Dick Berk 1939-2014

Just learned that the drummer Dick Berk has died. He was best known for being Billy Holliday's last drummer; he is also on recordings by Ted Curson, Nick Brignola, Milt Jackson, George Duke, Cal Tjader, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, as well as his own bands. He seemed to know, and to have played with, everybody; he knew Mingus, knew the comedian Lenny Bruce, subbed with Ornette Coleman's band in LA, and had an apparently long-running, good-natured feud with Mel Lewis. He also had small roles in Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull and New York, New York. I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg [UPDATE: It's true.]— I didn't get to hang with him as much as a lot of other people in town did, and not at all in recent years.

In addition to living in LA, Boston, and New York, Dick was a leading figure in the Portland jazz scene for many years, and I learned a lot from watching him— his playing was a direct line back to jazz the way it was played in the 50's. He played his ride cymbal strongly, and was not afraid of spontaneously conducting Mingus-style stops and tempo changes. Seeing him play the Les McCann beat was a real education in grooving. He was also a great example for younger players by always being out making the hang— consistently being out in the clubs for something like 55+ years. He once told me, after he finally got married in his 40s or 50s, that part of the arrangement was that he would be out most nights— the hang was non-negotiable.

I once expressed to him some doubts about how I would compete with some flashier players around, and his response, coming from such a forceful, New-Yorkish cat, was memorable: “Music's not a competition.”

Here he is playing with Nick Brignola— my old USC combo leader, pianist Dwight Dickerson, is also on this recording:

Dick Berk interview on the Jake Feinberg Show

Another great interview from the Jake Feinberg show, this time with Dick Berk of the prodigious ride cymbal. Dick was Billie Holliday's last drummer (after Jo Jones left the group), in a band that also featured Mal Waldron- I think my parents must have seen him with her at the time- and has played with just about everybody- particularly on the west coast- since then. He's also an actor, and had small parts in Raging Bull and New York, New York, and- somewhat strangely- was cast for the role of Sgt. Schulz' son in the canceled final season of Hogan's Heroes. He has been in Portland for years (minus some time in Vegas in the early '00's), and has been one of the anchoring cats for the city.