Obituary for Charles F. P "Skip" Beckwith
For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length -- and there I travel looking, looking breathlessly.”
- Carlos Castaneda, “The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge” (1968)
Skip (Charles Frederick Pearson) Beckwith died suddenly on July 31 in Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg. After miraculous recoveries from near-death illnesses in 2013 and 2016 Skip’s fragile health began to decline rapidly a month after he had to go into what was intended to be temporary care when his wife and caregiver was badly injured in April and could no longer look after him at home. Arrangements entrusted to Dana L. Sweeny Funeral Home and cremation has taken place. No funeral. A wake and celebration of his life is planned for a later date.
Born October 1 1939 in Sydney, Skip was the son of Dr. Charles J.W. and Hazel (Pearson) Beckwith. He is survived by his wife Katherine Claire Shaw Beckwith; son Benjamin (Jill Phillips), Vancouver BC; mother-in-law Sylvia Shaw (Lunenburg); brother-in-law Bob Shaw (Anne) Bedford; sister-in-law Dianne Shaw-MacAdam (Marc Pilon) Montreal; nieces Wendy Driscoll (Tom) Dartmouth; Karen Carter (Travis) Terris BC; Bhreagh MacAdam (Trent Tingley), and nephew Connor MacAdam (Halifax). Besides his parents, he was pre-deceased by his beloved Morgan horse best friend of 33 years “Our Mora” and several beloved cats and dogs.
Skip was a loving father who was very proud of all Ben’s accomplishments, and for following his own life-long dream and “path with heart” of becoming a successful architect.
He was the consummate musician: an Acoustic Bassist, Pianist, Accompanist, Arranger, Composer, Producer, Educator. His career spanned nearly 60 years during which he played almost every style of music but his true love was always Jazz. Over his more than 30 years as an educator he passed on his love of music to his many students in the St. Francis Xavier University Jazz Studies Program, the Halifax Creative Music Workshop, and in his private teaching studio. A truly great teacher without ego, he encouraged his students to excel and was especially proud when one of his star pupils Steve Haines went on to become (in Skip’s words) “a far better bass player than I’ll ever be”.
Skip loved to laugh and in his younger days (most of his life) was a “wild and crazy guy” with a wicked, irreverent and often bizarre sense of humour who pulled some legendary pranks. He could be infuriating and exasperating but his big Heart, positive attitude, enthusiasm and humour were infectious and made it impossible to stay annoyed with him for very long. Although he was always serious about playing good music he never took himself seriously and he always enjoyed “the hang” after the gig as much as the gig itself. Even at the end of his days he maintained his sense of humour, making wry comments and joking with the nurses who took care of him.
He often said he’d been “dropped in here” at just the right time when Jazz was alive, live and evolving. During his years at Berklee College of Music in Boston he was blessed to hear many of and actually play with some of the Jazz icons he respected most. He went on to study with the legendary Ray Brown and Oscar Peterson, playing and recording with a long list of the “who’s who” of Jazz in the US and Canada. In 1968 he changed direction, becoming Anne Murray’s Band Leader and Musical Director as she rose to international stardom with her first big hit “Snowbird”, for which Skip was awarded a Gold Record. After six years of hit records, international touring and everything that goes with “the big time” he grew tired of the less than pleasant business side of the music business. He returned to Nova Scotia to take time out to reassess his life and his career while building the tetrahedron house he’d designed.
After taking a few years off from music Skip started playing again, returning to his “path with heart” and jump-starting the Jazz scene in Halifax together with saxophonist Don Palmer. He brought in and played with some of the top names in Jazz at Pepe’s while simultaneously becoming a huge part of the fledgling Maritime music industry. He played with just about every Maritime artist of all genres on recordings, television and radio shows too numerous to list and also put his special Producer’s magic to work on recordings by many of them (his favourite being Dutch Mason’s “Special Brew”). It was during this time that he met his wife and partner of 40 years, Claire. They shared a love of horses as well as music and when they moved to a small acreage in the country he became an excellent rider and horseman.
