Russell Malone, Sudden Death of Legendary Guitarist Aged 60 Sparks Shock, Grief

Legendary jazz guitarist Russell Malone has died aged 60, his ‘mysterious and tragic’ death sparking an immense outpouring of grief.

Malone, a longtime member of Ron Carter’s trio, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, August 23rd, 2024, a few months shy of his 61st birthday. The tragic incident reportedly occurred while on tour with Ron Carter in Japan.

A slew of friends and professional colleagues of the legend took to social media to announce his death and pay tribute.

Jazz musician and teacher, Peter Mazza, who’s known Malone for over three decades, said on Facebook: “Utterly gutted and in disbelief that Russell Malone has mysteriously and tragically left us! My deepest condolences to his wife!”

Jazz journalist, Mark Ruffin, revealed intriguing and personal details about his relationship with Malone as he mourned him. According to him, Malone had tapped him as a producer for his next album and the great man had praised him for his taste in jazz music and for promoting all kinds of progressive music, even ones he cannot play on radio.

Many other big names in the world of jazz paid tribute to Malone, including the Smoke Jazz Club who wrote: “There was no greater presence on the bandstand or off than Russell Malone. He was charismatic and warm and sincere and funny and everyone loved him,”

The demise of Russell Malone has left many stunned, with many reactions on social media wondering what mysterious illness could have taken him out so unexpectedly. The Live Music Venue SF Jazz later reported his cause of death to be a heart attack.

Russell Malone Biography, Illness, Death

Russell Malone was an American jazz guitarist popular for his work with Jimmy Smith, Harry Connick Jr, Diana Krall, Ron Carter, and many others.

He was born on November 8, 1963 in Albany, Georgia and started playing the guitar as a child after his mother bought him a toy guitar.

Over the following years his passion grew and he worked very hard to teach himself the instrument. His career truly commenced in 1988 when he started working with Jimmy Smith. He went on to work with Harry Connick Jr and the Diana Krall Trio. His work on three albums contributed to them receiving Grammy nominations, including for the ballad “When I Look in Your Eyes”, which won the award for Best Vocal Jazz Performance. He recorded his first solo album in 1992.

He later formed a duo with Benny Green, leading to the release of the Live album Jazz at The Bistro in 2003 and the studio album Bluebird in 2004.

He toured with many big names including Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, and Ron Carter, who he was on tour in Japan with at the time of his death.

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He formed his own the Russell Malone Quartet, with Martin Bejerano on piano, Tassili Bond on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums.

Malone’s career reached incredible highs with the New York Times once writing about his style: “Russell Malone hasn’t tried to reinvent the guitar: in his standard, soft tone you hear Wes Montgomery, George Benson, some B.B.King. But as a performer he maintains a high rate of astonishment, and with traditional materials, his ability to get inside swing rhythms or bruisingly play a narrative blues, causing great tension and then easing off it,”

Russell Malone unexpectedly and shockingly died aged only 60 on Friday, August 23 while on tour in Japan with Ron Carter.

News of his death completely shocked everyone with many tributes on social media flabbergasted over how sudden his death his, leaving many wondering if he had secretly been battling any illness. He leaves a legacy not only as an astounding guitarist but a great man who left a lasting impression on all he met.

May he rest in peace.