Musician Obituaries (49)
Carol Britto spent twenty years in Toronto, a regular fixture at Lyte's, George's Jazz Club and Bourbon Street before relocating to New York. In New York Carol played all the major clubs - Knickerbocker, Fortune Garden Pavilion, Village Corner, Birdland, Café Gianluca, J's, Zinno, Carnegie Tavern, Hanratty's, the Rainbow Room.
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Dave McMurdo (trombonist, composer, arranger, conductor, teacher) was born March 4, 1944 in Isleworth, England. He died the morning of June 13, 2011 in Eden Mills, (just outside Guelph) Ontario. McMurdo is survived by his wife and two children.
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Hart Wheeler Born December 22, 1921 Died June 10, 2005 Hartland (Hart) Wheeler was born in Toronto, Canada and had been a professional jazz musician since he was 18 years old. His main influences were Benny Goodman (clarinet) and Ben Webster (tenor sax). Hart served in the Royal Canadian Air…
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A very famous talented drummer played for some of the most famous Jazz artists and recorded with many to name a few Art Pepper, Art Graham, Vince Guaraldi and more. One of the best that ever played a rare talent. In loving memory: September 14, 1934 to December, 15 2004…
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IMPROVISATIONAL VIOLINIST JOHN FRANKLIN (ELLINGTON) BLAIR PASSES AWAY Obituary by: Joyce E. Blair Place: New York, NY June 3, 2006 - Singer and violinist John Franklin Blair passed away on June 3, 2006 of heart failure. A song and sharing memorial service was conducted at the VA Medical Center Manhattan…
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Julie Lynn Burrell was born in Houston, Texas on July 16, 1963. She died April 25, 2006. Julie is survived by her parents, Thomas G. "Gil" and Kathryn "Katy" Burrell; her brother, John and wife, Joyce Burrell, and niece Mandy, of Manor, Texas; her uncle, Ed Grimm and wife, Ellen…
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29 Jan
Coastal Jazz Radio Moving up Steadily in Popularity
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January 27, 2006 (Atlanta) On the air for only six weeks, internet station Coastal Jazz Radio is moving up steadily in popularity. Out of 320 jazz stations on Live 365's network, Coastal Jazz Radio is currently # 57. The most popular countries listening to Coastal Jazz Radio are the US,…
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Perry Pattiselano (55), a senior jazz musician and session bass player from Indonesia died as a victim of the Grand Hyatt-Amman bombing last Wednesday November 9, 2005. He was performing on stage with Sukat, a jazz piano player, and Pinky Safira, a female jazz singer, both also from Indonesia, when…
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Rodney Richardson, famed and beloved bassist, passed away this morning (Saturday, October 29, 2005) at the age of 88. From New Orleans and a professional musician in his teens, Rodney has been friends with, and worked with, some of the world's most illustrious musicians...Basie, Ellington, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Harlan…
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29 Jan
New CDs from Joe Locke Group & Chris Walden Big Band on Origin Records
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Seattle’s Origin Records announce their new releases for July, now available everywhere - The Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer Group, "Live in Seattle" and The Chris Walden Big Band, "No Bounds," both appear in their first week to radio in the top 5 most added list on the JazzWeek Airplay chart.The Joe…
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Canadian jazz news Jazz drummer Bernard Primeau Dies at 67 Renowned Canadian jazz drummer Bernie Primeau died of cancer Monday at St. Luc Hospital in his native Montreal. He was 67. Primeau's death occurred the day before he was to be honoured at the launch of his 11th album at…
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Blues legend Sam Myers passed away July 17th in Dallas after a long and valiant battle against throat cancer. He was 70. An award winning harmonica player and vocalist, Myers spent the last 20 years performing and recording with Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets. They were considered one of the…
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Gino Empry was Canada’s best-known and most flamboyant publicist and talent booker -- and just about everything else in entertainment! Empry passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2006 in Toronto at the age of 83. It's hard to determine Empry's exact age for sure, since he never disclosed it, and…
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TENOR SAXOPHONIST MICHAEL BRECKER DIES AT 57 Internationally renowned tenor saxophonist and composer Michael Brecker an 11-time Grammy Award winner died of leukemia on January 13 at age 57. Brecker was afflicted with MDS, myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder. As a result of his harmonic and stylistic innovations, Brecker…
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Everyone agrees on one thing: Ahmet Ertegun was far and away the most important behind-the-scenes figure in Rhythm ‘n’ Blues and Soul history. A visionary and true pioneer, his enthusiasm for Jazz and R&B was boundless, and his contributions to this art form throughout the last half of the 20th…
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Pookie Hudson, lead vocalist of the Spaniels, passed away recently at age 72 after battling lung cancer for a couple years. Until the very end, he was totally engaged in his life’s calling, still performing and recording throughout 2006, and thrilling fans who have been delighting to his artistry for…
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29 Jan
Highly Esteemed Blues Drummer Chico Chism Dead At 79
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Napoleon "Chico" Chism, one of the most well traveled and busiest blues drummers of the 20th century, passed away Jan 28, 2007 at age 79. His health had been in decline since he suffered a stroke in 2002 in his adopted state of Arizona where he had resided in Phoenix…
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One of the most important 1950’s independent label owners passed away March 20. Hyman "Hy" Weiss started the Harlem-based Old Town label in 1953, and over the next two decades introduced a steady stream of artists that set the pace for a radical shift in public tastes. Jazz, Country, Pop,…
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29 Jan
Ronnie Wells, Jazz Vocalist/Mentor/Festival Presenter
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DC Jazz Legend Ronnie Wells passed on March 7, 2007, in Silver Spring, MD. For over 30 years Ronnie Wells was known as one of the top jazz vocalist on the East Coast but that description is limiting and incomplete. She was also an educator and mentor to many emerging…
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29 Jan
Jazz Singer and Educator Ronnie Wells-Elliston passes away at 64
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Washington area jazz vocalist and educator Ronnie Wells-Elliston passed away March 7 at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD after a long battle with lung cancer. She was 64. Ms. Wells-Elliston was a pillar of the Washington jazz scene for more than three decades. Born Veronica Burke, she was…
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