LUIS ROBAYO/AFP/Getty Images – Jerry Gonzalez and the “El Comando de la clave” perform during a concert in the “Ajazzgo Festival 2014” at Enrique Buenaventura Municipal theatre, in Cali, Colombia on Sept. 11, 2014.
The trumpet player was known for his contributions to Latin jazz.
Latin jazz trumpeter Jerry González has reportedly died at age 69, according to The Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE) and local reports.
González reportedly died after a fire blazed through his first-floor home in Madrid around midnight on Monday (Oct. 1), according to local press. Police responding to the fire found the musician, who had gone into cardiac arrest, and attempted to revive him. He reportedly died hours later at a Madrid hospital.
Muy apenados por el fallecimiento de Jerry González, uno de los pioneros del #LatinJazz y fundador del mítico grupo #FortApacheBand. A lo largo de su carrera ha colaborado con The Beach Boys, @ElCigalaOficial, @calamarooficial o Enrique Morente. Nuestro pésame a sus allegados. pic.twitter.com/ebLUbBd9vz
— SGAE (@sgaeactualidad) 1 октября 2018 г.
González, who was of Puerto Rican parentage, was born in Manhattan and grew up in The Bronx. He was a member of Eddie Palmieri’s band early in his career, then joined Manny Oquendo’s Conjunto Libre with his brother, bassist Andy González. Andy was also by his side in The Fort Apache Band, which he formed in 1979.
After appearing in Spanish director Fernando Trueba’s 2000 Latin jazz documentary Calle 54, Jerry González moved to Madrid. There, he formed a quartet, El Comando de la Clave, and recorded and performed with both jazz and flamenco musicians.