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NEWS FROM THE RAFAEL ORTIZ MEMORIAL FUND |
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$1,500 in scholarships awarded in Ralph's name |
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$1,500 in scholarships awarded in Ralph's name On April 26, 2009, more than 70 area musicians came together at Water Street Music Hall for a nine-hour benefit concert to honor Rochester bassist Rafael "Ralph" Ortiz, who passed away suddenly in February after a short battle with cancer. It was a moving musical tribute as well as a very successful event...
Remembering Ralph: Rochester's Music Community Remembers Ralph Ortiz raised enough money to pay medical, funeral and travel expenses for Ralph's mother, Josefina Ortiz of Puerto Rico, as well as for his companion, LeAnne Sarubbi. In addition, the Rafael Ortiz Memorial Fund awarded two music scholarships this month: one for lessons at Northfield Music in Pittsford, where Ralph taught for 20 years; and the other for a graduating senior pursuing music studies from Ralph's alma mater, Newark High School. Trombone player, Joe DeRue, received his $1,000 check at graduation ceremonies on Friday, June 26 at 8 p.m. at Newark High School. He will begin studying Music Education at Roberts Wesleyan College in the fall. "Mr. Ortiz was a renowned musician with a passion to share his gifts with young musicians," says District Superintendent Henry G. Hann. "It is our hope that this award in his memory will inspire its recipients to strive for excellence in music as he would have wanted." Guitarist Mark Malsegna, age 14, was chosen by Northfield Music owner, band mate and longtime friend of Ralph's, Joe Chiappone, to receive $500 worth of lessons at Northfield. "I've seen Mark grow from a beginning guitar student with promise into a steadily maturing musician who I'm sure will take his talent to the next level," says Chiappone. The Rafael Ortiz Memorial Fund hopes to award annual scholarships by holding yearly fundraising events such as April's Remembering Ralph. "We want to keep Ralph's memory alive by making it possible for young musicians to pursue their studies and their dreams," says Jim Richmond, another close friend and fellow Prime Time Funk co-founder, who was instrumental in organizing Remembering Ralph. "I know that Ralph is smiling about this." THANK YOU to everyone who participated in Remembering Ralph! |
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| REMEMBERING RALPH Rochester's Music Community Remembers Ralph Ortiz April 26 event will feature more than 70 musicians Rochester, NY – More than 70 area musicians will come together for a nine-hour benefit concert to honor Rochester bassist Rafael "Ralph" Ortiz, who passed away February 2, 2009 after a short battle with cancer. Remembering Ralph will take place at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water Street) on Sunday, April 26 from 1 to 10 p.m., and will feature 11 bands and many guest appearances on alternating main and club stages at Water Street Music Hall. Tickets are $20 and will be available this Friday, March 20 at: WSMH, Northfield Music, House of Guitars, Record Archive, The Bop Shop, Sound Source, Abilene Bar & Lounge, Murray Street Station (Newark, NY) and Irene's Coffee & Jazz House (Geneva). The line-up for the April 26th event will feature the following bands and special guests (subject to change):
"Incredibly, Ralph played with most of the musicians participating," says Prime Time Funk co-founder and best friend, Jim Richmond. "Some he taught, and the rest are fans who wanted to play with him but never got the chance." The event will also feature a silent auction of special items including one of Ralph's basses, guitars donated by Northfield Music and House of Guitars, and two club passes donated by the Rochester International Jazz Festival. The sale of food and concessions will also benefit the Rafael Ortiz Memorial Fund, which will help to pay medical and other family expenses as well as fund two music scholarships in Ralph's name: one for a graduating senior pursuing music studies from Ralph's alma mater, Newark High School, and the other for bass lessons at Northfield Music in Pittsford, where Ralph taught for 20 years. |
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Jeff Spevak • Staff music critic • February 2, 2009 Ralph Ortiz, perhaps the most-familiar bassist on the local club scene with bands such as Prime Time Funk, died this morning after a short battle with cancer. He was 52. “It was very quick. He just went into the hospital two weeks ago today,” said Dave Cohen, who played drums with Mr. Ortiz in many bands over the years. “He’s been sick since Christmas; they couldn’t catch it in time. It spread too quickly. Our hearts are really broken about it.” “A fabulous guy,” said Prime Time Funk saxophonist Jimmy Richmond, pointing out that they called Mr. Ortiz “Thumper” because of the distinctive way he used his thumb to pound the strings. “Very giving, very humble. Very passionate about his music and about the people he cared for," he said. "He was a great music teacher, he would teach anybody anything if they