RIP Charlie Haden 1937-2014

Charlie Haden, one of the most important bass players of all time and a dear friend of Naim Audio, sadly passed away on the morning of Friday 11th July at 10:11 Pacific Time in Los Angeles, California with his family by his side.

Charlie's invaluable contribution to jazz music began with Ornette Coleman in the late 1950s, where he helped shape ‘free jazz' as we now know it. His signature lyrical style is now ingrained in every genre of contemporary music.

Inducted as a Jazz Master for the NEA in 2012 and honoured with a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, Charlie's boundless creativity never faltered as he continued to record for ECM Records, Verve/Universal and our very own Naim Jazz Records well into his 70s. As always, he made every note count.

Charlie was well known for his quick wit and charm but also for his generosity as a musician. Charlie's special relationship with Naim Audio afforded him the platform to produce and perform duo recordings with the musicians who he personally felt deserved greater recognition for their talents. Charlie Haden was an inspiration to work with.

We'd like to thank Charlie for the music and laughter, but above all would like to extend our deepest condolences to Charlie's wife, children, grandchildren and siblings.

Find out more about Charlie's special recordings for Naim Label here