When the full time jazz club gigs and TV/radio work came to an end in 1987 Skip began his career as a Jazz Educator at St. Francis Xavier University which also gave him the opportunity to keep playing with many world-class musicians through their visiting artist program. He greatly enjoyed his time at StFX until the administration forced him to retire at age 65. He then returned to live on Hamm’s Hill in Lunenburg county, continuing to teach privately and play duo gigs with Claire.
The unique collaboration of Don Palmer, Skip and drummer Jerry Granelli “Alive & Well” was beautifully captured on their CDs “In Concert” and the JUNO nominated “Way Out East”, and in 1995 the Atlantic Jazz Festival produced the mainstage tribute event “Celebrating Skip Beckwith” featuring Alive & Well and Skip and Claire’s trio JazznSamba along with some of his favourite guest musicians. In 2007 he was given the ECMA Stompin Tom Connors Award for his contributions to the Maritime music community.
Skip’s lovely Acoustic Bass (affectionately named Tippi) which he serendipitously acquired in 1985 during a recording session in Montreal with Oliver Jones was an extension of himself and perfected his playing. Never a flashy player, he had his own unique big funky sound that he used to lay down the groove, drive the band, and keep the time in the pocket like nobody else. He loved to play the Bass but for sheer joy nothing made him happier than playing the Piano and he was a skilled accompanist. He was the “chord-meister” and especially enjoyed arranging tunes for and accompanying music partner/singer Claire. Although they stopped doing gigs after Skip’s illness in 2013 they continued to play at home and spent many happy hours playing through their duo repertoire of Jazz Standards, Blues, and Great American Songbook compositions with Piano or Bass.
Skip’s abiding desire to “follow a path with Heart” was inspired early on by Carlos Castenada’s book “The Teachings of don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge”, which eventually led him to his spiritual Shamanic practice of Sacred Drumming. He was a humble, kind and gentle Soul. In the last 15 years his Sacred Earth Shamanic Practice became his focus and informed every aspect of his life, and he delighted in what he called “The Magic” of Sacred Drumming Ceremony. The true essence of his Being emerged ever brighter and stronger as he truly lived the motto of “Peace Kindness Gratitude Love Forgiveness Unity” each and every day. In 2009 his Sacred Practice started to bring forth what became over several years a large body of original music unlike anything he’d ever written, his magnum opus “Ascension Suite: Ontogenesis” to which he continued to add during the last weeks he was in hospital. He composed/played the last part on the afternoon of the day he passed. Skip was a dedicated Light Worker who worked tirelessly for the betterment of this Planet and its inhabitants in ways of which many people are unaware, continuing until his final Piece was completed when he left on the night of the new moon.
The family would like to thank Dr. Beaton. Special thanks to the extraordinary compassionate people of the ALC teams at FMH who truly care and treat their patients as if they were their own family members. Deep gratitude is also extended to Cindy, Edna, Julie, Dawn and the others who encouraged Skip to play his keyboard in his room every day. You will never know how much that meant. Claire would like to thank Edna, Cindy and Dawn for their heart-felt personal support, and Julie for sitting with Skip and playing Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” CD for him while he transitioned. Nothing could have been more appropriate for the ending of the lifetime of a true Jazzman.
Skip loved this beautiful Planet and all of its Life, especially nature and the animals. He was a special man and a beautiful Soul who is greatly missed by many, none more than his life partner, music partner, Shamanic partner and best friend Claire. To Honour Skip’s life and his legacy, please be kind to the animals, to the Earth, and to each other. Practice random acts of Kindness. Practice Gratitude. It will come back to you one hundred fold. Donations may be made in his name to Helping Animals Lunenburg County Society.
“Before you embark on any path as the question: Does this path have a heart? If the answer is no, you will know it, and then you must choose another path. The trouble is nobody asks the question; and when a man finally realizes that he has taken a path without heart, the path is ready to kill him. At that point very few men can stop to deliberate, and leave the path. A Path without a heart is never enjoyable. You have to work hard even to take it. On the other hand, a path with heart is easy; it does not make you work at liking it.”
