An extensive list of hundreds of international esteemed jazz, blues, gospel and “creative music” instrumentalists, singers and adherents of those arts who died in 2017. Compiled for the Jazz Journalists Association from sources including local newspapers, the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt weekly newsletter, AllAboutJazz.com, Wikipedia, the New York Times, Legacy.com, Rolling Stone, Variety, JazzTimes.com, blogs, list-serves, Facebook pages and European publications. Links to their fuller biographies or obituaries are provided where possible. And here’s an additional list by Jazz.RU editor Cyril Moshkow of “Russian Jazz Farewells“.
ESPECIALLY NOTABLE: JOHN ABERCROMBIE, MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS*, 
GERI ALLEN, SVEND ASMUSSEN, GEORGE AVAKIAN*, ARTHUR BLYTHE, BARBARA CARROLL, LARRY CORYELL, LARRY ELGART, BUDDY GRECO, HUGH HEFNER, JON HENDRICKS*, NAT HENTOFF*, ALLAN HOLDSWORTH, AL JARREAU, TOMMY LIPUMA, CHUCK LOEB, MUNDELL LOWE, KEVIN MAHOGANY, MAURICE PERESS, DAVE PELL, DELLA REESE, BEN RILEY, MICKEY ROKER, ROSWELL RUDD, KEELY SMITH, FRED STATON, CHUCK STEWART, GRADY TATE, DAVE VALENTIN.
*denotes NEA Jazz Masters
Accordionist Peggy Lawrence; accordionists and singers Dick Contino, Régis Gizavo; accordionist, singer and painter Karl Hodina.
Arranger and cellist Paul Buckmaster.
Banjo player, guitarist and actor Andreas von der Meden; banjo player and educator Charlie Tagawa.
Bassists Ernie Acquisto, Bob Christopher, Edwin Coleman, Bob Cunningham, Holger Czukay, Margaret Harmon, Mingo Jones, Tim Luntzel, Dave Moore, Nicolai Munch-Hansen, Don Payne, Koos Serierse and Rino Zurzolo; bassist and bandleader Jan Arnet; bassist, composer and broadcaster Ray Villadonga; bassist and ukelelist Lyle Ritz; bassist, singer, arts patron and philanthropist Ted Cutler; bassist and educator John Shifflett; bassist and recording engineer Spencer Starnes; bassist and broadcaster Jackie Flavelle; bass guitarist Robert “Pops” Popwell.
Bassoonist Alaeddin Adlernest.
Cellist Daniel Pezzotti.
Clarinetists Karl “Charly” Petri, Claus Jürgen Möller, Siggi Seyffer, Dennis Smylie; clarinetist and keyboardist Patrick “Petz” Hartert; clarinetist and saxophonist Jean Tordo; clarinetist, singer and educator Paul Nossiter; clarinetist, educator and musical instrument company executive Mike Bennett.
Composer, arranger, accordionist and music executive Dominic Frontiere; composer, pianist, producer and singer Leon Ware; composer, pianist and educator Vuk Kulenovic. Conductor, composer, arranger and producer Buddy Bregman; conductor, arranger and bassist Wiliam Brohn; conductor, educator and author Maurice Peress; composer and guitarist Daniel Licht.
Drummers Rolf Bänninger, Benny Barth, John Blackwell Jr., Roger Blàvia, John Boudreaux, “Mad” Harold Cardwell, Bill Dowdy, Bob Herrman, Rudy Lawless, Jaki Liebezeit, Lou Marino, Pierino Munari, Sunny Murray, Skip Prokop, Ben Riley; Mickey Roker, Charles “Bobo” Shaw, Benny Soans, Corneliu Stroe, Clyde Stubblefield, Ted Sommer, Fernando Toussaint; drummer and bandleader Frank Capp; drummer and composer Zabba Lindner; drummer, composer and singer Wilson das Neves; drummers and educators Heinz von Moisy, Kim Plainfield; drummers and singers Arnold “Spider” Rondinelli, Grady Tate; drummer and
timbalero Ramón “Monchito” Muñoz; drummer, producer, composer and arranger David Axelrod; drummer and Riviera Maya Jazz Festival founder Fernando Toussaint; drummer, editor and writer Tony Augarde; drummer, painter, printmaker and sculptor A.R. Penck (Ralf Winkler); drummer, bandleader and cultural advocate Jürgen Thormann; drummer and promoter Soares Katumbela; drummer and actor Janne “Loffe” Carlsson; drummer, broadcaster, engineer, producer and (Kneptune) record label owner Kenny Harris; drummer, singer and producer Bill Carney.
