Remembering Jaimie Branch, June 17, 1983 — August 22, 2022

A tribute to the late composer and trumpeter.

When April and I got to see Jaimie Branch perform at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville earlier this year, both with her Fly or Die band and with Alabaster DePlume, we could not have imagined that those would be some of the last shows she would ever play. Sadly, it was announced by the composer and trumpeter’s record label International Anthem that Jaimie passed away at her home in Red Hook, Brooklyn on Monday night. She was 39 years old.

In the days since her passing, there has been much written about Jaimie and her important contributions to jazz: 

Nate Chinen for NPR
Natalie Weiner for Tidal
Phil Freeman for Stereogum
Bill Meyer for the Chicago Reader

This short documentary that International Anthem produced in 2017 for Jaimie’s album “Fly or Die” is a great place to hear her speak about her music and the creative process behind it:

and that album, “Fly or Die” is a nice place to start if you are unfamiliar with her music.

Her albums are available on most streaming services and via International Anthem’s Bandcamp page.

Additionally, we created a playlist featuring records that Jaimie cited as some of her biggest influences. It includes her favorite trumpeter Booker Little as well as Woody Shaw, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and others.

“All the music that ever was and ever will be is here now. It exists in a cloud just above our heads and when we play, we pluck it out of the ether for a lil while before sending it back up.” — Jaimie Branch

Earlier this year when asked about her tone in an interview, Jaimie referenced something she was once told by guitarist Jeff Parker. He said, “The thing about having a good sound is that you always sound good.” To our ears, Jaimie did always sound good. She will be missed.