-Car
- Carlos Castaneda, “The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge” (1968)
Skip (Charles Frederick Pearson) Beckwith died suddenly on July 31 in Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg. After miraculous recoveries from near-death illnesses in 2013 and 2016 Skip’s fragile health began to decline rapidly a month after he had to go into what was intended to be temporary care when his wife and caregiver was badly injured in April and could no longer look after him at home. Arrangements entrusted to Dana L. Sweeny Funeral Home and cremation has taken place. No funeral. A wake and celebration of his life is planned for a later date.
Born October 1 1939 in Sydney, Skip was the son of Dr. Charles J.W. and Hazel (Pearson) Beckwith. He is survived by his wife Katherine Claire Shaw Beckwith; son Benjamin (Jill Phillips), Vancouver BC; mother-in-law Sylvia Shaw (Lunenburg); brother-in-law Bob Shaw (Anne) Bedford; sister-in-law Dianne Shaw-MacAdam (Marc Pilon) Montreal; nieces Wendy Driscoll (Tom) Dartmouth; Karen Carter (Travis) Terris BC; Bhreagh MacAdam (Trent Tingley), and nephew Connor MacAdam (Halifax). Besides his parents, he was pre-deceased by his beloved Morgan horse best friend of 33 years “Our Mora” and several beloved cats and dogs.
Skip was a loving father who was very proud of all Ben’s accomplishments, and for following his own life-long dream and “path with heart” of becoming a successful architect.
He was the consummate musician: an Acoustic Bassist, Pianist, Accompanist, Arranger, Composer, Producer, Educator. His career spanned nearly 60 years during which he played almost every style of music but his true love was always Jazz. Over his more than 30 years as an educator he passed on his love of music to his many students in the St. Francis Xavier University Jazz Studies Program, the Halifax Creative Music Workshop, and in his private teaching studio. A truly great teacher without ego, he encouraged his students to excel and was especially proud when one of his star pupils Steve Haines went on to become (in Skip’s words) “a far better bass player than I’ll ever be”.
Skip loved to laugh and in his younger days (most of his life) was a “wild and crazy guy” with a wicked, irreverent and often bizarre sense of humour who pulled some legendary pranks. He could be infuriating and exasperating but his big Heart, positive attitude, enthusiasm and humour were infectious and made it impossible to stay annoyed with him for very long. Although he was always serious about playing good music he never took himself seriously and he always enjoyed “the hang” after the gig as much as the gig itself. Even at the end of his days he maintained his sense of humour, making wry comments and joking with the nurses who took care of him.
He often said he’d been “dropped in here” at just the right time when Jazz was alive, live and evolving. During his years at Berklee College of Music in Boston he was blessed to hear many of and actually play with some of the Jazz icons he respected most. He went on to study with the legendary Ray Brown and Oscar Peterson, playing and recording with a long list of the “who’s who” of Jazz in the US and Canada. In 1968 he changed direction, becoming Anne Murray’s Band Leader and Musical Director as she rose to international stardom with her first big hit “Snowbird”, for which Skip was awarded a Gold Record. After six years of hit records, international touring and everything that goes with “the big time” he grew tired of the less than pleasant business side of the music business. He returned to Nova Scotia to take time out to reassess his life and his career while building the tetrahedron house he’d designed.
After taking a few years off from music Skip started playing again, returning to his “path with heart” and jump-starting the Jazz scene in Halifax together with saxophonist Don Palmer. He brought in and played with some of the top names in Jazz at Pepe’s while simultaneously becoming a huge part of the fledgling Maritime music industry. He played with just about every Maritime artist of all genres on recordings, television and radio shows too numerous to list and also put his special Producer’s magic to work on recordings by many of them (his favourite being Dutch Mason’s “Special Brew”). It was during this time that he met his wife and partner of 40 years, Claire. They shared a love of horses as well as music and when they moved to a small acreage in the country he became an excellent rider and horseman.