Educator and pianist Daisy Peterson Sweeney (Oscar Peterson’s sister).
Flutists Brian Delma Taylor, Dave Valentin; flutist, composer and educator Matt Marvuglio.
Guitarists John Abercrombie, Paul Abler, Tommy Allsup, Larry Coryell, Eddie Diehl, Stephan Diez, Willy Donni, Errol Dyers, Jay Geils, Col. Bruce Hampton, Allan Holdsworth, Halvard Kausland, Chuck Loeb, Mundell Lowe, Gustl Lütjens, Andy Manndorf, Tsunehide Matsuki, Skeets McWilliams, Fausto Mesolella, Phil Miller, Vincent Nguini, Joel Perry, Bern Nix, Léo Petit, Leon Rhodes, Bobby Trook, Samuel Tshiyembe; guitarist, banjo player and broadcaster Tony Davis; guitarist and bassist Ray Chamberlain; guitarist, bassist, producer and Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker; guitarists and composers Paul Abler, Irio De Paula; guitarists and educators Bill Horvitz, Alan Joseph, Thomas Phleps; guitarist, educator and writer Ian Cruickshank; guitarist, arranger and
producer Cheikh Tidiane Tall; guitarist, songwriter and singer Chuck Berry; guitarist, conductor, composer and arranger Frank Como; guitarist and artistic director of Senegal’s Saint Louis Jazz Festival Khabane Thiam.
Keyboardists and singers Delmar Brown, Junie Morrison; keyboard player and record producer Toby Smith. Multi-instrumentalists Rick Centalonza, Kèmo Kouyaté, Mattathias Pearson; multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader Kelan Phil Cohran; multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, AACM co- founder and NEA Jazz Master Muhal Richard Abrams; multi-instrumentalist and composer Harry Shírman,
Organists Melvin Carter Sr., Sarah McLawler, Seleno Clarke; organist and composer Marián Varga; organist, pianist and vibes player Mike Carr.
Percussionist Bessemer “Bess” Taylor; percussionist and bandleader Anselmo Vidal; percussionist and educator Bobby Matos; percussionist and percussion instrument manufacturer Cali Rivera; percussionist and producer Laudir de Oliveira; percussionist and industrial instrument pioneer Z’ev (Stefan Joel Weisser).
Pianists Riza Arshad, Bill Barnacle, Gottfried Böttger, Clarence Bell, Don Coates, John Critchinson, Leo Cuypers, Armand De Genova, Nick DeNucci, Danny Holgate, Karan Joseph, Fumio Karashima, Brian Klarman, Lucho Macedo, Paul Mastriani, Tom McClung, Misha Mengelberg, Clem Moorman, Horace Parlan, Willie Pickens, Keith Stackhouse, Jeter Thompson, Dolph Traymon, Avo Uvezian, Vladimir Vittikh, Billy Wallace, Andy Whittington, John Wright; pianists and arrangers Erich Becht, Czeslaw Gawlik; pianist, bandleader, composer and educator Barry Levitt; pianists, bandleaders and composers Theo Bophela, Billy Dennison; pianist and bandleader Jimmy Dale; pianist, bassist and composer Oscar Alem; pianist and club co-founder Al Neil (Vancouver’s Cellar Jazz Club); pianists and composers Egil Kapstad, Roberta Mandel, Maurice Vander;
pianist, composer and arranger John Coates Jr.; pianists and educators Geri Allen, Bill Bell, Jim Pickley, Bill Seymour, Charles Winslow; pianist and film composer Luis Bacalov; pianist, radio producer and writer Michael Naura; pianists and singers Fats Domino, Gerry Gottschalk; pianist and poet Roy Fisher; pianist, conductor and musical director Vinnie Falcone; pianist, singer and educator Otis Hayes; pianist and educator Bill St Laurent; pianist, composer, club co-owner (The Ellington Jazz Club in Perth, Australia), educator and festival founder (Perth International Jazz Festival) Graham Wood; pianist and writer Mike Hennessey; pianist, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Jeannot Rabson; pianist and piano tuner John Butler.
Poet and jazz poetry cafe organizer (Richmond VA’s Tuesday Verses) Lorna Pinckney.
