January
–7. Nat Hentoff, 91, renowned jazz critic, political columnist, and free speech activist
—-“He never lost his sense of rage.”
–8. Peter Sarstedt, 75, pop singer (Where Do You Go to My Lovely? +)
10. Buddy Greco, 90, jazz singer and pianist
13. Riza Arshad, 53, Indonesian jazz keyboardist and a lovely man.
16. William Onyeabor, 70, ‘mysterious and reclusive Nigerian synthesizer whiz’
18. Mike Kellie, 69, drummer with Spooky Tooth, Only Ones and an in-demand session drummer.
21. Maggie Roche, 65, one-third of family band the Roches.
22. Jaki Liebezeit, 78, drummer and founding member of Can (Click his name for live sessions)
22. Peter Overend Watts, 70, bass player with Mott The Hoople
24. Butch Trucks, 69, Allman Brothers Band drummer
February
–2. Deke Leonard, 72, guitarist (Man, Iceberg)
–5. David Axelrod, 83, much sampled producer and composer
12. Al Jarreau, 76, Grammy-winning and very distinctive jazz singer
13. Michael Naura, 82, German jazz pianist, critic and producer
17. Peter Skellern, 69, more than a ‘pop singer-songwriter and interpreter’.
19. Larry Coryell, 73, pioneering and eclectic jazz fusion guitarist (w. downloadable compilation)
23. Horace Parlan, 83, hard-bop pianist with Charles Mingus, Roland Kirk, Archie Shepp et al.
March
–3. Misha Mengelberg, 81, Dutch improvising jazz pianist
–4. Valerie Carter, 64, back up singer for James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Neil Diamond, Ringo Starr et al.
–4. John McGeoch, 48, guitarist with Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, PiL ++
16. James Cotton, 81, blues harp legend, Muddy Waters (video), Howling Wolf, Janis Joplin ++
18. Chuck Berry, 90, pioneering rock’n’roller, still gigging at 80 … His life in pictures
27. Clem Curtis, 76, original lead singer with the Foundations +
28. Arthur Blythe, 76, innovative jazz saxophonist
April
-1. Ikutaro Kakehashi, 87, Japanese developer of Roland keyboards, drum machines
–8. Brian Matthew, 88, disc jockey and radio presenter, a ‘voice for our generation’
11. John ‘J’ Geils, 71, rock star (click name for 1974 concert)
15. Allan Holdsworth, 70, seminal jazz-rock guitarist (click name for media content)
28. Joanna Brouk, 68, composer “at the nexus between ambient, new age, drone, and classical minimalism“
May
–5. Clive Brooks, 67, drummer with Egg, later drum technician with Pink Floyd
–8. Dave Pell, 92, jazz saxophonist and bandleader.
17. Chris Cornell, 52, “architect of Grunge”
27. Gregg Allman , 69, organist with the Allman Brothers (a gig in 1984)
29. David Lewiston , 88, ethnomusicologist whose first recordings were in Bali
June
10. Julia ‘Jupe’ Perez, 36, Indonesian dangdut singer who faced down the Fundamentally Perverted Islamists
14. Anita Pallenberg, 73, actor, model and muse to the Rolling Stones
27. Geri Allen, 60, influential jazz pianist
28. Kelan Phil Cohran, 90, trumpeter and occasional zither (Sun Ra and His Arkestra)
Listen to African Skies
July
-5. Pierre Henry, 89, a leader of the musique concrète genre.
16. Kitty Lux, 59, founder of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, the world’s first.
25. Dr G Yunupingu, 46, singer-songwriter, member of Yothu Yindi
31. Chuck Loeb, 61, jazz guitarist, composer (Stan Getz, Steps Ahead, Four Play)
August
–8. Glen Campbell, 81, singer, songwriter and guitarist (an unreleased concert from 1967)
22. John Abercrombie, 72, seminal jazz fusion guitarist (video) & ECM mainstay.
30. Skip’ Prokop, 73, drummer, co-founder of Canadian group Lighthouse “the world’s first 13-piece jazz-rock orchestra“
September
–3. Walter Becker, 67, ‘half’ of Steely Dan (IndoJazzia tribute)
–5. Holger Czukay, 79. founder member of Can
–8. Don Williams, 78, country singer and Nashville songwriter
22. Harold Pendleton, 93, founder of London’s legendary Marquee Club and Reading Festival
24. Jack Good, 86, television and theatre producer: Six-Five Special and Oh Boy! (UK), Shindig! (USA)
30. Tom Paley, 89, a pioneer of the 50s American folk revival
October
–2. Tom Petty, 66, Heartbreakers/Travelling Wilburys singer and writer of transcendent pop-rock songs.
-8. Grady Tate, 85, American hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer (discography)
18. Phil Miller, 68, crucial yet unassuming guitarist with the ‘Canterbury’ bands Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North, National Health, In Cahoots
24. Fats Domino, 89, “true giant of postwar American popular music: no one sounded like him, yet ask who he influenced, and the answer is everyone.”
November
–7. Paul Buckmaster, 71, English artist, arranger, conductor, composer, Grammy Award winner.
16. Michael ‘Dik Mik’ Davies, 73, electronics pioneer, and original keyboardist with Hawkwind
18. Malcolm Young, 64, co-founder, songwriter and guitarist with AC/DC
21. David Cassidy, 65, teen idol (Partridge Family), singer-actor.
December
–6. Johnny Halliday, 74, France’s biggest rock star, sold 110 million albums.
