Obituary News

Rufus Harley: Jazz Bagpiper

Source: All About Jazz
August 3, 2006

1936 - 2006 Last night WRTI-FM's Bob Perkins announced the death of an Philly original. Rufus Harley is credited as the first jazz musician to pick the Scottish bagpipes as his instrument. You might have heard his distinctive drone on CDs by The Roots (Do You Want More?!!!??!) and Laurie Anderson (Big Science). If you ever saw a picture of him, it would stick. He cut a distinctive swath. So did his music. I talked to his son, Messiah Harley, ...

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Trumpeter Malachi Thompson dies at 56

Source: All About Jazz
July 20, 2006

CHICAGO -- Malachi Thompson, a trumpeter who was a leading figure on Chicago's experimental jazz scene, died on Sunday, July 16, at his home on the South Side of Chicago. He was 56.

His death followed a long battle with cancer, Bob Koester, founder of Thompson's record label, Delmark, said.

Doctors told Mr. Thompson in 1989 that he had a year to live after he was found to have T-cell lymphoma. He later said the diagnosis transformed his music and ...

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Bluesman Sam Myers dies at 70

Source: All About Jazz
July 19, 2006

DALLAS - Legendary bluesman Sam Myers died Monday of throat cancer at his Dallas home, according to his sister, Eula Jones. He was 70.

Myers was diagnosed with cancer in February 2005, and had been unable to perform with his band, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, since December 2004.

Jones said Monday that she had not talked to her brother in several months.

“He couldn't talk, you know. He had friends who stayed with him and took care of him," ...

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Malachi Thompson: 1949-2006

Source: All About Jazz
July 19, 2006

Delmark Records has very sad news to report as our long time Delmark family friend and musician, Malachi Thompson, passed away yesterday morning at home, July 16th, 2006. Malachi (1949-2006) was a beautiful soul and an extremely kind man and will be dearly missed by so many people whose lives he has positively touched. Malachi was a brilliant trumpet player and composer, writer and jazz historian, and a highly influential advocate for jazz and arts education. As part of the ...

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Sinatra pianist Bill Miller dies at 91

Source: All About Jazz
July 18, 2006

Bill Miller, who was Frank Sinatra's pianist for nearly 50 years until the singer's last performance in 1995, has died. He was 91.

Miller died Tuesday at a Montreal hospital of complications from a heart attack, his daughter, Meredith, told the Los Angeles Times.

“Bill Miller was the greatest accompanist that any popular singer ever had," Sinatra's son, Frank Jr., told the Times. “There was no one who had his touch, no one who had his taste."

When Sinatra died ...

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Italian Jazz Artist Angelo Canelli Dies at Age 38

Source: All About Jazz
July 13, 2006

Dear Jazz Friends,

Our friend and very appreciated Italian pianist Angelo Canelli passed away in a tragic car accident, which occured the night of Friday, July 7th, in Italy. Aneglo was driving back home to his hometown Vasto from a concert, when a truck in front of him lost its gears and axle, and hit Angelo's car,leaving him no escape. Angelo Canelli was 38 years old.

Angelo graduated as a doctor in medicine, but his passion for jazz music led ...

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Pink Floyd Founder Syd Barrett dies at 60

Source: All About Jazz
July 13, 2006

LONDON - Syd Barrett, the troubled Pink Floyd co-founder who spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, the band said Tuesday. He was 60.

A spokeswoman for the band said Barrett died several days ago, but she did not disclose the cause of death. Barrett had suffered from diabetes for years.

The surviving members of Pink Floyd -- David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright -- said they were “very upset and sad to learn of ...

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Trombonist Don Lusher Passed Away Wednesday, 5th July

Source: All About Jazz
July 6, 2006

Don Lusher, the jazz and big band trombonist best known for leading the Ted Heath Jazz Band, passed away on Wednesday afternoon, his wife said. He was 82 years old.

In a career spanning more than 60 years, he played with a number of groups and was twice president of the British Trombone Society.

Lusher was honoured in the 2002 New Year's Honours list with an OBE for services to the music industry. Born in Peterborough in 1923, he joined ...

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