In Memoriam 2025

This week in the Music Lounge, Paul Abella reminds us to take a moment to remember a few of the outstanding artists we lost in 2025.

Eddie Palmieri – Eddie Palmieri was, quite simply, one of the greatest to ever play Latin Jazz and Salsa music. Whether he was leading the groundbreaking group La Perfecta, writing epics like “Justicia” or “Azucar” or just playing a ton of piano, he was always a force to behold.

Jack DeJohnette – Legendary drummer from Chicago who played with a who’s who list of Jazz superstars, including Charles Lloyd, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and of course, Miles Davis. He led his own groups as well, making music that was fearless and endlessly grooving.

Al Foster – another drummer and Miles Davis alum who played with a jaw-dropping number of amazing musicians, including Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, and that only scratches the surface. His style was swinging and hard grooving, which gave top-tier soloists a lot of material to work with.

Ray Drummond – bassist Ray Drummond was highly in demand from the early 70’s well into the 2010’s and beyond. His resume spans the breadth of Jazz, from mainstream artists like Houston Person or Art Farmer to the explosive, avant-garde sounds of John Zorn or David Murray. With each of those sessions, though, Drummond provided a rock-solid foundation which bandleaders could build upon and make some absolutely fantastic music.

Sheila Jordan – Jordan was an NEA Jazz Master, a beloved vocalist and an educator. She was mentored by Charlie Parker, Lennie Tristano and Charles Mingus, among others. She was the first vocalist on Blue Note Records with 1963’s Portrait of Sheila, and had long running collaborations with Steve Kuhn, Harvie S and others. 

Andy Bey – pianist and vocalist Andy Bey got his start in the late 50’s, but didn’t rise to prominence until the late 1990’s, thanks to sparse albums like Ballads, Blues and Bey. His unique voice was also featured on albums by Gary Bartz, Horace Silver, Max Roach, Duke Pearson and Stanley Clarke.

Chuck Mangione – The flugelhornist behind songs like “Feels So Good,” “Land of Make Believe” and “Children of Sanchez,” Mangione got his start with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers before heading off in his own direction.

And while Sly Stone, Brian Wilson and Roberta Flack didn’t play Jazz, their music inspired many Jazz musicians and impressed more than a few Jazz fans along the way, and they’ll be missed, too.