The Final Chorus

We belatedly note the passing of the excellent trombonist Jimmy Haislip, of St. Louis, who died on December 31, 2017 at 81. He started his

Bill Evans, passed away on September 10th after a battle with cancer, he was 83. In the 1950s he was a founding member of the

Tom Pletcher, the leading interpretter of Bix Beiderbecke of his generation died in August at 83. Tom Pletcher’s ties to jazz went back two generations.

There have been few more important, or more successful advocates of Dixieland jazz in the last half-century than cornetist Jim Cullum, Jr. who died on

For several decades, now, Ted Shafer has been something of an institution in traditional jazz in the San Francisco Bay Area. The message on his

Jazz revival clarinet and saxophonist Bob Wilber, who explored the sound of Sidney Bechet, and at times stood beside him died August 4th, he was

Art Neville, a star of New Orleans music through several dramatic evolutions died July 22, he was 81. Known as Poppa Funk he grew up

João Gilberto, Brazilian guitarist, vocalist, and bossa nova pioneer died July 6th, he was 88. Born in Bahia, Brazil he began guitar early and was

Gerald L. “Jerry” Fuller, 89, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2019. He was an important traditional jazz clarinetist who made numerous television appearances as

Dave Bartholomew was born in Edgard Louisiana but soon moved with his parents to New Orleans where he took music lessons from Peter Davis who

Paul Howard Nelson, Navy flight navigator, salesman, business leader, photographer, author, and lecturer on Ragtime and Early Jazz, passed away on May 24th at the

Sol Yaged, who died May 16th at 96, was inspired to pick up the clarinet at age 12 by a Benny Goodman performance he heard

Doris Day, one of the most popular stars of song and screen during the 1950s and ’60s died on May 13th. She was 97. After

Norma Miller, who died Sunday, May 5th at age 99, grew up in an apartment overlooking the Savoy Ballroom. She could watch the dancers from

Chris Albertson, biographer of Bessie Smith, was found dead in his Manhattan home on April 24. He was 87. Born in Reykjavik, Iceland, he discovered

Chuck Cecil, whose radio show “The Swingin’ Years” ran for decades, died on April 30th, he was 97. He attended high school with actresses Jane

Bert Barr, who founded The Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band in 1971, passed away of cancer on April 17th, he was 74. Inspired by Turk Murphy,

Earl Mckee, a founding member, tubist, and singer for the High Sierra Jazz Band died on April 11th at age 87, on the eve of

Sam Pilafian, who was a tubist with a wide ranging performing career and a professor at several respected universities died of colon cancer April 5th

Jim Beatty, 1934 – 2019, a world-famous clarinetist and soprano saxophonist, passed away March 12, 2019. He was 84.  He was given a clarinet for

Ethel Ennis, Baltimore’s “First Lady of Jazz”, died February 17th at age 86. Over a 70 year career as a singer, she appeared with Louis

André Previn, a musical polymath, died February 28th in Manhattan, he was 89. He was a composer of film music, conductor, pianist and the music

James Dapogny, who has led the Chicago Jazz Band since 1976 died in the early morning hours of March 6th, 2019 after a long battle

Paul Reid, who died suddenly this week, was a beloved piano player and an all-around entertainer. Over a long career, he played solo piano in bars,

William (Bill) P. Taggart, 77, of Andover Township NJ passed away on January 4th after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the tuba

Dolores “Dee” Parker Morgan, 99, on December 17th. She won an amateur contest in 1939 and joined the Rhythm Debs, a female trio that toured

Urban Clifford “Urbie” Green, 92, on December 31 in the Poconos.  Known for his smooth, warm, mellow tone, and lyrical phrasing, he was called a

Mike Hart organized the first Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in 1978 as a free traditional jazz event inspired by the Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Jubilee. Though

Ed. Note: If you have a picture of Karen, even in a crowd, please email it to joe.syncopatedtimes@gmail.com for use on this post and in

