The world grew just a bit dimmer and sadder today with the passing of Tom Terrell, a gifted writer and -- more importantly -- one of the sweetest, most loving human beings it has ever been my privilege to encounter. Tom left us this morning after a long battle with cancer.
A lot of folks were pulling for Tom with good vibes and donations; a benefit concert held in September 2006 here in New York featured performances by Angelique Kidjo, Butch Morris, Coati Mundi, Greg Osby, Kenny Barron, Meshell Ndegeocello, Vernon Reid and others. I wish there was more we could have done, but Tom let everyone know how much it was appreciated.
I hadn't seen or heard from Tom in more than a year when today's news arrived, and I'd give a lot to experience just one more of his warm hugs. You can get some sense of Tom's spirit in a PopMatters column he wrote after attending the funeral of his aunt, jazz icon Shirley Horn, in April 2006, and in a passage from an unfinished memoir on his blog. Tom's college buddy, photographer Jeff the Purple, remembers him here.
Update: Anastasia also remembers those hugs, and -- like Phil Freeman in a comment below -- cites Tom's liner notes for Sony's On the Corner box set.
A real bummer. Never met the guy face-to-face, but he wrote a couple of pieces for Global Rhythm while I was the editor, including a terrific cover story on Kermit Ruffins, and his liner notes to the new Miles Davis On The Corner box are evocative and a hell of a lot of fun.
Posted by: pdf | November 29, 2007 at 01:09 PM
How could you *not* remember Tom's embraces? And I can't agree with your first description of Tommy T enthusiastically enough. He was the kind of guy that, after you hung out with him, made you think, "THAT is the kind of person I aspire to be."
Posted by: Anastasia | November 29, 2007 at 03:59 PM
Tom Terrell was a gentleman. A rare thing, these days. Rest in peace, my friend.
Posted by: Michael Garin | December 06, 2007 at 04:22 AM
Tom rocked and will continue to rock on in my heart. Captain awesome, you will be missed.
Posted by: erin norris | December 10, 2007 at 01:42 PM
met Tom @ a Sun Ra concert . . .
lemme see, mid-80's, maybe. he was dj-ing during the "enter-mission." i asked him about one on the songs he played, and what did i do that for? we ended up talking about music for the rest of the Sun Ra performance. he even invited me to a party at his home, and Tom didn't know me from Adam! that's just the way this special brutha waz. Tom was a light of the cosmos who extracted the radiance in all of us. thank you, Tom, for your fire. your Spirit is with us and EarthMother for-i-ver. Peace and One Love. i posted a tribute poem on my uncarved blog - www.artpolitik.com
Posted by: JahHannibal | January 01, 2008 at 10:57 PM