‘Mourning an angel’: Public funeral for Montreal jazz icon Oliver Jones held Thursday

A day after Montrealers got to say their goodbyes at a public viewing at the City Hall to jazz icon Oliver Jones, a public funeral service was held for the legendary pianist Thursday.

Hundreds of people paid their respects during the ceremony at the Union United Church in the Little Burgundy neighbourhood, an underprivileged Montreal neighbourhood where Oliver Jones began playing at the age of five before becoming a star.

Speaking at the event, Jones’ widow Monique Leclerc paid an emotional eulogy to the award-winning pianist, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 91.

“I am a mourning an angel — my angel of peace, my angel of simplicity, my angel with silk hands,” Leclerc said. “I close your eyes and you were gone you are no longer where you were.”

The city’s flags were lowered Wednesday morning and will remain at half-mast until end of day Thursday to honour the musician who championed Montreal’s jazz scene and its musicians. The Quebec flag at the National Assembly in Quebec City will also be flown half-mast from dawn to dusk Thursday to mark the funeral.

During his life, Jones supported young musicians and was an important figure in the jazz community, in Montreal and elsewhere. Jones became a member of the Order of Canada and earned many other awards and distinctions in his life.

He was known for his lightning-fast right hand, phenomenal technique, and swinging style.

Representatives from the provincial and municipal governments, as well as members of the jazz community, attended the funeral.

Among them was Judith Sweeney, whose mother Daisy taught a young Jones to play the piano. Sweeney said she was came out to the funeral to represent her family and her mother.

— With files from The Canadian Press