Other lives – December 2012
15. 1. 2013 | Rubriky: Articles,Lives
[by Kate Hickson, Powys, Wales] As ever these remembrances are fluid and will get changed as news and information comes in and weblinks emerge. Please feel free to send links pertinent to this website’s continent for possible inclusion. Death is a state in flux.
5 December – The US jazz pioneer and early incorporator of world music and non-western classical elements Dave Brubeck died aged 92 in Norwalk, Connecticut. Steve Voce’s obituary ‘Dave Brubeck: Pianist and composer hailed as a major figure of 20th century jazz’ from The Independent of 5 December 2012 is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/dave-brubeck-pianist-and-composer-hailed-as-a-major-figure-of-20th-century-jazz-8386994.html
9 December – the “Diva de la Banda” and antidote to the male posturing prevalent in many Mexican and Mexican-American music forms, Jenni Rivera died aged 43 in a plane crash.
10 December – the Bohemian Czech dudy (Czech bagpipes) musician and folklorist Josef Režný died aged 87.
11 December – Ravi Shankar died aged 92 in La Jolla, San Diego, California. Of all the many tributes and obituaries, Andrew Robinson’s in The Independent of 12 December remains the front-runner: ‘Ravi Shankar: Sitar virtuoso and composer whose work introduced Indian music to Western audiences’ is at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ravi-shankar-sitar-virtuoso-and-composer-whose-work-introduced-indian-music-to-western-audiences-8412002.html
20 December – The blues singer and songwriter Jimmy McCracklin died aged 91. Tony Russell’s ‘Jimmy McCracklin obituary – Versatile blues singer and songwriter whose compositions included Tramp, recorded by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas’ from The Guardian is at http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/dec/28/jimmy-mccracklin
26 December – Fontella Bass, soul and gospel singer and songwriter, died St Louis, Missouri aged 72. Pierre Perrone’s obituary ‘Fontella Bass: Singer famed for her powerful interpretation of the million-seller ‘Rescue Me” from The Independent of 28 November 2012 is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/fontella-bass-singer-famed-for-her-powerful-interpretation-of-the-millionseller-rescue-me-8432763.html
27 December – the Bangladeshi Nazrul Sangeet specialist, master vocalist and teacher Sohrab Hossain, aged 91, in Dhaka.
28 December – the US jazz poet Jayne Cortez, aged 78, in Manhattan. Alongside Amiri Baraka, Charles Bukowski, John Cage and Allen Ginsberg, she appeared in Ron Mann’s documentary film, Poetry in Motion (1982).
30 December – the Vienna-born US arts director associated with the Japan Society and Asia Society Beate Sirota Gordon, aged 89, in Manhattan. Ken Hunt’s obituary ‘Beate Sirota Gordon: Human rights reformer who helped draft Japan’s constitution’ from The Independent published on paper on 18 January 2013 is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/beate-sirota-gordon-human-rights-reformer-who-helped-draft-japans-constitution-8456493.html