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RIP Gaye Anderson

I was very sad to hear about the sudden and untimely death of Gaye Anderson, owner and soul-proprietor of The New Orleans Creole Restaurant in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. I played my first paid gig at the New Orleans when I was 14 years old, subbing for trumpeter / saxophonist Jay Thomas (I think I got paid $20). As a teenager I was a Wednesday night regular at Floyd Standifer’s long standing gig at the New Orleans. For the past two (plus) years my band Flexicon has been the regular Friday night band there.

Always present at the club was Gaye Anderson, one of the biggest supporters of music there ever was. On slow nights Gaye would pay the band and forgo her own pay. She never failed to step up to the plate to host a benefit, memorial, going away party or any other community related event. She never asked “What’s in it for me?” If she could do something to help out the musicians in Seattle, she would.

With Gaye’s passing, it’s hard to know what will become of the New Orleans. We’ll still be there on Fridays until things change, which inevitably they will. In the mean time, do yourself a favor and see what a labor of love looks like until it goes away. They have great music every night of the week and can use your support.

Gaye – thank you for your generous spirit and commitment to music. You will be missed!