When the full time jazz club gigs and TV/radio work came to an end in 1987 Skip began his career as a Jazz Educator at St. Francis Xavier University which also gave him the opportunity to keep playing with many world-class musicians through their visiting artist program. He greatly enjoyed his time at StFX until the administration forced him to retire at age 65. He then returned to live on Hamm’s Hill in Lunenburg county, continuing to teach privately and play duo gigs with Claire.
The unique collaboration of Don Palmer, Skip and drummer Jerry Granelli “Alive & Well” was beautifully captured on their CDs “In Concert” and the JUNO nominated “Way Out East”, and in 1995 the Atlantic Jazz Festival produced the mainstage tribute event “Celebrating Skip Beckwith” featuring Alive & Well and Skip and Claire’s trio JazznSamba along with some of his favourite guest musicians. In 2007 he was given the ECMA Stompin Tom Connors Award for his contributions to the Maritime music community.
Skip’s lovely Acoustic Bass (affectionately named Tippi) which he serendipitously acquired in 1985 during a recording session in Montreal with Oliver Jones was an extension of himself and perfected his playing. Never a flashy player, he had his own unique big funky sound that he used to lay down the groove, drive the band, and keep the time in the pocket like nobody else. He loved to play the Bass but for sheer joy nothing made him happier than playing the Piano and he was a skilled accompanist. He was the “chord-meister” and especially enjoyed arranging tunes for and accompanying music partner/singer Claire. Although they stopped doing gigs after Skip’s illness in 2013 they continued to play at home and spent many happy hours playing through their duo repertoire of Jazz Standards, Blues, and Great American Songbook compositions with Piano or Bass.
Skip’s abiding desire to “follow a path with Heart” was inspired early on by Carlos Castenada’s book “The Teachings of don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge”, which eventually led him to his spiritual Shamanic practice of Sacred Drumming. He was a humble, kind and gentle Soul. In the last 15 years his Sacred Earth Shamanic Practice became his focus and informed every aspect of his life, and he delighted in what he called “The Magic” of Sacred Drumming Ceremony. The true essence of his Being emerged ever brighter and stronger as he truly lived the motto of “Peace Kindness Gratitude Love Forgiveness Unity” each and every day. In 2009 his Sacred Practice started to bring forth what became over several years a large body of original music unlike anything he’d ever written, his magnum opus “Ascension Suite: Ontogenesis” to which he continued to add during the last weeks he was in hospital. He composed/played the last part on the afternoon of the day he passed. Skip was a dedicated Light Worker who worked tirelessly for the betterment of this Planet and its inhabitants in ways of which many people are unaware, continuing until his final Piece was completed when he left on the night of the new moon.
The family would like to thank Dr. Beaton. Special thanks to the extraordinary compassionate people of the ALC teams at FMH who truly care and treat their patients as if they were their own family members. Deep gratitude is also extended to Cindy, Edna, Julie, Dawn and the others who encouraged Skip to play his keyboard in his room every day. You will never know how much that meant. Claire would like to thank Edna, Cindy and Dawn for their heart-felt personal support, and Julie for sitting with Skip and playing Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” CD for him while he transitioned. Nothing could have been more appropriate for the ending of the lifetime of a true Jazzman.
Skip loved this beautiful Planet and all of its Life, especially nature and the animals. He was a special man and a beautiful Soul who is greatly missed by many, none more than his life partner, music partner, Shamanic partner and best friend Claire. To Honour Skip’s life and his legacy, please be kind to the animals, to the Earth, and to each other. Practice random acts of Kindness. Practice Gratitude. It will come back to you one hundred fold. Donations may be made in his name to Helping Animals Lunenburg County Society.
“Before you embark on any path as the question: Does this path have a heart? If the answer is no, you will know it, and then you must choose another path. The trouble is nobody asks the question; and when a man finally realizes that he has taken a path without heart, the path is ready to kill him. At that point very few men can stop to deliberate, and leave the path. A Path without a heart is never enjoyable. You have to work hard even to take it. On the other hand, a path with heart is easy; it does not make you work at liking it.”
-Car