Jazz Pianist, Composer, and Vocalist Barbara Carroll Passes Away Age 92

Musician Barbara Carroll has passed away at age 92. Barbara was an elegant jazz pianist, composer and vocalist, long recognized as one of the premier players of swinging jazz piano and expressive vocals. She can be heard on numerous recordings including 2016 Barbara Carroll Plays at Birdland (Birdland Records). Her passing was confirmed by Adam Feldman on Twitter.

Her career began in 1947 when she played opposite Dizzy Gillespie. Carroll quickly established herself as a jazz pianist and one of the first women to play bebop piano. She formed a jazz trio, which featured Chuck Wayne on guitar and Clyde Lombardi on bass, worked briefly with Benny Goodman. Later Charlie Byrd replaced Wayne and Joe Shulman replaced Lombardi. After Byrd's departure, Carroll decided to have it be a drums, bass, and piano trio.

In the same year she landed a job at Tin Pan Alley where she became friends with the up and coming Tony Bennet. In the following years she played numerous clubs around New York and built her career.

In the 1950s Carroll and her trio worked on ME AND JULIET by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Her career slowed as she dealt with personal joys and sorrows such as the death of her husband and the birth of a daughter. In 1978 she booked a job at the Carlyle Hotel where she stayed on for 25 years. More recently she played often at the Oak Room at the Algonquin as well as in various concerts.

Described by many as one of the most elegant, swinging ladies in her profession, Barbara Carroll was a pioneer in the field of jazz.