2016 In Memoriam

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David Meltzer (Feb. 17th, 1937 - December 31st, 2016) The New York-born poet began a long career in late ‘50s San Francisco, during which time he recorded Poet w/ Jazz, reciting in front of a group that included pianist Bob Dorough. Meltzer died December 31st at 79. 

Jacques Schols (June 21st, 1935 - December 30th, 2016) The Dutch bassist began his career in 1960 as part of pianist Cees Slinger’s The Diamond Five, went on to work with Boy Edgar, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon and Toots Thielemans but is best known for participation in what had erroneously been thought of as Eric Dolphy’s final recording in June 1964. Schols died December 30th at 81. 

Knut Kiesewetter (September 13th, 1941 - December 28th, 2016) The German trombonist and singer/songwriter released his debut (playing pop) as a leader in the late ‘60s and continued releasing numerous albums through the ‘80s spanning Dixieland, jazz-pop and even a traditional jazz album on MPS in 1970. Kiesewetter died December 28th at 75. 

Alphonse Mouzon (November 21st, 1948 - December 25th, 2016) The fusion drummer had two of his compositions recorded by Mongo Santamaria before he even appeared on record, first with Gil Evans then Roy Ayers, Eugene McDaniels, Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, McCoy Tyner, Doug Carn, Norman Connors, Les McCann, Teruo Nakamura, Larry Coryell’s The Eleventh House (reuniting with the band in 1998-2015), Robin Kenyatta, John Klemmer, Donald Byrd, Alphonso Johnson, Joachim Kühn, Al Di Meola, Carlos Garnett, Herbie Hancock, Jasper van't Hof, Rolf Kühn, Arild Andersen, Miles Davis and nearly 50 albums as a leader for MPS, ECM, Pausa and, finally, his own Tenacious Records. Mouzon died December 25th at 68.

Carlos Averhoff (December 6th, 1947 - December 22nd, 2016) The Cuban saxophonist (father to saxophonist Carlos Averhoff, Jr.) was an original member of Cuban fusion group Irakere and continued to perform as part of the ensemble through the new millennium as well as separately with Irakere members like Arturo Sandoval to go along with a 1987 album as a leader and a career as an educator. Averhoff died December 22nd at 69. 

Dave Shepherd (February 7th, 1929 - December 15th, 2016) The English clarinetist spent his career being compared to Benny Goodman, a fact he encouraged by working often with pianist Teddy Wilson (a late ‘30s Goodman alumnus) and releasing albums such as 1975’s Benny Goodman’s Classics and 1984’s Benny Goodman Style as part of a discography mostly for Black Lion. Shepherd died December 15th at 87. 

Harris Lewine (November 24th, 1929 - December 13th, 2016) The designer, who would go on to work with the Associated Press and various book publishers, got his start as Co-Art Director at Riverside Records from 1956-60, responsible for the designs of such albums as Bill Evans’ New Jazz Conceptions and Everybody Digs Bill Evans, Blue Mitchell’s Out of the Blue, Abbey Lincoln’s Abbey is Blue, Thelonious Monk’s At Town Hall and dozens of others. Lewine died December 13th at 87. 

Michael White (May 14th, 1930 - December 6th, 2016) The violinist was a part of the famed John Handy Quintet that performed at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival, co-founded fusion group The Fourth Way with Mike Nock, Ron McClure and Eddie Marshall, recorded with John Coltrane in 1966 (Infinity), Pharoah Sanders in 1970 (Thembi), McCoy Tyner in 1972 (Song For My Lady) and Joe Henderson in 1973 (The Elements), reuniting with Handy and Sanders in the ‘90s to go along a handful of releases in the ‘70s on Impulse and Elektra and then 1995’s Motion Pictures (Intuition) featuring Bill Frisell. White died December 6th at 86.

Pauline Oliveros (May 30th, 1932 - November 24th, 2016) The accordion player and early experimenter with electronics had her first album come out in 1968, followed by a fallow period that ended in the mid ‘80s, at which point she released albums regularly on hatART, New Albion, Mode, Deep Listening, Roaratorio and Pogus and several albums by her longstanding improvising group Deep Listening Band. Oliveros died November 24th at 84. 

Hod O’Brien (Jan. 19th, 1936 - November 20th, 2016) The autodidact pianist came up in the late ‘50s NYC loft scene, worked with Art Farmer, Donald Byrd and Idrees Sulieman on the 1957 Prestige album Three Trumpets, mid ‘70s dates led by Roswell Rudd and J.R. Monterose and ‘80s albums by Chet Baker, Ted Brown and Joe Puma, had several albums as a leader and a family band with wife Stephanie Nakasian and daughter Veronica Swift and published his autobiography, Have Piano...will Swing!, in 2015. O’Brien died November 20th at 80. 

Mose Allison (November 11th, 1927 - November 15th, 2016) The pianist and singer’s work bridged the gap between jazz and blues on over 50 albums starting in the late ‘50s for Prestige and continuing on Atlantic, Elektra, Blue Note and Verve and he also had early recording credits with Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Stan Getz as well as having his songs recorded by dozens of artists in the jazz, pop and rock worlds. Allison died November 15th at 89. 

Victor Bailey (Mar. 27th, 1960 - November 11th, 2016) The electric bassist had several records as a leader since the late ‘80s, including a collaborative project with Larry Coryell and Lenny White, and also worked with Bobby Broom, Sadao Watanabe, Kevin Eubanks, Jim Beard, Bob Berg and Joe Zawinul and was the fourth and final bassist to be in Weather Report, appearing on Procession, Domino Theory, Sportin’ Life and This is This. Bailey died November 11th at 56. 

