The Final Chorus

Trombonist and banjo player Frank Demond died on November 21st; he was 91. Born in Los Angeles he would at one time be the only

Photographer and clarinetist William “Bill” Carter died on New Year’s Day; he was 90 years old. His photography books varied in subject from Iraqi Kurds

Boston area trumpet player Paul Fontaine passed away January 11. From his published obituary: Paul’s career spanned many years, starting as a student studying trumpet

New York area bassist Joel Forbes died on December 27th; he was 68. His father, also known as Joel Forbes, was a jazz pianist in

New Orleans saxophonist John “Prince” Gilbert died on December 15th; he was 66 years old. He was an original member of the Rebirth Brass Band.

Santa Barbara-area ragtimer Kathi Backus died in early January; she was 79. A well known figure in the California ragtime community she played regularly at

Singer, saxophonist, songwriter, magician, puppeteer, and all around entertainer Danny Bacher passed away unexpectedly on December 16th; he was only 46. Bacher worked at many

Martial Solal died on December 12th; he was 97. The Algeria-born French pianist had been active in Europe since the 1950s. He performed with Django

Marvin “Doc” Holladay died on November 25th, 2024. He was 95 years old. He was a baritone saxophonist and ethnomusicologist. After working as a freelance

Dr. Eli Newberger, a traditional jazz tubist and notable medical professional, passed away on October 24th, he was 83 years old. Pressed into playing tuba

Bob Bequillard, drummer for Connecticut’s famous Galvanized Jazz Band passed away on October 11th, he was 92. An accountant by day he was also a

Bob Bauchens, a tubist who played at Your Father’s Mustache in the 1970s and would go on to found ARTRA Artist Management passed away on

Brian Towers, tailgate trombonist and vocalist for Toronto’s Hot Five Jazzmakers died this summer. He left England in 1969, emigrating to Canada for work. In

Singer, songwriter, and activist Barbara Dane has died at age 97. In a career spanning 80 years she played folk, blues, world music, and, of

Jon Seiger, a gifted and versatile jazzman, died Friday, September 13, in Rochester, NY. He was 63 years old. For more than a decade Seiger

Legendary jazz writer, educator, and archivist Dan Morgenstern died on September 7th; he was 94 years old. He was head of the Institute of Jazz

Bassist/vocalist George French has died at age 80. He was part of the prominent New Orleans musical family. His father was Albert “Papa” French, longtime

The British multi-instrumentalist Graham Lyons died on September 4th, he was 87. He released a 7” single, Jazz Bassoon, in 1967 and recorded with The

Jewel Brown, known most famously for her world tours singing with Louis Armstrong between 1961 and 1968, died on June 25th, she was 86 years

Bob Chmel, a drummer who over decades in music played with the ghost bands of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Les and

Geoff Cole. a British trombonist with a career going back to the 1950s, died on June 25th, he was 90 years old. He was part

Claus Jacobi, a reedman, arranger, scholar of jazz history, and for the last decade the music director of Mike Durham’s Whitley Bay Classic Jazz Party

Robert Bruce “Bob” Butters trombonist for the Buffalo Ridge Jazz Band and other groups in the Ohio area passed away, he was 94. The following

Joel Schiavone, founder of the Your Father’s Mustache chain of venues for banjo bands and traditional jazz, died on April 22nd, he was 87. Starting