Bassist Dennis Irwin Dead at 56

By I Mar. 11, 2008

Bassist Dennis Irwin, a mainstay at the Village Vanguard Monday nights starting in the 1980s in New York, died Monday from liver failure caused by cancer. He was 56.

The Jazz At Lincoln Center was to have a benefit concert yesterday for Irwin to help raise money for health care costs. The concert’s focus shifted to a tribute concert for the bassist. Tony Bennett, Mose Allison, John Scofield, Joe Lovano and others played for Irwin. Money raised from the concert will go toward covering Irwin’s health expenses and the Jazz Foundation Of America, which helps provide uninsured musicians with healthcare costs.

He was born on Nov. 28, 1951, in Birmingham, Ala, but was raised in Atlanta. Irwin attended North Texas State University studying classical music and playing clarinet in the orchestra. Drummer John Riley and bassist Marc Johnson helped expose Irwin to jazz and the upright bass.

Guitarist John Scofield brought Joe Lovano, Bill Drewes and Steve Slagle to Irwin’s loft in New York in 1976. The group stayed close after that summer.

Irwin went on to play with Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin and Horace Silver. He was the bassist of choice for vocalists Jackie Paris, Betty Carter and Mose Allison,

Irwin is the father of trumpeter/bassist Michael Irwin.