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Leroi Moore
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LeRoi Holloway Moore (September 7, 1961 – August 19, 2008) was an American saxophonist best known as a founding member of Dave Matthews Band. Moore often arranged music for the songs written by frontman Dave Matthews. Moore also co-wrote many of the band's songs, notably "Too Much" and "Stay (Wasting Time)".
e was born on September 7, 1961 in Durham, North Carolina to Roxie Holloway Moore and Albert P. Moore. Raised in Virginia, he attended college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia studying tenor saxophone and later became an accomplished jazz musician in Charlottesville, Virginia playing with artists such as John D'earth and Dawn Thompson .
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Encyclopedia
LeRoi Holloway Moore (September 7, 1961 – August 19, 2008) was an American saxophonist best known as a founding member of Dave Matthews Band. Moore often arranged music for the songs written by frontman Dave Matthews. Moore also co-wrote many of the band's songs, notably "Too Much" and "Stay (Wasting Time)".
Biography
Moore was born on September 7, 1961 in Durham, North Carolina to Roxie Holloway Moore and Albert P. Moore. Raised in Virginia, he attended college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia studying tenor saxophone and later became an accomplished jazz musician in Charlottesville, Virginia playing with artists such as John D'earth and Dawn Thompson . Moore began playing professionally after a brief stay in college. Moore helped found the Charlottesville Swing Orchestra (1982), and the John D'earth Quintet. The latter played at Miller's, a Charlottesville bar, every Thursday night in the late 1980s, where Moore first met Dave Matthews in 1991. In an effort to bring in some instrumental help for some songs Matthews had written, Moore began recording songs with Matthews.
Moore played bass, baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, as well as the flute, bass clarinet the wooden penny whistle, and the oboe for one show on June 14, 2008 in Hartford, Connecticut, just over two weeks before his accident. Moore's woodwind technician, David Saull, notes that Moore had "quite an extensive horn collection". As of 2002, it included a Buescher bass saxophone, Selmer Mark VI and Yamaha baritone saxophones, two Selmer Mark VI tenor saxophones, two Selmer Mark VI alto saxophones, a Yamaha soprano, and a Selmer Super-80 Series 3 soprano, according to Saull.
In addition to performing with the Dave Matthews Band, Moore appeared on Code Magenta's self-titled album, and on Soko's album In November Sunlight.
Death
Moore was injured on June 30, 2008, in an ATV accident on his farm outside Charlottesville, Virginia, breaking several ribs and puncturing a lung, and was hospitalized at UVA for several days. His last live performance took place two days prior at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist from Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, stood in for Moore on subsequent tour dates. July 1, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina marked the first time a band member has missed a show since 1993, two years after the band was formed. Though released several days later, Moore was re-hospitalized in mid-July for complications related to the accident.
On August 19, 2008, the official Dave Matthews Band website reported that Moore died of complications from his injuries in the ATV accident. The following statement was released on the band's website:
We are deeply saddened that LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program.
Dave Matthews paid tribute to Moore on August 19, 2008 at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, after the band's first song of the performance, "Bartender". "We all had some bad news today," Matthews told the sold-out crowd. "Our good friend LeRoi Moore passed on and gave his ghost up today and we will miss him forever." Fans then shouted Moore's name in remembrance.
On August 27, 2008, LeRoi Moore was buried at Holly Memorial Gardens in Albemarle County. Attendance of the funeral numbered in the thousands, including Dave Matthews, LeRoi's family, and dedicated fans.
Dave Matthews Band announced they will release LeRoi Moore's final concert performance as Live Trax Vol. 14. The concert took place in the band's home state of Virginia in Bristow on June 28, 2008. Proceeds from the CD will be donated to local charities that Moore valued.
Tribute
On September 30, 2008, during a concert in Brazil for the South American Tour, while the Dave Matthews Band was playing the introduction of "#41," Brazilian fans spread white balloons around the concert house in order to perform an homage to Moore.
Glow sticks were also tossed by the crowd during the Gorge shows in 2008, as well as a tribute slide show video with photos of Moore, played along with the studio version of "#34" during the encore breaks.
At the 51st Grammy Awards, the first one following Moore's death, a video tribute to musicians who had died in the previous year excluded Moore, disappointing and angering some fans. Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, responded with a statement noting that Moore was included in a list of deceased musicians in the program for the event, and "unfortunately we are unable to include all of the talented and wonderful people within the allotted timeframe."
Equipment
- Selmer Mark VI Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone saxophones
- Selmer Super Balanced Action Alto and Tenor
- Buescher Copper Plated Bass Sax
- Borgani Custom Soprano
- Muramatsu Solid Silver flute
- Abell Wood Flute
- Abell Penny Whistles
- Rico Jazz Select Reeds
- Furman PL-Plus Power Conditioner
- Peterson R450 strobe tuner
- TC Electronic M5000
- Eventide 4500 Ultra-Harmonizer
- Eventide 7500 Ultra-Harmonizer
External links
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