{"id":820020,"date":"2026-07-23T03:32:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T03:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/820020\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T03:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T03:32:13","slug":"oliver-jones-dies-at-the-age-of-91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/820020\/","title":{"rendered":"Oliver Jones dies at the age of 91"},"content":{"rendered":"

Known as a key figure of Montreal\u2019s music scene, Oliver Jones passed away Thursday evening.<\/p>\n

The announcement was made on social media by Jones\u2019 family and Justin Time Records, which said they \u201care deeply saddened to announce his passing today in Montreal. An exceptional musician, a gentle soul and a friend who touched so many live, his kindness and immense talent left a lasting mark on so many people and generations, and his memory will continue to inspire us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born on September 11, 1934 in the Little Burgundy district of Montreal\u2019s Sud-Ouest borough, Oliver Jones began his passion for music at the age of three. At the age of five, he became a pianist at Union United Church.<\/p>\n

Over the course of his career, which has brought him Canadian and international recognition, he has shared the stage with jazz greats including Sarah Vaughan, Buddy Rich, and Tony Bennett.<\/p>\n

His tours have led him to perform in many countries around the world. In a 2003 interview with Radio-Canada host Marie-Claude Lavall\u00e9e, he reported that in the 1980s and 1990s, he performed 115 to 130 concerts each year.<\/p>\n

His discography, which spans from 1983 to 2013, includes numerous albums recorded with Justin Time Records.<\/p>\n

Oliver Jones soon began to make a living from music. He moved to Puerto Rico in 1964, where he served as musical director to singer Kenny Hamilton.<\/p>\n

He returned to Montreal in 1981, where he returned to jazz. He became the regular pianist at Biddle\u2019s Jazz & Ribs, the club of his bassist friend Charles Biddle. It was there that he met record producer Jim West, who would launch Justin Time.<\/p>\n

Jones recorded his first album in 1983 for Justin Time with Biddle, \u201cLive at Biddles Jazz & Ribs.\u201d<\/p>\n

In August 2024, the\u00a0Montreal Community Cares<\/a>\u00a0Foundation Awards Gala paid tribute to Jones for his work as a Canadian Jazz pianist, organist, composer and arranger and he received the Montreal Community Cares Life-Time Achievement Award for Music.<\/p>\n

Other albums released during his prolific career include \u201cLights of Burgundy\u201d (1985), \u201cHave Fingers, Will Travel\u201d (1997) and \u201cJust in Time\u201d (1998).<\/p>\n

Oliver Jones was named a Commander of the Ordre de Montr\u00e9al in 2016 and was made a Knight of the Ordre national du Qu\u00e9bec in 1994. In May 2016, he received the Medal of Honour from the National Assembly of Quebec.<\/p>\n

He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including F\u00e9lix Awards, Juno Awards, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award, and the Opus Prize.<\/p>\n

Oliver Jones announced his retirement in January 2000, but he did not stay out of the public eye for very long. In 2002, he released his album \u201cThen and Now\u201d, then \u201cOne More Time\u201d in 2006. For his 80th birthday, in 2014, he also performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.<\/p>\n

Quebec Premier Christine Fr\u00e9chette reacted to the pianist\u2019s death on social media Wednesday night, noting that \u201cQuebec is losing an exceptional ambassador of its culture today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA true jazz legend, Olivier Jones has made Montreal, Quebec and Canada shine on the world\u2019s greatest stages, while remaining deeply attached to his hometown. His immense talent, his generosity and his commitment to the next generation will have marked generations of musicians and music lovers,\u201d wrote Fr\u00e9chette.<\/p>\n

\u2013This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews<\/p>\n

\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n

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