MEMORIES OF MATSU
Dear Friends,
This page is dedicated to the memory of
Yoshitaka Uematsu (Matsu),
our good friend, drummer and
bon vivant who dedicated his life to Jazz.
Matsu passed away on June 1st, 2008
and we honor his memory.
He is greatly missed by all his
friends and supporters.
Turn on your speakers and listen to Matsu
along with Brian Murphy - piano and
Bill Pace - bass at San Marino Jazz Club,
Ebisu (Tokyo) October 2000!
In Tokyo Matsu was a member of the highly
regarded Tsuyoshi Yamamoto trio.
A number of recordings were released
internationally including “Speak Low”
on Venus records. Matsu performed with
many other Japanese ensembles
and was celebrated as one of the
few Japanese musicians who
had attained success and respect in America.
Matsu spent eight years of his American life in New York. He studied drums with the great Jimmy Cobb and performed with Wallace Roney, Dennis Irwin, John Clayton, Stanley Turrentine, Kenny Drew Jr. and many others.
He lived and worked in Key West for more than ten years.
He was a local favorite and appeared at many of the nightspots looking resplendent in his usual attire - dress shirt, bowtie. blazer and, occasionally a hat, usually arriving by bicycle or cab (with his drums).
Matsu particularly enjoyed the “fresh air” that Key West offered.
He was also an excellent sushi chef and loved to create his special dishes for friend’s parties!
He performed at all the local events and nightspots including:
Captain Hornblower’s, Fantasy Fest, Key West Jazz Festival,
Little Palm Island, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville,
Kelly McGillis' Caribbean Bar, Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Centre, Green Parrot Bar, Schooner Wharf Bar, Grunts, Barefoot Bob’s, Ricky's Blue Heaven & The Bull with these artists:
Ira Sullivan, Dave Burns, Peter Diamond, Lonnie Jacobson,
Leanna Collins, Melody Cooper, Donna Blue MacDonald,
Brian Murphy, Barry Ries,Danny Knowles, Michael Gillis, Joe Donato, Carmen Rodriguez,Christine Naughton, Michael Thomas, Chief Billy, Steve Gilmore, Othello Molineaux, Phil Flanigan, Carol Chaikin, Pepito Hernandez, Lonnie Jacobson and Marty Stonely, Phil Sampson,
Jaui Schneider and Tim McAlpine among others.
Brian Murphy Trio with Matsu & Bill Pace - Tokyo 2000
Dave Burns Trio with Matsu & Lonnie Jacobson - Key West 1996
Captain Hornblower’s - Key West
Danny Knowles, Michael Gillis, Brian Murphy & Matsu
Friends at San Marino Jazz Club - Tokyo 2000
Donna Blue MacDonald, Matsu & Chiharu
Miami Beach 2002
The music you are listening to features Chiharu (Matsu’s partner)
singing a beautifully uplifting version of Clare Fischer’s “Morning”!
Matsu is featured on timbales and drumset
with Brian Murphy - piano and Don Miller - bass
Recorded in 2002 in Miami.
Any words of condolence, any remembrances, photos, anecdotes
or any other personal memories that you would like to
share with Chiharu and Matsu’s friends would be appreciated.
Please email or send them to me and I will make sure that
she receives them and they are included here.
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Mon., June 1 2009
Thank you for contacting me, Brian. I am very saddened to learn about Matsu’s passing. I was trying to get in touch with him the last time I was in Japan, but didn’t have his phone number. He was one of my good tomodachis* and I will miss him very much.
Matsu, I will think of you every time I’m in Japan.
Rest In Peace,
Jimmy Cobb
* friends
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Sun., June 1 2008
I only knew Matsu to say hello, in his reserved kind of way.
I do know that I enjoyed his music, and he was a great influence
on the music scene in Key West.
We were lucky to have him here!
hope you and Donna B are doing well.
Dr. Bill Goldner
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Sun., June 1 2008
Brian,
Thank you for letting us know.
He was a wonderful soul.
We send our
condolences and love.
Jerry and Caroline Cash
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Sun., June 1 2008
I just got home and am totally crushed and shocked to learn about my
drum - brother........
I am immeasurably saddend by this loss and will network with Robin,
Marty, Phil, etc. on pix and posted memories of this amazing Being,
and musician.