Al Caiola (Sep. 7th, 1920 - November 9th, 2016) The guitarist’s long career took place across a wide variety of styles, with much of his jazz work coming on his own late ‘50s-early ‘60s albums for Savoy, RCA Victor and United Artists alongside work with Astor Piazzolla, Jackie Gleason and Klaus Ogerman. Caiola died November 9th at 96. 

Janusz Stefański (June 14th, 1946 - November 4th, 2016) The Polish drummer’s earliest exposure was as part of Tomasz Stanko’s early ‘70s groups and he also worked with Hans Koller, Wolfgang Dauner, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Zbigniew Seifert, Kenny Drew, Wolfgang Lackerschmid and the Vienna Art Orchestra. Stefański died November 4th at 70. 

Bob Cranshaw (December 3rd, 1932 - November 2nd, 2016) The bassist, originally an upright player but increasingly moving to electric over the years, first worked with Ike Cole and Max Roach. followed by sessions with Walter Perkins, Cy Touff, Sonny Red, Kai Winding, allstar band The Young Lions for VeeJay, Slide Hampton, Sal Nistico, Barry Harris, Billy Taylor, Carmen McRae and most significantly Sonny Rollins in 1962, beginning a decades-long association with the saxophonist, alongside more credits with Lee Morgan, Duke Pearson, Nat Adderley, Johnny Coles, Junior Mance, Shirley Scott, Milt Jackson, McCoy Tyner, Quincy Jones, Grachan Moncur III, Friedrich Gulda, Jaki Byard, J.J. Johnson, Monty Alexander, Johnny Lytle, Johnny Hodges, Donald Byrd, Wayne Shorter, Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, Eddie Harris, Horace Silver, Dave Grusin, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Zawinul, Dave Pike, Gary McFarland, Clark Terry/Bob Brookmeyer, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Johnny "Hammond Smith", Oliver Nelson, Joe Henderson, Houston Person, Sonny Criss, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Bobby Timmons, Frank Foster, Harold Vick, Grady Tate, Yusef Lateef, Eric Kloss, Cedar Walton, James Moody, Billy Taylor, Clifford Jordan, Jimmy Heath, Astrud Gilberto, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Barron, Reuben Wilson, Gene Ammons, Hampton Hawes, Hank Crawford, Willis Jackson, Erroll Garner, George Freeman, Buddy Rich, Dexter Gordon, Zoot Sims, Coleman Hawkins, Mary Lou Williams, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Mike Longo, Roland Prince, Walter Bishop, Jr. Charlie Rouse, Hugh Lawson, Bunky Green, Lionel Hampton, Bennie Wallace, Larry Willis, Paul Bley, Stanley Cowell, Louis Smith, Riverside Reunion Band, Howard Johnson, Gerald Wilson, Clifton Anderson, Chuck Redd, Seldon Powell and others plus a long tenure as a house musician for PBS’ Sesame Street. Cranshaw died November 2nd at 83. 

Allan Zavod (October 16th, 1945 - November 29th, 2016) The Australian pianist’s move to the States led to work with Maynard Ferguson, Gary Burton, Jean-Luc Ponty, Sonny Fortune, Frank Zappa and a handful of albums as a leader. Zavod died November 29th at 71. 

Bobby Wellins (January 24th, 1936 - October 27th, 2016) The Scottish tenor saxophonist came up in late ‘50s London scene with with Buddy Featherstonhaugh, Tony Crombie, Tony Kinsey and Tommy Whittle, later worked with John Dankworth and Tubby Hayes, was part of New Departures Quartet and played on Stan Tracey’s classic 1965 recording Jazz Suite (Inspired By Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood) then, after a long time away from music due to drug use, returned to playing in the late ‘70s, co-leading a group with fellow saxophonist Don Weller and reconnecting with Tracey as well as establishing himself as a leader for Hep, Jazzizit, Trio and Spartacus and being a regular member of various British big bands, including the one convened by Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts in the mid ‘80s. Wellins died October 27th at 80. 

Pinise Saul (December 31st, 1941 - October 26th, 2016) The South African vocalist worked in Dudu Pukwana’s Zila, Trevor Watts’ Moire Music, Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, David Murray’s M’Bizo and numerous Township jazz projects. Saul died October 26th at 75. 

Phil Chess (March 27th, 1921 - October 19th, 2016) The producer’s eponymous label was known for rock and blues but did release albums by Ramsey Lewis, Gene Ammons and Jack McDuff and compilations by Max Roach/Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt/Zoot Sims, Ahmad Jamal and Kenny Burrell. Chess died October 19th at 95. 

Mike Daniels (April 23rd, 1928 - October 18th, 2016) The British trumpeter helped popularize the trad-jazz movement in England during the late ‘40s-50s with his Delta Jazzmen and, later, Mike Daniels Big Band. Daniels died October 18th at 88. 

Al Stewart (1927 - October 17th, 2016) The trumpeter could be found in the ‘50s-60s brass sections of numerous big bands led by Benny Goodman, Machito, Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman and Gene Krupa. Stewart died October 17th at 89. 

Edmond Harnie (September 18th, 1920 - October 14th, 2016) The trumpeter was a mainstay in the big bands of his native Belgium as well as neighboring France and Germany, including a stint with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. Harnie died October 14th at 96. 

Bruce Demoll (July 13th, 1930 - October 12th, 2016) The saxophonist was part of the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the ‘60s, during which time he earned his music degree, becoming a teacher to go along with gigs in his adopted home of West Virginia. Demoll died October 12th at 86. 

