Obituary: Bert Myrick

BY JIM GALLERT

ilbert "Bert" Myrick was one of the mainstays of Detroit's jazz scene. He played with pots and pans as a child, and upon his discharge from the U.S. Military in the early 1950s he started studying and performing with pianist Barry Harris. Harris, the doyen of Detroit's bebop scene, used only Detroit's best musicians for his groups, and this was the start of an ongoing musical relationship which carried on for fifty years — Myrick performed with a Harris group at the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival.

In 1964 Myrick, then 34, joined the quintet led by trombonist George Bohanon and tenor saxophonist Ronnie Fields. Bohanon and Fields had worked in drummer Bill Hyde's quintet at Odum's Cave in April of that year. After the job ended, they formed their own band. Groups like Chico Hamilton's (with whom Bohanon played in 1962) and the Jazz Crusaders popularized the tenor/trombone front-line and the sound was a favorite of Bohanon's. The rhythm section fluctuated at first but stabilized with Myrick, Austin and Cox. This was a masterful band which created some real magic during its time, as extant recordings bear out. When the group broke up, Myrick and Austin remained in Detroit and got steady work with pianist Terry Pollard. When Pollard disbanded her trio due to illness in 1978, Myrick found few jazz gigs, and he gradually became disenchanted with Detroit and wanted a change of scenery.

He moved to New York City in 1978 and prospered on the competitive Manhattan jazz scene. His credentials are solid and include work with pianists Red Garland and Monty Alexander. He returned to Detroit in 1996 to care for his mother. Since his homecoming Bert conducted drum clinics and seminars, and was a member of the house trio at Baker's Keyboard Lounge. Recently he led his own group at Baker's, played with many Detroit and Ann Arbor musicians and worked steadily with pianist Alma Smith's trio.

Bert remained active until 2009. He was always a stylish guy — he gave me one of his signature light-purple suits, which was shaded to complement his Lincoln Town Car (also purple). Myrick was a good cook — he used to bring chocolate cakes over to Terry Pollard (who really appreciated them). Bert had large, rough hands, a warm friendly smile, and kept good time. He retained his sense of humor to the end, and tried to keep his friends upbeat, even as he slipped away from us on June 1.

We will miss that smile and the man behind it. Rest in peace, my man.