7 September 2012

On a very, very sad note

(click on picture to enlarge) 

 I have just received the very sad news from fellow blogger Igor that our dear Riccardo Beduschi passed away last Tuesday. The cause of death was a heart attack. Igor received an email from Riccardo's friend Ilario Rozen which I'd like to quote in extenso:

 "Hi Igor,unfortunately our friend Riccardo died because of an infarct on last Tuesday. Inconstant sol is his creature too and I think he must be remembered on our blog. He is a real friend and a real jazzman. 

Unfortunately I can write just a comment, so if you could write a post on the top of the blog to give this bad news as soon as possible, it'll be a special present to honor his memory. I'm very very sad for this news, and I hope all the blog will participate to our bereavement."

Igor handed me the task as I'm one of the admins of this blog.

So, on behalf of Onxidlib, Sotise, Wallofsound and other contributors to the blog over the years, I'd like to record my deep appreciation of Riccardo's unique offerings. He made his own recordings, many dating back to the 1970s, and he was very much active right up to the last days, travelling to the Saalfelden festival and recording the Mary Halvorson Quintet which was posted here recently. He promised more in the near future, but alas, that may never come to light.

As we are based in different countries, even on different continents, I did not know Riccardo personally, so there is not much I can say. I would, however, like to express my deep condolences to Riccardo's relatives and closest and to all others who knew him.

I would also like to ask followers of the blog who have enjoyed his many contributions over the last few years to record their appreciation and to honour his memory in the best way they can. Comments are free.

May he rest in peace.

Yours

Kinabalu,

on behalf of Inconstant Sol and the music blogger community

Update: Ilario has kindly provided me with this picture which I thought was very fitting. It depicts a group of jazz fans at the Moers festival in 1979. Riccardo is on the upper right, carrying a recording device in a shoulder bag, looking serious and very focused. A man with a mission in the middle of field work. The second on the left in the bottom row is Luigi Zanon, whose photos Riccardo would occasionally use to illustrate his posts. I understand that some of the others in the picture are also no longer with us.

And as regulars may have noticed, one of Riccardo's last posts was the United Front at the Moers festival in 1979.

68 comments:

Wallofsound said...

What a shock. As Kinabalu says we were just enjoying the latest in a flow of great music that he kindly shared with us. He was a true friend to jazz.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Yes a shock! I never met him in reality but he has helped me - the blog newbie - several times in different ways. He knew when I needed help - I didn't even ask - he was there and offered his advice with great patience.
My thoughts are with his family and friends - so sad.
Riccardo - Rest in Peace

the jazzstronaut said...

I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to you guys and to Riccardo's family and close friends. I wish you a peaceful journey, dear brother.

roberto t. said...

I like to think he's gonna tape some great concerts up there! Thank you, Riccardo!

the jazzstronaut said...

Heartfelt sympathy to Riccardo's family and friends...peaceful journey, brother.

maghetto said...

is a shock for me too. I have not had the pleasure of knowing, although having shown the same concerts GENOA we would definitely crossed. I wanted to talk to him but I did not have time.
my most sincere condolences to the entire group of inconstant sol
and of course the family
iginio rossi

kike said...

RIP dear Riccardo, grazie per tuti you share with us. To a jazz soulmate from a jazz friend.

Ilario Rozen said...

very sad sad news and very sad to be the communicator of this news. I'd like to remember Riccardo with the beautiful words of his last post on this blog: "Music of melancholy beauty". A person who wrote this wonderful words to describe a concert (or in general one of the best moment in our life) was a great friend and a real jazzman.

Ilario

Ilario Rozen said...

ps. thanks to all comments, especially to the administrator of this blog for the intense words and to people, without knowing Riccado in person, were and are so close in this moment. Thank you.

gilhodges said...

Blessings for all your gifts, Riccardo. They will keep giving and giving. R.I.P.

Anonymous said...

just got the devestating email from Igor, i'm speechless, winded concussed...
TCHAO Riccardo, thanks for the memories!

