Bernie Worrell
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Bernie Worrell | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | George Bernard Worrell, Jr. |
Also known as | The Wizard of Woo |
Born | Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S. | April 19, 1944
Died | June 24, 2016 Everson, Washington, U.S. | (aged 72)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | c. 1970–2016 |
Website | bernieworrell |
George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016)
Biography
Early life
Worrell was born in
1970s
After meeting
While funk musicians traditionally utilized electric keyboards, such as the Hammond organ and Fender
1980s
When Parliament-Funkadelic took a hiatus from touring in the early 1980s, Worrell was recruited, along with other musicians from differing musical genres such as guitarist Adrian Belew, to perform and record with Talking Heads. Worrell's experience and feel for different arrangements enhanced the overall sound of the band. Though he never officially joined Talking Heads, he was a de facto member of the group for most of the '80s: appearing on one of their studio albums, several solo albums, two tours and performing in their 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense. Talking Heads officially disbanded in 1991. Worrell was later invited to perform with Talking Heads as part of their 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[6]
In 1983, Worrell provided keyboard parts for
Worrell co-produced Fred Schneider's 1984 solo album Fred Schneider and the Shake Society and played keyboards and synthesizers on some of the album's tracks.
In 1987 he appeared on the critically acclaimed solo release
1990s–2010s
From the late 1980s through the 2010s, Worrell recorded extensively with Bill Laswell, including Sly and Robbie's Laswell-produced Rhythm Killers and the 1985 Fela Kuti album Army Arrangement. Worrell performed with Gov't Mule. Through the beginning of the 21st century, he became a visible member of the jam band scene, performing in many large summer music festivals, sometimes billed as Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors. He appeared on several Jack Bruce albums, including A Question of Time, Cities of the Heart, Monkjack and More Jack than God.
Worrell was a founding member of the
In 1994, Worrell appeared on the
Worrell joined the rock group
Worrell joined forces with bass legend
In 2009, he joined longtime Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist
Worrell appeared in the 2004 documentary film Moog with synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog and several other Moog synthesizer musicians. In 2011, he toured with Bootsy Collins, another major figure from Parliament-Funkadelic.
From 2011 through 2015, Worrell performed with his group, the Bernie Worrell Orchestra. The band became known for the appearance of special guests at live performances, including Bootsy Collins, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jimmy Destri, Mike Watt, Rah Digga and Gary Lucas.
In 2012 and 2013, Worrell played a series of concerts with guitarist Steve Kimock, bassist Andy Hess, and vocalist-percussionist Camille Armstrong. Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock played drums for the group in 2013.
Worrell worked on the Seattle-based Khu.éex' project fusing traditional Tlingit music with funk, jazz, and experimental music. The project includes Preston Singletary, Skerik, Stanton Moore, Captain Raab and Randall Dunn among others.
In 2015, Worrell appeared in the movie Ricki and the Flash as the keyboard player in Meryl Streep's band. The movie reunited Worrell with director Jonathan Demme, who had directed Stop Making Sense.
Worrell was a judge for the 12th, 13th, and 14th annual Independent Music Awards.
During May 2016, the New England Conservatory of Music gave Worrell, who studied at the school until 1967, an honorary Doctor of Music degree.[10]
Death
In January 2016, Worrell was diagnosed with a "mild form" of prostate cancer, stage-four liver cancer and stage-four lung cancer.[11] He relocated from New Jersey, his long-time home,[12] to Bellingham, Washington.[13]
A tribute and benefit concert to raise funds for Worrell's cancer treatment, produced by the Black Rock Coalition and featuring musicians with whom Worrell has worked over his career, occurred on April 4 and 5, 2016.[13][14]
On May 9, Worrell's wife Judie posted an update on his condition on his Facebook page:
As of Friday, Bernie can barely speak. Tumor has grown and Recurrent laryngeal nerve is pressing on vocal cord, paralyzing it. Treatment starts Tuesday to (hopefully) shrink tumor before it gets to other vocal cord and/or shuts down breathing. VERY difficult time for him.
I am updating y'all because many asked BUT do not consider this an invitation to bombard us with treatment ideas. Bernie is deciding what treatment he wants. I will delete any more messages that do not respect his decision(s).[15]
Judie Worrell issued a statement on Facebook on June 16 to friends and family that "I was just told that Bernie is now headed 'Home'."[16] She encouraged people close to Worrell to "visit him to say your goodbyes" and added that he is too ill to speak on the phone or text.[16]
Bernie Worrell died at his home in Everson, Washington, on June 24, 2016, at the age of 72.[17][18] His wife issued a statement that "Bernie transitioned Home to The Great Spirit. Rest in peace, my love—you definitely made the world a better place. Till we meet again, vaya con Dios."[3]
Following his death, guitarist Buckethead created a 21.5 minute long tribute song: 'Space Viking'. Buckethead published it on his 'Pike' series, as part of Pike 245. The song was captioned: "To Bernie Worrell, The Greatest Music Maker Of All".
