Compiled by Tom Hull

The late saxophonist Arni Cheatham at the Makanda Project at the Dudley branch of the Boston Publc Library in early 2012. Photo: Mandorla Music

For many years now, we’ve collected brief lists of important jazz figures who passed in the previous year. This year it might suffice simply to point you to Andrey Henkin’s remarkable Jazz Passings website, which has much more depth on the jazz musicians listed below, and many others.

So what follows is effectively just a cryptic index. The first list covers individuals specifically involved with jazz — musicians, of course, but also songwriters, producers, some label operators, and several writers and media people. The second list looks beyond jazz, but is much less comprehensive. Some more sources are cited at the end.

• Gabrielle Agachiko, 64, Kenyan-American singer [01/03]
• Ulf Andersson, 83, Swedish saxophonist [02/02]
• Burt Bacharach, 94, American songwriter [02/03]
• Julian Bahula, 85, South African drummer/bandleader (Molombo, Jabula) [10/01]
• Dave Bailey, 97, American drummer [12/28]
• Guido Basso, 85, Canadian trumpeter [02/13]
• Alan Bates, 97, English label executive (Candid, Black Lion) [01/30]
• Harrison Bankhead, 68, American bassist [04/03]
• Harry Belafonte, 96, American singer, actor [04/25]
• Tony Bennett, 96, American singer [07/21]
• Karl Berger, 88, German-American pianist, vibraphonist [04/03]
• Lee Berk, 81, president of Berklee College of Music [10/22]
• Carla Bley, 87, American pianist-composer [10/17]
• Simon Booth, 67, English guitarist [03/13]
• Ruud Bos, 87, Dutch pianist/vibraphonist and arranger [06/30]
• Oscar Brashear, 78, American trumpeter [07/03]
• Hermann Breuer, 80, German trombonist [01/25]
• Peter Brötzmann, 82, German saxophonist [06/22]
• Dennis Budimir, 84, American guitarist [01/10]
• Sam Burtis, 75, American trombonist [12/29]
• Robert Bush, 65, American writer and critic [10/19]
• Philippe Carles, 82, French journalist and editor [10/14]
• Bobby Caldwell, 71, American singer [03/14]
• Zita Carno, 88, American pianist [12/07]
• Yves Chamberland, 90, French engineer, co-founder of Dreyfus Jazz [04/04]
• Arni Cheatham, 79, American saxophonist [10/22]
• Harriet Choice, 82, American writer and critic [07/13]
• Jay Clayton, 82, American vocalist [12/31]
• Ray Codrington, American trumpeter [05/28]
• Tony Coe, 88, English saxophonist [03/16]
• John Colianni, 61, American pianist [11/28]
• Kim Cusack, 84, American clarinetist/saxophonist [06/02]
• Martin Davidson, 81, founder Emanem Records [12/09]
• Richard Davis, 93, American bassist [09/03]
• Jerry Dodgion, 90, American saxophonist/flautist [02/17]
• João Donato, 88, Brazilian pianist [07/17]
• José Duarte, 84, Portuguese writer, broadcast journalist [03/30]
• Herschel Dwellingham, 78, American drummer [04/16]
• Roman Dyląg, 85, Polish bassist [07/24]
• Wally Fawkes, 98, Canadian-British clarinettist [03/01]
• Larry Fink, 82, American photographer [11/25]
• William S. Fischer, 88, American pianist [05/22]
• Curtis Fowlkes, 73, American trombonist, singer [08/31]
• Ken Franckling, 73, American writer, photographer [03/29]
• Gerald Fried, 95, American composer [02/17]
• Carlos Garnett, 84, Panamanian-American saxophonist [03/03]
• Charles Gayle, 84, American saxophonist, pianist [09/03]
• Jost Gebers, 83, co-founder FMP Records [09/15]
• Astrud Gilberto, 83, Brazilian singer [06/03]
• Steve Gnitka, 69, American guitarist [04/14]
• Brian Godding, 78, Welsh guitarist [11/26]
• Duško Gojković, 91, Serbian trumpeter [04/03]
• Frank Gordon, 85, American trumpeter [12/?]
• Robert Gottlieb, 92, American author and editor [06/14]
• Margaret Davis Grimes, 82, American archivist, wife of bassist Henry Grimes [01/07]
• Toni Harper, 85, American singe [02/10]
• Mark Hennen, 71, American pianist [02/10]
• Maurice Hines, 80, American dancer, singer, actor [12/29]
