[78-L] Sam Most

[Cary Ginell]

I'm very sad to report that Jazz flutist Sam Most passed away this morning at 8:05 am. According to his nephew, "Before he left us, he was surrounded by friends and family and was in great spirits. He wasn't in pain, but although uncomfortable, he sang and entertained us all as he fell asleep for the last time. He even wrote a new song, called Morphine Blues, and we all sang it with him. He knew he was loved and will be missed greatly." Most recorded prolifically since his debut in the early 1950s. His "Undercurrent Blues," from 1953, was the first bebop record to feature the flute as a primary instrument (there were others that preceded him, but these, such as Lionel Hampton's "Kingfish," featuring Jerome Richardson, were merely cameo solos).

Cary Ginell