Soulful Jazz Singer Jon Lucien Dies

Singer Jon Lucien, whose deep baritone and soulful love songs made him a respected jazz artist for more than 35 years, has died, his wife said. He was 65. Lucien died Saturday from respiratory complications after surgery, his wife, Delesa, said Tuesday from her home in Poinciana.

Born in the British Virgin Islands' main island of Tortola and raised in St. Thomas, Lucien began performing in his teens.

His 1970 RCA album, "I Am Now," launched a recording career that earned him a loyal following, though his hard-to-categorize style never lead to breakout success.

Among his songs were "Rashida," "Lady Love," "Dindi," "You Don't Need Me," "Hello Like Before," and "Sweet Control." His recordings of "Rashida" and "Lady Love" garnered Grammy nominations for arranger Dave Grusin in 1974 in the category of best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s).

In 1979, critic Leonard Feather praised Lucien in the Los Angeles Times for his "resonant baritone, assured timber and phrasing, the West Indian piquancy of his announcements. Contemporary material works better for him than standards."

In 1978, he contributed a vocal track to Weather Report's album "Mr. Gone."

"All the musical world knows about Jon Lucien," his widow said.

Drummer Kim Plainfield, who played with Lucien for 19 years, recalled him as "a consummate musician. He wasn't just a singer. He played multiple instruments live and in the studio. He was also a prolific composer." But Plainfield said Lucien never made it big because he couldn't be classified in a genre.

Lucien's 17-year-old daughter, Dalila, was among the 230 people killed in the crash of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island in July 1996. He sought solace in the studio and recorded the album "Endless is Love," which was released in 1997.

In recent years, he performed live with a jazz fusion group at local venues and jazz festivals around the nation and managed his own record label, Sugar Apple Music.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, an adopted daughter and a stepson.

AP-


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