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Moment of Silence: Tina Marsh

By Michael Barnes | Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 11:34 AM

I return from vacation to learn the sad news that Austin musician Tina Marsh died. Her long struggle with cancer — along with heartfelt public tributes — were chronicled in the local press.

For decades, Marsh was identified with experimental jazz through Creative Opportunity Orchestra and with the dance community through her collaborations with Sally Jacques and others. She was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in 2008.

I recall a lunch with Marsh. She, like many established artists, couldn’t understand why the media didn’t produce more standard reports — previews, reviews, profiles, etc — about her and fellow artists. By the end of the lunch, what was obvious to everyone else dawned on Marsh, that her story never conformed to standard press formulas. She was an artistic law unto herself — and that was tough to cover in a conventional way.

Her death has lit up the online networks among Austin artists and fans. “It’s a profound loss for the arts and for so many of us who loved her dearly,” said philanthropist Carol Adams. “What a gift she was!” says fellow artist Lauri Raymond.

Jan Hill recommends joining the bclub in Marsh’s memory. The group raises emergency funds for breast cancer survivors, similar to the highly successful Octopus Club.

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