Sonny Bradshaw spearheaded the big-band craze in Jamaica in the '40s. - file

Legendary Jamaican bandleader and jazz instrumentalist, Sonny Bradshaw, who stamped a lasting footprint on the island's musical landscape, has died. The celebrated trumpeter, who was 83 years old, passed away in a London hospital on Saturday night.

Bradshaw suffered further complications from a stroke he had two months ago and died at 11 p.m. GMT at the Queen's Hospital in Renford. Bradshaw had been struggling with a heart condition for nearly 10 years.

His wife, Myrna Hague, told The Gleaner yesterday during a telephone conversation from her home in London, England, that the news came as a shock to her and the family.

"It's a hard time for us," she said. "I have lost a husband, his children have lost a father, and his friends have lost a confidant and a mentor for whom he was still a great inspiration in their lives."

Hague said Bradshaw had been gradually recovering from the debilitating stroke he suffered in August, but had remained in "good spirits" and was doing very well.

The stroke had been the result of a blood clot, causing severe damage to Bradshaw's brain cells.

Signs of hope

He also sustained damage to the right side of his body.

Hague, however, said her husband had recovered significantly and was responding quite well to physical rehabilitation.

"He was lucid, he talked, heard and could move. He was left-handed anyway, and his left side was functional," she said.

Hague continued: "I was with him in the morning (before his death) and he was in very good spirits. We had a wonderful visit together."

She said when she got the call from the hospital at 10:45 p.m. that he was having complications, she was left in a daze.

"I (rushed) to the hospital to find that he had already passed," she said. "You go into shock and I would say for the past 12 hours it's been hard. We've all been having a very hard time," said the distraught widow.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding sent his condolences to the family.

"We are losing the creators and promoters of our music, arts and culture all at once. It has indeed been a very sad period for Jamaica these past few weeks as we receive news of so many of our cultural icons departing this life, one by one," Golding bemoaned.

Since last month, a number of cultural figures, including Wycliffe Bennett, Trevor Rhone and Norma Soas, have passed away.

Big band

Bradshaw is survived by two children, who are both living in the United States.

He was one of the last links to the big-band craze that took place in Jamaica during the 1940s. His contemporaries include saxophonists Tommy McCook and Joe Harriott, who were his colleagues in the All-Star Band.

Saxophonist Bobby Gaynair, who lives in Canada, is now the only survivor of that band.

Bradshaw formed the Big Band in the early 1950s and also directed the Sonny Bradshaw Seven in which a number of leading musicians, including sax man Dean Fraser and drummer Desi Jones, got their start.

Bradshaw was also a former president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians and wrote a weekly column, 'Musicman', in THE STAR, The Gleaner Company's afternoon tabloid.

'Ochi' jazz festival

Since 1991, Bradshaw and Hague have promoted the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, an annual event held in June throughout that resort town as well as Kingston.

Over the years, it has featured traditional jazz performers like Jimmy Smits and Herbie Mann.

Sonny Bradshaw was awarded the Order of Distinction for his contribution to Jamaican music.

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com

Myrna Hague performs at Jazz in the Gardens last year while husband Sonny Bradshaw looks on. - file

The music community reacts to the passing

Sound system operator/musicologist, Winston 'Merritone' Blake:

I am going to miss him. He was a pioneer and we have lost a great resource person, someone who holds a lot of knowledge of the history of the development of Jamaican music.

As we go forward as a people, we need a greater understanding of where we're coming from, and I think he was one of the most authentic sources to provide that information.

Musician and producer, Dean Fraser:

A real teacher, trumpeter, bandleader and composer. He has been one of the greatest influences in my life as a musician, and whatever I have today, was based on his contribution.

He paved the path for me and other younger musicians. He is responsible for the whole way I approach music, my professionalism, everything. He was like a father to me in more ways than one.