Guy Nadon (January 29th, 1934 - October 9th, 2016) The drummer spent his whole career in his native Montréal, earning the name “Quebec’s King of Drums” for work with locals and visiting stars and over 30 appearances at the Montréal Jazz Festival. Nadon died October 9th at 82. 

Ruud “Rudy” Pronk (July 13th, 1931 - September 28th, 2016) The Indonesian drummer (younger brother of trumpeter/bandleader Rob) worked with his brother, Bud Shank, Toon Van Vliet, Rob Madna, Piet and Ruud Jacobs, International PS Orchestra, Ann Burton, Jack van Poll, Rob Agerbeek, Tony Vos, Lucky Thompson/Barney Wilen and others. Pronk died September 28th at 85. 

Karel Růžička (June 2nd, 1940 - September 26th, 2016) The Czech pianist recorded a number of albums as a leader or with compatriots like George Mraz, Rudolf Dašek, Vincenc Kummer and son Karel, Jr. for Supraphon, Arta, Český Rozhlas, P&J Music, Melantrich, Radioservis and Animal Music to go along with sideman credits under Ferdinand Havlík, Karel Velebný, Andrej Vozněsenskij, Jean-Luc Ponty, Laco Deczi, Václav Zahradník, Vladimír Tomek, Miroslav Krýsl, Eva Svobodová, Jana Koubková, Milan Svoboda, Jan Konopásek and others. Růžička died September 26th at 76. 

Howard Dudune (July 14th, 1930 – September 24th, 2016) The tenor saxophonist had ‘50s credits with Jerry Coker and Eddie Duran then a ‘90s appearance with Clark Terry, the intervening decades spent as a high school band director. Dudune died September 24th at 86.

Helmut Plattner (April 11th, 1940 - September 24th, 2016) The Austrian trumpeter was as founding member of the soul-jazz band Atlas and with his sons, trombonist Bernard and clarinetist Christian, had the Plattner & Plattner Jazz Corporation with a pair of ‘80s LPs on Wildcat. Plattner died September 24th at 76.

Tony Nüsser (August 28th, 1923 - September 16th, 2016) The Dutch drummer worked with Dutch Swing College Band, Frans Elsen, Peter Schilperoort, Sanny Day, De Millers, Paul Ruys, Hans Van Der Sys and others. Nüsser died September 16th at 93. 

Nora York (August 13th, 1956 - September 3rd, 2016) The vocalist made her first album in 1992 for the Japanese Geronimo label with Michael Formanek, Terry Clarke, Jack Wilkins, Rob Schwimmer, Richie Beirach, Rich Perry and Mark Feldman, followed by releases on 215 Music, Universal Music Japan and, posthumously, Good Mood. York died September 3rd at 60. 

Paul Dubois (January 24th, 1924 - September 1st, 2016) The Belgian bassist worked with Taps Miller, Teddy Burns, Jacques Pelzer, Herman Sandy, Babs Robert, Alex Scorier, Janot Morales, Johnny Dover, Robert Cordier, Retro Jazz Orchestra and others alongside a couple of albums in the ‘80s-90s as a leader/co-leader. Dubois died September 1st at 92.

Rudy Van Gelder (November 2nd, 1924 - August 25th, 2016) The recording engineer, 2009 NEA Jazz Master and one of the most significant non-musicians in jazz history (on par with promoters Norman Granz and George Wein and producers Alfred Lion and Orrin Keepnews) who defined the sound of jazz from 1953 onwards with over 1,500 hundred albums on Blue Note, CTI, Impulse!, Prestige, Verve and others started out as an optometrist, his first recording sessions taking place in his parents’ Hackensack living room then, from 1959 onwards, in a dedicated studio in Englewood Cliffs, the vault-like ceilings of which contributed to a sound that was a revelation for musicians and label heads alike. Van Gelder died August 25th at 91. 

Toots Thielemans (April 29th, 1922 - August 22nd, 2016) The Belgian harmonica player was at the top of the short list of jazz innovators on the instrument and  influenced by and played American-style bebop on albums of his own starting in 1955 for Columbia, Riverside, Polydor, Metronome, Phillips, CBS, Epic, Hep, Concord, Verve and Challenge and in the groups of George Shearing, Quincy Jones, J.J. Johnson, Rita Reys, Urbie Green, Gil Goldstein, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Jaco Pastorius, Eliane Elias, Fred Hersch, Pat Metheny, Christian McBride and others. Thielemans died August 22nd at 94. 

Derek Smith (August 17th, 1931 - August 21st, 2016) The British pianist’s earliest gig was with John Dankworth’s big band with Cleo Laine but he made his career in the U.S. after moving in 1957, releasing his own albums for Progressive, Prestige, Chiaroscuro, Arbors and Venus and working with Benny Goodman, Cal Tjader, Doc Severinson (both on record and as part of The Tonight Show Band), Marlena Shaw, Lou Donaldson, Bill Watrous, Carmen Leggio, Charles Earland, Buddy DeFranco and Louie Bellson. Smith died August 21st at 85. 

Irving Fields (August 4th, 1915 - August 20th, 2016) The pianist combined the Jewish and Latin styles of his native New York City into a unique form of popular jazz (leading to a 1959 hit record with Decca called Bagels and Bongos and several follow-ups), which he played in local clubs and dance halls during the ‘40s-60s, led a pair of albums for Tzadik in the new millennium as part of its Radical Jewish Culture series and played regularly in the city’s piano rooms up until his death. Fields died August 20th at 101. 

