International Society of Bassists manager Madeleine Crouch recently sent out the following information regarding jazz bassist Dennis Irwin:

Jazz icon Dennis Irwin, bassist with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band) for more than 20 years, and sideman with Art Blakey, Joe Lovano and John Scofield (among many others), has become very ill. He is undergoing treatment for cancer, but has no health insurance coverage and does not expect to be able to work for the remainder of the year, if not longer.

Small’s Jazz Club held a fundraiser for Dennis on Super Bowl Sunday, and two more benefits are scheduled for Monday, February 18th, at the Village Vanguard in New York City (sets at 8 PM,10 PM and 12 PM with the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Lovano and John Scofield), and on Monday, March 10th, at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City, featuring the John Scofield Trio, McCoy Tyner, the Joe Lovano Nonet, Matt Wilson’s Arts and Crafts, the Bill Frisell-Ron Carter-Paul Motian Trio, and others.

If you cannot attend in person but want to help Dennis with his medical bills, you can make a tax deductible donation for Dennis by sending a check payable to “Sixteen As One Music, Inc.,” addressed to:

Sixteen As One Music, Inc
888-C Eighth Ave. #160
New York, NY 10019

On the memo line write “For Dennis Irwin.” Thank you in advance for remembering a member of our double bass family in his hour of need.

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