Skip Howlett R.I.P Jamming with Tata, Patato, Mongo, Tito, Barretto, Kako, Bobo, and the great big band in the sky!!! Posted at 8:35 AM Feb 5, 2008 view more
About me: This is a tribute to the memory of a musical great who recently past.
"Skip" Stratton Elliott Howlett.
We lost a friend, true soul drummer and Legend. He was a musician's musician. To think he accompanied and played along side of some of the very best in the salsa, latin jazz world. Such as Mongo Santamaria, Ford Apache Band, Herbie Hancock, Ray Barretto, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Xavier Cugat, Gato Barbieri, Cal Tjader, Tipica 73, Johnny Rodriguez Jr, Tito Gomez, Justo Betancourt, Alfredo De La Fe, Jorge Dalto, Dave Valentin, Fania All Stars and many more, Too many to list. Skip was suprisingly humble for having accomplished so much in his career. Skip was an inspiration to me and to many other musicians who had the opportunity and good fortune to meet and work with him. It was hard to see Skip go. I learned a great deal from him. And in parting I learned one final lesson in humility and bravery. I learned that in the face of adversity a man could smile with no fear and play music with a whole heart and a true spirit.
Ernesto Valenzuela
Who I'd like to meet: My friend Skip is now resting in Peace with God and if I know Skip, he is probably forming a All Star Band in Heaven as we read this.
The following is the eulogy that I wrote to be read at his service in the Bronx.
My friend Steve Haney read it. Thanks Steve.
In memory of my friend Skip
How do I begin to express what Skip was to me?
I can say he was a very close friend and that he inspired me to do things,
I thought I did not have the ability to do. He would often stay up with me at
all hours of the night, listening to music and talking about music & we would talk
about his career as a musician. I was always very respectful of Skip. Because
he was a great musician and an even greater person. But, he was soft spoken.
Don't get me wrong when you where around him, you knew he was special.
He had a presence that he had been there and done that a thousand times.
Of course he would not tell you that. He was always very humble, it is a quality
I will use during my musical career and in life.
Skip ate music, drank music, slept to music and awoke to music. I guess
you can say he was music. And when this terrible illness got a hold of him, he didn't
forget his music, as a matter of fact he did not even flinch. He attacked his illness head on,
After several surgeries he continued to play & do gigs, even with his head wrapped in bandages
and stitches still in place, he would still get up on that stage and perform. It brings me to
another quality skip had. STUBBORN !! And that is an understatement. If you told him to rest,
he would just stay up. If you told him to relax, he would just get wound up. If you told him to sit,
he would just get up. Skip just marched to the beat of his own drum and you know what?
You have to admire that. I can tell you also that even though his life was being shortened he
remained brave. He was determined to not give in easily, and to me that is his greatest
achievement in my eyes. Refusing to give in even though death was staring at him right in the face.
Accepting what was happening to him and trying as best as he could to live on.
My friend Skip is gone now. But, he will always live on through us. We will remember all
those great performances, all those great times, all those great memories. He entertained thousands
of lives. and I imagine touched as many also.
Skip is on his way to a better place, a place full of love, peace and calm.
I won't say goodbye today. I will simply wait till it is my turn to see him again.
God bless all of you
And thank you for allowing me this opportunity.
Ernie Becquer.........................
Celia Cruz "Pinar Del Rio"
Cortijo y su Combo "Quitate de la via Perico"
Cortijo y su Combo, "Maquinolandera"
Cortijo y su Combo canta Ismael Rivera "El Negro Bembon"
Hector Lavoe "Todo Tiene su Final"
Hector Lavoe "Sigue Feliz"
Hector Lavoe "Ausencia"
MY NAME IS RALPH I MET SKIP WHEN HE JOINED PETE CONDES BAND IT WAS, SKIP, ERIC,AND MY SELF ON BONGOS, EVERY GIG WAS FUN AND SWINGING.I MUST SAY SKIP IMPRESSED ME, ONE NIGHT AT BROADWAY 96 SKIP WAS STUCK ON THE BACK ENTRANCE TO THE STAGE. ME AND ERIC WAS SITTING ON SIDE STAGE AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN SKIP GOT THRU AND ASK US WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD I FIX THE DOOR I TOLD HIM YOU DID NOT COME HERE FOR THAT AND WERE ON IN 5 MIN AND YOU DONT HAVE THE TOOLS OR THE TIME. HE LOOKED AT ME AND SMILED DID NOT SAY A WORD HE WALKED OVER TO THE DOOR OPEN HIS GREEN BAG THAT EVERY BODY KNOWS AND PULLED OUT A DRILL AND SCREWS AND FIX THE DOOR, IN NO TIME ME AND ERIC LAUGH AND COULD NOT BELIVE SKIP HE TURNED AND SAID: THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT A MAN CAN DO, ANY MAN! AND THAT IS SO TRUE HE PROVED IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, MY FRIEND SKIP YOU ARE MISSED AND LOVED BY MANY AND EVEN IN YOUR ABSENT YOU STILL IMPRESS US WITH YOUR LIFE AND TALENT.SEE YOU LATER HOMIE. RALPH FIGUEROA
SKIP, YOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME, I WILL NEVER FORGET , YOU LIVE IN MY MUSIC, YOU ARE PART OF ME. WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS WHO MUCH I MISS YOU MY BELOVED FRIEND. BE IN PEACE TUIRYA
Skip I will always remember the good times here in the Bronx that we hung out hearing music in my apartment.I also remember when you sat in with the Hector lavoe orch in california.Brother you are truly missed. May the Lord have you as a musical servent among all the great one's that have passed. R.I.P.
For those of you who would like to hear Skip perform Timbales on record check these out to name a few:
Alfredo De La Fe-Triunfo
Justo Betancourt- Lleguleya No on Fania 1982
Gato Barbieri-Boliva
Bobby Matos & John Santos- Mambo Jazz (Cubop)
The Miami All Stars feat: Cachao
Johnnty "Dandy" Rodriguez Orchestra- El Encuentro.
Que Viva La Musica
Just remembering how Skip swung a hard Charanga on timbal when playing with violinist Pablo Mendes.Check him out on the Alfredo De la Fe first solo lp.His discography is very impressive.
hey i just want to thank you for keeping skip''s name alive and i''m sure that he is grateful..he is not alone he is jamming and recording with the greats mongo, cortijo, machito, kako, puente in the sky...rumba en el cielo...richie bastar
Thanks for the friend request.
My deepest sympathy goes out to you
for the loss of a great timbalero.
It is wonderful to see you keep
his beautiful spirit alive through this site.
To quote Raphy Leavitt Y La Selecta:
"Nadie se atreva llorar, dejen que rien en silencio".
I wish you nothing but the best!
Stop by and listen/comment sometime.
I'd be honored to spread Skip's message on my page.
Paz, y que viva nuestra musica!
Skip and Tito Puente
Skip and Poncho Sanchez with Cal Tjader
