Sad news: Michael Reid

[Jim Besser]

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Michael Reid, my former bandmate, Northeast Squeeze-In roomie and good friend.

 

Michael was one of concertina.net's earliest participants, and before that active in rec.music.squeezebox.

 

When we started playing together in a dance band he was an outstanding English concertina player. When he moved away I missed the sound so much that I began pursuing concertina more seriously myself. In a very real sense it was Michael who inspired me to make the concertina my primary instrument.

 

After moving to Colorado, Michael plunged into Irish music with his customary energy and intense focus, first learning Irish melodeon and then turning to Anglo. He attended several Noel Hill schools and became even more proficient on Anglo than he was on English, which tells you something about his musical abilities. He was a mainstay of the Boulder Irish session scene.

 

He'll be missed.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Jim Besser

[Greg Jowaisas]

I met Mike at the 2005 East Durham Irish Arts Week. He had a quiet confidence and wry view of the world. Later I worked on one of his concertinas and learned he was ill. I'm sorry to hear of his passing. He will be missed.

 

Greg

[Snorre]

Never met the man, but from these two posts, this sounds like someone who would have made anybody's life richer. My condolances.

[Ken_Coles]

Whenever I ran into him (2005 Irish Arts week, several times at NESI), he would tease me for having trouble remembering what system of concertina he played (of course, either guess was correct). Sorry to hear the news.

 

Ken

[MitfordRI]

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Michael Reid, my former bandmate, Northeast Squeeze-In roomie and good friend.

 

Michael was one of concertina.net's earliest participants, and before that active in rec.music.squeezebox.

 

When we started playing together in a dance band he was an outstanding English concertina player. When he moved away I missed the sound so much that I began pursuing concertina more seriously myself. In a very real sense it was Michael who inspired me to make the concertina my primary instrument.

 

After moving to Colorado, Michael plunged into Irish music with his customary energy and intense focus, first learning Irish melodeon and then turning to Anglo. He attended several Noel Hill schools and became even more proficient on Anglo than he was on English, which tells you something about his musical abilities. He was a mainstay of the Boulder Irish session scene.

 

He'll be missed.

 

What a lovely tribute to a good friend.

 

 

Lucy

[Chris Timson]

Michael was one of concertina.net's earliest participants, and before that active in rec.music.squeezebox.

 

Indeed so. My condolences too.

 

Chris

[Bruce McCaskey]

I missed seeing Michael at the August Noel Hill Oregon class this year. He was a fine player of both Anglo and English systems and as others have noted, he could put down one and pick up the other without any pause to adjust to the change. That always amazed me, watching him you'd think there was nothing easier than playing and anyone should be able to do it. He was always in good spirits and always ready to play music.