A roll call of some of the notable jazz musicians who passed away last year.

Compiled by Tom Hull

As we’ve done for many years, here is a brief and select list of notable jazz musicians and others who contributed to our enjoyment and understanding of jazz who passed in 2022. The notes are cryptic at best, intended to help identify but far short of even a brief synopsis and appreciation each of these individuals deserves.

The late Pharoah Sanders on stage. Photo: Erin X. Smithers

• Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim [Juan Amalbert], 88, American percussionist [10/]
• Beegie Adair, 84, American pianist [01/23]
• Ernie Andrews, 94, American singer [02/21]
• Gabe Baltazar, 92, American saxophonist [06/12]
• Carlos Barbosa-Lima, 77, Brazilian guitarist [02/23]
• Bob Barnard, 88, Australian trumpeter [05/09]
• John Barnes, 89, English saxophonist [04/18]
• Mickey Bass, 78, American bassist [02/03]
• Marilyn Bergman, 92, American songwriter [01/08]
• Warren Bernhardt, 83, American pianist [08/19]
• Allen Blairman, 81, American drummer [04/29]
• Michael Bourne, 75, American author, DJ [08/21]
• Jaimie Branch, 39, American trumpeter and singer [08/22]
• Doug Caldwell, 94, New Zealand pianist [05/10]
• Lou Caputo, 74, American saxophonist [08/29]
• Topsy Chapman, 75, American gospel and jazz singer [11?/]
• Jean-Louis Chautemps, 90, French saxophonist [05/25]
• Nick Colionne, 55, American guitarist [01/01]
• Roz Corral, 74, American singer [09/27]
• Gal Costa, 77, Brazilian singer [11/09]
• Ronnie Cuber, 80, American baritone saxophonist [10/08]
• Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch, 71, American singer [01/17]
• Chuck Deardorf, 68, American bassist [10/09]
• Joey DeFrancesco, 51, American organist [08/25]
• Bob DeMeo, 66, American drummer [02/16]
• Vincent DeRosa, 101, American hornist [07/18]
• Joe Diorio, 85, American guitarist [02/02]
• Gerd Dudek, 84, German saxophonist [11/03]
• Dennis González, 67, American trumpeter [03/15]
• Mick Goodrick, 77, American guitarist [11/16]
• Della Griffin, 100, American singer, drummer [08/09]
• Michael Henderson, 71, American fusion bassist [07/19]
• Khan Jamal, 75, American vibraphonist [01/10]
• David Alan Jasen, 84, American pianist and author []
• Sy Johnson, 92, American pianist [07/26]
• Rolf Kühn, 92, German clarinetist [08/19]
• Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, 79, Hungarian pianist [10/02]
• Roberto Lecaros, 77, Chilean composer, multi-instrumentalist [04/29]
• Mark Levine, 83, American pianist, author [01/27]
• Ramsey Lewis, 87, American pianist [09/12]
• Nils Lindberg, 88, Swedish pianist [02/20]
• Emil Mangelsdorff, 96, German saxophonist [01/20]
• Tina May, 60, English singer [03/26]
• Ron Miles, 58, American cornetist [03/08]
• Sue Mingus, 92, curator for Charles Mingus [09/24]
• Charnett Moffett, 54, American bassist [04/11]
• Grachan Moncur III, 85, American trombonist [06/03]
• Barbara Morrison, 72, American singer [03/16]
• James Mtume, 76, American percussionist [01/09]
• Zbigniew Namysłowski, 82, Polish saxophonist [02/07]
• Michael G. Nastos, 70, American author, DJ [11/]
• Bobby Naughton, 78, American vibraphonist [12/03]
• Enrique Norris, 70, Argentine trumpeter-pianist [09/]
• Anthony Ortega, 94, saxophonist/clarinetist, [10/30]
• Giuseppe Pino, 82, Italian photographer [09/13]
• Paul Plimley, 69, Canadian pianist [05/18]
• Tim Price, 70, American saxophonist [07/21]
• Wolfgang Reisinger, 66, Austrian drummer [06/08]
• Adelhard Roidinger, 80, Austrian bassist [04/22]
• Badal Roy, 82, Indian percussionist (tabla) [01/22]
• Pharoah Sanders, 81, American tenor saxophonist [09/24]
• Gene Santoro, 71, American author [04/27]
• Susanne Schapowalow, 100, German photographer [06/06]
• Marty Sheller, 82, American trumpeter and arranger [09/17]
• Harry Sheppard, 94, American vibraphonist [12/27]
• Kelly Sill, 70, American bassist [09/28]
• Donald Smith, 78, American pianist [04/09]
• Rhodes Spedale, 84, American pianist and author [08/23]
• Andrew Speight, 58, Australian saxophonist [12/01]
• Meghan Stabile, 39, American producer/marketer [06/14]
• Milenko Stefanović, 92, Serbian clarinetist [07/25]
• Fredy Studer, 74, Swiss percussionist [08/22]
• Monnette Sudler, 70, American guitarist [08/21]
• Isao Suzuki, 89, Japanese bassist [03/08]
• John Swenson, 71, American author [03/28]
• Creed Taylor, 93, American producer and executive (Impulse, CTI) [08/23]
• Terry Teachout, 65, American author [01/13]
• Barbara Thompson, 77, British saxophonist [07/09]
• Butch Thompson, 78, American pianist [08/14]
• Janet Thurlow, 96, American singer [10/04]
• Louise Tobin, 104, American big band singer [11/26]
• Trevor Tomkins, 81, British drummer [09/09]
• Fred Van Hove, 84, Belgian pianist [01/13]
• Abdul Wadud, 75, American cellist [08/10]
• Paul Weinstein, 90, American advocate/promoter [10/11]
• Jessica Williams, 73, American pianist [03/12]
• Leroy Williams, 85, American drummer [06/01]
• Ralph “Yohuru” Williams, 75, American percussionist [09/17]
• Matthias Winckelmann, 81, German producer, founded label Enja [06/19]
• Terry Woodson, 81, American trombonist and producer [10/19]
• Clive Zanda, 82, Trinidadian pianist [01/06]

