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Cape Cod Trumpeter Lou Colombo Dies
Source:
MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts
Our prayers, sorrow and appreciation go out to the family of Lou Colombo, legendary jazz trumpet player on Cape Cod, who died in a car accident in Ft. Meyer, Florida this week. The Brockton-born musician played on Monday nights for decades at the family-owned Roadhouse Cafe in Hyannis, building a faithful clientele who loved top flight jazz. That fan base included many performers who came to play at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, including Colombo's friend Tony Bennett. Colombo also ...
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R.I.P., Eddie Fritz
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Though there's been no published obituary or other official announcement, StLJN has learned that longtime St. Louis jazz pianist Eddie Fritz has died at age 70. The news of his passing comes from guitarist Steve Schenkel, who on Tuesday posted a message on Facebook with remembrances of Fritz. The pianist, who lived in Webster Groves, apparently had been in poor health for some time, but no cause of death was mentioned. Eddie Fritz's career stretched back to St. Louis' Gaslight ...
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Jazz Face: Red Holloway, 1927-2012
Source:
JazzINK by Andrea Canter
One of the still-active veterans of bebop, saxophonist Red Holloway died on February 25th at age 84. And he went down swinging—he had been touring through September 2011 with the Lionel Hampton All-Stars and, although he had postponed some dates this winter, had some upcoming on his 2012 calendar. Red was best known for his work with Sonny Stitt in the late 70s—early 80s, and more recently with Clark Terry and Kevin Mahogany. He was a favorite among vocalists like ...
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Frank Jolliffe, "Touchstyle" Guitarist, Dies at 53
Source:
Bob Kenselaar
Jazz instrumentalist and music educator Frank Jolliffe, 53, died of a heart attack on February 8. Jolliffe originally embarked on his musical career playing electric guitar, but made an early switch to the Chapman Stick, the electric stringed instrument designed by Emmet Chapman in the 1970s and played by tapping its fret board with the fingers of both hands, rather than being strummed or plucked. Later in his career, Jolliffe played the Warr guitar, a similar instrument designed by Mark ...
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Jazz Drumming Legend Jimmy Junebug Jackson Has Died
Source:
Karen Frieske
Jazz drumming legend and Blue Canoe Recording Artist Jimmy “Junebug" Jackson has died. He was 55. Jackson's family announced that the musician died on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 in Washington, DC where he lived and performed until his death from congestive heart failure. For over twenty years, Jackson toured the world with legendary organist Jimmy Smith. In his time with Smith, Jackson performed with jazz greats McCoy Tyner, George Benson, Christian McBride, Mose Davis and many others. His latest recording ...
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Remembering Clare Fischer
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
After Gary Foster informed me of Clare Fischer's death on Friday at 83, I went to the LP shelves, got out Dizzy Gillespie's 1960 recording A Portrait of Duke Ellington and listened to all of it. For perhaps the hundredth time, I was moved by the originality thatFischer brought to the daunting task of recasting pieces by the acknowledged master of jazz composition. In an irony of Fischer's career, the understated brilliance of his arrangements for that remarkable collection went ...
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MCG Jazz Remembers John Levy, Our Friend
Source:
Michael Ricci
John Levy, manager to countless jazz luminaries, dies at age 99. John Levy, a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and renowned personal manager for many jazz greats, died on January 20th, less than three months shy of his 100th birthday. His wife, Devra Hall Levy said he was sleeping peacefully in her arms at home in Altadena when his heart finally gave out. An induction into the International Jazz Hall of Fame (1997) and a Lifetime Achievement Award ...
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John Levy (1912-2012)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
John Levy, a jazz bassist and original member of the Stuff Smith Trio and George Shearing Quintet whose deal-making skills, insider's knowledge and warm personality enabled him to become jazz and pop's first successful black personal manager, died on January 20. He was 99. Starting in the early 1950s, John managed George Shearing not just as an agent but a personal confidant. By later in the decade, John's client roster included Nat and Cannonball Adderley, Dakota Staton, Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Hancock, ...
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