Trumpeter Jaimie Branch passed away on Monday night at her home in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Branch’s version of improvised music combined punk ferocity with tearing technique, winning praise inside and outside jazz circles. International Anthem, the Chicago-based record label that released her music, made a statement about her passing. Her family didn’t give a reason for her demise at 39 years old.
Her family requested not only kind thoughts and sympathies but also deeds. Like Jaimie did throughout her life, show your friends, family, and anyone else who needs it your love, support, and devotion.
She was born in New York on June 17, 1983. When she was a teenager, she was exiled from her home because she had burned it down. Although she also played trumpet and keyboards in a punk-ska band called Tusker, she relocated to Chicago in her teens. She became interested in jazz history after hearing Miles Davis’ 1958 Sessions Featuring Stella by Starlight and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come.
John McNeil, a mentor she met, supported her in making a robust application at the New England Conservatory of Music. After graduating, Branch moved back to Chicago and established herself as a demanding local collaborator, organizer, and sound engineer. She played in bands like Princess, Princess, Sherpa, and Battle Cats.
She launched the band Block and Tackle with Jason Stein, Jeb Bishop, and Jason Roebke.
Branch’s 2017 album Fly Or Die received high praise from The Chicago Reader for being a “wonderful quartet album that pulls together several threads in Branch’s music — laser-sharp improvisational exploration, happy melodies, and a profound instinct; for groove.” Branch was well-known for her beautiful solo releases.
An approximate $5 million is the assets of jazz trumpeter and composer Jaimie Branch.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
