Funeral arrangements has been announced for legendary pianist Oliver Jones who passed away on July 22 at the age of 91. A public funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 20 at 1PM at Union United Church in Little Burgundy, bringing him home to the church and community where his musical career started. Founded in 1907, Union United Church shares a special legacy with Jones as he began playing the piano there at the tender age of five.
Little Burgundy was considered one of Canada’s oldest English-speaking Black communities, giving birth to musical legends such as his childhood friend Oscar Peterson and his music teacher Daisy Peterson Sweeney, as well as the home to several jazz artists including Charlie Biddle and one of the first Black-owned nightclubs in Canada, Rockhead’s Paradise.
Prior to the funeral, the City of Montreal will hold a public viewing for members of the public in the Hall of Honour at Montreal City Hall on Wednesday, August 19, from 1:30-7:30PM. The public will be able to pay their last respects and offer their condolences to the family during the viewing.
For his contributions to Canadian music, Oliver Jones was awarded the Order of Canada in 1993, a recipient of the Félix Award five times, and received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 1999. He won two JUNO awards for Best Traditional Jazz Album in 1986 and 2009. In 2023, Jones was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In his home province, Jones was appointed a knight for the Order of Quebec in 1994, an honorary citizen of Ville de Montréal in 2016 and a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.
Although he retired from active touring in the 2010s, he graced the stage at Massey Hall last summer at the age of 90 for Oscar Peterson at 100 celebration.