In Memoriam: Remembering the jazz greats we lost in 2024

Les McCann, Pioneer of Soul Jazz (1935-2023)

Pianist and vocalist Les McCann passed away on December 29, 2023 at the age of 88 however his death was announced back in January 2024 by his manager Alan Abrahams. He was known as the originator of soul jazz, a funky, soulful, bluesy jazz fusion style. He recorded over 50 albums over the course of his 64 year career.

While McCann was a legend in the jazz world, he was most widely known to the general public for his performance and recording of the Gene McDaniels tune “Compared to What,” a protest song that criticized the Vietnam War. McCann’s version of the song, recorded with saxophonist Eddie Harris and trumpeter Benny Bailey at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival and released on the album Swiss Movement that same year, became a crossover hit that reached the Billboard pop charts. McCann’s recordings have also been widely sampled by nearly 300 hip-hop artists, including A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and Mary J. Blige.

Marlena Shaw, “California Soul” singer (1939-2024)

Best known for her 1969 hit “California Soul,” Marlena Shaw died on January 19 at the age of 81 after a 60 year career in jazz and R&B. The New Rochelle, New York native began singing in jazz clubs in the early 1960s, and she got her big break when she landed a gig with the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1966, where she met representatives of Chess Records and soon signed a recording deal. She released her first two albums with the Chess subsidiary Cadet Records, and scored a hit with “California Soul” in 1969. She would go on to release 17 albums with her final album Lookin’ for Love, released in 2004.

Eleanor Collins, Canada’s First Lady of Jazz (1919-2024)

The first Black Woman, person of colour and jazz singer to headline her own national television show in Canada, Eleanor Collins died on March 3 at age 104, the true definition of living life to the fullest. Born on November 21, 1919 in Edmonton, Alberta, Collins started performing in the 1930s when she moved to Vancouver where she got her start singing with the gospel quartet Swing Low Quartet. By the 1950s, she made the transition to jazz and started performing with the Ray Norris Quintet, becoming Vancouver’s first lady of jazz. In 1954, she made her television debut in CBC’s Bamboula: A Day in the West Indies, the first variety television show with a mixed-race cast. A year later, she would become the star in her show The Eleanor Show.

Phil Nimmons, Dean of Canadian Jazz (1924-2024)

At the ripe age of 100, Phil Nimmons died peacefully at home on April 5. Widely acclaimed as an elder statesman of Canadian jazz, Nimmons had a career that spanned more than six decades, in which he composed and arranged more than 400 original jazz compositions and recorded more than 19 albums as a leader for record labels including Verve and RCA. He wrote for his own big bands and small groups, as well as for film, radio, TV, and stage productions.

During that time, Nimmons became a highly respected educator and promoter of jazz in Canada, influencing and mentoring generations of musicians, music teachers and audiences in Canada since the 1950s through his recordings, radio shows, tours, clinics, workshops and programs in universities and summer camps.

John Minnock, New Breed Jazz Vocalist (1959-2024)

Considered as a “new-breed vocalist who infuses diversity and modern interpretation” into his music, Boston-based vocalist John Minnock passed away unexpectedly in February after a brief illness. Minnock was a beloved fixture in the Boston and NYC jazz scene, working as a financier during the day and performing in the jazz clubs and cabarets at night. He released four albums, including his most recent A Different Riff: Minnock Sings Shire, released posthumously  in April.

David Sanborn, The Musician who brought the Saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll (1945-2024)

The 6-time Grammy award-winning saxophonist began playing the saxophone as a child on the advice of his doctor believed it would strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing after Sanborn’s bout with polio at three years old. He began his music career at age 14 playing for the likes of Albert King and Little Milton before joining the Paul Butterfield blues band in 1967. As a session player, he has worked with the likes such as James Brown, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Aretha Franklin and countless others.

Sanborn has passed away on May 12 at the age of 78 after a battle with prostate cancer.