Saxophonists George Allgaier, Jean Aussanaire, Walter Badenschneider, Yves Belin, Arthur Blythe, Hugh Brodie, Bill Carmichael, Joe Cipriano, Wilfried “Rimsky” Eichhorn, Jürgen Engesser, Alexander Evans, Paul Gaglio, Lou Gare,
René Gervat, Gijs Hendriks, Buck Hill, Pentti Ilmonen, Sid Jekowsky, Eddie Katindig (Eddie K), Milivoje Mića Marković, Klaus Marmulla, Bernie Mcentegart, Dick Meldonian, Syd Morris, John Murtaugh,
Eddie Pazant, Stan Robinson, Sol Schlinger, Larry Slezak, Fred Staton (age 102), Joe Thomas, Ger van Voorden (Ger Sax), Ralph “Hassan” Williams; saxophonists and bandleaders Mel Martin, Larry Elgart; saxophonist, bandleader and producer Dave Pell; saxophonist, bandleader and singer Bob Poloncarz; saxophonist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney; saxophonist, broadcaster, educator and writer Bob Rigter; saxophonists and educators John Alexander, Tim Bell, Dick Culver, Mario Escalera. Andy McGhee, Skipp Pearson; saxophonist and musicologist Ekkehard Jost; saxophonist, producer and writer Christian Bonnet.
Singers Richard Adam, Juli Fábián, Joy Fleming. Donna Fuller, Lucky Gordon, Peggy Hayama, Al Jarreau, Christine Jones, Thandi Klasasen, Myra Love, Jacky Micaelli, Debby Moore (Debbie McDade), Memo Morales, Chris Murrell, Peter Nthwane, Carole Renee, Lynn Roberts, Sandi Russell, Abel Sithole,
Keely Smith, Bea Wain, Ruth Williams, Thomas Zawaira aka Bla Thomas; singer, songwriter, bandleader, educator and NEA Jazz Master Jon Hendricks; singers and actors Barbara Cook, Della Reese, Helen Southern; singers and educators Mili Bermejo, Kevin Mahogany; singer, guitarist, composer and arranger Boulo Valcourt;, singer and guitarist Ray Phiri; singers and pianists Barbara Carroll, Buddy Greco, Janet Seidel; singer, keyboardist and producer William Onyeabor;
singer and dancer Martha Arras (Martha Rich); singer and percussionist Frank Holder; singer and trombonist Boris Lindqvist (Rock Boris); singer and broadcaster Dick Noel; singer, broadcaster and comedian Saucy Sylvia (Sylvia Mureddu); singer, songwriter and producer Bernard Ighner; singer, songwriter and actor Luiz Melodia; singer, songwriter, pianist and producer Robbie Malinga.
Tres player Papi Oviedo.
Trombonists Wendell Eugene, Mike Grey, Pat Ireland, George Kidd, John Messner, John Thorp, Roger Williams; trombonists and bandleaders Morris Ellis, Bill Tole; trombonist and clarinetist Adolf Georg Klapproth; trombonist and composer Charles Small; trombonists and educators George Broussard, Roswell Rudd, Jeff Tower.
Trumpeters Günter Bochow, Hans Carling, Bill Dunmore, Gary Eisenberg, Gary Elton, Rod Hamer, Atle Hammer, Tony Hardwick, Elias Lopes, Rod Mason, Michael McGovern, Johnny Mekoa, Pit Müller, Hal Posey, Ernesto “Tito” Puentes, Toni Rabold, Leon “Red” Schwartz, Tony Terran, Steve Wiest; trumpeter and big-band leader Herb Runge; trumpeter, composer, educator and broadcaster Walt Blanton; trumpeter, composer and arranger Lew Gluckin; trumpeters and educators Thara Memory (also a JJA Jazz Hero), Melton Mustafa; trumpeter and Texas Jazz Festival founder Eddie Olivares Sr.; trumpeter and pianist Gordon Leinwand; trumpeter and bandleader Fejat Sejdić.
Tuba player John Buckingham; tuba player and bassist Joe (“Chicken Joe”) Hanchrow; tuba and sousaphone player, bassist and jazz club operator (Edinburgh, Scotland’s Stud Club) James Young.
Vibraphonist and pianist Martti Pohjalainen; vibraphonist, studio manager and Monterey Bay Hot Jazz Society co-founder Jack Fanning.
Violinist Svend Asmussen (age 100); violinist and educator Nina Trott; violinist and producer Walter Quintus (CMP Records).
Washboard player and artist Klaus von Woyski.
