The Final Chorus

Clarinetist and vocalist Bob Schroeder passed away April 27th at age 92.  Bob played professionally for 75 years, beginning in his hometown of St. Louis,

Veteran trumpet tester Jim Anastasi passed away on April 13. He was 95 years old. Jim served as the trumpet tester for the King Band Instrument

Stan McDonald, best known globally as a traditional jazz musician for his soaring and passionate soprano saxophone and clarinet inspired by Sidney Bechet, died on

Band leader Tim Gill, and his wife Joylani were killed on April 18th when their small plane crashed in Arizona. Tim was 37 years old

Edward J “Jazzman Joe” Lynch, Jr., died on May 13, 2021 due to complications following Covid. Joe was born September 18, 1934 in Passaic, NJ.

Jazz critic W. Royal Stokes passed away on May 1, 2021, he was 90 years old.  He was a boogie woogie fan as a teenager

Bob Koester, founder of Chicago’s Delmark Records and operator of one of the most beloved record stores in the world died on May 12th, he

Andrew “Jazzman” Smith of White Bluff, TN passed on March 28, he was 83. He served his country honorably for 20 years in the US

Marek Boym passed March 31, a few days after his 80th birthday. I’ve been a lifelong Jazz enthusiast and, at age 76, considered myself fairly

Jack Bradley died on March 21, he was 87. He discovered Louis Armstrong recordings as a child in the 30s and 40s and would go

George Segal died March 23. 2021 near his Santa Rosa, California home. He was perhaps best known for the broad scope of his television and

Richard Karner, drummer for the Salty Dogs Jazz Band in the mid 1950’s, passed away at home, March 12. He was 85.   A native of Lafayette,

Chris Barber, one of the most important figures in the history of British jazz, and a pioneer of both the Trad Jazz and Skiffle crazes, 

A little over 30 years ago, Ted Huff and I met as a result of our mutual interest in jazz, both playing it as a

Well known sheet music collector and music aficionados Janice Cleary died February 8, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska, she was 96. She had recently donated her

Trumpet player Robert “Bobby Tess” Tessitore, died peacefully at home on January 16, 2021, he was 85. Alongside his several other professions, Tessitore was a

Jazz guitarist Ron Anthony passed away on January 19th, he was 87. After picking up the guitar at 16 he quickly developed to a professional

Arnold Koch, the former manager of the Salt City Five (later the Salt City Six) died Jan. 13 at his home in Melrose, Mass. He

Warren W. Hicks died on Thursday January 7 2021, he was 89.  Hicks turned his love of classic jazz into a respected record auction business

British bandleader, pianist, and vintage jazz authority Keith Nichols passed away on January 21st in a London hospital, he was 75. He fell ill with

Samuel Louis Nestico died on January 17th, he was 96. He began writing arrangements while still in high school learning trombone in the school band.

Carol Leigh Whitman passed away on December 22, 2020 at age 86 in her home in Ansonia, CT. For the past nine years she suffered

Phyllis McGuire died on December 29th, she was 89. The youngest of the McGuire Sisters she was the star of the group, always seen in

Burt Wilson, trombonist and leader of the Silver Dollar Jazz Band died of Covid-19 on January 6th, he was 87. While in college he arranged