Just learned of the passing of clarinetist and sometimes saxophone player Alvin Batiste.
Among other things, he played with Ray Charles, Cannonball Adderley, Ornette Coleman, Ernie Wilkins and the Clarinet Summit.
Citing from the New York Times article:
"Mr. Batiste was born in New Orleans in 1932. He was considered one of the founders of the city’s modern jazz scene and wrote for and toured with Billy Cobham and Cannonball Adderley.
He was a longtime teacher at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., where he created his own jazz institute, one of the first of its kind in the country; he also taught jazz at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. His students included Mr. Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Kent Jordan, Michael Ward, Herlin Riley, Charlie Singleton and Woodie Douglas."
LINK:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/arts/07batiste.html?ref=music