LAST CHORUS
compiled by Alan Stevens
JANUARY
Nat Adderley (68), cornetist who tended to be overshadowed by his brother Cannonball. In later years he led his own groups and frequently appeared as a soloist.
Kay Cavendish (89), pianist, singer, BBC announcer and sportswoman.
Friedrich Gulda (69), Austrian pianist who mixed classical music with jazz.
Moira Heath (89), lyricist and widow of bandleader Ted Heath.
Vic Schoen (83), arranger, bandleader and MD for the Andrew Sisters.
FEBRUARY
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (70), eccentric performer in early days of rock’roll.
Dave Jones (67), fluent clarinetist with Kenny Ball from 1959 to 1965 before
becoming a freelance.
Gus Johnson (87), drummer in many big bands, notably Count Basie, Earl Hines, and Woody Herman.
Si Zentner (82), trombonist with Harry James, Les Brown and Jimmy Dorsey.
MARCH
Ross Russell, writer and record producer; first person to record Charlie Parker.
AI Grey (74), trombonist who re-activated the art of plunger-mute playing.
Cab Kaye (78), pianist and singer much in demand in London, Amsterdam and Paris jazz venues.
Gene Harris (56), swinging two-handed pianist.
APRIL
Billy Munn (88)) pianist with Jack Hylton and Sidney Lipton; MD for the BBC’s Jazz Club in 1947. From 1949 to 1979 was resident bandleader at Imperial Hotel in Torquay.
Sally Douglas, dance band vocalist particularly with Geraldo.
Jonah Jones (9 I), trumpet/vocals. Spent 11 years with Cab Calloway before branching out on his own in 1952 with his own highly distinctive quartet.
Don Abney (76), pianist; studio musician who accompanied Rosemary Clooney, Pearl Bailey and Jack Jones.
Charles Earland (58), organist who worked mainly in the trio format.
MAY
Tex Beneke (86), tenor sax and vocals with Glenn Miller from 1938 to 1942. Later he fronted the reconstituted Miller orchestra before forming his own band.
Tito Puente (77), vibraphone/timbales, pioneered Latin American music in jazz.
Julie Dawn (79), vocalist with many dance bands and ran a penfriends programme for the BBC for 10 years.
Arnold Ross (79), underrated pianist who played with such divergent talents as Charlie Parker and Harry James.
Terri Thornton (65), singer who rivalled Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
David Bryant (78), worked with Dexter Gordon and Gerald Wilson amongst others.
Barry Ulanov (82), writer and one-time editor of Metronome.
JULY
Stanley Turrentine (61 >, with bluesy sound ideal for playing in small groups.
Bob Burns (77), versatile reedman on both sides of the Atlantic.
Tommy Burton (65), versatile pianist and entertainer.
AUGUST
Tommy Reilly (81 >, virtuoso harmonica player.
Martin Milner (72), violinist with the Halle Orchestra from 1958 to 1987.
Derek Healey, lead trumpeter much in demand in film, TV & radio studios.
Don Banks, trumpeter, stalwart with orchestras of Syd Lawrence and Joe Loss.
Baden Powell (63), guitarist who was a major influence in the development of bossa nova.
Julie London (74), quality songstress.
SEPTEMBER
Britt Woodman (80), workmanlike trombonist who spent the 1950s with Duke
Ellington and worked with Charlie Mingus, Eddie Hayward and Les Hite.
Willie Cook (76), trumpeter, stalwart of big bands led by Hines and Ellington.
OCTOBER
Dick Morrissey (60), saxophonist who could turn his hand to any style of jazz with conviction and imagination.
Vernel Foumier (73), long time drummer with Ahman Jamal Trio.
NOVEMBER
Russ Conway (76), made a fortune with his jangle style piano playing.