Louis Smith (May 20th, 1931 - August 20th, 2016) The trumpeter was one of the more obscure players recording for Blue Note in the late ‘50s via a pair of 1958 leader albums, both with drummer Art Taylor, as well as a credit with Kenny Burrell and participation in the 1959 Young Men From Memphis project and later led numerous sessions for SteepleChase in 1978-79 and 1990-2003. Smith died August 20th at 85. 

Louis Stewart (January 5th, 1944 - August 20th, 2016) The Irish guitarist made his career in England in the groups of Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes and Spike Robinson, played opposite Bucky Pizzarelli in the early ‘70s band of Benny Goodman, was part of George Shearing’s late ‘70s trio with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and released albums of his own for Wave, Pye, Livia and Hep. Stewart died August 20th at 72. 

Michael DiPasqua (May 4th, 1953 - August 29th, 2016) The drummer worked with Don Elliott, Double Image, Gerry Mulligan, Marian McPartland, Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber, Adelhard Roidinger, Volker Kriegel, Jan Garbarek and others and was a member of the collective group Gallery. DiPasqua died August 29th at 63.

Bobby Hutcherson (January 27th, 1941 - August 15th, 2016) The vibraphonist was among the first and arguably the most significant to bring his instrument into the postbop realm via his own albums, over 20 from 1963-77 for Blue Note and later for Columbia, Contemporary, Landmark, Verve and Kind of Blue, and appearances on some of the genre’s classics with Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur III, Lee Morgan, Stanley Cowell, Eric Dolphy, Duke Pearson, Grant Green, Archie Shepp, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner and Andrew Hill and was also an inaugural and senior member of the SFJAZZ Collective from 2004-07. Hutcherson died August 15th at 75. 

Bob Kindred (May 11th, 1940 - August 15th, 2016) The saxophonist worked early on with Richard “Groove” Holmes, Charles Earland and Shirley Scott, toured with Woody Herman, recorded with Johnny Frigo and Little Jimmy Scott, led an album for Venus in 2010 and was a weekly performer for many years at the West Village’s Café Loup. Kindred died August 15th at 76. 

Connie Crothers (May 2nd, 1941 - August 13th, 2016) The pianist was part of the Lennie Tristano school, released albums on SteepleChase, New Artists (including a 1982 duo set with drummer Max Roach and quartets co-led with Lenny Popkin), Mutable, RogueArt and Relative Pitch. Crothers died August 13th at 75. 

Pete Fountain (July 3rd, 1930 - August 6th, 2016) The clarinetist was a mainstay in his native New Orleans and its indigenous Dixieland scene, both as a performer and club owner and a constant at the Jazz and Heritage Festival, brought Dixieland to national attention via TV appearances on The Lawrence Welk Show and recorded dozens of albums for Coral, Capitol and Jazzology. Fountain died August 6th at 86. 

Rick Stone (August 13th, 1955 - July 29th, 2016) The guitarist was a respected local educator, released several albums since the mid ‘80s featuring Billy Hart, Kenny Barron, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson and others and was a sideman for Sol Yaged, Ronny Whyte, Vince Giordano and Eric Person. Stone died July 29th at 60. 

Allan Barnes (September 21st, 1949 - July 26th, 2016) The saxophonist studied under Donald Byrd at Howard University, was tapped by the trumpeter for his new Blackbyrds R&B band (which went on to record its own albums in the ‘70s) and released a couple of albums under his own name in the mid ‘80s and mid aughts. Barnes died July 26th at 66. 

Dominic Duval (April 27th, 1945 - July 22nd, 2016) The bassist was a stalwart in his native New York as well as internationally in the ‘90s and new millennium bands of Mark Whitecage, Ivo Perelman, Steve Swell, Cecil Taylor, Joe McPhee, Frank Lowe, Paul Smoker and Michael Jefry Stevens and whose own discography included sessions on CIMP, Leo, Drimala, Not Two and NoBusiness and collaborative releases with Herb Robertson, Jay Rosen, Glenn Spearman, Hans Tammen, Jimmy Halperin, David Schnitter, Whitecage, McPhee and Perelman. Duval died July 22nd at 71. 

Claude Williamson (November 18th, 1926 - July 16th, 2016) The career of the pianist (and last surviving member of Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All-Stars) started in the early ‘50s with David Pell and Chet Baker and continued steadily throughout the decades under Frank Rosolino, Conte Candoli, Barney Kessel, June Christy, Tal Farlow, Charlie Mariano, Art Pepper, Ted Curson and Gerry Mulligan, to go along with over two dozen albums as a leader for Bethlehem, Interplay, Storyville and Venus. Williamson died July 16th at 89. 

Charles Davis (May 20th, 1933 - July 15th, 2016). The saxophonist, best known for his work on baritone, debuted on record with Sun Ra in 1956 (continuing to play with him throughout the bandleader’s career), followed the next year by albums with Dinah Washington and Kenny Dorham, the decades that followed filled with numerous record dates for very different bandleaders in Dorham, Julian Priester, Steve Lacy, Cecil Taylor, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, Mal Waldron, Jazz Composers Orchestra and Eddie Gale during the ‘60s; Louis Hayes, Archie Shepp, Charles Tolliver, Clark Terry and Dizzy Reece in the ‘70s; and Johnny Dyani, Clifford Jordan, Muhal Richard Abrams and Abdullah Ibrahim throughout the ‘80s, primarily on baritone though also including plenty of work on tenor (which became his focus towards the end of his life) and soprano, his own discography relatively slight with albums for RED, Smalls, TCB (a 2010 tribute to former employer Dorham), Fresh Sound (an album devoted to Danish tenor player Bent Jædig) and Reade Street, mostly in the new millennium. Davis died July 15th at 83. 