DrEyescope said...

My sincere and heartfelt condolences- to Riccardo's family and friends on your loss.

Those of us who did not know him personally, but who were lucky enough to be the beneficiaries of his generous spirit and good taste will miss him.

Goodbye, and R.I.P. Riccardo.

Nick said...

A fantastically knowledgeable and generous person who gave so much to sharing the music that we love.

Jacques said...

C'est très très triste !
I didn't know him but i feel like to loose a friend
all my sympathy to his family

Jacques - Paris

Bozo said...

May Riccardo Rest in Piece and be able to enjoy the celestrial music of the spheres.My heartfelt sympathies to his friends and family, and to his musical partners in the world's greatest blog,Inconstant Sol. Wish I could have known him personally, but his big heart always shone thru in his posts and comments, and his contribution to the music we all love will not be forgotten.

Pino27 said...

To Riccardo,

In the afternoon of 4th September a great friend and handsome man left prematurly us, leaveing a big hole, besides in his family, between his (not few) friends, too who knew and exstimated him for his human quality and his distinction and shared his great passion and enthusiasm with him for the music, especially for Jazz, that he loved and knew deeply.

We remember He was at a lot of concerts and festivals in Italy and abroad since '70s with his tape-recorder. Riccardo documented the most important and artistic events, that have recently brought him, thank to tecnology evolution, to create his own blog on the web, that we know it is really followed, where he gave a lot of music rarities to everybody.

Riccardo was cultured and qualified person and with him discussing about different aspects of Jazz and music, especially about avant-gardes and artists, he liked, was a great pleasure.

Riccardo left a big empty that cannot be filled in all our hearts and we will miss him, but an indelible memory will remain forever.

Bye Riccardo, you will be always with us.
Claudio, Gigi and all your friends.

Andrea Beduschi said...

Andrea ... I'm the brother of Richard, I was able to get you the sad news. I am very much pleased to know that it was so much appreciated his "work" and love for the world of jazz. I will try to get you in one way or another all of the audio could be of interest present in his house.
With all my heart, Andrea.

(sorry, I used the google translator ....)

Andy said...

Oh my goodness, what terrible news. What a kind and generous man, with such good taste in music. He'll be missed hugely. Condolences to his loved ones. Thank you Riccardo, you did great!

Alain said...

Really sorry, most of all because I don't think I ever thanked him for those incredible italian concerts.
RIP Riccardo and thanks to all people at Inconstant Sol.
Alain

Rev. Dr. Moller. MDMA, THC and BAR. said...

RIP Riccardo.

Ilario Rozen said...

Per Riccardo

La sera del 4 Settembre è mancato prematuramente un grande amico e una cara persona che ha lasciato un grande vuoto, oltre che nella sua famiglia, tra gli amici, e non sono pochi, che lo conoscevano e lo stimavano per le sue qualità umane e la sua signorilità e condividevano con lui la grande passione e entusiasmo per la musica, soprattutto per il Jazz, di cui era un profondo conoscitore.

Ricordiamo Riccardo presente a molti concerti e festival in Italia e all'estero fin dagli anni '70. Con il suo registratore documentava gli avvenimenti artistici più importanti che lo avevano portato in termini recenti, grazie all'evoluzione tecnologica, a creare un proprio sito nella rete web, che sappiamo frequentatissimo, dove aveva messo a disposizione di tutti molte rarità sonore.

Persona colta e competente con cui era piacevole conversare sui vari aspetti del Jazz, in particolare modo sulle avanguardie e sui musicisti che lui preferiva.

Riccardo ha lasciato un incolmabile senso di vuoto ne cuore di noi tutti e di lui sentiremo la mancanza, ma ci rimarrà un indelebile ricordo.

Ciao Riccardo, sarai sempre con noi.
Claudio, Gigi e tutti gli altri amici, la cui lista sarebbe molto lunga.

E-mile said...

so sorry to hear this.... may he listen to all the good music up there....
peace, E-mile

Avid Listener said...

