Very sad news. The death of trumpeter/composer Jaimie Branch was announced last night at the age of just 39. The statement was made in series of tweets from Chicago label International Anthem:
STATEMENT: “At 9:21 pm on Monday, August 22, composer and trumpeter Jaimie Branch passed away in her home in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Her family, friends and community are heart broken.
Jaimie was a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend and teacher; she touched countless numbers of people with her music and spirit, both of which are fearless, truthful and beautiful, and will live on in hearts and ears forever.
Jaimie’s family asks not just for your thoughts and prayers but also for your action. Show your love and support for your family and friends and anyone who may be in need — just like Jaimie did for all of us.” (statement ends).
Her debut solo album, Fly or Die, with Tomeka Reid, Jason Ajemian, Chad Taylor, Matt Schneider, Ben LaMar Gay, and Josh Berman had huge impact. She was a sensation at the 2018 Jazzfest Berlin, and the following year she was nominated for a Jazz FM Award. Recent projects have included Anteloper, reviewed HERE by Tony Dudley-Evans.
There is a good piece from Nate Chinen on the NPR website. Tributes are starting to flow in. Alabaster dePlume has written: “She was here to do something very bold and very good. Things were always more exciting when Jaimie was around, but also somehow tender – more real and down to earth, but also more grand and epic and noble.” Sam Eastmond has written: “Inspiring, amazing music, amazing energy, righteous and incandescent. Her music made the world a better place.”
Jaimie Breezy Branch. Born Huntington, NY, 17 June 1983. Died Red Hook, Brooklyn, 22 August 2022
One Response
This is devastating. To lose such a massive talent at the tender age of 39 comes as a complete shock. An incredible, explosive trumpeter who had that natural ability to sweep an audience along with her. Imaginative, articulate, intuitively gifted, she combined her hard-learned technical command with radical excursions both improvised and in her compositions. Her blistering quartet set at Cafe Oto from 2018 is ingrained in the mind. As I wrote at the time ‘Sweat-drenched Branch put herself on the line to deliver passionate, totally committed playing at the edge.’ We are fortunated that several of those numbers were captured for her album ‘Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise’. Her passionate take on politics shone through in titles such as ‘Payer for Amerikkka pts 1 & 2’ and ‘Lovesong for Assholes and Clowns’. She did not hold back and she will be greatly missed, leaving a void where many feared to tread.