Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
In Memoriam: James Blood Ulmer, 1940–2026
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
Guitarist Larry Coryell, who died Feb. 19 at age 73 in New York City, first convened his Eleventh House band in 1973, drawing upon the collective talents of original members Randy Brecker (trumpet), Alphonse Mouzon (drums), Mike Mandel (keyboards) and Danny Trifan (bass). Their debut album, Introducing Eleventh House with Larry Coryell, was among the first jazz fusion albums ever recorded, setting a benchmark for the genre for years to come.
The group would undergo shifting personnel in the decades following, with fusion standouts such as trumpeter Michael Lawrence, bassist John Lee, drummer Gerry Brown and bassist Miroslav Vitous filing through the Eleventh House ranks. In 1999, Coryell’s son Julian joined the group on second guitar.
Last summer, Coryell and a cohort of original Eleventh House members—including Lee, Brecker and the late Mouzon, who died on Dec. 25, 2016—came together for a performances at New York’s Blue Note jazz club, a reunion that generated major acclaim. They later decided to reassemble in the studio to launch the group’s next chapter. The resulting album, Seven Secrets, was recorded in the fall of 2016 and planned for release on Savoy Jazz on June 2, 2017. Below is a preview of the album’s title track, which exemplifies the group’s hard-edged rhythmic drive and searing fusion sensibility.
DownBeat will publish an obituary on Larry Coryell in our May issue. To read statements prepared by the guitarist’s wife, Tracey, click here.
To the world, James Blood Ulmer was a legend, a visionary and a musical force whose sound was distinctive and unique. To his family, he was their teacher, their storyteller and a source of strength.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
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