Lee Rockey

Sep.27, 2012

6 months or so after we moved to Portland in 1975, we heard about this Event at the Portland Art museum . Nothing could have prepared us for what was unfolding , wild Drums, Electric violin and cello played through a Echoplex A 4 channel tapedeck was playing prerecorded Electronic scronks, wood flutes, and off speed voices. Dancers were holding video cameras run thru a Paik video Synth. making a live projection. The music was ,crazed,scary,funny and beautiful. Behind all this was Lee Rockey (1926-2002). this was his second, and last of his full blown personal/art/world performances. I was luckey enuff to see him play his last (paying) gig on drums a few months later with Kennith Rexroth’s” Poetry and Jazz” at the same place.

Lee Rockey was a hard-swinging Jazz drummer {of the Gene Krupa style} who had mastered the modern style by 1946 . A hipster back when it meant something, he wore a zoot sute with a reet pleat and spoke “jive” . while in town he would back up traveling “jump” acts as The Treineirs, or play modern jazz with his pals originally called the Vancouver wiz kids. Moved to NYC in 1953 Joined Neil Hefty { a very undedrated bandleader who had just written great arrangements for Count Basie that sent his carer back to the top}. then was on Herby Mann’s first 10″ lp {a great cool jazz classic with AL JAZZBO COLLINS orig. THEME MUSIC the purple grotto). lived the life for a few years ,then came back to portland to stay. He continued playing with the best musicians in Portland and was part of the legendary Way Out Club Band in 1963.

Then everything changed, America’s classy adult Jazz was lost on the next generation . Lee gave up playing Jazz , like many of his generation, {miles ect.} he was a relentless searcher that NEVER LOOKED BACK. possibaly inspired by ornette Coleman took up electric violin . Homemade electronics free drumming bells flutes piano all melted together as he channelled Debussy, bartok and new sounds to create his own soundworld