David Catney, jazz pianist and cornerstone of the Houston jazz community, died at the age of 33, of an AIDS-related illness, at 7 a.m. last Thursday, August 11, at Twelve Oaks Hospital in Houston. Catney was a tireless performer and organizer, performing solo and with his trio, as well as booking respected national acts at Cezanne, the Montrose jazz club he transformed into Houston's only national-caliber jazz venue.

Catney recorded three albums for the Justice Records label: First Flight, Jade Vision, and Reality Road, a stirring reflection on mortality released earlier this year. Catney's music also appeared on multiple compilations, and has been widely used in television and film production.

I did not know Catney personally, but many in the local music community knew him well, and their respect and admiration -- for his music, and for his bravery in the face of a presently incurable disease -- leave no question that he was not simply a gifted musician, but a very special man. Even as Catney was repeatedly hospitalized, he continued to perform; and not wanting to burden perception of his work with sympathy, he chose not to publicly announce his illness until this past month. For these and other reasons, it has been said only half-jokingly of Catney that he was becoming a saint. And while the temptation to romanticize Catney's ordeal is great, it is probably a more respectful tribute to say simply that he was a man blessed with great talent and faced with great difficulty, who nonetheless understood how to be truly human in the face of adversity. He will be remembered admiringly and fondly, and his music will serve as fitting legacy.