Ugh. Just discovered Mel Matsil a/k/a "cinemel" passed away recently. We didn't realize we attended same concerts same evenings in NYC until next day on the m'board. We finally caught up to each other via S. Woolston's Zoom gatherings when the Covid hit. And found out even more similarly attended events going back decades. He wintered down here in Boca Raton. Gone at 81.
Thank you, Howard, for letting us know. Of course I remember Mel from several of those Zoom gatherings, and from his posts here at the board. He seemed like a very likeable person, very sad to hear he has passed away. He will be missed, may he rest in peace.
I'm very sorry to learn of "cinemel's" passing. When I was living in Florida, Mel Matsil (as Howard mentioned) wintered in Boca and he and I would get together for long lunches at a steak house in Boynton Beach (half way between Boca and West Palm Beach) several times each winter. Mel lived on Long Island and had quite a few family members there, as well of course as a few in Boca with whom he stayed each year. His tastes were definitely of the Golden and Silver ages, and (as Howard menioned) he was a huge fan of musicals. Mel was a retired teacher who had worked largely in schools in low income areas of the city (NY), and had continued working as a consultant for the school system for quite a while after he formally retired. He loved Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald (to name a couple of his biggies) and gifted me with copies of some of his favorites. I last communicated with him early last year, and had been planning to drop him a note to see what he was up to. It is sad indeed to know that I will never be able to see or communicate with him again. RIP old friend.
I will add what I wrote on the other side. We often called each other twinsies because of our love for western scores. He was an awesome member who was always complimentary to me. Please read more about him on the non-music side. He deserves our honor.
