Jazz Bassist John Bany has Died, Aged 81

Appearing on bass and vocals, Bany was a prominent musician in the Chicago jazz scene

The jazz bassist John Bany, who was a mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene, has passed away at the age of 81.

Hailing originally from Ohio, Bany came from a long line of musicians, most of whom played bass or trombone. He studied at Miami University with Charlie Medcalf, Harold Roberts, and Richard Topper, all of whom were bassists in the Cincinnati Symphony.

In 1964, Bany rose to national prominence when he won the United State Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest. As a result, he got to tour with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, where he performed both as bassist and as vocalist. In this capacity, Bany appeared at a number of festivals, such as the original Big Horn Festival in Ivanhoe, Illinois, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Mid-American Jazz Festival in St. Louis, the Elkhart Jazz Festival and the Atlanta World Music Fest.

Over the course of his career, Bany appeared with jazz luminaries from Chicago and beyond, including Bob Perna, Eddie Higgins, Chuck Hedges, Joe Venuti, The Swinget, Tom Saunders, Bud Freeman, Jim Beebe, Bobby Lewis and Paul Asaro.

Bany also wrote about jazz and the wider bass scene, contributing regularly to Bass World magazine in the 1980s and serving as editor of the International Society of Bassists magazine between 1984 and 1988.

Our condolences to Mr. Bany's family, friends, and colleagues.