2025 In Memoriam

---

Bob Perkins (1934 - January 19th, 2025) The radio DJ was a Philadelphia stalwart since 1969, best known for 25 years as the host of “Evening Jazz” at WRTI, and also wrote liner notes for various albums. Perkins died January 19th at 91. 

Dave Bargeron (September 6th, 1942 - January 18th, 2025) The brass player (trombone, tuba, euphonium, sackbut), alongside his prolific work in the rock world, was a member of Super Trombone, had a handful of albums on Mapleshade and Enja and credits with Ernie Wilkins, Bill Evans/George Russell, Larry Willis, Clark Terry, Bob James, Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earland, Gil Evans, Jaco Pastorius, George Gruntz, Bob Mintzer, Michael Franks, Hiram Bullock, Lyle Mays, Mike Gibbs, Peter Erskine, Terumasa Hino, Pete Levin, Miles Davis/Quincy Jones, Dave Sanborn, Pat Metheny, Gerry Mulligan, Johnny Griffin, Ray Anderson, Michel Camilo, Howard Johnson, Randy Brecker, James Moody, David Matthews, Rich Shemaria, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Carla Bley and Earl McIntyre. Bargeron died January 18th at 82.

Mike Miller (May 8th, 1953 - January 18th, 2025) The guitarist worked with, alongside his credits in the rock and pop worlds, Air Pocket, Brand X, The Yellowjackets, Billy Childs, Stanley Turrentine, Doug Cameron, David Garfield. Herb Alpert, Free Flight, Max Bennett, Steve Fowler, Tom Fowler, Chick Corea, Gary Meek, Akira Jimbo, Keiko Iwasaki, Gigi MacKenzie and Michael Günter Schmidt and had albums on Wakonda Music, Marsis Music, Blue Canoe and Muse Eek. Miller died January 18th at 71. 

"Oz" Guy Alston • Terry Cobb • Ellis Echevarria • Steven Erasmus • Bobby Watley

Abdoulaye Diabate (1959 - January 16th, 2025) The Senegalese pianist co-founded the Kora Jazz Trio, which has new millennium albums on Mélodie, Celluloid and Cristal. Diabate died January 16th at ~65.

Kristian Jørgensen (September 18th, 1967 - ~January 16th, 2025) The Danish violinist had albums on Stunt and Music Mecca, was a member of Tango Orkestret and recorded with Duke Jordan, Maj-Britt Kramer, Fessor's Big City Band, Simon Spang-Hanssen, Peter Rosendal, Dorado Schmitt and others. Jørgensen died ~January 16th at 57.

Dickerson Tattersall

Bob Venier (??? - January 15th, 2025) The Australian trumpeter was a member of Pyramid, The ABC Showband and the Australian Jazz Orchestra, had a ‘90s album on Newmarket and credits with Garry Hyde, Brian Brown, Allan Zavod, Peter Martin, Graeme Lyall, Linda Cable, Ken Schroder, Paul Grabowsky, Christine Sullivan, Susie Ahern/Michael Spiby, Jack Wood/Nichaud Fitzgibbon and others. Venier died January 15th at an unknown age.

Guido Antonioli • Peter Emery • David Lynch • Teddy Osei • Hermann Rack • William "Kachiro" Thompson

Pat Caplice (1927 - ~January 13th, 2025) 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, 2025) 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.

Emilio Soana (1942 - January 13th, 2025) 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 13th at 81.

Elgar Howarth

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.

Mark Izu (1954 - January 12th, 2025) The bassist was a member of United Front, active in the early ‘80s, had albums on RPM, Asian Improv Arts and Belly to Belly, some in collaboration with spouse Brenda Wong Aoki, and credits with Russel Baba, Ray Collins, Jason Michaels, Jon Jang, Fred Ho, Francis Wong, Miya Masaoka, Hafez Modirzadeh, Anthony Brown and others. Izu died January 12th at 70.

Arnold Frolows • Joe Hopkins • Volkhard Kühl • Lee Viner

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 • Hiroshi Shinkawa • David Sloan • 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, 2025) 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 • Howard Neal • 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.

Sibylle Zerr