This is such sad news. Over the two years since I first discovered this blog, I've been listening avidly to all the wonderful concert recordings he shared so generously: it amounted to a whole lost continent in the history of jazz! So much wonderful music that would never have seen the light of day otherwise. I remember hearing his voice, too, in the interview he did at the end of one of his recordings -- I think of Braxton? He seemed like a true fan, the ideal intelligent listener. All sympathies to those lucky enough to have known him personally.

glmlr said...

This is heart-breaking news. Riccardo took Inconstant Sol to a whole other level. May the gods look kindly on you, Riccardo. Thank you again for so many wonderful sounds. We shall miss you thunderously.

Vitko said...

What to say? I just read this sad news, and I'm still in shock. In this part of the world where I am, for the one who is no more, simply says - the Glory of his!

JC said...

Wow. Such a sad event for us who remain, but I am sure the beginning of a new brilliant eternal journey for a kind scholar and gentleman (that I too only knew from posts here). Many thanks to Riccardo for the amazing documentation of so much of the history of this music and the generosity of spirit that leaves such a legacy to all of us.

God bless him and shine comfort on his family and friends.

sasha said...

Would just like to take this oppurtunity to say 'Thankyou' to the memory of Riccardo for all the wonderful music shared...It has certainly en-riched my musical edu-tainment..Also wish to offer condolences to his nearest and dearest.

joesh said...

Such sad news, but at least we can all say that Riccardo brought us all so much joy and pleasure. Although I didn't know him personally (like many of us) it is clear that he loved sharing his passion for music with us. A great big thanks to a real hero - in this already small music field - for sharing so much with so many.

serviceton said...

Riccardo once dedicated a post to me, much to my surprise. We had not corresponded privately, our main interaction was me leaving comments on his seemingly endless treasure trove of great live shows. But he saw some comment I made on an unrelated post and had taken notice - "if he likes that stuff,i'm sure he'll like this" he must have thought. Then he makes his post (it was ROVA) and writes 'for serviceton'. Tiny gesture, open-heartedly made. To a near total stranger - generosity of spirit.
Requiescat in pace Riccardo.

armando said...

Riccardo, we´ll can´t never thank you enough for your generosity and enthusiasm in respect the music we love. My condolences to your family and friends.

Peter said...

Terrible news.

Deep condolences to his family and friends, near and also far. I hope at least the physical suffering was not great, and that the survivors can find growing solace in treasuring all the good things about Riccardo's life and personality, to shorten their grief to manageable, human proportions.

Well expressed feelings by Kinabalu, Pino, Ilario, and many others above.

matt w said...

This is shocking and sad news indeed.

Thank you, Riccardo, for all the wonderful music you shared with us. You brought us much great joy and beauty.

To his family and friends, my deepest condolences.

Godspeed and rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Very sorry to hear this, he introduced me to an amazing amount of amazing music.

teledyn said...

a true warrior in the liberation of planet earth; riccardo, thank you, and we pledge to carry on your work!

trane said...

Riccardo was a great human being, a friend and a music lover. What a huge and premature loss. We had just spoken last week in order to meet for some good food and wine in Florence before going to Braxton’s concert in Prato. No one could have thought – not even he – he was about to depart.
Probably few of you know that Riccardo was an agronomist, growing rice with his brother near Pavia. I am mentioned this just to give you an insight into Riccardo the human being. And of course, beyond his generosity, we musnt forget that uploading a commercial cd, never mind how much appreciated or rare it is, is not comparable to what Riccardo always did: record a concert, convert cassettes, fill in the info gaps (line-up, set-lists), etc. A whole other effort. Although this is the last thing to concern us right now, I am glad to learn from Andrea that there is the willingness to have other friends continue Riccardo’s mission.
R.I.P. and enjoy the music wherever you are Riccardo

“They taking all the Giants. You. Trane. Duke. Monk. Billie. Your whole band is dead, man. Paul. Philly Joe. Cannonball. John. Red. Your whole band. and what does that do to us, but leave us on the shore watching the waves, and trying to write music from that regular funk. But what it says is that our youth is gone. That we are the adult. What that? That you have it in yr hand now, to do”
Amiti Baraka (aka Leroy Jones), Euology for Miles (excerpt)

wightdj said...