A few more important figures in music who passed in 2022:

The late Lawrence “Black” Ardoin.

• Lawrence “Black” Ardoin, 76, Creole accordion player, singer [12/02]
• Thom Bell, 79, American R&B producer (Philadelphia Intl) [12/22]
• Black Stalin, 81, Trinidadian calypso singer [12/28]
• Traci Braxton, 58, American R&B singer [03/12]
• Ekambi Brillant, 74, Cameroonian singer [12/12]
• Joe Bussard, 86, American collector and anthologist [09/26]
• Irene Cara, 63, American singer, actor [11/25]
• Coolio (Artis Leon Ivey Jr.), 59, American rapper [09/28]
• B. Crentsil, 78, Ghanaian singer [07/13]
• George Crumb, 92, American composer [02/06]
• Betty Davis, 77, American R&B singer [02/09]
• Herbert Deustch, 90, American composer, invented Moog synthesizer [12/09]
• Lamont Dozier, American songwriter and producer (Motown) [08/08]
• Anton Fier, 66, American drummer (Feelies, Golden Palominos) [09/12]
• Mickey Gilley, 86, American country singer [05/07]
• Sam Gooden, 87, American soul singer (The Impressions) [08/03]
• Guitar Shorty (David Kearney), 87, American blues singer-guitarist [04/20]
• Terry Hall, 63, British ska singer (The Specials) [12/19]
• Ronnie Hawkins, 87, American rockabilly singer-songwriter [05/29]
• Joni James, 91, American pop singer [02/20]
• Mable John, 91, American R&B singer [08/25]
• James Johnson, 82, American blues guitarist (Slim Harpo) [04/16]
• Jimmy Johnson, 93, American blues guitarist-singer [01/31]
• Syl Johnson, 85, American R&B singer [02/06]
• Wilko Johnson, 75, British singer-songwriter (Dr. Feelgood) [11/21]
• Elayne Jones, 94, American classical timpanist [12/17]
• Naomi Judd, 76, American country singer (The Judds) [04/30]
• Orlando Julius, 79, Nigerian saxophonist-singer [04/14]
• Mark Lanegan, 57, American singer-songwriter [02/22]
• Michael Lang, 80, American pianist, film composer [08/05]
• Jerry Lee Lewis, 87, American rockabilly singer-pianist [10/28]
• Loretta Lynn, 90, American country singer-songwriter [10/04]
• Lata Mangeshkar, 92, Indian singer [02/06]
• Mary McCaslin, 75, American folk singer [10/02]
• Christine McVie, 79, British singer-songwriter (Fleetwood Mac) [11/30]
• Joe Messina, 93, American guitarist (Motown) [04/04]
• Pablo Milanés, 79, Cuban singer-songwriter [11/22]
• Tshala Muana, 64, Congolese singer [12/10]
• Bobbie Nelson, 81, American pianist [03/10]
• Sandy Nelson, 83, American drummer [02/14]
• Mo Ostin, 95, American record executive (Verve, Warner Bros.) [07/31]
• Jo Carol Pierce, 78, American singer-songwriter, playwright [12/02]
• Archie Roach, 66, Australian singer-songwriter [07/30]
• Ned Rorem, 99, American composer [11/18]
• Art Rupe, 104, American record executive (Specialty) [04/15]
• Bobby Rydell, 79, American singer [04/05]
• Klaus Schulze, 74, German electronic composer (Tangerine Dream) [04/26]
• Terry Shannon, 92, British pianist [10/29]
• Joyce Sims, 63, American R&B singer [10/15]
• Elza Soares, 91, Brazilian singer [01/20]
• Ronnie Spector, 78, American singer (The Ronettes) [01/12]
• Jim Stewart, 92, American record executive (Stax) [12/05]
• Ian Tyson, 89, Canadian country singer-songwriter [12/29]
• Vangelis, 79, Greek composer-musician [05/17]
• Verckys (Georges Kiamuangana Mateta), 78, Congolese saxophonist [10/13]
• Walter “Wolfman” Washington, 79, American blues guitarist-singer [12/22]
• Norma Waterson, 82, English folk singer [01/30]
• Sonny West, 85, American rockabilly singer-songwriter [09/08]
• Joel Whitburn, 82, American author, chart compiler [06/14]
• Bernard Wright, 58, American funk keyboardist-singer [05/19]

Some sources for longer lists: Best Classic Bands; Billboard; We Heart Music; New York Times; Wikipedia; New York City Jazz Record; and especially Ken Franckling’s Jazz Notes (also his pieces at All About Jazz and JJA News).