Roland Prince (August 27th, 1946 - July 15th, 2016) The West Indian guitarist’s discography was centered on a period between 1972-82 on Buddy Terry, Johnny Hartman, Roy Haynes, Shirley Scott, Compost, Pete Yellin, Larry Willis, Elvin Jones, Fred Tompkins, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, James Moody, Don Pullen, Clark Terry, Grachan Moncur III, Bobby Watson and Pat La Barber alongside a pair of leader releases for Vanguard. Prince died July 15th at 69. 

Don Friedman (May 4th, 1935 – June 30th, 2016) The pianist began his career with Jack Millman, Hank Demano and Buddy Collette, then moved to New York, where he began working with Buddy DeFranco, John Handy and as a leader with a series of albums on Riverside (one of which inaugurated a decades-long partnership with guitarist Attila Zoller, with whom Friedman had played in Herbie Mann’s band), going on to release dozens of albums for East Wind, Progressive, Baystate, Ego, Owl, Stash, Jazz Road, Concord, Soul Note, SteepleChase, Alfa, Abeat, 441, Chiaroscuro, ACT, Enja and Edition Longplay alongside sideman appearances with Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Ruby Braff, Lew Tabackin, Harold Ashby, John Shaw, Urs Leimgruber and others. Friedman died June 30that 81.  

Bernie Worrell (April 19th, 1944 - June 24th, 2016) The keyboard player was a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and later worked with Bill Laswell’s Material, Praxis and Method of Defiance, Masabumi Kikuchi, Jack Bruce, Pharoah Sanders, Jonas Hellborg and others. Worrell died June 24th at 72. 

Shelley Moore (March 10th, 1932 - June 23rd, 2016) The British singer had a 1962 album for Argo, backed by a group including Ramsey Lewis, Eddie Harris and Plas Johnson, and left music for years but returned to local performance in her adopted home of California. Moore died June 23rd at 84. 

Detlev Beier (August 30th, 1957 - June 18th, 2016) The German bassist’s discography includes credits with Joe Viera, Mark Nauseef, Rolf and Joachim Kühn, Uli Beckerhoff, Mihaly Pocs, David Torn and the collaborative Quartet Köcomabe with Rudi Mahall. Beier died June 18th at 58. 

Sir Charles Thompson (March 21st, 1918 - June 16th, 2016) The pianist worked with Lionel Hampton, Lucky Millinder, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Charlie Parker, Buck Clayton, Jimmy Rushing, Dexter Gordon, Vic Dickenson and others from 1940 onwards to go with over two dozen albums as a leader from 1945-2001 for Apollo, Vanguard, Columbia and Black And Blue. Thompson died June 16th at 98. 

Randy Jones (January 23rd, 1944 - June 13th, 2016) The British drummer was part of Dave Brubeck’s last quartet (1978-2012) and had early credits with Mike Taylor (back in England), Maynard Ferguson and Buddy DeFranco. Jones died June 13th at 72. 

Aloisio Aguiar (July 23rd, 1943 - June 8th, 2016) The Brazilian pianist’s own albums from the ‘90s featured countrymen like Claudio Roditi, Nilsson Matta, Portinho and Sergio Brandão and he recorded with Gal Costa, Cal Tjader, Ron Carter and Airto Moreira. Aguiar died Jul. 8th at 72. 

Jack Coker (1929 - June 5th, 2016) The pianist (and brother to saxophonist/ fellow educator Jerry) toured in the ‘60s bands of Woody Herman, Nelson Riddle and Tex Beneke, later became a music professor at University of North Carolina and was featured on In The Beginning, a compilation of early Wes Montgomery recordings from 1949-58 in Indiana. Coker died June 5th at 87. 

Morris “Moe” Jennings (1939 -  June 3rd, 2016) The drummer is known more for his work with bluesmen Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf but had jazz credits from the late ‘60s-early ‘80s with Jack McDuff, Woody Herman, John Klemmer, Phil Upchurch, Sonny Stitt, Charles Earland and numerous dates with Ramsey Lewis from 1970-82 for Cadet and Columbia. Jennings died June 3rd at 77.

Marco Eneidi (November 1st, 1956 - May 24th, 2016) The saxophonist was a veteran of bands led by Bill Dixon, William Parker, Glenn Spearman and Weasel Walter, collaborated with Peter Brötzmann, Peter Kowald and Vinny Golia and released a number of albums for Eremite, CIMP, Not Two, NoBusiness and his own Botticelli imprint. Eneidi died May 24th at 59. 

Fredrik Norén (April 21st, 1941 - May 16th, 2016) The Swedish drummer’s discography includes credits with Idrees Sulieman, Brew Moore, Lars Gullin, The Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Lennart Åberg and leader albums on Mirrors from 1993-2004. Norén died May 16th at 75. 

Paul Smoker (May 8th, 1941 - May 14th, 2016) The trumpeter’s own albums featured such players as Ellery Eskelin, Joe McPhee, Peter Kowald and Phil Haynes and he also worked with Anthony Braxton, Gregg Bendian, Lou Grassi, Fred Hess, Jay Rosen, Adam Lane and Burton Greene. Smoker died May 14th at 75. 

