Obituary News

Tenor Saxophonist Illinois Jacquet Passes

Source: All About Jazz
July 22, 2004

The great tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet has just passed away in New York of heart failure this morning Thursday, July 22 around 2 A.M.

Below are two bios...

Illinois Jacquet Bio #1

He was born in Louisiana, but his sound exemplified the “Texas Tenor" style, which is a no-nonsense style that uses a rich powerful tone and a lot of blues (it almost sounds like “stripper music" at times!). In 1942, while a member of Lionel Hampton's big band, he ...

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James Williams, 1951 - 2004

Source: All About Jazz
July 20, 2004

Jazz pianist, composer and mentor James Williams died this morning of complications from liver cancer, according to longtime friend John Tibbets. Williams was 53 and for that young age has left us a wonderful legacy of jazz. In the words of friend and fellow Jazz Messengers alumnus Geoff Keezer, “James was a tireless supporter of his fellow jazz musicians, both young and old, and maintained an almost single-pointed focus and dedication to preserving, honoring, and advancing the tradition of acoustic ...

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Son of Latin Jazz Great Tito Puente Dies

Source: All About Jazz
July 18, 2004

Richard Puente, second son of the Late Latin jazz legend Tito Puente and percussionist with famed disco group Foxy, died in his sleep Sunday morning. In the prime of a richly rewarding career that has included two Grammy nominations and two gold records, the accomplished 51-year-old multi-instrumentalist was hospitalized after suffering from viral encephoplopathy due to a prior brain injury that was the result of a mugging over 10 years ago. Since his release from the hospital, Richie had been ...

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Jackie Paris: Singer with Mingus, Bird, Hampton

Source: All About Jazz
June 19, 2004

Born: September 20, 1924 in Nutley, NJ Died: June 17, 2004 in Manhattan, NY by Todd S. Jenkins Jazz singer Jackie Paris died of bone cancer on Thursday, June 17, 2004 in Manhattan. He was 79 years old. Criminally under-recorded, Paris was one of the most impressive vocalists of the bebop era and the first to sing Bernie Hanighen's lyrics to Monk's “Round Midnight". Born Carlo Jackie Paris in Nutley, New Jersey, on September 20, 1924, the singer ...

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R&B Music Legend Ray Charles Dies

Source: All About Jazz
June 15, 2004

Legendary US R&B musician Ray Charles has died aged 73 in Los Angeles. Charles, considered a pioneer of soul music, died of acute liver disease, which was diagnosed after he had hip replacement surgery in December. Soul diva Aretha Franklin described him as “a fabulous man" who introduced the world to “secular soul singing". Michael Jackson said he was “a true legend - an American treasure", while Stevie Wonder praised “the genius of his talent of his music". Charles, who ...

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Music Legend And Pioneer, Ray Charles, Succumbs At Age 73

Source: All About Jazz
June 14, 2004

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Ray Charles dies at 73

Source: All About Jazz
June 14, 2004

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) -- Ray Charles, the Grammy-winning crooner who blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as “What'd I Say" and ballads like “Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday, a spokesman said. He was 73. Charles died at his Beverly Hills home surrounded by family and friends, said spokesman Jerry Digney. Charles' last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singer's studios, built 40 years ago in central ...

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New England Conservatory Mourns Death of Jazz Great Steve Lacy

Source: All About Jazz
June 5, 2004

Soprano Saxophone Master Succumbs to Cancer at Age 69 Steve Lacy, one of the greatest soprano saxophonists of all time and a New England Conservatory faculty member since fall 2002, died Friday at New England Baptist Hospital. The jazz master who once defined his profession as “combination orator, singer, dancer, diplomat, poet, dialectician, mathematician, athlete, entertainer, educator, student, comedian, artist, seducer and general all around good fellow" was 69. He leaves his wife and collaborator, the Swiss singer Irene Aebi. ...

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