Obituary News

Oscar Brown Jr., Entertainer and Social Activist, Dies at 78

Source: All About Jazz
May 31, 2005

Oscar Brown Jr., a singer, songwriter, playwright and actor known for his distinctive blend of show-business savvy and social consciousness, died on Sunday in a Chicago hospital. He was 78 and lived in Chicago. The cause was complications of a blood infection, his family said. Mr. Brown was most often described as a jazz singer, and he initially achieved fame by putting lyrics to well-known jazz instrumentals like Miles Davis's “All Blues" and Mongo Santamaria's “Afro Blue," but efforts to ...

Continue Reading...

Singer Monica Zetturlund dies at 67

Source: All About Jazz
May 16, 2005

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Jazz singer Monica Zetterlund, who became one of Sweden's best-known artists during a career that spanned five decades, died in an apartment fire, police said Friday. She was 67.

Firefighters found Zetterlund's charred body in her bed Thursday night, after a fire broke out in her central Stockholm apartment. It was not clear what sparked the blaze, but Swedish media reports said she had been smoking in bed.

Zetterlund was born Monica Nilsson on Sept. 20, 1937. ...

Continue Reading...

Swedish jazz legend Monica Zetterlund is dead.

Source: All About Jazz
May 14, 2005

Continue Reading...

Percy Heath: Modern Jazz Quartet bassist

Source: All About Jazz
May 9, 2005

Born: April 30, 1923 in Wilmington, NC Died: April 28, 2005 in Southampton, NY

By Todd S. Jenkins

​​​​Bassist Percy Heath was the Modern Jazz Quartet’s secret weapon, perhaps the most subtle member of an outfit known for its hip delicacy. An ideal rhythm section partner, and the last surviving member of the MJQ, “Big P” died of bone cancer on April 28, 2005, two days shy of his 82nd birthday.

Heath was the eldest of three musical ...

Continue Reading...

Jimmy Woode: Bassist with Ellington, Clarke-Boland

Source: All About Jazz
May 6, 2005

Born: September 23, 1928 in Philadelphia, PA Died: April 23, 2005 in Lindenwold, NJ

By Todd S. Jenkins

​​​​Bassist Jimmy Woode, who held down the low end for Duke Ellington’s orchestra between 1955 and 1960, died at his home in Lindenwold, New Jersey, on April 23, 2005. He was 76 years old.

James Bryant Woode was born in Philadelphia on September 23, 1928. His father was a pianist and teacher who had played in Europe with Hot Lips ...

Continue Reading...

Pierre Moerlen, 1952-2005

Source: All About Jazz
May 5, 2005

Drummer/composer Pierre Moerlen died unexpectedly in his sleep at home in Strasbourg on the night of 2nd/3rd May. His funeral will be held next Monday, the 9th. Pierre is best known for his membership of GONG. When founding members Daevid Allen & Gilli Smyth left GONG in 1974 Pierre carried on using the name GONG - later Pierre Moerlen's GONG or simply PMG - with various members which include Allan Holdsworth and Mino Cinelu releasing several jazz-rock fusion albums. Pierre ...

Continue Reading...

Funeral Trumpet Player Benny Bailey

Source: All About Jazz
May 4, 2005

The cremation ceremony of Benny Bailey will be the 10th of May at the Westgaarde Crematory in Amsterdam at 12:30 hr. The contact person of Mr. Bailey's family is Ms. Clark [email protected] (Benny Bailey's sister) All persons wishing to give a eulogy, or otherwise, in the ceremony may send an email to [email protected] Westgaarde Crematory Ookmeerweg 275 1067 SP Amsterdam www.westgaarde.nl ------------------ Benny Bailey It is a bit ironic that Benny Bailey is best known for his contributions to the ...

Continue Reading...

Arnie Lawrence: Saxophonist, Educator, Peacemaker

Source: All About Jazz
May 4, 2005

Born: July 10, 1938 in Brooklyn, NY Died: April 22, 2005 in Jerusalem, Israel

Arnie Lawrence was one of the most tragically underappreciated saxophonists to ever come out of New York. Seemingly aware that he would never achieve the kind of attention that his formidable talents deserved, he threw himself into teaching in the mid-1980s, becoming one of the world’s foremost innovators in jazz education. Eight years ago he moved from New York to Jerusalem, Israel, where he ...

Continue Reading...