RIP Jon Hassell

[ConnyOlivetti]

Sad news!

” Family Statement:

Our beloved Jon M. Hassell - iconic trumpet player, author, and composer - has passed away at the age of 84 years on June 26th 2021. After a little more than a year of fighting through health complications, Jon died peacefully in the early morning hours of natural causes. His final days were surrounded by family and loved ones who celebrated with him the lifetime of contributions he gave to this world– personally and professionally. He cherished life and leaving this world was a struggle as there was much more he wished to share in music, philosophy, and writing.

It was his great joy to be able to compose and produce music until the end. We thank all those who contributed to ensuring that he was able to continue expressing his ideas through his final days and maintain a quality end of life.

Jon Hassell was able to leave behind many gifts. We are excited and committed to sharing those ongoing with his fans across time and support his enduring legacy. All donations to Jon Hassell’s GoFundMe will allow the tremendous personal archive of his music, much unreleased, to be preserved and shared with the world for years to come. We also hope to provide philanthropic gifts of scholarship and contributions to issues close to Jon’s heart, like supporting the working rights of musicians.

As Jon is now free of a constricting body, he is liberated to be in his musical soul and will continue to play in the Fourth World. We hope you find solace in his words and dreams for this earthly place he now leaves behind. We hold him, and you, in this loss and grief.

FOURTH WORLD IS

A KIND OF PHILOSOPHICAL GUIDELINE, A CREATIVE POSTURE, DIRECTED TOWARDS THE CONDITIONS CREATED BY THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY WITH INDIGINOUS MUSIC AND CULTURE.

THE UNDERLYING GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A KIND OF CREATIVE MIDWIFERY TO THE INEVITABLE MERGING OF CULTURES WHILE PROVIDING AN ANTIDOTE TO A GLOBAL "MONOCULTURE" CREATED BY MEDIA COLONIZATION.

THE UNDERLYING PREMISE IS THAT EACH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' MUSIC AND CULTURE - THE RESULT OF THEIR UNIQUE RESPONSE TO THEIR UNIQUE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT - FUNCTIONS IN THE SAME WAY AS, AS AN "ELEMENT" IN THE PERIODIC TABLE OF CHEMISTRY: AS PURE BUILDING BLOCKS FROM WHICH ALL OTHER "CULTURAL COMPOUNDS" WILL ARISE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THESE CULTURES ARE OUR "VOCABULARY" IN TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO RESPOND TO OUR PLACE IN THE NEW GEOGRAPHY CREATED BY OUR MEDIA WORLD, AND MUST BE RESPECTED RELATIVE TO THEIR IMPORTANCE TO OUR SURVIVAL.

Jon Hassell

[Six String]

Indeed. Very sad news. R.I.P. Jon.

[Nervous Ned]

I knew he was in poor health ... but this is still sad news.
I came to Jon’s music via a twofer cassette of Fourth World Vol 1 / Dream Theory in Malaya in the early 80’s. Both extraordinary records. For some reason it took me yonks to get any more. About 10 years ago I got Magic Realism and Power Spot. Again, both excellent albums.
And yet it was only last year I heard Vernal Equinox, his debut, the album Eno heard before producing the better known Fourth World album. It is an astounding album. I urge anyone who is remotely interested in Jon’s music to hear it. Music that sounds modern and ancient, simultaneously.
RIP Jon.

[never/ever]

One of the most versatile, unique artists I know...

The incredible template of sound he managed to conjure through trumpet, percussion and electronics was the sound of the busy Fourth World metropolitan city, the midnight neon spaces and every bit of life inbetween.

Ever since I read his last interview in the Post I knew it was a slow descent and still his death just rocks me.

Glad I was able to see him play live at the Sydney Opera House.....

[C]

Sad news. A great musician

RIP Jon



.

[Your Friendly Neighbourhood Postman]

Sorry to be here as a bit of a bystander -

I know next to nothing about Jon Hassell, and don't own anything of his work; apart from Ry Cooder's soundtrack album Trespass.. It is in a boxed set with seven Cooder soundtrack CDs. And I've yet to start listening to this collection.

Thanks to this thread I know what album I'm going to give full attention later today.

R.I.P. mr Jon Hassell.

[Six String]

Besides Fourth World and Dream Theory In Malaya I only have Fascinoma which I really liked but never pursued his other more modern albums. Those first two have always been fascinating to me. I’ve never heard his first release but want to seek it out now. What a unique musician.

[Your Friendly Neighbourhood Postman]

So, I am finished listening Trespass, and it brought more than I could have hoped for. It is brilliant, unsettling, and satisfying; much like the art of Pere Ubu and Brian Wilson at their best moments did for me.

Therefor I have to thank the person who started this thread. It is always a quiet wonder when someone changes the musical experiences of another person. I will seek out Jon Hassell's work out in more depth.

Oh, and without Ry Cooder's eclectism none of this would have become reality, I am certain.