On October 17, 2023, Lovella May Borg, aka Carla Bley died aged 87. She was composer, musician (piano, organ) and bandleader, one of the most important figures in the free jazz movement of the 1960s. Bley started the record label “JCOA “, who recorded over two dozen important albums between 1966 and 2019, and became a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels. As leader, she released 29 albums, including her magnum opus, the jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill”.
Tag Archives: musician
John Marshall
On September 16, 2023, John Stanley Marshall died aged 82. He was musician (drums, percussion), member of Soft Machine, but was best known as founding member of Nucleus. He recorded and performed with various musician and bands including Arthur Brown, Allan Holdsworth, J.J. Jackson, Barney Kessel, Alexis Korner, Eberhard Weber, Arild Andersen, John Abercrombie, Charlie Mariano, John Surman, Graham Collier, Michael Gibbs, Keith Tippett, Centipede, Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Dick Morrissey, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Vassilis Tsabropoulos, Michael Garrick, Neil Ardley, Mike Westbrook, Georgie Game, Indo-Jazz Fusions, Bill Fay, Mike d’Abo, Chris Spedding, Top Topham, Chitinous Ensemble, Linda Hoyle, Spontaneous Music Orchestra, Volker Kriege, John Williams, Pork Pie, Jasper van’t Hof, Alan Skidmore, Gil Evans, Uli Beckerhoff, Towering Inferno, Wolfgang Mirbach, Theo Travis and Rot Powell.
Sinéad O’Connor
On July 26, 2023, Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, died aged 56. She was singer, musician and song-writer, best known by the song “Nothing Compares 2 U” (written by Prince). In 1990, “Billboard Music Awards”, named it number one world single. As leader O’Connor released ten albums.
Tony McPhee
On June 6, 2023, Anthony Charles McPhee aka Tony McPhee, died aged 79. He was musician (guitar), singer and song-writer, founder of the band Groundhogs. The band backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s, and in 1966, McPhee released a duet single with Champion Jack Dupree. As leader McPhee released 13 albums.
Algy Ward
On May 17, 2023, Alasdair Mackie “Algy” Ward died aged 63. He was musician (bass) and singer, member of the bands The Saints, The Damned and founding member of the band Tank.
John Giblin
On May 14, 2023, John Giblin died aged 71. He was musician (acoustic and electric bass), best known as excellent studio musician. He recorded and performed with John Martyn, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lenox, John Lennon, Duncan Brown, Elkie Brooks, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Phil Collins, Fish, Simple Minds, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading, Al Green, Kate Bush, Judie Tzuke, The Everly Brothers, Roberta Flack, Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, Jon Anderson, George Martin, Gerry Rafferty, Hugh Masakela, Fish, Alan Parsons, Manolo Garcia, Claudio Baglioni, Richard Ashcroft, Franco Battiato, Saro Cosentino, Eros Ramazzotti, Brand X and Scott Walker.
Francis Monkman
On May 12, 2023, Francis Monkman died aged 73. He was musician (keyboards, guitar) and movie score composer, member of bands Sisyphus which evolved in Curved Air, and founding member of band Sky. He recorded and toured with Renaissance, The Shadows, Al Stewart, Lynsey de Paul, Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno and Brian Bennett. As leader, Monkman released 14 albums.
Gordon Lightfoot
On May 1, 2023, Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. died aged 84. He was musician (guitar), composer and singer, regarded as the greatest Canadian songwriter. He is one of the artists who helped in defining of the folk-pop sound of the 60’ and 70’. As leader he released 20 studio and 3 live albums.
Ahmad Jamal
On April 16, 2023, Ahmad Jamal died aged 92. He was musician (piano), composer, bandleader, and educator, one of the most successful small-group leaders and one of the most important artists in jazz history. For his work Jamal received many awards including:
- 1959: Entertainment Award, Pittsburgh Junior Chamber of Commerce
- 1980: Distinguished Service Award, City of Washington D.C., Anacostia Neighborhood Museum
- 1986: Mellon Jazz Festival Salutes Ahmad Jamal, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 1987: Honorary Membership, Philippines Jazz Foundation
- 1994: American Jazz Masters award, National Endowment for the Arts
- 2001: Arts & Culture Recognition Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women
- 2001: Kelly-Strayhorn Gallery of Stars, for Achievements as Pianist and Composer, East Liberty Quarter Chamber of Commerce
- 2003: American Jazz Hall of Fame, New Jersey Jazz Society
- 2003: Gold Medallion, Steinway & Sons 150 Years Celebration
- 2007: Living Jazz Legend, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- 2007: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, French government
- 2011: Down Beat Hall of Fame, 76th Readers Poll
- 2015: Honorary Doctorate of Music, The New England Conservatory
- 2017: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, The Recording Academy
- 2018: Leopolis Jazz Music Awards Leopolis Jazz Fest, Lviv
As leader, Jamal released 69 albums.
Duško Gojković
On April 5, 2023, Duško Gojković died aged 91. He was musician (trumpet), composer and arranger. Regarded as one of the best jazz trumpet players in the world, he recorded and performed with many famous musicians, including Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Oscar Pettiford, Maynard Ferguson, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Duke Jordan, Slide Hampton, Rolf Ericson, Kenny Clarke, Francy Boland and Woody Herman. In 1966, he released “Swinging Macedonia”, which is regarded as the definitive album of the Balkan’s jazz music. As leader, Gojković released 32 albums.
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