Jonathan Pines of Private Studios remembers Chef Ra
Very sad... James Brown and James Wilson in a coupla of days...
I've known James Wilson since about 1974... He was a Film Student at UIUC then, [Grad Student... by 1977 I'm sure]. James [this is before he created his Chef Ra personae] was very knowledgeable about Film, and was passionately interested in Bob Marley and reggae in general. This was a bond that several of his friends shared with him. Todd Harrison is the one who comes to mind- Todd introduced
Marley to me, and maybe Jim to me as well? Todd and Jim got to see Marley several times in the 70's, as did I [thanks guys!]. Jim actually shot about 30 minutes of 16mm [8mm?] film of a concert in 1978. He and I went and saw Peter Tosh at Park West that same year.
Jim was a fixture at concerts and performances throughout the Midwest, and his knowledge of reggae grew and grew. We often shared tapes and info about obscure artists and white panel reggae 12'' [lp's] we collected. He eventually morphed his love and knowledge of reggae into a performance art, i.e. "Chef Ra". Jim's love of music was very broad, I think we met at a Little Feat concert at Foellinger Auditorium in 1974 [I was in High School], and I'm pretty sure he was the only black man in double 'A' at the Todd Rundgren concert at the Assembly Hall in 1977.
He was always willing to talk music to a skinny little white high school kid [Me]. He worked off and on for another Urbana ex pat Steve Hager who grew here and went to Urbana High with Jim [and Todd]. Steve was an editor at High Times magazine for many years. Steve's dad was a prominent scientist [head of Biochemistry] at the U of I and they were fellow "radicals" at Urbana High School.
Jim always would call out to me in a crowded room [hey Pineeees!] to tell me about some new reggae artist or event he was aware of, and thought I should be as well. Some little known facts about Jim - he was [if I remember correctly] elected president of Urbana High school class of 1969 - not an easy accomplishment for a black man in the 60's... Jim was also voted/awarded Playboy magazines' "Man about Campus" [in the Fall Fashion Forecast] the next year at the U of I! [His picture even appeared in the magazine...]
What a great athlete he was. I never saw him fight a soul, or lift his hand in anger, after high school. Practiced what he preached!
Chef Ra had many identities! Politician, Music Expert, Film Maker, Chef, Herbalist, Roller Skater and Friend. You will be missed man!
Jonathan Pines / Private Studios