Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer, has died. She was 70.
Wilson’s longtime manager Robert Torre shared with WBGO that Wilson died early Wednesday morning in Jackson, Mississippi. A cause of death was not given.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy Award-winning and legendary jazz artist,” reads Torre’s statement. “Cassandra Wilson transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager. Her family and close friends respectfully ask for privacy during this difficult time as they grieve her loss.”
Throughout her career, Wilson was a relatively prolific jazz musician with an emotive contralto who incorporated elements of blues and funk into her songwriting. She won two Grammys, including the award for best jazz vocal performance in 1997 with “New Moon Daughter” and best jazz vocal album in 2009 with “Loverly,” and collaborated extensively with Steve Coleman as well as the Roots, Wynton Marsalis and Greg Osby. In 2001, Time magazine declared her “America’s Best Singer.”
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Coleman began playing piano at the age of six and picked up the guitar at 12, according to a bio on her website. She moved to New York City in the early 1980s and met saxophonist Coleman to found M-Base, a collective of musicians that also counted Geri Allen and Osby.
She released her debut solo album “Point of View” in 1986 and followed with a string of projects before signing to Blue Note Records for 1993’s “Blue Light ‘Til Dawn,” hailed at the time for its blend of blues, jazz and pop but also considered controversial in the jazz world for skirting more traditional jazz conventions.
Over the years, she continued to record and release albums of originals and covers of songs from Neil Young, Cyndi Lauper and Bob Dylan. She collaborated with numerous artists across genres including Luther Vandross, Angelique Kidjo, Terrence Blanchard and Olu Dara. She most recently released her final solo album “Coming Forth by Day” in 2015 as an homage to Billie Holiday.
