Healdsburg tribute to Charlie Haden

Healdsburg Jazz, sponsor of the town’s annual jazz festival, will present a special tribute Oct. 12 in memory of famed bassist Charlie Haden at the SHED Cafe in Healdsburg.

Haden, who was honored with a two-day celebration at the 2013 Healdsburg Jazz Festival, died July 11 this year in Los Angeles at age 76. Haden had played the festival in Healdsburg five times since it started 16 years ago.

“My relationship with Charlie was really long, and I was a fan of his before I knew him,” said Jessica Felix, artistic director and founder of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, who met Haden in San Francisco in the 1980s.

“I loved his music. I loved his sound. He could get a feeling out of one note,” she said.

The bassist first won attention playing with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett in the early 1960s, before taking over the Liberation Music Orchestra in the 1970s and the Charlie Haden Quartet West in the 1980s.

The October event will begin with a performance of Haden’s music and a slide show from 6 to 7 p.m. in the SHED Cafe, then move upstairs to the SHED’s Grange hall at 7 p.m. for a screening of the documentary film “Charlie Haden, Rambling Boy.”

Ruth Cameron Haden, Charlie’s widow, and friends will attend the event, and others are invited to come and share stories and memorabilia.

There will be Q&A panel including Ruth Haden, musician Ernie Watts and record producer Hans Wendl.

The event is free. Donations in Haden’s memory will be accepted for the Healdsburg Jazz Festival Education Program.

The SHED is at 25 North St. in Healdsburg. Information: 433-4633, healdsburgjazzfestival.org.

You can reach staff writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com.