Buster Cooper (April 4th, 1929 - May 13th, 2016) The trombonist had credits in the big bands of Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington (both the original and the iteration under son Mercer) to go along with sessions by Yusef Lateef, Johnny Hodges, Earl Hines, Ernestine Anderson and Abdullah Ibrahim and a co-led 1989 date with fellow trombonist Thurman Green. Cooper died May 13th at 87. 

Joe Temperley (September 20th, 1929 – May 11th, 2016) The Scottish baritone and soprano saxophonist/bass clarinetist, who replaced the late Harry Carney in the Duke Ellington Orchestra and spent 26 years with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, was a member of trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton’s band in the late ‘50s-early ‘60s after stints with Tony Crombie, Kenny Graham and others, moving to New York in 1965 where he got work with the Woody Herman Band, =then-relatively new Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Clark Terry Big Band and Buddy Rich, plus later work with Gerry Mulligan, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter All-Star Sax Ensemble and others and albums from the ‘90s onwards under his own name for Hep, Naxos and Sackville. Temperley died May 11th at 86.

João Palma (1943 - May 9th, 2016) The Brazilian drummer’s decades-long career included work with Sergio Mendes, Luiz Bonfá, Paul Desmond, Milton Nascimento, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Frank Sinatra, Egberto Gismonti, Robin Kenyatta, Stanley Turrentine, George Russell and Deodato. Palma died May 9th at 75. 

Johannes Bauer (July 22nd, 1954 - May 6th, 2016) The German trombonist (younger brother to fellow trombonist Conrad) was a staple of the European improv scene, working with Peter Brötzmann, Tony Oxley, Cecil Taylor, Günter Christmann, Fred Van Hove, Alan Silva and Barry Guy as well as a number of albums under his own name or co-led with his brother as DoppelMoppel. Bauer died May 6th at 61. 

Yuri Kuznetsov (July 11th, 1953 - May 2nd, 2016) The Ukrainian pianist, known for his solo performances and numerous duos with fellow Eastern European experimentalists, was founder (and director) of the Odessa Jazz Fest and the Pop/Jazz Department at the Odessa Music Academy. Kuznetsov died May 2nd at 62. 

Doug Raney (August 29th, 1956 - May 1st, 2016) The credits of the guitarist as a leader, with his father (fellow guitarist Jimmy) and in the groups of Horace Parlan, Hugo Rasmussen, Chet Baker, Bernt Rosengren, Red Mitchell and John McNeil were almost exclusively for SteepleChase Records of Denmark, where he moved in the late ‘70s. Raney died May 1st at 59. 

Pete Yellin (July 18th, 1941 - April 13th, 2016) The saxophonist led albums for Mainstream in the ‘70s and then a pair for Mons and Metropolitan in the ‘90s and had sideman credits starting in the mid ‘60s with Buddy Rich, Eddie Palmieri, Joe Henderson, Sam Jones and Bob Mintzer. Yellin died April 13th at 74. 

Dennis Davis (August 28th, 1951 - April 6th, 2016) The drummer was known for his association with David Bowie but had ‘70s jazz credits with Roy Ayers, Ronnie Foster and George Benson. Davis died April 6th at 64. 

Gétatchèw Mèkurya (March 14th, 1935 - April 4th, 2016) The saxophonist’s recordings are hard-to-find releases from his native Ethiopia in the ‘50s-70s but he came to international prominence via collaborations with Boston’s Either/ Orchestra in 2004 and Holland’s The Ex in 2006-12. Mèkurya died April 4th at 81. 

Bill Henderson (March 19th, 1926 - April 3rd, 2016) The vocalist (also prolific actor) began his career in the late ‘50s on Blue Note backed by the Jimmy Smith Trio and a star turn on Horace Silver Quintet’s recording “Señor Blues”, made albums for MGM (backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio) and Discovery, had a brief spell with Count Basie and, many years later, was featured on Charlie Haden Quartet West’s The Art of the Song. Henderson died April 3rd at 90. 

Leandro “Gato” Barbieri (November 28th, 1932 – April 2nd, 2016) The Argentine saxophonist began his career as a soloist in the orchestra of Lalo Schifrin, then moved to Europe and met trumpeter Don Cherry, going on to play the latter’s albums in 1965-66 and debuting as leader for ESP-Disk’ in 1967 after having relocated once more to New York, where he would work with the Jazz Composer’s Orchestra, Gary Burton, Alan Shorter, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and Carla Bley, with the ‘70s and beyond seeing leader albums for Flying Dutchman, Impulse and A&M and music written for Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 film Last Tango in Paris. Barbieri died April 2nd at 83.

Terry Plumeri (November 28th, 1945 - March 31st, 2016) The bassist was later known for film scores and work with symphony orchestras but had two self-released albums as a leader in the mid ‘70s with players like Herbie Hancock, John Abercrombie, Ralph Towner and Eric Gravatt. Plumeri was murdered March 31st at 71. 

David Baker (December 21st, 1931 - March 26th, 2016) The composer, musician, educator, author, Pulitzer Prize nominee, National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, founder of the influential jazz studies program at Indiana University and one-time president of the International Association for Jazz Education had formative experience in 1959 attending the Lenox School of Music in Massachusetts where he met pianist/composer George Russell, in whose early ‘60s bands Baker would perform and record, then moved more into composition and pedagogy after a broken jaw sustained in a car accident several years earlier began to affect his playing, resulting in 50 books and hundreds of articles to go with over 2,000 compositions, receiving such honors as the Emmy Award for Scoring and Living Jazz Legend Award from the John F. Kennedy Center. Baker died March 26that 84.  