Jim Rotondi, Respected Trumpeter, Educator and Composer (1962-2024)

Born James Robert Rotondi in 1962 in Butte, Montana, USA, Rotondi started playing the piano at age 8 and switched over to the trumpet at age 12. Rotondi had been a major figure in the jazz world for the last 30 years, touring with artists such as Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Eric Alexander and more. He was the leader of his own quintet, Full House, as well as one of the original members of Eric Alexander’s One For All Jazz Sextet.

Over the course of his career, Rotondi released 18 studio albums and appeared on over 85 albums as a studio musician. His final album, Finesse, was released in February of this year. In recent years, Rotondi relocated from New York City to Craz, Austria where he accepted a teaching position as Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts. He passed away suddenly in July at the age of 62.

Frankie Beverly, Celebrated Lead Singer of MAZE (1946-2024)

Beloved singer-songwriter Frankie Beverly, best known as the lead singer of soul-funk band MAZE, passed away on September 10 at the age of 77. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Beverly was a part of several doo-wop local groups in the 1960s such as the Silhouettes and the Butlers achieving some local success. Beverly and his group the Butlers moved to San Francisco in the 1970s where they rebranded as Raw Soul and caught the attention of Marvin Gaye, who brought them on tour with him. In 1976, they changed their name again to MAZE featuring Frankie Beverly and would go on to release nine albums between 1977-1993. Best known for the singles “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain,” “Back in Stride,” and “Can’t Get Over You,” the band plans to continue on touring under the name MAZE Honouring Frankie Beverly.

Robert G. Scott, Beloved Toronto Pianist (1976-2024)

An active member of the city’s jazz scene, Robert G. Scott performed with notable acts such as Jeff Healey’s Jazz Wizards, Alex Pangman, Terra Hazelton, and Gene Hardy and served as the Musical Director of The Royal Jelly Orchestra. Robert was a beloved piano and composition teacher to many students. Between 2010 and 2015, Robert taught Grammy-nominated recording artist JP Saxe and took great joy in witnessing his success.

Robert was no stranger to the jazz.fm91 family. He performed several times at the station in the Long & McQuade performance hall, and entertained Jazz Safari patrons for over 15 years, mostly from the lobby of the Pantages Hotel back in the day. He also hosted Jazz Jams after the station’s Jazz Lives concerts. He passed away suddenly in August at the age of 48.

Shaun Martin, Renowned musician, producer and Snarky Puppy member (1978-2024)

In his nearly-30 year career,  Shaun Martin produced for some of the best in music including Erykah Badu, Chaka Khan, Guru of Gang Starr, Bjork, Ledisi, Alicia Keys, Larnell Lewis and Kirk Franklin. Born in Dallas, Texas on August 23, 1978 and started playing the piano at four years old. He attended the illustrious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts which launched the careers of artists such as Roy Hargrove, Erykah Badu and Norah Jones.

Martin joined Snarky Puppy in the late 2000s and won three GRAMMY awards with the group, including the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for their 2022 album Empire_Central.

Russell Malone, Acclaimed Guitarist (1963-2024)

A self-taught guitarist, Russell Malone stepped out on the jazz scene in the late 1980s playing with organist Jimmy Smith. In 1990, he joined forces with Harry Connick Jr. which elevated Malone as a major player in the jazz world. He would play on seminal Connick albums such as 1990’s We Are in Love and 1991’s Blue Light Red Light. Malone was also a frequent collaborator  and tour mate of Canada’s own Diana Krall, appearing on eight of her 15 studio albums including her most recent release, This Dream of You (2020).

He also collaborated with the late David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Will Downing, Natalie Cole, Benny Green and countless others. As a bandleader, he released 15 studio albums and appeared as a session player on over 70 albums during the course of his career. Malone passed away suddenly on August 23 at the age of 60 while on tour in Japan with Ron Carter as part of the Golden Striker Trio.

