Montreal jazz legend Oliver Jones dies at 91

Oliver Jones, the Montreal-born pianist who shaped the city's jazz landscape for more than eight decades, died Thursday evening at 91.

Born September 11, 1934, in Petite-Bourgogne, Jones began playing piano as a young child and performed publicly for the first time at age five at Union United church, then the heart of Montreal's Black community. He studied with Daisy Peterson Sweeney, sister of Oscar Peterson, and played alongside the Peterson family at Café Saint-Michel on Rue de la Montagne in the 1940s.

Though often compared to his friend and mentor Oscar Peterson, Jones carved his own path. He worked as a pianist, organist, composer, and arranger across decades. After early engagements in downtown Montreal clubs, he accepted a long-term contract at a hotel in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield accompanying variety performers. In 1964 he moved to Miami and later settled in Puerto Rico for 16 years, working as musical director for calypso singer Kenny Hamilton and touring the Caribbean and Europe. He returned to Montreal in 1980 to pursue jazz full-time.

Jones performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival for over 25 editions. In August 2024, the Montreal Community Cares Foundation Awards Gala honoured him with the Life-Time Achievement Award for Music. He also received the Order of Canada and the National Order of Quebec, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2023.

Justin Time Records and his family released a statement: "An exceptional musician, a gentle soul and a friend who touched so many lives, his kindness and immense talent left a lasting mark on so many people and generations."