Obituary News

Charles Joffe Co Producer on Woody Allen Films Passes

Source: Michael Ricci
July 12, 2008

Charles H. Joffe, a legendary manager of comic talent who helped guide the careers of Dick Cavett, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Woody Allen and co-produced nearly all of Allen's films

Joffe's prowess as a negotiator helped Allen gain total artistic control over his movies. Joffe died Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 78.

Joffe and his business partner, Jack Rollins, were considered the deans of comedy management, who nurtured many young ...

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Bobby Durham, 71, Jazz Drummer Toured with Greats

Source: All About Jazz
July 10, 2008

Bobby Durham, a jazz drummer known for his energetic, propulsive style, as well as for the high-flying musical company that he kept, died in Italy on Monday. He was 71, and had been ill with lung cancer and emphysema, a singer who had toured with him in Europe in recent years, Shawnn Monteiro, said. Durham was practically the only contemporary drummer who worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, and, most famously, Oscar Peterson, four legendary bandleaders who were ...

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Versatile Jazz, R&B Drummer Bobby Durham, 71

Source: All About Jazz
July 10, 2008

Bobby Durham, 71, a jazz drummer of impeccable taste and versatility who teamed with Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald and became a fixture of the Jazz at the Philharmonic touring concert series, died July 7 at a hospital in Genoa, Italy. He had lung cancer and emphysema. His death was confirmed by Sandra Fuller, a family friend. Mr. Durham's personality on drums ranged from exuberant to unobtrusive. John S. Wilson, the late New York Times jazz critic, noted his “remarkable ...

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Bruce Conner San Francisco Artist with 1950s Beat Roots Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
July 10, 2008

Bruce Conner, an artist internationally admired for his haunting, surrealistic sculptures and groundbreaking avant-garde films, died on Monday at his home in San Francisco. He was 74.

A key figure in the San Francisco Beat scene in the late 1950s, Mr. Conner first became known for his assemblages made from women's nylon stockings, parts of furniture, broken dolls, fur, costume jewelry, paint, photographs and candles. These works, created between 1957 and 1964, had the aggressive appearance of avant-garde sculpture but ...

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Appreciation of L.A. Weekly Co-Founder Pete Kameron

Source: All About Jazz
July 8, 2008

Goodnight Pete: An Appreciation of LA Weekly co-founder Pete Kameron

Former publisher Michael Sigman remembers tough love, Zen calm and a nice assist with forming the paper's “no-hitting" policy. Without Pete Kameron, LA Weekly probably wouldn't exist. And instead of spending 19 years at the paper, I might not have lasted three months. Over the course of a colorful 65-year career, Pete was involved in nearly every aspect of the entertainment business, including personal management (Modern Jazz Quartet with partner ...

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Pete Kameron L.A. Weekly Co-Founder Dies

Source: All About Jazz
July 8, 2008

Pete Kameron Co-founder of LA Weekly

Pete Kameron, 87, who helped found Track Records, the recording label of the British rock group the Who, and later co-founded LA Weekly, died June 29 at his home in Beverly Hills. The cause was cancer, according to Michael Sigman, a friend and former LA Weekly publisher. Kameron was a personal manager for a variety of popular musicians in the 1950s and '60s, including the Modern Jazz Quartet and folk group the Weavers. He ...

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Natasha Shneider Rock Musician Dies

Source: All About Jazz
July 5, 2008

Rock musician Natasha Shneider dies of cancer

Moscow native, singer/songwriter Natasha Shneider, who collaborated with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell and rock band Queens of the Stone Age, died Tuesday of cancer.

Shneider, her husband Alain Johannes and Jack Irons formed the rock band Eleven in 1990 following the latter's departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It released five albums, the best known of which was a 1993 self-titled affair for Disney's Hollywood Records. A celebration of Natasha Shneider ...

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Angel Tavira Maldonado Violinist Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
July 5, 2008

Don Angel Tavira Maldonado, 83; violinist, actor, promoted son calentano music

Maldonado, a Mexican regional musician whose stirring debut acting performance in “El Violin" ("The Violin") moved audiences and won critical acclaim, including a best actor award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, died Monday in a Mexico City hospital. He was 83. He died of kidney problems, a representative of the company that co-produced “El Violin" told the Associated Press. A violinist and composer of son calentano, a spry, ...

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