The JJA mourns New Orleans’ style by celebrating Francis Davis, our
esteemed friend — an author, columnist, editor, poll-meister and inquisitive, insightful thinker about jazz and other dynamic arts, who died April 14 at age 78 in his Philadelphia home.
“He died in his sleep Monday morning after several years with emphysema and Parkinsons,” his wife Terry Gross wrote in an email, and posted in a fuller obituary, “but his writing will endure.”
Francis was cremated. His friends are invited to join an online memorial service to be held Friday, April 25, at 1 pm ET.
As Ashley Kahn posted, citing experience of Francis common to many fellow writers, and readers, too:
A Fond Farewell to a colleague, friend and supportive spirit: Francis Davis’s writing — intelligent and fun, deeply informed and always insightful — was an inspiration and still is. . .
“He was welcoming to me from the start, when I was switching my path from music event production to journalism, witty and willing to hang on the phone when I had just one more question. In person, he was the same, generous and open-hearted.
“And, as Nate Chinen points out in his warm remembrance for NPR, Davis’s decision in 1966 to pursue journalism rather than poetry stemmed from an evening when he chose to attend a John Coltrane performance at Temple University rather than lecture by Allen Ginsberg on campus that same night! (Oh, to have such choices again…) Francis’s retelling of that night was a gift I was honored to be able to include in the liner notes for Offering, the first official (and best) release of that concert (also referenced by Chinen in his piece below.) Condolences to Terry Gross, and thank you Francis, for all that you shared.”
Francis Davis was an early member of the JJA, served on the JJA board in the mid-2000s, and was a panelist at JJA presentations and conferences, besides good company at festivals and concerts. He will be missed, and remembered.