Joe Shepley (August 7th, 1930 - March 26th, 2016) The trumpeter was a stalwart for the numerous sessions in the ‘60s-70s when leaders were accompanied by a large brass ensemble, including albums by Kai Winding, Marvin Stamm, George Benson, Duke Pearson, Kenny Burrell, Bob Dorough, Deodato, Don Sebesky, Joe Thomas and Urbie Green, often for Blue Note, Verve and CTI, as well as participating in novelty jazz albums like Dave Matthews’ Dune and Ron Carter’s Empire Jazz and co-leading the obscure big band Collins-Shepley Galaxy with fellow trumpeter Burt Collins in the early ‘70s, releasing two albums arranged by Mike Abene on MTA. Shepley died March 26th at 85. 

Dave Hubbard (October 15th, 1940 - March 17th, 2016) The saxophonist and flutist had a 1971 leader date for Mainstream and a few dozen sideman credits in the world of soul-jazz with Smiths Dr. Lonnie and Lonnie Liston, Melvin Sparks, George Freeman, John Patton and Charles Earland. Hubbard died in March at 75. 

O’Donel Levy (Sep. 20th, 1945 - March 14th, 2016) The guitarist had a number of releases in the ‘70s on Groove Merchant, the same decade he was part of Jimmy McGriff’s groups. Levy died March 14th at 70. 

Joe Ascione (March 14th, 1961 - March 11th, 2016) The drummer recorded with Frank Vignola, Joey DeFrancesco, Bill Watrous, Daryl Sherman, Nicole Henry, Eddie Higgins and was part of the collaborative 2000 Koch recording Without A Doubt with Vignola, Frank Wess and Mark Egan. Ascione died March 11th at 54. 

Lutz Büchner (August 5th, 1968 - March 11th, 2016) The German reedplayer was a 20-year veteran of the NDR Big Band and also worked with Clark Terry, Mike Gibbs and Gebhard Ullmann as well as releasing two albums, one a collaborative effort with Danish drummer Alex Riel. Büchner died March 11th at 47. 

Ernestine Anderson (November 11th, 1928 - March 10th, 2016) The vocalist debuted in 1956 for Metronome and had later albums for Polygram, Mercury, Concord, Warner Bros., Koch and, in the new millennium, HighNote and work over the decades with Gigi Gryce, Rolf Ericson, Quincy Jones, Ray Brown, George Shearing and Gene Harris. Anderson died March 10th at 87. 

Jacques Mahieux (June 24th, 1946 - March 10th, 2016) The French drummer was part of the free jazz Dharma Quintet in the ‘70s and worked with Henri Texier (and separately with his son Sébastien), Alex Grillo and Sylvain Kassap, among others. Mahieux died March 10th at 69. 

Léon Francioli (May 22nd, 1946 - March 9th, 2016) The discography of the Swiss bassist (also piano, cello and guitar) includes sessions with Michel Portal, Albert Mangelsdorff and Colette Magny to go along with a varied catalogue as a leader such as his 1970 debut Nolilanga and collaborative efforts with Pierre Favre, Mario Schiano, fellow bassist Beb Guérin, BBFC quartet and Stéphane Blok. Francioli died March 9th at 69. 

Naná Vasconcelos (Aug. 2nd, 1944 - March 9th, 2016) The Brazilian percussionist, particularly noted for his playing of the indigenous berimbau, began his international career with Gato Barbieri and, in a discography numbering in the hundreds, worked with Pat Metheny, Egberto Gismonti, Oliver Nelson, Terumasa Hino, Bob Moses, Chico Freeman, Pierre Favre, Ginger Baker, Mark Helias, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Andersen, Trilok Gurtu, Yellowjackets, Cyro Baptista, Enrico Rava, Don Cherry, Jan Garbarek, Eliane Elias, John Zorn and many others to go along with almost three dozen albums as a leader such as a 1978 collaboration with Perry Robinson and Badal Roy, 1979 disc with Gismonti and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, 1988-92 album with Arild Andersen and Ralph Towner and three discs between 1978-82 by the world-jazz trio Codona with Cherry and Collin Walcott. Vasconcelos died March 9th at 71. 

Sir George Martin (January 3rd, 1926 - March 8th, 2016) Though the British producer/arranger/composer/ engineer is justifiably most famous for vastly expanding the sonic landscape of The Beatles in the ‘60s, he followed up that success as a producer for such artists as Jeff Beck (Wired and Blow by Blow), Stan Getz (Marrakesh Express and Dynasty), Paul Winter Consort (Icarus), Cleo Laine (Born on a Friday) and the second iteration of the Mahavishnu Orchestra (Apocalypse). Martin died March 8th at 90. 

Joe Cabot (July 12th, 1921 - March 7th, 2016) The trumpeter’s long career began in the ‘40s with Gene Krupa and continued with the Dorsey Brothers, Claude Thornhill, Artie Shaw and in the big bands of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan and Harry James as well as performing with many singers like Rosemary Clooney, Keely Smith, Anita O’Day and Tony Bennett and working regularly in his later years as a bandleader in New York. Cabot died March 7th at 94. 

Kelly Roberty (November 13th, 1954 - March 7th, 2016) The bassist (also spelled Roberti) recorded with Jack Walrath and David Murray as well as a handful of leader dates and was a regularly touring player with a wide array of noted musicians. Roberty died March 7th at 61. 

Billy Wooten (??? - March 2016) The New York-born but longtime Indianapolitan vibraphonist had only a smattering of albums as a leader, all from the ‘70s and all within the soul-jazz genre, but did have some larger exposure via participation in two 1971 Grant Green Blue Note albums. Wooten died in March at an unknown age.

