“As the music community celebrates Black History Month, we would like to reflect back onto the story of a real-life HERO; Zachary Breaux. Zachary Breaux’s release, Uptown Groove, was nominated for Best Jazz Album of the Year for the 12th Annual Soul Train Music Awards which will air on February 27, 1998.

The track “Never Can Say Goodbye” was a #1 NAC Radio hit, spending 21 weeks on the charts.

The accompanying video was nominated for two Billboard Music Video Awards; Best Jazz clip & Best New Artist Clip 

Zachary Breaux was a father to three daughters, a husband, a guitarist and an accomplished musician.His music touched upon passion. . .one second it could be hip hop/funk, the next  Coltrane, followed by a little Wes Montgomery . . . but always it was Zachary Breaux. He lived his life with a belief in, and a passion for, all people. He died. . . showing this belief in his actions.

Please don’t let his story go untold, or his music unheard.

Zachary Breaux and his family were walking on the beach in Miami, when they noticed a woman drowning in the ocean. They asked others on the beach to help, but were unable to get anyone to assist. Zachary told his wife to find a lifeguard, and he dove into the ocean to save the drowning woman. The closest lifeguard was more than two miles away and because there were no signs posted, Zachary was unaware of the dangerous riptides awaiting him that could render even a man his size and strength helpless. He reached the 66 year old New York woman (the wife of a Rabbi from Brooklyn) and began to bring her in. The riptides were much too strong and they separated Zachary and the woman. While his wife pleaded with those sunning themselves on the sandy beach to help, Zachary died, as his three daughters watched in horror. This man that believed so much in people, so much in life . . . left this life in such a tragic way. . . there must be a lesson for us to learn from his death.

A message.”

The post Remembering Zachary Breaux appeared first on ContemporaryJazz.com.

Zachary Breaux was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He began playing guitar at the age of 11 after practicing the clarinet for two years. His interest in jazz was inspired by his high school band director. He majored in Music Composition at North Texas State University, where he enjoyed listening to Wes Mongomery, Charlie Christian, and Dizzy Gillespie. He played with musicians such as Noel Pointer, Ronnie Laws, Jon Lucien, and most notably Roy Ayers, which whom Breaux would perform through 1993 when he decided to embark on a solo career. Breaux’s playing was brought to the attention of NYC Records president Mike Mainieri, who promptly asked Breaux to contribute a track to the Beatles guitar tribute album he was releasing. Mainieri released Breaux’s first two solo albums on NYC. The first, released in 1993, was an album recorded at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London. Groovin’ featured Breaux originals and compositions by other writers, as well as an acid jazz version of John Coltrane’s “Impressions.” The follow-up album, Laid Back, was released the following year. Breaux had recently resurfaced on Zebra Records, where his album, Uptown Groove, has been performing very well.

Mainieri had said of Breaux, “I’ve personally had the pleasure of performing with Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and George Benson, and Zachary’s own ‘voice’ on the guitar keeps the lineage alive with eloquence and passion.”

Zachary Breaux is survived by his wife, Frederica, and three daughters, ages 14, 12 and 6, as well as six brothers and sisters and his parents.

The post Obituary: Zachary Breaux 1960-1997 appeared first on ContemporaryJazz.com.