Col. Bruce Hampton 1947-2017 – Reactions To The Loss Of The Jam Patriarch

In perhaps the most poetically tragic ending to a musical career – Col. Bruce Hampton, died onstage towards the end of his 70th Birthday Gala at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. For a musician who influenced and was beloved by so many, it was almost fitting his end came on stage surround by his closest friends.

Known as the Father of the modern jam band scene, Hampton toured with many but got his start  late 1960s and early ’70s as the leader of the Zappaish Hampton Grease Band, who opened for The Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band. Later Hampton would lead the early HORDE tour while being the figurehead of The Aquarium Rescue Unit, the Fiji Mariners and the Code Talkers. He also played a role in a couple films including Mike Gordon’s Outside Out and Sling Blade.

While were all shocked he died so suddenly, lets take a look at some of the memorable posts following the passing of the Colonel.

 

Col. Bruce Hampton shaped my entire being. I feel so lucky to have been around him since I was too young to remember. Having older brothers who revered him like some musical, philosophical guru trickled down to me in my formative years. Whether it was reading J. Krishnamurti before I could really understand it or listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or Albert Ayler before I knew what I was hearing, his impact was everywhere around me. After high school I moved to Atlanta from Jacksonville with the hopes of one day playing with him. Just through listening to old tapes my brothers had of ARU as a teenager, I felt like he’d already taught me some ancient secret knowledge. Later I would find out first hand that that was exactly what he taught me. He taught me about transcendence. Transcending your instrument, transcending the music, transcending art itself, reaching for life. He always said “We’re not here to play music, we’re here to put the Devil in the room.” I always took “the Devil” as spirit. Whether it was the spirit of joy, the spirit of sadness, the spirit of humor, it didn’t matter what the emotion was. He would say “I don’t wanna hear what you practice in your bedroom. I wanna hear you!! How do you feel today? What’d you eat for lunch? Play THAT!” Everyday I learn something more from him. Last night. Today. Everyday. He was an open channel to the universe. We’re all lucky to have shared the planet with him. What we thought we were planning as a birthday celebration ended up being the most poetic farewell imaginable. Actually, it was unimaginable. As is everything with him. Now we say our goodbyes to him, but he will never be gone. He lives in every note played by the thousands of musicians he inspired. He lives in every conscious thought of those he enlightened with his wisdom. Now he’s off to be in the stars that so inspired him. Thank you Bruce. Thank you for the eyes to see and ears to hear.

A post shared by Duane Trucks (@dtrucksdrums) on

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