• Isaac “Redd” Holt, 91, American drummer [05/24]
• Redd Holt, 91, American drummer [05/23]
• Tristan Honsinger, 73, American cellist [08/03]
• Ralph Humphrey, 78, American drummer [04/23]
• Ahmad Jamal, 92, American pianist [04/16]
• Kidd Jordan, 87, American saxophonist [04/03]
• Ralph Kaffel, 91, producer, president Fantasy Records (1967-2004) [06/10]
• Phil Kelly, 85, American composer and arranger [11/22]
• Paul Knopf, 96, American pianist [07/06]
• Jimmy LaRocca, 83, American trumpeter, son of Original Dixieland Jazz Band founder Nick LaRocca [10/15]
• Bill Lee, 94, American musician, film composer, father of filmmaker Spike Lee [05/24]
• Carlos Lyra, 90, Brazilian singer-songwriter [12/16]
• John Marshall, 82, English drummer (Nucleus, Soft Machine, Centipede) [09/16]
• Terry Martin, 81, Australian writer and photographer, chair of Jazz Institute of Chicago [04/12]
• Rick Martinis, 92, American drummer [12/07]
• Barry “Kid” Martyn, 82, English, New Orleans-based drummer [07/17]
• Lincoln Mayorga, 86, American pianist [07/03]
• Les McCann, 88, American pianist [12/29]
• Larry McKenna, 86, American saxophonist [11/19]
• David Meeker, 87, British archivist [05/24]
• Randy Meisner, 70, American singer-songwriter (Eagles) [07/26]
• Butch Miles, 78, American drummer [02/02]
• Dom Minasi, 80, American guitarist [08/01]
• Essra Mohawk, 75, American singer-songwriter [12/11]
• Max Morath, 96, American ragtime pianist [06/19]
• Jerry Moss, 88, American producer, co-founder A&M Records [08/16]
• Nobuko “Cobi” Narita, 97, American jazz promoter and benefactor [11/08]
• Peter Nero, 89, American pianist and conductor [07/03]
• Harald Neuwirth, 84, Austrian pianist [03/23]
• Frank Owens, 90, American pianist [09/15]
• Tony Oxley, 85, English drummer, co-founder of Incus Records [12/26]
• Jeff Palmer, 74, organ player
• Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, 89, German saxophonist [07/10]
• Dino Piana, 93, Italian trombonist [11/05]
• Michel Pilz, 78, German clarinetist [11/02]
• Don Rader, 87, American trumpeter [04/18]
• Knut Riisnæs, 77, Norwegian saxophonist [07/22]
• Larry Roland, 73, American bassist/percussionist [02/25]
• Bernt Rosengren, 85, Swedish tenor saxophonist [05/15]
• Richard Roundtree, 81, American actor and singer [10./24]
• Willie Ruff, 92, American bassist, educator [12/24]
• Ryuichi Sakamoto, 71, Japanese keyboardist-composer [03/28]
• Michel Sardaby, 88, Martinican pianist, long based in France [12/06]
• Carl Saunders, 80, American trumpeter [02/25]
• Don Sebesky, 85, American trombonist, arranger/conductor [04/29]
• Manfred Selchow, 87, German author and critic [11/05]
• Wayne Shorter, 89, American saxophonist [03/02]
• Rasul Siddik, 73, American trumpeter [01/17]
• Carol Sloane, 85, American singer [01/23]
• Huey “Piano” Smith, 89, American r&b pianist [02/13]
• Michael Snow, 94, Canadian musician and filmmaker [01/05]
• Phil Sunkel, 97, American trumpeter [02/27]
• David Tamura, 69, American saxophonist/guitarist [06/24]
• Lilian Terry, 92, Maltese-Italian singer [06/29]
• Lázaro Valdés, 82, Cuban musician [01/01]
• Oscar Valdés, 85, Cuban percussionist [10/19]
• Steve Voce, 89, British writer and critic [11/23]
• Lars Westin, 75, Swedish critic, producer, co-founder Dragon Records [10/15]
• Fred White, 67, American drummer (Earth, Wind & Fire) [01/01]
• Jack Wilkins, 78, American guitarist [05/03]
• Jackie Williams, 90, American drummer [06/11]
• Mars Williams, 68, American saxophonist [11/30]
• Tim Williams, 65, American trombonist [05/29]
• Tom Williams, 61, American trumpeter [08/07]
• Tony Williams, 92, American saxophonist [11/11]
• Jen Wilson, 78, Welsh pianist [05/08]
• Reuben Wilson, 88, American organist [05/26]
• Walter Wolff, 42, Finnish pianist [06/15]
• Richard B. Woodward, 70, American author and critic [04/29]
• Masahiko Yuh, 85, Japanese producer and writer, founder of Whynot label [10/14]

