture Festival in LA in 1980 or so. Amazing player. I knew him more as a person than as a musician (I am a visual artist/writer myself). Claude was always pining for New York City. He said SF wasn't exciting enough (to me it was--I moved there from Colorado Springs). He missed the jazzy, speeded-up, electric atmosphere of NYC; he said even the NY subway was like hearing percussion instruments, he began tapping his fingers on the table in syncopation to the sound of NYC in his memory--the sounds of subway cars, the open and shutting of doors, running down the subway stairs, and all the city noises themselves, were like a soundtrack to him. A grand correography. (I thought I was the only one who thought that way--I was young.) I loved that about him. I got to know his sister a bit too, and his mom. He moved away to NYC shortly after that, I think. I lost track of him after that. Those were very atmospheric times.

[Naiade S]

Originally Posted by jazzowl

I know this is an old thread but I must reply and signed up to do just this.

Sadly Claude Bartee is no longer with us. He had his last years in Oakland California and passed in the late 90's. He used to come down and play music with us at my warehouse space, despite us not being such good musicians. We had many great jams with him and heard many fine stories of his life as a jazz musician. He was very giving, appreciative and modest. We found out at his funeral that he had succumbed to AIDS. We were very saddened to lose his friendship and his mentoring. God Bless you Claude!!

I didn't see your comment until I posted mine. I am sad to hear that Claude passed away from AIDS. I had no idea. And that he was still in the Bay Area--I didn't know that either. It saddens me that he died in this way.

Yes, he was quite modest--rarely tooted his own horn, so to speak. I really wish I would've stayed in touch with him. I moved away from the Bay Area in 1986. :-(

[dsschicago]

Originally Posted by jazzowl

I know this is an old thread but I must reply and signed up to do just this.

Sadly Claude Bartee is no longer with us. He had his last years in Oakland California and passed in the late 90's. He used to come down and play music with us at my warehouse space, despite us not being such good musicians. We had many great jams with him and heard many fine stories of his life as a jazz musician. He was very giving, appreciative and modest. We found out at his funeral that he had succumbed to AIDS. We were very saddened to lose his friendship and his mentoring. God Bless you Claude!!

Originally Posted by Naiade S

Hi, yes I knew Claude Bartee in San Francisco in 1979-82. I met him at a Buddhist meeting and he became friends with my then-husband and me. We had Claude over for Thanksgiving dinner, our first Thansksgiving in SF (I still remember: Cornish game hens.) I listened to him play at the Buddhist Culture Festival in LA in 1980 or so. Amazing player. I knew him more as a person than as a musician (I am a visual artist/writer myself). Claude was always pining for New York City. He said SF wasn't exciting enough (to me it was--I moved there from Colorado Springs). He missed the jazzy, speeded-up, electric atmosphere of NYC; he said even the NY subway was like hearing percussion instruments, he began tapping his fingers on the table in syncopation to the sound of NYC in his memory--the sounds of subway cars, the open and shutting of doors, running down the subway stairs, and all the city noises themselves, were like a soundtrack to him. A grand correography. (I thought I was the only one who thought that way--I was young.) I loved that about him. I got to know his sister a bit too, and his mom. He moved away to NYC shortly after that, I think. I lost track of him after that. Those were very atmospheric times.

While it is sad news, I want to thank you both for posting. Those are some heartwarming comments, and I always find stuff like that very touching. Every now and then we have a thread like this, and it's always interesting to read, even if the news ends with someone's passing. I believe, in fact, that was how I discovered the wonderful music of Morris Nanton.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Cheers.