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Obituary

Jerry Lewis: (1926-2017)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 21, 2017

Jerry Lewis, whose geeky, high-strung brand of humor starting in the late 1940s made him a national sensation and early TV star while still in his 20s and whose seemingly ad-libbed routines as a befuddled jerk in '60s films influenced several generations of improv comics, died on Aug. 20. He was 91. Personally, I was never a huge fan. His nerdy comedy bits with Dean Martin always seemed grating and juvenile (a generational thing?), and most of his movies with ...

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Obituary

Joe Fields, 1929-2017

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
July 19, 2017

On July 12 we lost Joe Fields. During his long career Fields was the guiding spirit of record labels committed to unalloyed jazz. He started the Cobblestone label and later changed its name to Muse. Among the dozens of musicians he recorded on Muse over three decades were Woody Shaw, Houston Person, Grant Green and Pat Martino. In the 1980 Fields absorbed the Savoy and Landmark labels, whose holdings encompassed recordings by major figures including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dexter ...

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Obituary

Geri Allen (1957-2017)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
June 29, 2017

Geri Allen, a jazz pianist and composer with a deeply personal approach to standards and original works who explored a lyrical and tender side of the avant-garde, died on June 27 of cancer. She was 60. Early in her career in the 1980s, Geri recorded extensively with saxophonist Oliver Lake and with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian. Into the 1990s and beyond, Geri seemed to add more and more earthiness and soul to her explorations than many avant-garde ...

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Obituary

Geri Allen Gone At 60

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
June 28, 2017

Geri Allen died today of cancer. She was 60. Ms. Allen was a pianist of uncommon technical achievement and fluency and inspired a generation of younger pianists. Recently a resident of Pittsburgh, Ms. Allen grew up in Detroit, where she began piano lessons at age seven. While at Cass Technical High School she studied with the trumpeter and Detroit jazz mentor Marcus Belgrave. One of her early trios included bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Andrew Cyrille. In the course of ...

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Obituary

Mark O'Shaughnessy: 1952-2017

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
June 1, 2017

Funeral services are set for Mark O'Shaughnessy, founder and co-owner of the St. Louis venue BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. O'Shaughnessy, a longtime advocate for St. Louis music and musicians who opened the first of the club's three incarnations back in 1976, died Saturday, May 27 in his apartment above BB's of complications of diabetes. He was 65. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. this Thursday, June 1 at Kutis Affton Chapel, 10151 Gravois Road. A funeral ...

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Obituary

Frank Deford (1938-2017)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
May 30, 2017

Frank Deford, a legendary sportswriter with Sports Illustrated from 1962 to 1989 and again from 1998 to the present, as well as an NPR sports commentator for the past 32 years, died on May 28. He was 78. Frank had a way of profiling sports legends with deceptively simple language and colorful insights that became the gold standard for sports magazine feature writing. When I worked for the sports section of The New York Times between 1980 and '85, Frank's ...

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Obituary

Southern Rock Icon Gregg Allman Dies At 69

Source: HypeBot
May 28, 2017

Allman Brothers co-founder and rock icon Gregg Allman has died at aged 69. Allman died quietly at his home in Savannah, Georgia, according to a statement posted to his official website. Allman has struggled with many health issues over the past several years. It is with deep sadness we announce that Gregg Allman, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, passed away peacefully at his home pic.twitter.com/8g0pAT3kky — Allman Brothers Band (@allmanbrothers) May 27, 2017 "Gregg considered being on ...

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Obituary

Remembering Dave Pell’s Devotion To His Hero

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
May 19, 2017

Saxophonist and bandleader Dave Pell, a prominent figure in the west coast jazz of the 1950s and ’60s, died on May 8. He was 92. Pell recorded extensively with his octet and the tribute group Prez Conference. Over the years the collective members of those bands included Art Pepper, Red Mitchell, Harry Edison, Mel Lewis, Benny Carter, John Williams and other leading musicians of the day. Pell’s devotion to his hero Lester Young extended to the rescue of Young’s instrument. ...

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