PAPA Emile MBOPHA LATIMER is one of my all-time favorite humans. Hands Down. Like many of the people that will read this, Papa took me under his wing & showed me something about how he does music. Papa was a consummate musician - known for his percussion work later in life, but could play guitar, drumset, sing & make it happen in just about ANY style. Like any parent, he could be kind, gentle & understanding OR harsh, disciplining & fierce - i got to see a bunch of different side. & through it all, i always knew he LOVED me. I remember through an auspicious & amazing series of events, i saw Wato Seta playing on Elmwood just days after id learned the rhythm, CLAVE (music heads will know). Papa was on stage & had a bell at his feet. While he was playing, i approached him & asked if i could play clave & he obliged me. i hit about 3 poorly timed notes & he stopped me & said (& Ill NEVER FORGET THIS) if youre going to play that thing, you better deliver. Not long after that, i was playing djembe with Papa & Landing Diatta just about everywhere they were & I hold this memory of him (them) really close. It was the mid 90s around 4am after a Tuesday night hit at Nietzsches w/Abundance. We were sitting up at Landings apartment - me, Landing & Papa - & i had this image. A FLASH of being in an ancient continuum that had gone on since there has been musicians. There i was - a student, with my teacher (Landing) & an OG that taught EVERYBODY (Papa). I hope that is not too abstract. There are so many other great memories: recording in the studio, drum classes/dance classes, partying back in the day (you know papa had that CHANGO side), my 25 birthday party when Papa & my biological father met & embraced, just sitting around & eating in his kitchen together - realizing that he was no longer just my teacher to be revered, but my friend. When i heard that Papa had had a stroke i openly wept out loud in the street. Although my nuclear family with my parents is together again, (& i know others can relate to this as well) there were many years that Papa & his family was the family i went to first if i needed something. His was certainly the one that related to me best in many ways for a LONG time. Being with Papa taught me to eat from my drum, to seek family outside of traditional boundaries & CHERISH the family that i have, to be OPEN. Theres lots more. maybe ill write another tribute some other time. until then, fam. ¡Que Viva Papa Emile MBopha Latimer! (he told me MBopha means gets the job done - cool, right?)
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 18:58:09 +0000
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