Mundell Lowe dead at 95. Guitar great

James Mundell Lowe (April 21, 1922 – December 2, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist who worked often in radio, television, and film, and as a session musician. He produced film and TV scores in the 1970s, such as the Billy Jack soundtrack and music for Starsky and Hutch, and worked with André Previn's Trio in the 1990s.

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Jon Hendricks, master of vocalese and 'poet laureate of jazz,' dies at 96

John Carl Hendricks (September 16, 1921 – November 22, 2017), known professionally as Jon Hendricks, was an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is considered one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and replaces many instruments with vocalists (such as the big-band arrangements of Duke Ellington and Count Basie). Furthermore, he is considered one of the best practitioners of scat singing, which involves vocal jazz soloing. For his work as a lyricist, jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the "Poet Laureate of Jazz", while Time dubbed him the "James Joyce of Jive". Al Jarreau called him "pound-for-pound the best jazz singer on the planet—maybe that's ever been". WIKIPEDIA

Grady Tate, Jazz Drummer Turned Vocalist, Dies at 85

Grady Bernard Tate (January 14, 1932 – October 8, 2017) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer with a distinctive baritone voice. In addition to his work as sideman, Tate released many albums as leader and vocalist, and lent his voice to a number of songs in the animated Schoolhouse Rock! series.

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Barbara Carroll, Pioneering Jazz Pianist and Singer, Dies at 92

For seven decades a beloved fixture of Manhattan night life, Ms. Carroll was a devotee of the American songbook who never forsook her jazz roots. NYTimes Obit By STEPHEN HOLDEN

 Barbara Carroll (born Barbara Carole Coppersmith; January 25, 1925 – February 12, 2017) was an American jazz pianist. WIKIPEDIA

 VIDEO: Legendary jazz pianist Barbara Carroll at the Algonquin Hotel, May 25, 2008. With bassist Jay Leonhart, she performs her signature closing song, "Old Friends" by Stephen Sondheim.