‘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.”

Leclerc later said she would not say goodbye to her husband.

“I will say neither goodbye nor farewell to you, my love,” she said.

Jones’ son, Richard Jones, also paid tribute to his father, describing his death as the loss of a cherished presence.

“Today we are sadly saying goodbye to his beam of light, which is now burnt out, a light that we always, always cherished so much,” Richard Jones said.

The funeral service was also a celebration of Jones’ life and music, with performances throughout the ceremony, including from jazz singer Ranee Lee.

“He called me his little sis. And he’s my brother and always will be,” Lee said.

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.

Jones died July 22 at the age of 91, leaving behind a career that took him from Little Burgundy to stages around the world and cemented his place as one of Montreal’s most celebrated jazz musicians.

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 came out to the funeral to represent her family and her mother.

Sweeney said Jones and her mother grew up together in the same neighbourhood, with Jones also looking up to her brother, legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.

“They grew up together in the same neighbourhood. And he used to listen to her brother, Oscar, pieces, and play,” Sweeney said. “She sort of gave them the roots and the chords. And they took off from there.”

Jones’ connection to Peterson remained an important part of his musical journey. Alain Simard, co-founder of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, said Jones was deeply inspired by Peterson.

“The thing he had, he was inspired musically. He was able to mix his incredible capacity with a sense of musicality and emotion,” Simard said. “I think he was one of the best pianists we ever saw at the Montreal Jazz Festival. And he was on the level of Oscar.”

Simard said Jones would have been reluctant to hear himself compared to Peterson, whom he revered. “He wouldn’t like me to say that because for him Oscar was God,” Simard said.

The two jazz legends eventually shared the stage at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2004 for the festival’s 25th anniversary, decades after growing up together in Little Burgundy.

Simard said seeing Jones and Peterson play together was a significant moment for Jones and for Montreal’s jazz community.

“The fact that they finally played together for the first time since their childhood, I think it was an amazing thing for Oliver and for Montreal,” he said.

Eric Lagasse, who played bass with Jones for 12 years, said performing alongside him came naturally because of their shared love of music.

“On stage it was very natural because he loves the same music as I do and we got along very well,” Lagasse said.

Jim West, who managed Jones, said he learned from the pianist not only as a musician but from the way he treated people.

“I learned a lot from him because just the way he conducted himself was very special,” West said. “He had time for everybody.”

André Ménard, former vice-president and artistic director of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, said Jones’ death marked the end of an era.

“His departure signifies the end of an era for sure, but also a big inspiration for Montreal’s musicians here,” Ménard said.

The funeral comes one day after Montrealers gathered at City Hall for a public viewing and their chance to say goodbye.

Among those watching Thursday’s service was Richard Bastien, a longtime fan who said Jones remained humble despite his stature as a musician.

“I’d seen him recently. And he was so simple. And at the same time, so great,” Bastien said.

People who want to leave their own message for the Jones family will have another opportunity to do so. A book of condolences is being made available at the Réjean-Ducharme Library on Workman Street in Little Burgundy from Aug. 20 through Sept. 4.

— With files from The Canadian Press