Oliver Jones, Montreal-born jazz pianist, Canadian musical icon, has died
Renowned Canadian jazz pianist and composer Oliver Jones has passed away at the age of 88. A child prodigy and Montreal icon, Jones enjoyed a career spanning nine decades and was a celebrated figure in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Why it matters
Jones was a seminal figure in Canadian jazz and a cultural ambassador for Montreal, making his death a significant loss to the music world.
A child prodigy, Jones performed at his first concert at the age of five — among the first in an endless list of milestones for the pianist and composer.
Jones was synonymous with Montreal's Jazz Festival, performing at the world renowned event every year between 1981 and 1999.
On May 18, 2023, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame .
"I kept on pinching myself saying I'm going to wake up and realize it's just a dream," An 88-year-old Jones told CBC Montreal Daybreak host Sean Henry days after his induction.
"It just reminded me that, yes, I am still here, and people still remembered me."
Oliver Jones reflects on a life of accomplishment and change after his Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction
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