2016 In Memoriam

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December  • November • October • September • August • July

June • May • April • March • February • January  

 Amar Abdelkrim • Leonardo Acosta • Bhumibol Adulyadej • Aloisio Aguiar • William Allen • Mose Allison • Barry Amass • Daniel Amelot • Ernestine Anderson • Spartaco Andréoli • Willy Andresen • Helen Arlt • Alfredo Armenteros • Joe Ascione • Carlos Averhoff • Victor Bailey • David Baker • Sammy Banks • Gato Barbieri • Allan Barnes • Johannes Bauer • Hannes Beckmann • Detlev Beier • Remo Belli • Josh Benko • Chuck Berg • Elsie Bianchi • Paul Bley • Tassili Bond • Jimmy Borges • Paul Brown • Don Buchla • Lutz Büchner • Ralf Butscher • Joe Cabot • Frank Cagliuso • Al Caiola • Ham Carson • Edgar "Dooky" Chase • Phil Chess • John Chilton • Armsted Christian • January Christy • Mac Chrupcala • Roger Cicero • Jack Coker • Frank Collett • Gerhard Conrad • Jef Coolen • Buster Cooper • Bob Cranshaw • Connie Crothers • Doc Dahaven • Mike Daniels • Charles Davis • Dennis Davis • Judy Day • Bruce Demoll • Harald Devold • Michael Dipasqua • Paul Dubois • Howard Dudune • Bill Dunham • Dominic Duval • Eddie "Poppa Duke" Edwards • Marco Eneidi • John Farris • Irving Fields • John Fischer • Pete Fountain • Léon Francioli • Don Francks • Don Friedman • Wolfgang Fuchs • Ryo Fukui • Tony Gable • Joseph Gattone • Anne Germain • Ben Gerritsen • Percy Gilbert • Hubert Giraud • Giorgio Gomelsky • Steve Grover • Della Haensch • Bobby Hales • Dawn Hampton • Edmond Harnie • Joe Harris • Ward Harston • Chris Haskins • Alan Haven • Bill Henderson • Leon Henderson • Nancy Hildegarde • Radim Hladík • Dave Hubbard • Percy Hughes • Jean Huling • Bobby Hutcherson • Totlyn Jackson • Girshel Javakhishvili • Frank Jeffes • Morris "Moe" Jennings • Jacques Johnson • Robert W. Johnson • James Jones • Randy Jones • Stephen Jones • Ron Kalina • Knut Kiesewetter • Bob Kindred • Patricia Rose King • Carlton Kitto • Howard Koslow • Celestin Kouka • Yuri Kuznetsov • Bill Kyle • Natalie Lamb • Zena Latto • Fay Ellen Lehr • Kathrin Lemke • O'donel Levy • Harris Lewine • Donald Lewis • Jimmy Lewis • Jack Lidström • Earl "Buzz" Loveland • Paul McDowell • John McKellen • Jacques Mahieux • Timmy Makaya • Joe Marillo • Sir George Martin • Ireng Maulana • Gétatchèw Mèkurya • David Meltzer • Toshiyuki Miyama • Shelley Moore • Mary Moss • Alphonse Mouzon • Jürgen Müller • Janusz Muniak • Guy Nadon • Fredrik Norén • Peter Nthwane • Tony Nüsser • Hod O'Brien • Claus Ogerman • Tom Olin • Pauline Oliveros • Joã0 Palma • Roland Paolucci • Vassil Parmakov • Kira Payne • Michael Pedecin • Helmut Plattner • Terry Plumeri • Roland Prince • Ruud "Rudy" Pronk • Ed Pucci • Tony Raine • Rich Rajewski • Doug Raney • Lucky Ranku • David L. Reese • Hans Reffert • Jack Reilly • Dominique Répécaud • George Reznik • Ken Rhodes • Bill Richmond • Jim Rivard • George Robert • Kelly Roberty • Rosie Rodriguez • Johnny Rogers • Bryce Rohde • John Roulet • Steven Rudig • Karel Růžička • Christer Sandell • Pinise Saul • Manfred Schiek • Bernd Schmude • Jacques Schols • Dave Shepherd • Joe Shepley • Brian Sibbald • Derek Smith • June Smith • Louis Smith • Paul Smoker • Fred "Moe" Snyder • Duncan Soutar • Jeptha Spencer-Bey • Janusz Stefański • Jeremy Steig • Gerhard Stein • Thomas Stett • Al Stewart • Louis Stewart • Rick Stone • Hugo Strasser • Freddy Sunder • Ralph Swift • Harry "Alan" Tarpinian • Graham Tayar • Mike Taylor • Joe Temperley • Toots Thielemans • Sir Charles Thompson • Wayne Thompson • Paul Tillotson • Bernd Titus • Erich Traugott • Rudy Van Gelder • Harold Van Pelt • Naná Vasconcelos • La Velle • Claude Vihn-San • Ted Wald • Ann E. Ward • Rob Wasserman • Moe Wechsler • Haens'che Weiss • Volker Weiss • Stephen Welch • Bobby Wellins • Dave West • Michael White • Sebastian Whittaker • Claude Williamson • Morris Wilson • Pete Wolbrette • Billy Wooten • Bernie Worrell • Alfons Würzl • Pete Yellin • Nora York • Celia Mingus Zaentz • Allan Zavod 

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.