Joe Sample, Iconic Jazz Pianist & Composer, Is Dead at 75 Joe Sample, who spent more than five decades as a jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer creating music that transcended genres and inspired countless musicians, died on Friday, September 12 in Houston, TX. He was 75. Sample’s family confirmed the sad news with a post on his Facebook page, which read: “At 9:50pm (Houston,TX time), September 12, 2014, Joe Sample passed. His wife Yolanda and his son Nicklas would like to thank all of you, his fans and friends, for your prayers and support during this trying time. Please know that Joe was aware and very appreciative of all of your prayers, comments, letters/cards and well wishes.” Post by Joe Sample. The exact cause of death was not confirmed by his family; however, Sample has suffered from a myriad of health issues over the past few years. After suffering a heart attack in 1994, and a second in 2009, he was recently hospitalized once again due to pneumonia. Sample attributed these struggles to “the vagaries of life, and a little bit of old age.” While these struggles forced him to cancel a number of shows recently, including a planned three-day residency at London’s Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club last month, the electricity that filled the room whenever he played would never give away his age. Joseph Leslie Sample was born on February 1, 1939 in Houston, TX. He found himself enamored shortly after being introduced to the piano at just five years of age, and stuck with the instrument throughout childhood. While enrolled as a music performance student at Texas Southern University, Sample teamed up with his old friends saxophonist Wilton Felder, drummer Stix Hooper, trombonist Wayne Henderson, and several other musicians to form The Jazz Crusaders (later, just The Crusaders). The group started out playing hard bop throughout the ’50s and ’60s before shifting to a more progressive sound in the late ’60s by adding elements of soul and funk to create a unique fusion that effectively pioneered contemporary jazz piano as it’s known today. Throughout this period, Sample was also a highly sought-after performer and composer in his own right, working with the likes of Marvin Gaye, Anita Baker, Joni Mitchell, and many others. He recorded 21 solo albums in a career spanning over 50-years, and holds writing, production, and performing credits on countless others. He was truly one of the most influential pianists of a generation, and stands as fixture of contemporary jazz. Sample is survived by his wife Yolanda and his son Nicklas.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 12:19:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015