The Final Chorus September 2025

Carl Lunsford, a traditional jazz banjo player whose rhythmic style anchored many West Coast trad bands, passed away on August 5th in Sausalito, California, at

Alain Bouchet, the French trumpeter and cornetist, passed away on August 4th, he was 81. He began his career in the 1960s with groups like

David F. Gibson, a dynamic drummer whose rhythmic drive powered iconic big bands, passed away on July 30th, he was 72. Born in Philadelphia, he

Sheila Jordan, the pioneering jazz vocalist, passed away on August 11, 2025, in New York City. She was 96. Inspired by Charlie Parker, who she

Chuck Mangione, a flugelhorn player and composer whose early work shaped the ongoing legacy of swing, passed away on July 22nd. He was 84. Born

Cleo Laine, a British jazz singer whose voice shaped British jazz and standards singing, passed away on July 24th in Wavendon, England. She was 97.

Tom Lehrer, the pianist and musical satirist whose sharp-witted songs blended ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, and musical theater, passed away on July 26th in Cambridge,

Robert “Bob” Rann, renowned tubaist and a foundational figure in the traditional jazz revival movement, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2025, at the age