Willie Tee, R.I.P.

So sad. I wish I had seen him at one of the Ponderosa Stomps.

Here is what the Ponderosa Stomp/Mystic Knights said about him awhile back:

Jazz-influenced pianist Willie Tee is a New Orleanians' New Orleans musician. He started recording with his brother Earl Turbinton for Harold Batiste's AFO Records in 1960 and by 1965 had scored a top twenty hit with the breezy, laid back "Teasin' You," followed by a string of similarly great uptown soul cuts on Nola Records. "Thank You, John," and especially the superb "Walking Up A One Way Street" never came near the chart position of "Teasin' You" but all became instant classics in the Carolinas where the Shag Scene had already taken off. Now as popular as ever, Tee's songs rank alongside Beach Music favorites like Brenton Wood's "Gimme Little Sign," the Showmen's "It Will Stand" and Maurice Williams' "Stay."

In the late sixties Tee launched a second career that just added another dimension to his already complex musical personality when he formed the Gaturs, a tough instrumental combo that specialized in self-produced psychedelic funk released all their material on their own label, Gatur Records. Sounding like Booker T.& the MGs facing off with a Mardi Gras Indian Tribe on deep funk classics like "Wasted" and "Gator Bait" and the Impressions or Archie Bell & the Drells on "First Taste Of Hurt" and "Funky, Funky Twist," the Gaturs not only provided the perfect soundtrack to the Crescent City, circa 1970, they released all their material on their own label, Gatur Records. The recent funk frenzy has catapulted the multi-faceted Tee to the forefront once again, where his work is considered second only to that of Eddie Bo in the realms of revolutionary New Orleans funk.

apparently, Katrina wiped out his house and many of his recordings, the Times said this morning. Sad, and another nail in the coffin of New Orleans culture. "Thank You John" is one great song; and as far as I know, you can't get his classic vocal recordings on a decent-sounding CD, either. Maybe his death will change this.

http://homeofthegroove.blogspot.com/

great blog with Tee info and music

Walkin Up A One Way Street is a real favorite of mine. I think it got played at my wedding, but i can't remember.

I started a similar thread on ILE (by accident) and nobody came. I saw him perform right after Katrina, he was in NYC and was playing a benefit for other musicians in distress because of the hurricane. He was a consummate showman, his glow undiminished, probably improved, by all those years of being a local hero in New Orleans. RIP, Willie.

Wow, "Walking Up a One Way Street" is gorgeous. You can hear it at the Home of the Groove blog.

it is a great song. Now, damn it, someone do a good comp of his NOLA/Atlantic stuff! Collectors' Choice just now reissued Chris Kenner's essential Land of 1000 Dances on CD, for the first time.

This guy blogged a Gaturs track: http://funky16corners.wordpress.com/

Mr. Fine Wine's gonna play some Willie Tee and Bobby Byrd songs on his show in a few minutes.

I missed it. Have not listened to him on FMU online lately. What a great dj.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJCbHC6jlFM

http://www.zawinulonline.org/2007/09/16/willie-tee-and-earl-turbinton-rip/