The jazz world suffered a shocking blow last Thursday when multi-instrumentalist bandleader Joey DeFrancesco died at the age of 51.

I’ve read a dozen articles about Joey’s life and death but still haven’t found one that details the cause of the latter. I know it was unexpected because…

I saw Joey play a gig two weeks ago.

Friday’s episode of Math and Musings will give a greater description of the show (and of the man), but yeah, I saw Joey and his trio play on August 13 at Keystone Korner in Baltimore. Not a hint of declining health or anything like that–the exact opposite as a matter of fact. Proof? I knew Joey was a virtuoso on the trumpet in addition to his “main” instrument (organ), so imagine my surprise when I saw him pick up a tenor saxophone and blow like Dexter Gordon. I understand he “picked it up recently.” Not exactly the actions of someone who knew he was near the end.

RIP, Joey DeFrancesco, and all the best to his family. The jazz world has now a giant Hammond B3-sized hole that’s going to be tough to fill.