By Cheryl Smith
Publisher
Texas Metro News
Garland Journal
I Messenger
Photo Cutline: Jeff Aycock
The entertainment world was momentarily silenced on Sunday as word circulated of the passing of the local saxophonist Jeff Aycock at 4:00 a.m. and tributes started to flow, via phone calls and social media. Although there are several reports that he hails from Little Rock, Aycock calls Sunny South Dallas home, and that’s where he attended DISD schools before going on to Wiley College.
Also a singer, his musical prowess was well known and documented in Dallas for several decades as he dazzled audiences with his tenor, alto, and soprano sax. Long-time radio personality and educator Dr. Louie White said he first became acquainted with Aycock while watching him perform at clubs and in restaurants.
“I’ve known him forever,” said White, who came to Dallas in the 1970s to attend Bishop College and worked at Soul 73 KKDA-AM for almost 30 years. It was while on the air that he became close with Aycock and other contemporaries, and musical greats like Don Diego, Bobby Patterson, and Johnny Taylor. “We have so much great talent in Dallas,” added White.
“Jeff was extremely talented, and he never got his just due.” If anyone knows of the many talented men and women who have passed through or call Dallas home, Curtis King, President and Founder of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, can call the roll. He was among the many who paid homage to Aycock on Sunday. “I was sad to hear about the transition of one of Dallas’ finest musicians,” said King.
“I met Jeff in 1994 when I was looking to cast a musician to play the saxophone for an original play that I had written called ‘Blues Bar’, which starred the late Phyllis Hyman, Billy Preston, and Roger E. Mosley.” According to King, Aycock showed up at his office and said, “I hear you’re looking for a saxophone player, and I’m the one you need to hire.” King said he looked at Aycock and thought to himself, “This man has a lot of gall!”
Aycock was about business, and without a scheduled audition, he took his sax out of its case and started playing his instrument right in King’s office. You could say the rest was Black History, because Aycock was hired, and that was the beginning of a 30-plus-year relationship. King has fond memories of talking with Aycock.
“Jeff was not only a good musician, he was a great human being… a man with kind words, always,” said King. “He had that million-dollar smile to match his superb talent.
Whether it was Jazz, R&B, Soul, or Gospel, Aycock’s repertoire put him in rooms as intimate as 50 and upwards of thousands. He even had a Christmas CD. Former Dallas Mayor Dwaine Caraway also considered Aycock a friend, and he told Texas Metro News that Aycock was a musical genius, a prodigy who was making his mark at a young age and throughout his impressive career. “We’ve lost another incredible Dallas artist.
Jeff Aycock knew how to bring joy and liven up any room when he was playing his saxophone,” said Dwaine Caraway. “Jeff was a dear friend who supported me and played at so many of my events over the years – my campaign kickoffs, birthday parties, and New Year’s Eve party in the backyard. Jeff was always with me and ready to play. Jeff was a great friend, family man, and musician, and I am going to miss him.”
Words echoed by many and summarized by King, who said, “The world is a better place because Jeff was a part of the human ancestral angels who darted around the planet spreading good cheer with his smile, kind words, and his saxophone! “Play on, Jeff . . . we heard you and we will forever hear you as you continue to make music in the ethereal heavenly band!”