Nancy Wilson, 81, in Pioneer Town, California. She had eight albums reach the top 20 on Billboards album charts during the 1960s and would record

Jean Levinson, 81, on  July 7th, 2018. Jean Levinson played tuba with the Sacramento based Catsnjammer Jazz Band for over 30 years — from their

Roger V. Burton died Nov. 30 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 90 years old. Most recognized for appearances on numerous television programs

Kevin Bryan, lead trumpet player for the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria’s Big Band, and the Mambo Legends Orchestra among others died of pancreatic cancer

Roy Hargrove, 49, in New York City on November 2nd from complications of kidney failure. He had been on dialysis for many years. Hargrove grew

Roy Clark, 85, on November 15th of pneumonia in Tulsa Oklahoma. Born in Virginia his family moved to Washington D.C. when he was young. He began

Daniel C. Grinstead, 74, of cancer on September 6th. His musical interest turned to early jazz and ragtime in his teen years and he found work

Sandy Harr, September 27th after complications from heart surgery. He was a drummer with the Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra and frequent attendee of the New Orleans Traditional

Ira Davidson Sabin, 90, of cancer in Rockville, Md. He started his career as a professional drummer at the age of 15 while many musicians

Don Hunt 1930-2018 The last surviving member of the original Syracuse Salt City Five – Don Hunt – died Aug. 5 in Lyons, N.Y. at

Randy Weston, 92, September 1st, in Brooklyn. In the late 40’s he left the New York jazz scene he was just starting out in for

Joseph Patrick (Pat) Arana, 72, August 22, of cancer in St. Charles, Mo.  He was retired from teaching music in the Ritenour school district where he had

Aretha Louise Franklin, 76, August 16th, of pancreatic cancer in Michigan. Known as ‘The Queen of Soul’. She was born to a religious family, her father

Jean Kittrell, 91, August 14th in Edwardsville Illinois. She was a continuing presence in the midwestern Dixieland revival from 1957 until her retirement in 2008.

Patrick Williams, 79, on July 25, of cancer in Santa Monica, California. He was a major composer for TV series in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Tomasz Stańko, 76, July 26th of lung cancer in Warsaw. One of the biggest names in Polish jazz, he composed smooth lyrical works known for

Serge Bichon, 83, on July 31st in France. BG Franck Bichon, the French manufacturer of Wind Instruments released the following statement regarding the passing of Serge

Theodore “Ted” Cunningham, 78, on June 18 from complications following heart surgery in Phoenix, AZ. A native of Lewistown, PA, he attended Penn State and graduated

Thomas Alan Dutart’s official obituary Heaven’s Dixieland Jazz Band has a new jammer!  Thomas Alan Dutart passed away on June 19th, 2018 in Santa Maria,

Ken Ebert, 81, May 30th in Corona, California while recuperating from a fall. A vibraphone and piano player who played with numerous groups, including the

    Central New York’s longtime diva of Dixieland, Marilyn “Mimi” Drake Osmun, died May 17 at Loretto Geriatric Center, Syracuse.  Mimi was born in Syracuse

Jim Roberson, June 4, of pulmonary thrombosis, in California. He loved and played music for over sixty years, most recently with Dr. Bach and the Jazz Practitioners,

Collette Black, 63, on June 5th, of breast cancer. She was a force in the New York City Cabaret community. Recently she taught Exploring Cabaret

Dick Serocki, 60, May 13th, of cancer, in Bellport, NY. While in California he played banjo at festivals with The South Burgundy Street Jazz Band,

Update: A memorial that was originally hoped to be arranged for late May has been postponed. It is possible  it will be tied in with

Charles Neville, 79, April 26 in Massachusetts. The second oldest of the Neville Brothers, played saxophone for the band that commingled all the native strains

Bob Dorough, 94, April 23 in Mt. Bethel, PA. Noticing a talent for music his father, a bread truck driver in Texarkana, made an arrangement