My Dad

  Well, my dad is in the hospital again, fourth time with cancer, he's been dealing with lymphoma for over 15 years and I think he's getting tired.  he's 87 and has still been practicing medicine, but in the past year the medical association has been trying to charge him for helping so many people.   He made a discovery many years ago that several of his patients with irritable bowel syndrome were actually dealing with food allergies and he went on to help hundreds of people.  

   This picture above was taken last October, my brother called to tell me dad was in hospital, that a huge tumour had been discovered near his pancreas.  Amazingly, he responded really well to chemo and continued to practice this year, but I think the charges he's been dealing with have really sapped his energy.

   He called me Thursday at work, to tell me he was in the hospital.  I told him I would come right away and he was a bit hesitant because it's his wife's birthday coming up and she is not crazy for me- or my relationship with my dad.  I don't take this personally any more, but it's always been uncomfortable for me to call him at home.

   Last night he called me again and said he'd really like me and Aaron to come in.  He also told me he's closing down his medical practice.

     I started to cry my eyes out when I got off the phone.

Medicine has been my dad's life as well as his music.  I wrote an article about him several years ago...maybe 4...and it was never published, but i wanted to share it with whomever comes to it...because you will understand what an amazing life he has led.

    It hasn't always been an easy relationship between us, I'm very emotional and my dad's only way of dealing with emotion was with rage.  It's a frightening thing to grow up with, but he's now shrunken from 6'3" to about 5'6" and he's mellowed.   He's also been an amazing father.  If ever I call at work, he takes my call immediately, I know he cares deeply for me and I for him.  He's always supported me in my creativity and that's been a huge gift in my life.

The Doc Prescribes Jazz To Chase the Blues Away

"Music is my passion, medicine is my hobby and marriage is my work-but it’s a labour of love! (O: "

       -Mortimer Katz M.D. 2009 

     Dr. Mortimer Katz has discovered the secret of eternal youth - a whole lot of Sax!   That's sax- minds out of the gutter!

      There comes a point in many a musician's life where the ultimate decision has to be made- to pursue a dream full-time, or to I tow the safer line.  For Mortimer Katz, the decision was never this difficult.  Oh, he love's his jazz, of this there is no doubt, but he is equally enthused and quite a master of his trade as a medical Doctor specializing in Allergies.  You will find yourself completely drawn in by his tremendous acumen in both music and medicine- though for the sake of your own mental health, I suggest unless you would like to converse for hours on end about bacteria, you stick with listening to him play jazz.

  There is no slowing down for this high-energy father of three and Grandfather of five.      At eighty-three years young, Dr Katz can be found jamming, playing either his sax or clarinet in several local haunts.  He takes part in the 'Jazzworks' program at the New Bayou, the third Thursday eve of each month (at the corner of Bank and Sunnyside Drive).  Perhaps you might spot him at Le Petite Chicago, in Hull.  Not there?  Try at The Paradiso Café, on Bank Street near Gilmour and if he's not there then more than likely he will be eating pizza at the Colonnade or Chinese Food at the Golden Palace!  If you do have the pleasure and privilege of seeing Mortimer Katz play, you will be, absolutely, inspired and delighted - with the added advantage that if you have an allergic reaction to your fare, he might just save your life!  

      During the daytime Dr. Mortimer Katz works three days a week at his Allergy practice in the Alta Vista area.  In the evenings when he's not out carousing at the clubs he is known to spend hours with his Steinway piano and that's where the love affair with music first began for Katz.

     The son of two music lovers, his dad Morris Katz was both a chemist and a virtuoso violinist and his mother Molly played the piano and sang at a local radio station- back in the day when music was played live! Molly had young Mortimer signed up for piano at the age of six.  At age twelve, after watching a DR Kildare movie, Mortimer was taken with the idea of helping others get well.  He had been introduced to his second love-medicine.  Music, Medicine, the molds were cast.   

      His music career began to burgeon as Mort learned the clarinet at age fifteen and begin playing in his high school band.

     In 1943 at age 17, Katz joined the Air force and was stationed in Mount Hope Air Force base, north of Hamilton.  He was employed as a wireless mechanic and worked in a transmitter shack four miles from the base.  There was nothing to do short of an emergency- leaving him a great deal of time to practice his music.  During his commission he also joined the Air Force band and on his days off, he hitchhiked into Toronto for saxophone lessons.   It was during one of these trips he was introduced to up-and-coming Jazz star Moe Koffman.  Moe and Mort met at an active service canteen and became life-long friends.

       In 1945 Mortimer was discharged from the army and accepted into the Medical program at the University of Toronto.  He continued to play sax and clarinet in dance bands throughout his University days.  During the summer of 1946 he played in a dance band lead by Gordon Delamont, a trumpet player and groundbreaking jazz composer and arranger. Their band played at the Club Top Hat, and other southern Ontario halls.  In 1949 he jammed with Oscar Peterson at the Hamburg House. During this time frame Katz came very close to forfeiting his medical career to become a full time jazz musician.  Katz's father convinced him to follow through with his medical studies.  

        Dr. Katz graduated from medical school, and drove out to Swiftcurrent Saskatchewan to do his internship.   He was driving in a 1948 Pontiac with over 200,000 miles on it- and that was after the speedometer was turned back!  The tires kept blowing out and eventually Katz traded in his sax in for a new set of tires.  In fact, it wasn't until 1975 when Mortimer was invited to play in Dave Lamb's big Band that he finally bought himself a new tenor saxophone.

   Dr. Mortimer Katz eventually settled down in Ottawa to open his private practice.  In between parenting three young children, and making rounds at the hospital, as well as house calls- those were the days- music continued to be his passion.  Any spare moment was spent practicing his piano and/or clarinet.  As his children grew up, Mortimer returned to jamming in various venues in throughout the Ottawa area as well as the Duvernet Hotel in Hull.  The list of his band mates included Moe Koffman (Sax), Norm Amadio (Piano) Herb Spanier (Trumpet), Brian Brown,  (piano) and Charles Coleman.

        Dr. Katz's musical career as well as his medical career ground to a sudden halt in the summer of 2002.  He went to the Ottawa General hospital, feeling strange and suddenly collapsed in the washroom.  Temporarily paralyzed, he was taken to the Ottawa Civic Hospital and admitted into the critical care unit.  From Healer to patient, the shoe was now on the proverbial other foot.  

 Katz was diagnosed with an abscess in his upper spinal chord. Placed on a roster of high-powered antibiotics he survived the incident but lost partial sensation in his fingertips as well as mobility in his arms and legs.  This high-energy Doctor and musician became confined to a wheelchair.   For two months his musical chords were suspended.

 During his recovery in the neurological unit of the Civic Hospital Dr. Katz's physiotherapy regiment included practicing scales on an electric keyboard brought to him by close friend Louise Glatt.   It was a brilliant idea that facilitated the improvement of his dexterity as well as lifting his spirits - music always being Katz's soul food.

 Today Mortimer Katz made a full musical recovery with regards to his Sax and clarinet playing and has returned to about 75% of his former piano playing abilities.  It took some time, and perseverance but this artist found his way home.  His challenges have, as they always do, created new opportunities for Mortimer.  He is currently a Bronze Master bridge player and competes in Bridge tournaments throughout Canada and the US.  There is no stopping this wonderful creative force named Dr. Mortimer Katz.

 I am proud to call him my father.

       Sharron Katz