Thanks for your efforts with a webpage and getting messages to his lady......
Please keep me updated......and say hi to Donna for me....
peace,
Skipper Kripitz
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Mon., June 2 2008
Thank you Brian.
I'm in shock and quite saddened !
Marty Stonely
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Mon., June 2 2008
Hello Brian,
So sorry to hear the news.
I did not know Matsu that well but always
liked his smile and laugh.
He was a fixture in Key West for many of the years
I worked down there.
If there was a jazz gig he was probably on it.
I know he was a huge fan and lover of the music.
He always had a good word about Blakey or
Philly Joe, or Max Roach.
Thanks for letting me know.
John Yarling
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Mon., June 2 2008
Greetings...Brian,
Man I don't know what to say right now.
I do have some nice photos and
I'll send them to you soon.
We'll talk...thank you for letting me know.
We all cared for him very much.
He and Chiharu stayed with Holly and me
the last time he was here.
take care,
Peter Diamond
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Tues., June 3 2008
Hi Brian,
Thanks for emailing me although I am truly saddened to hear about
Matsu. I wondered what had happened to him,
Phil Sampson and I were talking about him just the other day.
Melody Cooper
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Fri., June 6 2008
Brian, So sorry about Matsu. I have a great memory-maybe politically incorrect - but great for me, the audience and, well, as they say,
"That's entertainment".
I was playing piano downstairs at Capt. Hornblowers with Matsu and Chief Billy on standup bass back in '94 and we were doing
"Chicken Rhythm" by Slim Gaillard. Billy and I are singing "Bwauck Bwauck, Bwauck Bwauck, Gelo, Chicken Rhythm" over and over as per the song and Matsu, with that great smile and eager enthusiasm, is joining in - only he is singing "Quack Quack, Quack Quack Gelo, Chicken Rhythm". "Quack quack" instead of "Bwauk Bwauk".... So I stop mid song and say, No Matsu, a chicken goes "Bwauk", a duck goes "Quack", like this "Bwwaaauk". To which Matsu replies "Quaaack". "No" I say "Bwwwauuuk..."."Quaaaack" he says. And then we go back and forth for a while "Bwauk"."Quack". "Bwauk". "Quack"."No, Bwauk!". "Quack". "Bwauk". "Quack". "No Matsu", "It's B- waauukkkk!" He keeps smiling and eagerly nods his head up and down and goes, "Quaaaackkk!" To which I say (feigning a little anger), "Look man, I don't know what the chickens say in Japan, but here in the United States they say....b-wauuuuukkkk!" Again, still totally smiling and nodding his head up and down and with perfect comic timing he pauses and let's out a slow and perfect, "Qu-aaaacckkk!" and keeps right on smiling like he has nailed it. Billy is looking back and forth between us as this continues passively and waiting patiently. By now the audience is rolling in the aisles and laughing so hard that tears are coming down and drinks are being spilled. So I roll my eyes a bit and count back in and we continue and finish the song;
Billy and I "Bwauk bwauking" and Matsu, happily, "Quack quacking" right along. It might not have been jazz but the whole thing was improvised and totally clicked, or clacked; depending on your cultural perspective.
Wished we could have got it on video.
Take care-hope all is good with you,
Barry Cuda
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Fri., June 6 2008
HI Brian,
What sad news.............This getting older thing has it's sad times, doesn't it? I thank you for the mail.
I have a lot of memories of dear Matsu. One in particular. at Hornblowers, playing with Dave and Lonnie, I had just released my first CD. We we're doing "Cry Me A River", with Matsu's playing, it had never felt better before, he was the icing on my wonderful cake.................He always treated me as an equal as a player,
he was kind and something about him was just irresistible.
I see that you are busy and must be doing well. Are you still in Miami?
I have wonderful, memories of you
and your incredible playing..............take care.
Leanna Collins
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Tues. Sept. 23 2008
Hi Brian,
Thank you for creating this tribute page. My friendship with Matsu remains one of the most delightful and profound experiences of my life. Who was Matsu ? I suspect he was many different things to different people, but to me he was above all laughter. I can’t count the times I’ve found myself cracking up with him about some incident that might have passed by anyone else unnoticed. He had a childlike innocence at times that was totally charming and a smile that could light up a room. I remember him telling me how happy he was to be dubbed
“The Sunshine Man” by friends in Tokyo . Matsu also taught me much about music, about artistic process and artistic integrity.