Peace to Riccardo and his loved ones. A huge and enlightened jazz resource has been silenced. Life is so precious, yet another reminder to live each day to the max, as if each is the last. As Dolphy said, "When you hear music, after it's over, it's gone, in the air. You can never capture it again."

giu said...

GOOD MUSIC lost one of his GOOD FRIEND
this new is terrible and i am so sorry for his family and friends.

Only two days ago i was talking with friends that were with me in Saalfelden wondering if they knew who Riccardo was after he posted Mary Halvorson concert.
I would have liked to send him some bottles of wine to thank him for the fantastic things he posted.
So a big hug for all his familiars and friends
VIVA RICCARDO!! VIVA RICCARDO!!

kinabalu said...

I realise that we are a faceless and mostly pseudonymous bunch here in the blog world. Riccardo was an exception, though, posting under his own name.

I wonder if any of Riccardo's closest has a good picture of him that we can use here, to be put at the head of this post. It would be nice to attach a face to the name.

If anyone has a suitable picture, please contact me at kinabalu4093@gmail.com.

TomP said...

I am new to this site, but it still saddens me greatly when a fellow music enthusiast passes away.

RIP Riccardo

giu said...

ciao Kinabalu
i was asking the same thing, a photo of Riccardo.
At a certain point i thought he was one of the friends that record concerts... but i discoverd, sadly, that his name was true.
With his posts he made going up and down in my life... concerts that i also recorded at those time, with a superbad cassette recorder. He was giving us this fantastic memories on flac... what a joy
hope to see his face soon
VIVA RICCARDO!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is very terribly shocking and sad!!! I was just listening to Riccardo's superb recording of the Don Pullen Quartet in Milan, 1978: his recordings set the standard for Pullen live recordings from the 1970's (and probably all the other greats who performed in Italy & Europe)! And now he is gone like Pullen (and all the other greats too...) From now on when i play his fantastic recordings i will think of him!!! R.I.P. Riccardo--your recordings are a fantastic legacy and will keep your great jazz spirit alive for a very long time!!!!! --dandor

doghouse said...

Ciao Riccardo - you will be sorely missed - R.I.P.

Alec said...

This is incredibly sad news to hear. Riccardo, in my estimation, was the most generous, and certainly one of the most important, archivists of jazz music. A very sad day for a lot of people it seems, as he undoubtedly touched many lives in a positive way.
Condolences to his family and friend.
Rest in peace, Riccardo.

giu said...

ciao, again,
the photo you posted is so strong, which one is Riccardo? i knew some people there... so terribly sad...
RIP man, and meet your heroes up there
ciao

glmlr said...

Thanks for the photo, gentlemen. It's very nice to be able to put a face to Riccardo's name. He will be long remembered.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Thanks for the photo. Ciao Riccardo!

Anonymous said...

Safe passage, Riccardo and thanks for the lovely music you shared with us.

Ilario Rozen said...

@giu: please write me off-list.
Ilariorozen@gmail.com

drjazzmo said...

Very sad news. Riccardo had made such an important work in documenting the music, we all love.

He will be missed here in this virtual community of jazz lovers, but also in the community of jazz researchers, where his exemplary recordings was well noticed.

Personally, i lost a brother in musical sympathies. Grazie, for all, Riccardo!

My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

klakadak said...

Sad to hear one unselfish music lover, who shared his passion with the rest of us, is gone. Rest in peace, Riccardo.

Jim F. said...

Very sad news. I have enjoyed his recordings often over the last several years, but it's not just my enjoyment for which I am grateful: he has done a service to Jazz in making, preserving and distributing these bits of history, which will help scholars studying the development of these artists for many years to come.