John Chilton (July 16th, 1932 - February 25th, 2016) The trumpeter had a lengthy career in his native England’s trad scene, particularly his own Feetwarmers, a vehicle for vocalist George Melly, but, like his trumpeter peer Ian Carr, was also an accomplished music writer, penning biographies of Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins and Billie Holiday and winning a 1982 Grammy Award for co-written notes to a Bunny Berigan anthology. Chilton died February 25th at 83. 

Mike Taylor (March 24th, 1934 - February 18th, 2016) The British trumpeter led trad band The Jazzmen in the late ‘50s and was in the Micky Askman Ragtime Jazzband, Midland Allstars, Second City Jazzmen, Derby Big Band, Burton MU Big Band and All That Jazz Parade Band. Taylor died February 18th at 81. 

Leon Henderson (December 11th, 1940 - February 4th, 2016) The younger brother to late fellow tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson was part of Kenny Cox’ Contemporary Jazz Quintet in the late ‘60s-early ‘70s, writing two compositions for the band’s 1968 eponymous Blue Note debut. Henderson died February 4th at 75. 

La Velle (May 22nd, 1944 - February 4th, 2016) The vocalist had a 2009 collaboration with organ player Rhoda Scott and appeared on the 1989 Steve Lacy recording Novus. La Velle died February 4th at 71. 

Wolfgang Fuchs (February 21st, 1949 - February 3rd, 2016) The German saxophonist and clarinetist, best known for founding the King Übü Örchestrü in 1983 with four albums between 1984-2003, worked with a wide swathe of European improvisers, such as Berlin Jazz Workshop Orchestra, cooperative trio with bassist Hans Schneider and drummer Klaus Huber, Sven-Åke Johansson, Tony Oxley/Phil Wachsmann Project, Cecil Taylor Workshop Ensemble, Radu Malfatti Ohrkiste, Evan Parker, Thomas Lehn, Fred Van Hove and Mats Gustafsson, plus his own albums released on FMP, Oaksmus, Balance Point Acoustics, Rastascan and a/l/l and also working as an organizer of mid Aughts editions of the Total Music Meeting in Berlin. Fuchs died February 3rd at 66.

Janusz Muniak (June 3rd, 1941 - January 31st, 2016) The saxophonist came up in his native Poland in the mid ‘60s and was a member of countryman trumpeter Tomasz Stanko’s early ‘70s quintet and also worked with many other compatriot jazz musicians over the years to complement a handful of recordings in the ‘90s-00s. Muniak died January 31st at 74. 

Joe Harris (December 23rd, 1926 - January 27th, 2016) The drummer was a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s late ‘40s-early ‘50s bands, also working with Charlie Parker separately at the time, and then Bud Powell’s trio in the early ‘60s, and went on to compile an extensive discography with Teddy Charles, George Russell, Rolf Ericson/Benny Bailey, Freddie Redd, James Moody, the Clarke-Boland Big Band, Milt Jackson and Nathan Davis, much of it after a move to Sweden. Harris died January 27th at 89. 

Frank Collett (May 3rd, 1941 - January 25th, 2016) The pianist’s career began with Sarah Vaughan and continued with his own trios and work with Louie Bellson, Terry Gibbs/Buddy DeFranco, Sam Most and Herb Alpert. Collett died January 25th at 74. 

Giorgio Gomelsky (February 28th, 1934 - January 13th, 2016) The musical jack-of-all-trades was best known for managing rock bands like The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds but also, via his Marmalade Records, releasing important albums by John McLaughlin, John Stevens’ Spontaneous Music Ensemble and Brian Auger and being an early supporter of Soft Machine. Gomelsky died January 13th at 81. 

Bill Dunham (1928 - January 11th, 2016) The pianist was famed for co-founding the Grove Street Stompers with Jimmy Gribbon in 1962, a band that has since played practically every Monday night at NYC spot Arthur’s Tavern. Dunham died January 11th at 87. 

Alan Haven (April 1st, 1935 - January 7th, 2016) The British organ player was best known for his work with James Bond film scorer John Barry but released several jazz albums in the ‘60s on Fontana and also appeared on the 1968 Ben Webster album Big Ben Time. Haven died January 7th at 80. 

Kitty Kallen (May 25th, 1922 - January 7th, 2016) The Swing to Big Band Era popular vocalist worked with Jimmy Dorsey, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and Jack Teagarden and released several albums of her own from the mid ‘50s-mid ‘60s. Kallen died January 7th at 93. 

Alfredo Armenteros (April 4th, 1928 - January 6th, 2016) The Cuban trumpeter’s long career in the worlds of Salsa and Latin jazz included work with Chico O’Farrill, Mongo Santamaria, La Playa Sextet, Tico All-Stars, Larry Harlow, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao, Machito, Eastern Rebellion, Steve Turre, Jimmy Bosch and a number of albums under his own name. Armenteros died January 6th at 87. 

Paul Bley (November 10th, 1932 - January 3rd, 2016) The Canadian pianist’s career bridged major jazz movements—from bebop to free—with close to 100 albums as a leader for Debut, Savoy, ESP-Disk’, Fontana, America, Limelight, Polydor, Milestone, SteepleChase, ECM and his own Improvising Artists, Inc. (including collaborations with Lee Konitz, John Gilmore, Jaco Pastorius and Jimmy Giuffre), many of which featuring the compositions of wives Carla Bley and Annette Peacock, and also had credits, both in two stints, with Charles Mingus and Giuffre. Bley died January 3rd at 83.