He loved jazz so deeply that it informed every thought he had and every word he spoke. Like his artistic idol Salvador Dali, Matsu cherished his mustache, and like Dali was at times wild in a way that made life more exciting than it ever should be. Through the years he confided much about his life to me and often wept because he cared so deeply about people he loved. I was sad to hear of his passing, but Matsu will always be vibrant and alive in my memory. All I have to do is think his name, and there he is, riding his bicycle, stopping by the Casablanca Restaurant on his way to the Banana Café to chat before his gig begins.
Handsome, nattily dressed, the silver Siamese cat pin always on the lapel of his jacket, he would ask insecurely, “Looking good, Carole-chan?”
And of course I would answer, “Yes, Matsu . Very handsome.”
The last time he visited me in Boston I thought he looked thin and a little weary. I hope his passing was gentle. Many times he worried aloud that he would die alone so I’m very glad Chiharu was with him.
He was, I think to anyone who knew him, an irreplaceable gift.
Carole Ann Borges
Knoxville TN
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Tues. Sept. 23 2008
Hi Brian! Thank you so much for putting this page together and sending
it to me. It brought back a lot of memories about playing with and
hanging out with Matsu in Key West.
He was a great drummer and friend.
His broken English led to some very confusing yet often hilarious
conversations. Somehow he was able to come up with some
very unusual slang words for certain things -
things that I probably shouldn't divulge on the internet!
Most of these terms became a secret language among our circle of
friends to the point that we would use these words
even when he wasn't around.
This is probably a safe story to tell:
One night Matsu was very excited about having a date
with a girl who was very well endowed.
He really cracked us up when he said,
"Me very happy! Big milk-tank lady coming!"
He will definitely be missed!
Peace, Kenny Drew Jr.
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Tues. Sept. 23 2008
Dear Brian,
Thank you for letting me know about Matsu.
I did not know he had passed away. It’s a wonderful tribute.
I loved working with Matsu, he was the happiest drummer ever.
Having not ever worked with Matsu before, on one of my gigs before the first song, I turned to Matsu and asked if he knew it,
he smiled and nodded ever so kindly and without a word he counted off the song and it was a wonderful night.
Every song was played with care and space for a singer to enjoy...
Matsu knew all the songs!!! You never had to tell Matsu to dress up.
He always came dressed up to play drums - the beginning of a wonderful friendship!
with fond memories in Key West.
Love,
Carmen Rodriguez
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Wed. Sept. 24 2008
Re: Yoshitaka Uematsu
Thank you so much for your message.
My name is TOMO TAKAHASHI.
Mr. Yoshitaka Uematsu was a very excellent drummer.
He was an apprentice of the Jimmy Cobb, the one of greatest drummer.
I am a bassist who was performing with him in Japan.
When coming to Japan, Teruo Nakamura who was my teacher was performing with his trio with him.
Very to our regret, Mr. Uematsu died of cancer on June 1.
I want you to wish him to live happily in the heaven.
I am praying for activity as your musician.
Best Regards,
Ms. TOMO TAKAHASHI
(Ms. Takahashi posted the You Tube video of
Matsu in rehearsal with the Teruo Nakamura trio.)
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Wed. Sept. 24 2008
http://www.youtube.com/user/sunamajiri
Thanks for your mail. It's very good to hear that you make his tribute page. I met Matsu during my NY years almost 15-20 years ago.
Recently I sometimes played with him around Tokyo.
It was very sad - his sudden death.
The video was taken almost one month prior to his death.
Anyhow thanks for informing me. Keep in touch.
Ms. Kaoru Ohmoto
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Fri. Sept. 26 2008
Hello,Brian!!
I saw the page to which Matsu was written.
Teruo Nakamura,the bassist and
my teacher held the funeral by music in Tokyo for Matsu.
I informed his mother of the thing where a lot of people who lament Matsu's death in the United States exist.
I think that the fact is a glad thing for his mother.
We wish to express our gratitude as you are kind.
Thank U so much!!
Tomo
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