Alison Des Forges, Africa specialist with Human Rights Watch, was among those lost on the plane that went down outside Buffalo. She was 66. Her work was heroic, her death a calamity not only for her family but for the worldwide human rights community. [HRW’s tribute here.]
I’ve also just received notice that Gerry Niewood, veteran saxophonist, is among the victims as well. A second member of Chuck Mangione’s band, Coleman Mellett, was with him. Niewood was one of two saxophonists (with Dave Tofani) on Simon and Garfunkel’s 1981 classic The Concert in Central Park. His son, Adam Niewood, is a saxophonist-composer who released the excellent two-disc Epic Journey on Innova last year. It made my Six Picks list for October 2008. My deepest condolences.
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