Three-time Grammy winner, Michael Cuscuna, known for his jazz music, died at age 75.
Cuscuna died Saturday of cancer at his home in Stamford, Connecticut. The news was confirmed on Monday by the record label Blue Note, for whom he produced reissues and studio sessions.
Moreover, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Grammy-winning recording artist Billy Vera, a longtime friend, announced the death was due to his battle with cancer.
The Mosaic Records co-founder, historian and archivist produced hundreds of jazz reissues and studio sessions during his career.
Cuscuna produced the 1970 album Buddy & the Juniors, featuring Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Junior Mance, for Vanguard Records, and 1972’s Give It Up, Bonnie Raitt’s lone gold album during her time at Warner Bros.
He produced reissues and studio sessions for Impulse, Atlantic, Arista, Muse, Elektra, Freedom, Novus and virtually the entire Blue Note catalog.
“Plainly stated, Blue Note Records would not exist as it does today without the passion & dedication of Michael Cuscuna,” execs from the label wrote on Instagram.
Nominated nine times in all, Cuscuna received his Grammys in 1993, 1999 and 2002, respectively, for producing box sets of music from Nat King Cole, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday.