News of Daniel’s Death robbed me of strength. A dear Friend, seasoned journalist, collector of African music and artifacts, DJ Daniel Feist retired last February 11 in his native city of Montreal of cancer. The sad news reached me only today. I met Daniel 2 years ago at the South African Ambassador’s residence in Warsaw during a reception. Though we were introduced to each, nothing immediately clicked. Just as we were about to part he asked ‘Are you Simon Mol?’ I replied yes.
‘You are such a bad boy!’ he said with a big smile. ‘I wrote you an e-mail and you never replied!’ ‘When?’ I asked, surprised. ‘Before leaving South Africa to Poland, as I knew nobody here, I typed Poland + Africa on a search engine and your name popped up as a journalist for the Warsaw Voice. I then send an e-mail to you via the magazine and you never replied.’
‘I am so sorry Daniel. The mail never reached me.’ We left it at that. We met regularly after that and Daniel always insisted on inviting me for lunch, at his home and at our favorite spot ‘Radio Café’ in the Centre of Warsaw. From his apartment in Konstancin (Poland), Daniel connected Africa (A continent he loved) and Montreal as a DJ for a weekly radio program with Radio Montreal. He had interviewed all the top names of African music you can imagine; Manu Dibango, Franco, Fela Kuti, Peppe Kale, Papa Wemba, Yousou N’dour, Mori Kante, you name it, Daniel did it and boosted of over a 1.000 CDs of Africa’s artists. He equally interviewed Bob Marley.
Daniel blamed me for being too generous, ‘Look, you have to learn to be selfish before you can help others, Simon’. Yet under his skin lay a bigger and more generous heart than mine. Daniel paid my rents once when I was dry. ‘Don’t worry Simon… pay me back whenever you manage to have enough.’ I never managed to pay back because Daniel won’t agree to accept money from me.
Before he left for Canada last year, he packaged several items and presented them to me, including a fax machine, which is in the Office of the Association of Refugees in Poland.
Daniel was 51.
Click here to read about Daniel's valiant battle with Cancer
A fine memorial in such a good blog. I've linked to you in the Daily Reads part of my site at http://www.publishedinnewyork.com.
Posted by: Cantara Christopher | June 07, 2005 at 12:53 PM
Thanks Simon, for such a nice write-up on Daniel! We are all truly devastated by his passing.
all the best
susie (Daniel's wife)
Posted by: susan kessler | June 08, 2005 at 11:31 AM