Charlie Haden was an American jazz bassist who was most notably part of the Free Jazz movement of the ’50s and ’60s. It was his work in Ornette Coleman‘s quartet during that time that endeared him to fans and critics alike. The Coleman albums on which he played been called “game changers”, but it was 1959’s The Shape Of Jazz To Come that is considered a landmark of the genre. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, Haden worked with the great Keith Jarrett, playing on several albums that received critical acclaim as well. In 1969, Haden formed the Liberation Music Orchestra whose output was more politically based, with Carla Bley contributing heavily. Haden’s most commercially successful period began in the late ’80s with the formation of his Quartet West. The configuration released albums well into the 2000s, The list of artists with whom Haden recorded over the years was not limited to jazz and includes Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker, Beck, Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, and Robert Downey Jr. Haden’s children have enjoyed careers in music as well – his son Joshua Haden is a member of the indie rock band, Spain, while his triplet daughters, Petra Haden, Tanya Haden, and Rachel Haden make up the acclaimed alt-country band, the Haden Triplets. Charlie Haden was 77 when he passed away on July 11, 2014, following a lengthy illness.
Claude Nobs will be fondly remembered as the man who created the historic Montreux Jazz Festival. Born in the Swiss city that later hosted his annual event, Nobs organized the first installment while working for the Tourism Office of Montreux in 1967. The inaugural one included sets from the likes of Jack DeJohnette, Charles Lloyd, and Keith Jarrett. The festival was quickly recognized as a premier gathering of jazz greats from the world over. Nobs also made a mark on rock and roll as well. As it turns out, Nobs was present when the Montreux Casino infamously burned down during a Frank Zappa concert. He heroically rescued several people who were taking cover in the casino. Deep Purple memorialized the event in song which included a lyrical cameo by Nobs – “Funky Claude was running in and out pulling kids out the ground.” That song is “Smoke on the Water.” During the ’70s, Nobs worked for the local branch of Warner, Elektra and Atlantic Records. While the festival expanded to include musical acts beyond the jazz world, it swelled to over 200,000 attendees. It is considered one of the most prestigious music festivals in the world today. On December 24, 2012, Claude Nobs suffered a skiing accident that left him in a coma. He was 76 when he died from those injuries on January 10, 2013.
Paul Motian was a gifted jazz drummer who first came to prominence as part of Bill Evans’ influential trio with whom he played from 1959 to 1964. He went on to play with a who’s who of jazz greats including Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, and Charlie Haden to name a few. Beginning in the early ’80s, Motian fronted his own trio that included Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano. He released over 30 albums over the course of his career. Paul Motian was 80 when he died of a bone marrow disorder on November 22, 2011.