The Final Chorus November 2017
DARLA CASTRO, 80, on Aug. 12 in Three Rivers, California. Wife of Charlie Castro, longtime drummer with the High Sierra Jazz Band. She often traveled
These are the obituaries grouped together monthly as they ran in the print edition. For individual obituaries look in the main Final Chorus section.
DARLA CASTRO, 80, on Aug. 12 in Three Rivers, California. Wife of Charlie Castro, longtime drummer with the High Sierra Jazz Band. She often traveled
RICHARD FAZIO, 77, on June 12 in Boulder City, NV. A master pianist and vocalist, he performed with several U.S. Navy bands and the Sea
JOE THOMAS, 84, on July 26. As a child, he learned to play alto and soprano saxophone, trombone, flute and piano, and taught himself to
RICHARD HAWK, 82, on March 4 from a heart attack in Overland Park, Kansas. A successful entrepreneur who headed numerous ventures in the fields of
JOHN CIESLAK, 81, from cardiovascular issues on May 19 in Scottsdale, AZ. A multi-instrumentalist, best known as a longtime member of Igor’s Jazz Cowboys. Garbed
DICK CONTINO, 87, on April 19 in Fresno, California. A hip-swiveling accordionist and singer as a teenage star in the 1940s, he won $5,000 in
VINCENT FALCONE, 79, on March 24 from brain cancer in Torrance, CA. He studied music at Syracuse University and toured Europe with various jazz groups
HORACE PARLAN, 86, on Feb. 23 in Korsor, Denmark. A jazz pianist who was unable to use the middle two fingers of his right hand
JUNE BARNES, 92, on Jan. 16 in Ventura, Calif. Originally from St. Louis, MO, June was a string bass player with a number of bands
DAVID SHEPHERD, 87, on Dec. 15 in Hampshire, England. Often billed as Great Britain’s answer to Benny Goodman because of his instrumental facility, centered tone
AL CAIOLA, 96, on Nov. 9 in Allendale, N.J. A guitarist, composer and arranger who spanned a variety of music genres, including jazz, country, rock,
AL STEWART, 89, on Oct. 17 in Sarasota, FL. A first-chair swing trumpeter who for over 55 years played with some of the biggest names
BOBBY HUTCHERSON, 75, from emphysema in Montara, Calif. on Aug. 15. A vibraphone and marimba player, Little B’s Poem from the album Components was his
DONALD McGRATH, 90, from cancer on April 17 in Riverside, Calif. A trombonist who during his life played with such California bands as Jazz-A-Ma-Tasa and
LLOYD BYASSEE, 81, on March 16 after a long illness in Castaic, Calif. Over the years he was the drummer for Turk Murphy (appearing on
ERNIE SANTOSUOSSO, 93, on Oct.19 in Norwell, Mass. Considered the dean of Boston jazz critics, he penned some 3,550 reviews and interviews for The Boston
ROGER KRUM, 73, on Oct. 22 from kidney disease and related illnesses in Sacramento, CA. A graduate of Fresno State University with a Master’s degree