Documentary
Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth is a documentary film about Worrell's life, music and impact. At AllMovie, critic Mark Deming wrote that the film "profiles his life and career while also examining how even a genius has to find a way to make a living".[19]
Discography
Solo albums
- 1978: All the Woo in the World
- 1990: Funk of Ages
- 1993: Blacktronic Science
- 1993: Pieces of Woo: The Other Side
- 1997: Free Agent: A Spaced Odyssey
- 2007: Improvisczario
- 2009: Christmas Woo
- 2010: I Don't Even Know
- 2011: Standards
- 2013: BWO Is Landing (credited as "The Bernie Worrell Orchestra")
- 2014: Elevation: The Upper Air
- 2016: Retrospectives
Funkadelic
- 1970: Funkadelic
- 1970: Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow
- 1971: Maggot Brain
- 1972: America Eats Its Young
- 1973: Cosmic Slop
- 1974: Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
- 1975: Let's Take It to the Stage
- 1976: Tales of Kidd Funkadelic
- 1976: Hardcore Jollies
- 1978: One Nation Under a Groove
- 1979: Uncle Jam Wants You
- 1996: Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan – 12th September 1971
- 2008: Toys (recorded 1970–74)
- 2014: First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate
Parliament
- 1970: Osmium
- 1974: Up for the Down Stroke
- 1975: Chocolate City
- 1975: Mothership Connection
- 1976: The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein
- 1977: Live: P-Funk Earth Tour
- 1977: Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome
- 1978: Motor Booty Affair
- 1979: Gloryhallastoopid
- 1980: Trombipulation
Selected contributions to other albums
- 1981: Jerry Harrison, The Red and the Black
- 1982: George Clinton, Computer Games
- 1982: Talking Heads, The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads
- 1983: Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues
- 1984: Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense
- 1983: Rita Coolidge, Never Let You Go
- 1984: Fred Schneider, Fred Schneider and the Shake Society
- 1985: Fela Kuti, Army Arrangement
- 1985: The Golden Palominos, Visions of Excess
- 1986: Ginger Baker, Horses & Trees
- 1987: Jerry Harrison, "Casual Gods"
- 1987: Jesse Rae, The Thistle
- 1992: Praxis, Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)
- 1995: Jack Bruce, Monkjack
- 1995: Julian Schnabel, Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud
- 1995: Third Rail (James Blood Ulmer & Bill Laswell), South Delta Space Age
- 1996: Pharoah Sanders, Message from Home
- 1998: Robben Ford, Tiger Walk
- 1998: Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends [Gov’t Mule]
- 1998: Pharoah Sanders, Save Our Children
- 2001: Shin Terai, Unison
- 2004: Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, The Big Eyeball in the Sky
- 2004: Mos Def, The New Danger
- 2005: Munkeez Strikin' Matchiz, Wreck It (with Chuck D.)
- 2006: Gigi, Gold & Wax
- 2006: Baby Elephant, Turn My Teeth Up
- 2007: Shin Terai, Lightyears
- 2007: Praxis, Tennessee 2004
- 2008: Praxis, Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
- 2008: Science Faxtion, Living on Another Frequency
- 2009: Eric McFadden Trio, Delicate Thing
- 2016: Joe Marcinek Band, Slink
- 2017: Jesse Rae, Worae
Awards
- Independent Music Awards 2013: "Get Your Hands Off" - Best Funk/Fusion/Jam Song[20]
References
- ^ a b Sweeting, Adam (June 26, 2016). "Bernie Worrell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
- ^ a b Pareles, Jon (June 24, 2016). "Bernie Worrell, Whose Keyboards Left an Imprint on Funk and Hip-Hop, Dies at 72". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ Consequence of Sound. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- MusicRadar. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Bernie Worrell".
- ^ Greene, Andy (October 23, 2012). "Flashback: Talking Heads Reunite for One Night Only". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
- ^ Aaron, Charles; Reeves, Mosi (June 24, 2016). "Bernie Worrell: 10 Essential Tracks from the P-Funk Keyboardist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ^ "Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool". Red Hot Organization. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "The Best Music of 1994". Time. December 26, 1994. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "NEC Announces 2016 Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speaker". New England Conservatory of Music. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
- ^ Goodman, Jessica (January 6, 2016). "Bernie Worrell diagnosed with late-stage cancer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ Jordan, Chris (June 21, 2012). "In New Jersey, legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell is never far from home". Asbury Park Press.
Worrell has brought that sense of fun to millions across the globe, most notably as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. In the upcoming weeks, his focus will be on his home state of Jersey.
- ^ a b Hermes, Will (March 25, 2016). "Inside Bernie Worrell's All-Star NYC Benefit". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Black Rock Coalition Honors P-Funk's Bernie Worrell". Ebony. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Bernie Worrell's Team Provides Update on Keyboardist's Worsening Health". jambase.com. May 9, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
- ^ a b Paige, Nathan (June 17, 2016). "Legendary Parliament Keyboardist Bernie Worrell's Condition Worsening, According to Wife, Judie". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (June 24, 2016). "Bernie Worrell, Parliament-Funkadelic Keyboardist, Dead at 72". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- Daily News. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth". AllMovie. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ^ "The 12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced". Independent Music Awards. June 11, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
External links
- Official website of Bernie Worrell
- Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth
- Interview at Artist Connection Podcast, October 2011
- Bernie Worrell Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (January 2012)
- Matos, Michaelangelo (June 24, 2016). "10 Definitive Bernie Worrell Moments". Billboard.
- Wallace, Carvell (June 27, 2016). "How Bernie Worrell Built Our Musical Future". MTV News.