One of Canada’s best known and most respected jazz
musicians is dead. Moe Koffman died Wednesday afternoon from cancer at the age of 72. Best known for his catchy 1957 flute piece Swinging Shepherd Blues, Koffman gained an international following during his career.
Here is another article on his death.
TORONTO (CP) -- One of Canada's best known and most respected jazz
musicians is dead.
Moe Koffman died Wednesday afternoon from cancer at the age of 72.
Best known for his catchy 1957 flute piece Swinging Shepherd Blues,
Koffman gained an international following during his career.
Nonetheless he was for decades a regular fixture at the modest Toronto
jazz club, George's Spaghetti House.
Dave Milbourne, publisher of the newsletter Toronto Jazz, said a friend of
Koffman's confirmed the musician's death Wednesday afternoon.
"Canada has lost a music legend," Milbourne said.
Based in Toronto the city in which he was born, Koffman was admired
internationally for his mastery of the flute. He was also a talented
saxophone player and clarinetist.
A consummate musician, Koffman composed and arranged many of his own
pieces. All the while, he was regarded as one of Canada's busiest jazz
musicians, playing at clubs and jazz festivals all over the country.
Koffman was best known for his catchy 1958 flute piece Swingin' Shepherd
Blues. It was almost four decades later, that he was inducted into the
Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Rob McConnell, Koffman's longtime friend and leader of Canada's well-known
Boss Brass, hailed Koffman as a luminary.
"Moe was a marker for all of us in the music business in the years we were
in it together," he told the radio station CJRT.
He was a perfect example of "how to maintain your strength and versatility
throughout your career.
"He was just a really, really, really nice guy."
Koffman's last gig was with Boss Brass.
Koffman picked up his first instrument at the tender age of nine.
A formidable break in his career came in 1948 after he won a record deal
with New York's Mainstream Records from a magazine contest.
He recorded two records with the music house before moving back to Toronto.
He was a popular soloist who became known for his be-bop jazz style.
Koffman originally named his smash hit Blues a la Canadiana but it was
changed to Swingin' Shepherd Blues by a producer.
He received the Order of Canada in 1993 for his outstanding work and
service to the arts.
Koffman-Discography
SINGLES:
Swinging Shepherd Blues, 1958.
Little Pixie, 1958.
Swingin' Shepherd Blues (re-issue), 1973.
ALBUMS/CDS:
Hot And Cool Sax, 1957.
The Shepherd Swings Again, 1958.
Moe Koffman The Swinging Shepherd Plays For Teens, 1962.
Tales Of Koffman, 1962.
The Moe Koffman Quartet, 1963.
Moe Koffman Goes Electric, 1967.
Turned On Moe Koffman, 1968.
Moe's Curried Soul, 1970.
Moe Koffman Plays Bach, 1971.
Vivaldi's Four Seasons, 1972.
Master Sessions, 1973.
Sorcerer's Dance, 1973.
Solar Explorations, 1974.
Best Of Moe Koffman, 1975.
Live At George's, 1975.
Jungle Man, 1976.
Museum Pieces, 1977.
Things Are Looking Up, 1978.
Back To Bach, 1979.
Best Of Moe Koffman Volume I, 1983.
Best Of Moe Koffman Volume II, 1983.
If You Don't Know Me By Now, 1983.
The Magic Flute, 1985.
One Moe Time, 1986.
Moe-Mentum, 1987.
Oop-Pop-A-Da, 1988.
Moe Koffman Quintet Plays, 1990.
Music For The Night: Symphonic, Chamber & Pop Interpretations Of The Music
Of Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1991.
The Moe Koffman Collection, 1992.
'1967,' 1993.
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