Bill Lee, jazz musician and father of Spike Lee, has died aged 94
Bill Lee, the jazz musician and father of iconic filmmaker Spike Lee, has passed away at age 94.
According to The New York Times, he died at his home in Brooklyn on May 24th, 2023, although the cause of death has not been revealed.
Before Lee provided the scores for several of his son’s films, including She’s Gotta Have It, Do The Right Thing, and School Daze, he was an active member of New York’s jazz scene. He moved to the city in 1959, two years after the birth of Spike, his firstborn, where he would perform at venues in Greenwich Village.
Lee was a keen advocate for playing the double bass, frequently refusing to switch to an electric version of the instrument. He often played in piano-bass duos or piano-bass-drums trios and even founded the New York Bass Violin Choir.
During his prolific career, Lee worked with some of music’s most revered talents, from Bob Dylan (providing bass on ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’) to Duke Ellington, Judy Collins and Simon and Garfunkel.
Sadly, Spike and his father’s relationship quickly soured in the 1990s for personal and financial reasons, with Spike particularly disapproving of the elder Lee’s second wife.
Lee is remembered through his sizable musical output, appearing on over 250 records during his career.
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