Obituaries

Jazz Legend Teddy Charles, Former Greenporter, Dead at 84

The Suffolk Times reports on the death of the renowned vibraphonist.

Teddy Charles, a master of the vibraphone who played over the years with the likes of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and others during the height of the jazz era, died at at the age of 84 on Monday.

published a full obituary of Charles, a colorful man who'd lived in Greenport and most recently in Riverhead, where he continued to inspire jazz musicians at weekly jam sessions in his livingroom. Charles also owned and operated a sailing charter boat for years out of Greenport Harbor and was known as a great captain.

In 2009, Charles, with the help of producers from New York City jazz label Smalls Records, his first studio album in 40 years — "Dances with Bulls." Be sure to watch the YouTube video taken at one of Charles' jam sessions just before the release of that album.

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According to the Suffolk Times, a memorial service will take place Sunday at 2 p.m. at in Greenport — one of the many places Charles played during his later years.

Read the full story on the Suffolk Times here.

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