wanted to sit and listen and learn, and give up all his knowledge. A very caring person. He would give whatever he had for his friends. Loyal is a good word.” Besides Prime Time Funk, over the last few decades Mr. Ortiz played in dozens of bands, some with long careers, some brief moments of song: Cabo Frio, the Hot Sweets, the Shakes, Mother Freedom, the Believers, Greg Walker & the Powerglide Blues Band, Kicks, Saratoga. Cohen remembers Mr. Ortiz joining him and a handful of other local musicians and flying to Paris a decade ago to back the Louisiana Zydeco bluesman Sherman Robertson, and then Lyle Lovett’s backup singer Francine Reed. “He used to sit in with us sometimes,” said Steve Lyons of the Legendary Dukes. “He goes way back in the community.” Mr. Ortiz was also in demand in the studio, recording with many performers, including Jeff Tyzik, and teaching bass at Northfield Music. “ Of course, he was a musician, no health insurance,” Cohen said, adding that there would be some kind of benefit assembled soon to address to help cover bills, as well as to set up a scholarship in his name. Although he was a city resident for years, Mr. Ortiz grew up in Newark, Wayne County, where Richmond first met him. They were teenage musicians, and Richmond remembers being up in Mr. Ortiz’s bedroom, teaching Richmond a song by the jazz-fusion band Weather Report, while they could smell food being cooked for them downstairs by Mr. Ortiz’s mother, Josefina. In his late teens, Mr. Ortiz’s father passed away, and he moved to Puerto Rico with his mother, where he lived for several years. Mr. Ortiz left Puerto Rico and returned to Rochester when Richmond called him and said that the former Spyro Gyra guitarist Chet Catallo was putting together a new band. Mr. Ortiz lived with Richmond and his wife a 1½ while he played with Catallo and resettled into the scene here. Josefina Ortiz, who is 88, flew in from Puerto Rico, arriving Saturday afternoon to be with her son. He will be buried in Puerto Rico, where his father is also buried. “That’s what Ralph wanted, and what his mother wants,” said Richmond, adding there will be a local service. Mr. Ortiz’s girlfriend of several years, Leanne Sarubbi, lives in Rochester, and he has several cousins in the area. “He was my best friend, and we were music mates for years,” Richmond said. “We’ve never been out of a band together except for a short period when he went to Cabo Frio.” “He was just a real fun-loving guy with a huge heart,” Cohen said. “A beautiful guy with a very unique style. I know I’m never gonna have the same feeling … that I had playing with him.” Mr. Ortiz was playing right to the end. Richmond said he was in Mr. Ortiz’s hospital room, singing songs like “Easy Lover” and Jeffrey Osborne’s “Stay With Me Tonight” while Ortiz hummed the bass lines. Even after Ortiz could no longer communicate, Richmond said, “You could see his hands were still moving, like bass figures. That’s how deep it was.” |
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| www.democratandchronicle.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Donations can be made to: Rafael Ortiz Memorial Fund 150 Midvale Drive Fairport, NY 14450 Leafar8910@aol.com |
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| on February 10, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| So many knew Ralph Ortiz better than I in a personal and artistic way, but when a great man goes, one feels the need to express something. Ralph taught bass at Northfield Music for 21 years, and he and owner Joe Chiappone were brothers in music and friendship. I would stop into Northfield and there Ralph would be, waiting for a student, and we would look at each other and laugh. Sometimes we would say words, but most of the time just laugh as men do when they want to show affection for one another. I know why I was laughing; it was because Ralph was a man who had a little bit of heaven around him. Any troubles I might be feeling would fall away in that instant, because the larger picture was being revealed. What a gift Ralph was just by being himself. To know a part of heaven, I suppose one must also feel the depths as well. Ralph Ortiz, bass player extraordinaire, would take audiences through tales of sorrow, passion, and release, as a warrior would speaking of his journeys. A few days ago, I went to see Ralph at Highland Hospital, and up in the hallway on the sixth floor there was a line of people. It was quite a sight; not only were there so many people to see him, but there was enough talent in that hallway to write another Beethoven symphony on the spot. They were all there to see Ralph, and I must say this also speaks to the beauty of the musical community in Rochester. I waited my turn, and when I walked in the room, he started laughing and I started laughing. Here was the man with a bit of heaven around him teaching me again. As I write this, it is hard to speak of Ralph in the past tense, because even though part of him is gone, he left the best part, his spirit, with us. So many people love you, Rafael. STEVE GREENE, BRIGHTON www.rochestercitynewspaper.com |
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