Enrico said...

Shocking and sad. His work and passion have been so precious for all jazz fans and scholars.
May his soul rest in peace

softnucleus said...

Ciao Riccardo!
I know, you are recording great music in the wonderful place where you are now: Bird, Miles, Thelonious, Trane, Eric, Albert, Rahsaan, Gil, Max, Elvin, Bill Evans, Paul Motian, Joe Harriott, Mike Osborne, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Ian Carr, Massimo Urbani and many, many others. Please, could you post them for us, poor people here on Earth?
We never knew each other, it’s a real pity! A couple of weeks ago there would have been a great oppurtunity in Saalfelden, but I didn’t know you were there and I didn’t know how you looked like. If I did, I would have hugged you and thanked you for all your wonderful posts on Inconstant Sol. What a huge regret!
We could have been friends and going around Europe to jazz festivals with our common, deep interest for music and recordings. I started to record concerts and festivals some years later than you, in 1983. I guess you are from north-west Italy, while I am from north-east. Even our family name is a little bit similar!
Un abbraccio forte! Yours affectionately,
Mauro
RICCARDO LIVES!!!

Anonymous said...

Rest in peace Ricardo, a thought to all is familly. Hope up ther you will listen to good jazz

chano said...

Very sad news. R.I.P. Riccardo e grazie per la musica.

Lee said...

I have long been a quiet but steady follower of this blog. And I've enjoyed far more than I've said thank you, I'm sure. This is shocking and truly sad. Although I've never met any of you in person, I always felt a kinship. There are not many of us in the world. Riccardo will be missed.

-Lee

Bill said...

It's funny how we are all so surprised yet we all know we re going to die. It's so much harder for us who are left behind. To Riccardo's family and friends - I am so sorry for your loss. He was so very much appreciated here. RIP.

buruno said...

oh... my sincerest condolences to his family and friends. I guess the massive amount of kind words here give a glimpse on how a good person he must have been.
no matter how cold and abstract the internet seems to be, there will always someone to recognize and admire a good work done with passion. rip.

toci said...

Grazie per la musica.Rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Very sad news...my deepest condolences to family and friends.

jackalope said...

Riccardo, I hope your spirit is receiving all the gratefulness we feel as we morn your passing from this life. We shall miss your presence here. It is wonderful to know that your work will continue to illuminate the lives of many as your family and others carry forth your legacy. Thank you and thank you to those who now and in the future keep the flame alive!

Mosa said...

Deepest condolences.
We will miss your beautifull work and your love for music.
Thank for making available part of your passions.
I propose a serie of posts in his memories.
With the Biggest Respect.

MrBill said...

I am saddened by this news. As an irregular visitor here I appreciated and enjoyed a number of his contributions. It is my sincere hope that riccardo, "the jazzman" and others are in heaven even now, enjoying music on a multitude of instruments, not just the harp!

Tantris said...

His recordings were wonderful. My most sincere condolences to Riccardo´s family and friends.

Anonymous said...

Ciao Riccardo,
My thought to your family and friends. We will miss you for all good sound you share with us and all youu made me dicover.
Chris

marten512 said...

Very sad news indeed.
Farewell Riccardo and thank you for all of the goodies.

LYM said...

Very Very sad news here. Just one more reason for my sadness. Even if Riccardo was from my same country, than contradictory, quoted with low musical widespread knowledge named Italy, I couldn't know R personally.
THANKS A MILLION for your invaluable hard work and huge generosity
Rest In Peace dear RICCARDO

SEE YOU LYM


SEE YOU LYM

drjawn said...

I just found the news of Riccardo's passing. Shock and sadness have been the result. I was holding out hope that we would share some electrons again. My condolences to his family and loved ones. I left a blog entry noting this loss -

http://drjawn.multiply.com/journal/item/242/Riccardo-Beduschi-R.I.P.

Riposa in pace, addio Riccardo,

Il tuo amico Giovanni