VIDEO: Local musicians honor jazz great Teddy Charles

Despite the force of Sunday’s afternoon rain showers, a collection of musicians played to a packed house at D’latte in Greenport, where they paid tribute to vibraphone jazz great Teddy Charles.

Mr. Charles, born Theodore Charles Cohen, died April 16 at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 84.

Many of those who attended regular jazz jam sessions at Mr. Charles’ Riverhead residence were on hand at the event, including his vibraphone student of six years, Max Feldschuh. Mr. Feldschuh said when he’d first met Mr. Charles in 2006, he’d been a piano player but made a switch to the “vibe” because of Mr. Charles’ influence.

“It’s going to be a totally different scene without him around,” he said.

John Mosca, a New York City trombone player who knew, played and recorded with the man, said Mr. Charles had agreed with him only weeks before, to play this summer’s Charlie Parker festival.

“The people organizing the festival agreed it would be a good idea for someone to play who actually played with Mr. Parker,” Mr. Mosca said.

gvolpe@timesreview.com

GIANNA VOLPE PHOTO