August 6, 1930 - August 14, 2010
We have lost another giant! Abbey Lincoln, a singer with a distinctive style influenced by Billie Holiday, has died at 80 years old. Abbey Lincoln sang in a plaintive tone that reflected her idol, but was all her own. Best known among jazz aficionados, Abbey often sang her own compositions, tailored to highlight her voice and style. She was highly respected by jazz musicians and performed with the most famous list of collaborators, including Eric Dolphy, Coleman Hawkins, and Sonny Rollins.
Abbey starred in the 1964 film "Nothing But A Man" with Ivan Dixon, still considered one of the best and most realistic on-screen portayals of a relationship between two black people... and, shame upon shame on me because I still haven't seen that movie. My mother and my aunt used to talk about that movie when I was a child. I'm going to go out and see if I can purchase it now. She also appeared in "For The Love of Ivy, a 1968 film with Sidney Poitier and Beau Bridges. (another film that I did not see, but will see now). She also had roles in many popular TV shows like All in the Family.
Abbey was married to the great jazz drummer Max Roach during the 1960s, and they collaborated on "We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite", an album that was considered highly political at the time of its release. Abbey Lincoln, whose real name was Anna Marie Wooldridge, was found dead in her New York apartment this past Saturday.
Abbey starred in the 1964 film "Nothing But A Man" with Ivan Dixon, still considered one of the best and most realistic on-screen portayals of a relationship between two black people... and, shame upon shame on me because I still haven't seen that movie. My mother and my aunt used to talk about that movie when I was a child. I'm going to go out and see if I can purchase it now. She also appeared in "For The Love of Ivy, a 1968 film with Sidney Poitier and Beau Bridges. (another film that I did not see, but will see now). She also had roles in many popular TV shows like All in the Family.
Abbey was married to the great jazz drummer Max Roach during the 1960s, and they collaborated on "We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite", an album that was considered highly political at the time of its release. Abbey Lincoln, whose real name was Anna Marie Wooldridge, was found dead in her New York apartment this past Saturday.
5 comments:
OMG! We are losing all of the greats!
She was a classy lady, she will be missed!
Indeed, she was a very classy lady who was ahead of her time.
We will miss her talent! As an actress she was wonderful. Do take the time to see "Nothin but a Man." Ivan Dixon is good, but it is Miss Lincoln character who stirs me tears each time I watch that story of the weight of racism.
I guess the Blessing (besides her bringing her gift to the world) is that she lived long enough to see her 80th brithday, earlier this month.
She will be missed.
One.
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