Famed jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney, who studied with Miles Davis and other legendary players, has reportedly died today from “complications of COVID-19.”
“I am saddened to confirm that the iconic trumpeter and jazz legend Wallace Roney passed away due to complications of COVID-19 this morning just before noon,” publicist Lydia Liebman said in a news release. “The family is looking to have a memorial service to honor Wallace and his musical contributions once this pandemic has passed. Please respect their privacy at this time.”
Roney, a Grammy-winning artist, was 59. His location and other details about his passing were not available.
“Working with Wallace was and will remain one of the greatest privileges of my life,” Liebman says in the news release. “It was an honor to represent him and to be part of his musical world. I cannot even begin to express how much I will miss him and his music.”
Born in Philadelphia on May 25, 1960, Roney picked up the trumpet at an early age and reportedly went on to take lessons with jazz greats Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie.
He is well known for his association with the legendary Miles Davis, who began mentoring Roney in the mid-’80s.
Davis’ influence on Roney’s playing with immense. So it made perfect sense that, after Davis died in 1991, would get the call to play trumpet alongside the remaining members of the famed Miles Davis quintet — Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and Ron Carter — on the Grammy-winning “A Tribute to Miles” in 1994.
Roney has worked with several artists and acts, such as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, as well as managed his career as a solo recording artist. He released his first solo effort, “Verses,” in 1987.
News of his passing drew a reaction on social media, as the jazz world learned of this loss.
“We are deeply saddened to hear that trumpet great #WallaceRoney passed today. We were fortunate to present Wallace several times over the years as part of Belden’s Miles From India project, the #MilesDavis alumni project Miles Smiles,” SFJazz tweeted.
We are deeply saddened to hear that trumpet great #WallaceRoney passed today. We were fortunate to present Wallace several times over the years as part of Belden’s Miles From India project, the #MilesDavis alumni project Miles Smiles. Full tribute: https://t.co/QlT50tQknG pic.twitter.com/oiZlPoXELO
— SFJAZZ (@SFJAZZ) March 31, 2020
“We lost one of the great masters of #bam #trumpet #wallaceroney to #coronavairus today. My deepest condolences go to his family in there time of morning. #ripwallaceroney,” trombonist Ryan Porter tweeted.
We lost one of the great masters of #bam #trumpet #wallaceroney to #coronavairus today. My deepest condolences go to his family in there time of morning. #ripwallaceroney Thanks so much for your contribution to our… https://t.co/wBWYshei6E
— Ryan Porter (@ryanpapaporter) March 31, 2020
Roney was once married to acclaimed jazz pianist-composer Geri Allen, who died in 2017.
