2025 In Memoriam

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Emilio Soana (1942 - January 14th, 2024) The Italian trumpeter worked with Giorgio Gaslini, Gil Cuppini, Giorgio Azzolini, Joe Venuti, Gigi Cichellero, Romano Mussolini, Henghel Gualdi, Luciano Fineschi, Oscar Rocchi, Bruno De Filippi, Gabriele Comeglio, Giampiero Prina, Jazz Class Orchestra, Alain Guyonnet, Gianluigi Trovesi, Pietro Bonelli, Civica Jazz Band, Bruno Tommaso, Gianni Basso, Renato Dibì, Bansigu Big Band, Alberto Guareschi, Dario Cellamaro and others. Soana died January 14th at 81.

Peter Emery • Teddy Osei • William "Kachiro" Thompson

Pat Caplice (1927 - ~January 13th, 2024) The Australian vibraphonist/drummer had sessions on Pacific and Columbia and worked with Art Ray, Thomas Tycho and others. Caplice died ~January 13th at ~96.

Tony Passarell (June 17th, 1956 - January 13th, 2024) The saxophonist, a stalwart of the Sacramento scene, was a member of Race!!!, The Air Orchestra, Swimming In Bengal and Ghiadub Quartet, had his own or co-led recordings on Prescott and credits with Dutch Falconi, Alex Jenkins, Byron Blackburn, Matt Marucci/Markus Burger, Instagon, Ross Hammond and others. Passarell died January 13th at 69.

Mario Allard (??? - January 12th, 2025) The Canadian saxophonist was a member of Papagroove, Jazzlab Orchestra and Coyote Bill and had credits with Jean-Michel Bernard, Alain Bédard and others. Allard died January 12th at an unknown age.

Arnold Frolows • Volkhard Kühl

Paul Fontaine (??? - January 11th, 2025) The trumpeter was a longtime educator at Berklee College of Music and worked with Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Herb Pomeroy, Milan Svoboda, Greg Abate, Greg Hopkins and others. Fontaine died January 11th at an unknown age. 

Ron Battani • Joe Malatji • John Saunders

Martin Hummel (February 2nd, 1955 - January 10th, 2025) The producer, long based in the UK, co-founded the multi-pronged jazz company Ubuntu, the label portion of which has over 100 releases since 2015. Hummel died January 10th at 69.

Martin Bennett • Stephen Heinemann • Michael Hollie 

Laurie Holloway (March 31st, 1938 - January 9th, 2025) The British pianist, best known for his work on television, had albums on Marble Arch, Columbia, CBS, Pye, Hobo, His Master’s Voice, RCA, C5, Elgin, Grasmere, Qnote and Universal Classics and work with John Dankworth, Johnnie Spence, Vic Lewis, Cleo Laine, Antonio Pedro Hatch, Sacha Distel, David Lindup, Stéphane Grappelli, Joe Williams, J.J. Johnson, Marion Montgomery and others. Holloway died January 9th at 86.

Marty Boulton • Bobby Galvan • Bart Madeley • Billy Maiden • Olivier Portal • Wayne Senior • Granville "Danny" Young

Don Stille (1946 - January 5th, 2025) The pianist/accordion player had credits with Claudia Schmidt, Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Jesse Harms, Rob Barton, Bonnie Koloc, Jim Beebe, Mark Colby, John Bany, Mark Sonksen, Peter Castronova, Christy Bennet and others. Stille died January 5th at 78.

Ron Daniels • Phil Gomez • George Robinson • George Ruffin • Martin Wilson

Manfred Schütz (July 5th, 1950 - January 3rd, 2024) Among the producer’s accomplishments was founding MIG-Music GmbH in 2009, which has released archival recordings of Gary Bartz, Marion Brown, Joachim Kühn, Airto Moreira/Flora Purim, Oregon, Manfred Schoof, Weather Report and Tony Williams. Schütz died January 3rd at 74.

Önder Bali • Kitty Daniels • Steve Fergerson • Monica Getz • Bill McCarthy • Helen Ward Starr • Steini Steingríms

William “Bill” Carter (December 25th, 1934 - January 1st, 2025) The noted photographer, whose work included the book Preservation Hall: Music from the Heart and inclusion in numerous publications, led his own groups and was a member of the band of Turk Murphy in the ‘50s and later played with the Magnolia Jazz Band, Sunset Music Company, William Warfield and Hot Club of San Francisco. Carter died January 1st at 90.