Joe Zawinul Unofficial Italian Fans Website

Joe Zawinul's funeral service - Vienna, 25th of September 2007

JOE ZAWINUL'S FUNERAL SERVICE
VIENNA, 25th OF SEPTEMBER 2007
written by Gerhard Hauer

Hi everybody,
so here it is (I am tired and English is not my native language, so do not be too critical. I will not even prof read this, because I am emotionally out of fuel, can't reread this today):

Arrived at the cemetary at 10:15, scribbled a few lines into the book of condolences (actually into both of them), spent the next 100 minutes changing between the hall with the coffin and wreaths (I hope this is the correct word) and the outside, on the ramp, between the trees. Immediatealy after entering the hall for the first time I knew that I would not be able to go through the day without handkerchiefs as I had initially planned: At the bottom of a big picture of Joe dressed in a white sack coat, bouqeut in his right hand there was a heart made of red roses. And the single word written across it hit me really hard: MAXINE.

Zawinuls music was played inside and there were speakers outside as well. The not too hard rocking stuff, tracks like: In a Silent way, The Big Empire, Blue sound note #3 (from Vienna Nights), His last Journey, Peace (from di.a.lects), Cannonball, Borges Buenos Aires Part 1, ....
And it makes a BIG difference listening to these tracks in your car or through a professional Sound system, when you are in a room with the master inside his coffin.
BTW i (as well as my wife when she watched the news in the evening) could not believe that such a great man fits into that small coffin. Which BTW was a standard model and I am sure he would not have wanted it to be any other way.

At 11:58 they closed the hall for the public, meaning they had to ask me to leave. Of course I would have left at 11:59. :)

I spent some time at the site of his grave (still green grass right now).

Approx 13:30 the main door was opened and shortly after that some 300+ people filled the small hall.

Ceremony started at 14:02 with a smalll improvisation by Sabine Kabongo, perc, Alegre Corrêa, Guitar, vocals
Jorge Bezerra, Percussion, vocals, Aziz Sahmaoui, Percussion, vocals.
After that Austrian actor Frank Hoffmann lead trough the ceremony. At one point (telling about the Mauthausen experience after than concert had finished - I was not there but according to media reports it must have been a very special moment indeed) he almost was not able to speak. A lot of people I will not name had trouble with containing their salty fluids (including the writer of these lines, who ended a series of 1100 days without real tears).
Anyway, there were lots of speakers, ranking from the councilman for culture, a Sheik from Westafrica (nobody could understand him and everybody understood, it was a great moment, and later -after the ceremony was over - he said that the moment he opened his mouth he had forgotten everything he wanted to say, so he just addressed Joe directly, talked to him.). Anthony talked great about the man and father, Erich was so much fun, trying to see it the way Joe would have liked it, telling us that despite the pain he had kept his humor till the very last day. Seeing us here (mourning) in that hall from the door Joe would say: "Wos is do los. Is wer gschturbn?" ("What's Going on here? Did somebody die or what." ). Also some letters were read. Written by fans, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter.

Music was played. Live by sax player Hans Salomon (74 now, Zawinul played with him in the early fifties, and Sep. 29, 2004 he sat at my table at Birdland during a ZS concert). And violin legend Toni Stricker (I never ever heard the breath of a violin like that ne today. That coarse quality)

"A remark You made" from disc.

After 63 minutes Sabine took the small stage behind the coffin (more an alcove) and sang "Come Sunday". A cappella. Five and a half minutes. Goosebumps. And applause like it had been sung at Birdland (closed today, BTW)

What must have been the beginning of "The Orphan" was played from disc, then 6 men took the coffin out of the hall. Again lots of clapping and some cheers.

The orphan was loaded on the car and then we went behind it to the sound of "Good Day" on repeat. So much power in the music, this also being the last of the beautiful day of this week. After taking two turns into the main avenue, the car stopped, the family said goodbye and the the car drifted slowly away (had to think of the Ganges here): One more big round of applause, changing into that rhythmic clapping after a concert, begging for the encore that Zawinul almost never played. The hardest moment. Final Journey.

This is this.

But then: Two more things:
1 The Zawinuls want to write a book about their parents. Joe said they have to.
2 Joe wrote a letter to Maxine after she died July 26: And they read this letter to us. About her being the love of his life. Her strength, her fight. She having architectural surprises when he came home to the house. Her waiting in the door. Asking her to wait for him at Heaven's Gate. He'd be there soon.

Zawinul lives!
Gerhard

The text of the letter written by Wayne Shorter is the following:

"Joe and I used to talk about the mystery of life during crucial moments we shared over many years. Crucial, as in a sudden life change, unique transformation or metamorphosis to an unknown adventure. To me, there is no such thing as "beginning" or "end". The necessity to live and create is in itself, the immortality of Life: the ultimate adventure. Death is an essential step in the process of "living"; serving as an impartial Guide trough our eternal pathways. I know for certain that Joe and Maxine Zawinul are forever evolving as spiritual partners. (As we all are sharing in this mystical journey.) Nothing they did will be left undone. Joseph's accomplishments in this life serve as a unique testament to his musical legacy. But his works as a human being have yet to be chronicled in the "Great Book" of deeds done in the name of humanity. Joe told me of projects that he and one of Austrian's presidents with whom he was friends since childhood, initiated in the spirit of giving, rather than taking; I know he was referring to World War One and Two. Joseph knew that dedication to art and music only would not change the world. He was aware that, as he moved forward in music, others would be inspired to move forward within their professional and private lives in the name of humanitarian achievements.
This is how I have to come to see my friend, Joseph Zawinul, not only as an artist of great musical pioneering accomplishment. I see Joseph's life more clearly as if I were viewing a reflection of all life in a great mirror; a mirror which reflects the eternal life's mission of us all. Eternally.
Wayne Shorter"

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