Jack Long, Founder of Long & McQuade (1929-2024)

A champion of live music and artists, Jack Long passed away on September 4 at the age of 95. Born on June 25, 1929 in Toronto’s west end, Jack was one of four children born to Edmund and Dora Long. Jack’s interest in music peaked back in high school while attending Humberside Collegiate when an instructor taught music lessons in brass instruments for boys. It was the same instructor who assigned Jack to play the trumpet. He began listening to jazz music and saved up enough money to take music lessons in an effort to perfect his craft. In 1956, Jack started selling King Instruments out of the second floor of a house at 100 Carlton Street. Six months later, he would rent out a room to friend and drum player Jack McQuade and in 1957, the two Jacks became business partners and opened a small retail store, Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, on Yonge Street. Their business partnership ended in 1965 when McQuade sold his portion to Long.

Since 1968, Long & McQuade has expanded the business to include music lessons, rentals, repairs, layaways and much more. There are over 100 Long & McQuade stores across the country as well as over 1,000 musicians and approximately 1,800 music teachers employed at Long & McQuade. Although Jack “retired” in 2008, Long & McQuade continues to be a family-owned business with his sons Steve and Jeff running the day-to-day operations.

Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian Innovator of Bossa Nova (1941-2024)

Considered one of the greatest Brazilian and Latin Jazz artist-composers of our time, Sérgio Mendes passed away on September 5 at the age of 83 due to health complications stemming from long COVID. He moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and formed another group Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’65 and would release two more albums with Capitol Records and Atlantic Records. Mendes’ music was exclusively performed in Portuguese but due to low album sales, he recruited American singers Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel, renamed the band Brasil’ 66 and released the album, Herb Alpert Presents Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. The album included the crossover hit, “Mas que Nada,” considered to be the first Portuguese song to be a hit in America. One of their another hit single, a rendition of “The Look of Love,” was later remade by Canada’s own Diana Krall for her 2001 album The Look of Love.

Mendes would release over 40 albums over the course of his career and would collaborate with countless artists such as Herb Alpert, Black Eyed Peas, Stevie Wonder, India.Arie, Erykah Badu and many others.

Tito Jackson, Jackson 5 Co-Founder & Blues Guitarist (1953-2024)

Born Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson on October 15, 1953 in Gary, Indiana, he was the third of ten children born to Katherine and Joseph “Joe” Jackson. Having developed an interest in guitar, at age 10, Tito was caught playing his father Joe’s guitar after he broke a string. Impressed with Tito’s guitar-playing skills, Joe bought Tito his own guitar and started the musical group The Jackson Brothers with Tito alongside his brothers Jackie and Jermaine. That group would later become the Jackson 5 once younger brothers Marlon and Michael joined in 1964. The Jackson 5 got their big break in 1968 after signing with Motown Records where they released four consecutive number-one singles including “ABC,””I Want You,” “I’ll Be There,” and “The Love You Save.” Tito’s defiant guitar playing became a catalyst for a legacy that is considered one of music’s greatest discoveries with The Jackson 5.

Jackson would later launch a blues career in 2003 and released two solo albums, performing alongside acts such as B.B. King, Angelo Earl, Big Daddy Kane, Eddie Levert, George Benson, Stevie Wonder and more. Jackson died of a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on September 15.

Benny Golson, Master Saxophonist (1929-2024)

Born in Philadelphia on January 25, 1929, Golson started playing the piano at age nine before switching to the saxophone as a teenager. He was childhood friends with John Coltrane, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones and the Heath Brothers (Jimmy and Percy) while students at Benjamin Franklin High School in Philadelphia’s north-end, who would all become jazz greats in their own right.

He would go on to record over 50 albums as bandleader and with the Jazztet. He would also appear on on over 40 albums as an arranger and sideman. Best known for recordings such as “Moanin,” “Whisper Not,” “Stablemates,” “Along Came Betty,” and ” Killer Joe,” just to name a few. His final album, Horizon Ahead, was released in 2016. Golson passed on September 21 at his home in Manhattan.

Julia Cleveland, Talented Percussionist and Toronto Jazz Advocate (1978-2024)

On September 23, the Toronto Jazz community was rocked by the sudden and tragic passing of percussionist and composer Julia Cleveland. She worked as the Finance Manager for the Toronto Musicians Association and even ran her own music school for a few years called The Julia Cleveland Music Learning and Exploration School prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Julia was featured in an episode of Jazzology back in 2007 as well as a featured performer at our various Jazz Safaris over the years.