A second, briefer list looks beyond jazz to other forms of music:

The late singer-songwriter David Lindley. Photo:Todd Paris, Mountain Stage

• Ed Ames, 95, American singer, actor [05/21]
• Leny Andrade, 80, Brazilian singer-musician [07/24]
• Robbie Bachman, 69, Canadian drummer (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) [01/12]
• Tim Bachman, 71, Canadian guitarist (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) [04/28]
• Jeff Beck, 78, English guitarist (The Yardbirds) [01/10]
• Jane Birkin, 76, English-French singer and actress [07/16]
• George Brown, 74, American drummer (Kool & the Gang) [11/17]
• Pete Brown, 82, English poet, lyricist (Cream) [05/19]
• Jimmy Buffett, 76, American singer-songwriter [09/01]
• Larry Chance, 82, American doo-wop singer (The Earls) [09/03]
• Len Chandler, 88, American folk singer [08/28]
• David Crosby, 81, American singer-songwriter (The Byrds, CSN&Y) [01/18]
• Gangsta Boo, 43, American rapper (Three 6 Mafia) [01/01]
• Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, 99, Ethiopian pianist [03/26]
• Fuzzy Haskins, 81, American R&B singer-guitarist (Parliament-Funkadelic) [03/16]
• Leon Hughes, 92, American R&B singer (The Coasters) [03/01]
• Rudolph Isley, 84, American R&B singer [10/11]
• Chuck Jackson, 85, American R&B singer [02/16]
• David Jolicoeur, 54, American rapper (Trugoy the Dove, in De La Soul) [02/12]
• Jim Gordon, 77, American drummer (Derek and the Dominos) [03/13
• Scott Kempner, 69, American guitarist-singer (The Del-Lords) [11/29]
• Denny Laine, 79, English musician (Moody Blues, Wings) [12/10]
• Rita Lee, 75, Brazilian singer (Os Mutantes) [05/03]
• Linda Lewis, 72, English singer-songwriter [05/03]
• Gordon Lightfoot, 84, Canadian singer-songwriter [05/01]
• David Lindley, 78, American singer-songwriter [03/03]
• Lord Creator [Kentrick Patrick], 87, Trinidadian-born Jamaican singer [06-30]
• Shane MacGowan, 65, Irish rock singer (Pogues) [11/30]
• Mbongeni Ngema, 68, South African musician and playwright [12/27]
• Sinéad O’Connor, 56, Irish singer-songwriter [07/26]
• Bobby Osborne, 91, American bluegrass musician (Osborne Brothers) [06/07]
• Anita Pointer, 74, American singer (Pointer Sisters) [12/31/2022]
• Johnny Powers, 84, American rockabilly singer-guitarist [01/16]
• Lisa Marie Presley, 54, American singer-songwriter [01/12]
• Robbie Robertson, 80, Canadian singer-songwriter (The Band) [08/03]
• Charlie Robison, 59, American singer-songwriter [09/10]
• Gary Rossington, 71, American guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd) [03/03]
• Peggy Scott-Adams, 74, American r&b singer [03/27]
• Tommy Smothers, 86, American folksinger, comedian [12/26]
• Seymour Stein, 80, American label executive (Sire Records) [04/02]
• Chris Strachwitz, 91, American label founder (Arhoolie) [05/03]
• Barrett Strong, 81, American singer-songwriter [01/28]
• Charlie Thomas, 85, American singer (The Drifters) [01/31]
• Tina Turner, 83, American-born R&B singer [05/24]
• Dwight Twilley, 72, American singer-songwriter [10/18]
• Tom Verlaine, 73, American singer-songwriter (Television) [01/28]
• André Watts, 77, American classical pianist [07/12]
• Cynthia Weil, 82, American songwriter [06/01]
• Roger Whittaker, 87, British singer-songwriter [09/13]
• George Winston, 74, American pianist [06/03]
• Gary Wright, 80, American singer-songwriter (“Dream Weaver”) [09/03]

Some sources for more extensive lists:

• Jazz Passings.
• Billboard: Musicians We Lost in 2023.
• New York Times: Notable Deaths in 2023: Music.
• We Heart Music: Musicians who died in 2023.
• Wikipedia: Deaths in 2023; also List of 2023 deaths in popular music.

Tom Hull studied sociology and worked in engineering, but also wrote rock criticism in the 1970s, and the Village Voice’s Jazz Consumer Guide from 2005 to 2011. He continues to blog, and has over 20,000 short reviews on his website