Record label founders Joe Fields (Cobblestone, Muse, Savant, HighNote), Harris “Lee” Rea (Louisiana Red Hot Records); record label (BYG) founder, and record and jazz festival producer Jean Karakos; record producers Bob Erdos (Stomp Off), Hideo Ikeezumi (PSF Records), Eric Miller (Pablo Records); recording executive and producer Tommy LiPuma (A&M, Blue Thumb, GRP, Verve, Warner Bros.); record producer and promoter Gérard Terronès (Futura, Marge); record producer (Argentina’s Trova label) and broadcaster Alfredo Radoszynski; record label co-founder Dorsey Boyce Baron (ChazJazz); jazz promoter William Shaw (Coventry Jazz); Jazz UK project director Heulwen Phillips; jazz concert promoter and International
Art of Jazz founder Ann Sneed; Swiss jazz and blues advocate and producer Hannes Anrig; booking agent Bennett Morgan; world music record producer and pianist David Lewiston; record and concert producer, manager, booking agent and drummer Steve Getz (son of saxophonist Stan Getz); record producer Uku Kuut;
publisher, entrepreneur and Playboy Jazz Festival founder Hugh Hefner; record industry executive (Decca, Columbia, World Pacific, Warner Bros., RCA), producer, artist manager, writer and NEA Jazz Master George Avakian.
Recording engineer Jim Czak (NOLA Studios NYC); recording engineer, producer, composer and keyboardist Charlie Eble.
Club owners Artis Jones (Milwaukee’s Mr. J’s and ARJ’s Blues & Jazz Club), Mario Maglieri (Whisky a Go Go, The Roxy Theatre and
Rainbow Bar & Grill in Los Angeles), Jimmy Makarounis (Portland OR’s Jimmy Mak’s), Rudy Onderwyzer (Shelly’s Manne-Hole, The Light House and Hop Singh in Los Angeles) Fred Salih (Fandango Café in Sarasota FL), Charlie Sims (Donna’s Bar & Grill in New Orleans), Amy Tabbinor (Stoke-on Trent UK’s Cellar Club); Fred Weintraub (New York’s Bitter End coffee house), Jim Young (Strictly Tabu in Dallas TX), Gonzalo Villar (Cuba’s El Malecón, La Negra Tomasa, MantecaJazz and XancaraJazz); club owner and broadcaster Jerry Gillotti (Gilly’s in Dayton, Ohio); club manager Paul Feyaerts (Café
Damberd in Ghent, Belgium); music producer, poet and cultural activist Mappy Torres (New York’s El Taller Latino Americano); British jazz promoter, artist manager, record producer and club manager John Jack; jazz producer and drummer Fritz Ewald;
British producer, promoter and club owner Harold Pendleton (London’s Marquee Club, National Jazz Festival); promoter Thelma Anderson (founder of Philadelphia’s Council of Jazz Advocates).
Guitar maker Bill Collings.
Broadcasters Herb Osscar Anderson, Helen Borgers, Pierre Bouteiller; former radio station owner (KJAZ),
festival producer and real estate developer Ron Cowan; broadcaster, producer and photographer Steve Schwartz; broadcaster and writer Miguel Camacho.
Jazz scholar, educator and broadcaster David Cayer; ethnomusicologist Charles Duvelle.
Photographers Terry Cryer, Don Hunstein, Scott Pollard, Chuck Stewart, Pete Turner; photographer and artist Barkley L. Hendricks; photographer, writer and producer Paul Karting.
Writers Phyllis Croom, Thomas Fitterling, Alain Tercinet; writer and musicologist Max Harrison; writer, NEA Jazz Master, historian and civil liberties advocate Nat Hentoff; writer, broadcaster and producer Elliot Meadow; jazz historian, archivist, discographer, writer, producer, educator and photographer Ed Berger; writer and historian Tom Jacobsen; writers and broadcasters Philippe Adler, ,Knut Borge, Lucien Malson; writer and producer Richard Havers;
writer, promoter and Jazz In Arizona co-founder Patricia Myers; writer and promoter Michel Delorme; curator Rod Clarke (Museum of Traditional Jazz, Washington DC);
writer and French radio/TV director Jean-Christophe Averty;
jazz researcher Herman Openeer; writer, broadcaster and curator Sue Steward; writer and producer Royce Osborn.
Blues, gospel and R&B artists, and industry figures Lonnie Brooks, Wayne Cochran, James Cotton, CeDell Davis, Bill Donoghue (‘fesser Mojo), Jimmy Dotson, ”Washboard” Lissa Driscoll, Calep Emphrey Jr., John Fisher, Guitar Gable
(Gabriel Perrodin), Linda Hopkins, Melvyn “Deacon” Jones, Paul Oliver, Rudy Rotta, Davis Taylor, T.N.T. Tribble, Lundi Tyamara, Leo “Bud” Welch.
