The Final Chorus

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

David “Red” Lehr died on January 5th, he was 83. He was from a musical family with his mother playing piano for their church and

Carol Leigh (Whitman), highly-regarded classic jazz vocalist, died December 22nd.  Carol was a consummate performer of both familiar and obscure 20’s jazz and blues tunes,

Alto Saxophonist and flautist Jeff Clayton died from Kidney cancer of December 17th. He was 66 years old. He trained on oboe and English horn

Sadly, Steve Radeck informs us that “Professor” Don Burns has died at the age of 81. Don was a familiar ragtime entertainer in western New

Jack Kuncl, 86, passed away December 7 from complications of Coved-19. He was best known as the banjoist with the Salty Dogs Jazz Band since

Joseph Brem, a past president of the Arizona Classic Jazz Society, passed away on November 22 in Scottsdale, AZ, he was 90 years old. A

Michael Brooks passed away at home in Newark, NJ on November 20, 2020. Born in 1935 his early career was spent as an editor and

We are saddened by the news of the passing of legendary drummer Viola Smith, who died October 21 at her home in Costa Mesa, California.

Ira Sullivan died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at home in Miami on September 21. He had performed for a couple of Pensacola JazzFests and had

Ragtime pianist Richard Eugene Kroeckel died October 11th, he was 75. Though he was born in Indianapolis most of his career was centered in Colorado.

Dr. Cleve Baker died on  August 12, 2020, he was 85 years old. He loved the history of ragtime and jazz and how it intersected

One of the most recognizable jazz writers of recent decades, Stanley Crouch, died on September 16th, he was 74. In 1979 he renounced the black

Dan Reid filled the lives of so many with his wisdom, his wit, his generosity and his love Daniel J. Reid, Jazz aficionado, true friend,

Trombonist, vocalist, and band leader Steve Yocum died of leukemia on September 4th, he was 69. Born in St. James, New York he started playing

A journalist and jazz promoter, David Booth Cooper died on August 15th, he was 87. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps he was a life long