Cleveland was also a bandleader who led her own quartet, the Julia Cleveland Quartet, that performed as various venues and festivals such as the Montreal Jazz Festival. One of Julia’s final shows was at the Bluebird Bar with her trio, The Julia Cleveland Trio, on September 19 in her beloved community of the Junction where she lived with her partner.

Stacie McGregor, Distinguished Canadian jazz pianist (1961-2024)

Known for her passionate performances and her depth as a composer, Stacie’s journey in music began in Winnipeg, where her talent was evident from a young age. By twelve, she had already garnered national attention, placing third in the Yamaha Songwriting Competition. Her early mentor, Winnipeg jazz legend Ron Paley, recognized her potential and encouraged her to move to Toronto to attend Humber College’s jazz program— a decision that would shape her extraordinary career.

Stacie McGregor will be remembered as a dedicated artist who shared her talent generously, captivating audiences and inspiring fellow musicians. Her music lives on as a testament to her artistry and commitment to jazz.

Quincy Jones, Music’s Greatest Architect (1933-2024)

Best known for his work in shaping the pop music genre by producing masterpieces such as Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and Thriller and working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones’ musical roots started with jazz. Jones attending Garfield High School where he developed skills as a trumpeter and arranger. It was during this time that a 14-year-old Quincy Jones would meet 16-year-old Ray Charles at the Black Elks club, an African-American fraternity. Charles would serve as a major inspiration in Jones’ burgeoning career as a jazz musician.

In 1951, Jones embarked on his studies at Seattle University, later transferring to Berklee College of Music. However, he left school entirely in 1953 when he was offered an opportunity to tour as a trumpeter and pianist with vibraphonist and bandleader Lionel Hampton. He began to hone in on his arranging skills and started writing arrangements for artists such as Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles.

Jones would spend the 1950s touring across Europe, leading several orchestras and studying under music teachers Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen. “We had the best jazz band on the planet, and yet we were literally starving. That’s when I discovered that there was music, and there was the music business,” Jones recalled during an interview with Ralph J. Gleason, “If I were to survive, I would have to learn the difference between the two.” Jones passed away at home on November 3 at the age of 91.

Lou Donaldson, Pioneering Alto Saxophonist (1926-2024)

Best known as the originator of “soul jazz,” Donaldson is widely created for blending jazz with various other genres including soul and bebop, which prompted the ascent of the “Hard Bop” Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s. Entirely self-taught, Donaldson would practice playing the saxophone by listening to music on the radio, attending different clubs regularly and joining a jazz band which included d trumpeters Clark Terry and Wendell Culley, saxophonist Ernie Wilkins.

Known for his soulful approach to jazz, Donaldson was considered a pioneer in jazz fusion, often blending jazz with the blues or bebop. His best-known work includes 1967’s “Alligator Bogaloo,” “Pot Belly,” and his rendition of Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” which propelled him to the mainstream. “Ode to Billie Joe” has been sampled over 200 times, most notably by hip hop artists such as Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, A$AP Rocky and A Tribe Called Quest. Donaldson passed away on November 9 at age 98.

Roy Haynes, Modern Jazz Drumming Pioneer (1925-2024)

His career began in 1942 playing in Boston’s jazz club circuit as a sideman, but it was in 1945 when his professional career took him to New York City at the request of bandleader Luis Russell. From there, he would become one of the most in-demand drummers playing for Lester Young, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Billie Holliday, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and countless more. It was during this time that Haynes would be given the nickname “Snap Crackle.”

His 1971 album Hip Ensemble blended jazz, rock and funk, a sub-genre later known as avant-garde jazz. He would release over 30 albums as bandleader with his final album, Roy-Alty, released in 2011. He continued to perform as a sideman throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s touring with Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Kenny Barron. He was also known for his impeccable fashion style, earning him the title of Best Dressed Man of the Year by Esquire Magazine in 1960.

During the 2000s, he founded the jazz group Fountain of Youth, made up of up-and-coming young jazz talent including contemporary saxophonist Marcus Strickland. He continued playing well into his early nineties, establishing a storied career that lasted 70 years until his death on November 12.