Guitarist Anthony Weller, who worked with Herb Pomeroy, Don Shirley and Stéphane Grappelli among others and was a novelist, passed away June 3 at age 63. Anthony was a passionate JazzWax reader and ardent pen-pal, even when an email would take him up to an hour to write. Anthony had been suffering from primary progressive MS, which he had been battling since 2006. PPMS slowly interferes with your brain's ability to control your body, and in Anthony's case, it was disabling, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down since 2010. For an obit in The Goucester Times, go here. For an article on his family's fight to care for him in The Patriot Ledger, go here. And here is his Wall Street Journal essay from 2015. Anthony was creative and courageous. I can't find another word to describe someone who remained upbeat and engaged with humanity in the face of the hand he was dealt. Though sapped of his physical ability, his inner strength remained remarkable.
Despite his discomfort, Anthony's emails were always kind, gracious and filled with gratitude for my posts. Last week, I was in touch with Anthony's wife, Kylée Smith, whose efforts these past years to care for her husband and raise funds has been loving and heroic...
Anthony died as he lived: with grace, courage and beauty. He loved life—and to let go of this treasure was undoubtedly his most courageous act. If you listen to him sing with his guitar, you'll hear a complete portrait of him: his heart, his mind, his soul.
Here are six clips by Anthony over the years. Miss you, Anthony:
Here's Anthony with the Jon Jarvis Trio and swing violinist Stéphane Grappelli on Louise in 1995...
Here's Anthony with the Jon Jarvis Trio—Jon Jarvis (p), Anthony Weller (g) and
Bob Nieske (b)—on Hear No Evil, playing Frank Foster's Shiny Stockings in 1998...
Here's The Look of Love featuring Anthony and woodwinds player Mike Rossi...
Here's Anthony as a member of the Herb Pomeroy Trio from Live At Cafe Beaujolais playing Stella By Starlight in 2000...
Here's Anthony playing Emily as part of the Herb Pomeroy Trio in 2003...
And here's Anthony in the Herb Pomeroy Trio in 2006 playing My One and Only Love from Live at 75 Chestnut...
