Jerry Granelli was one of the most accomplished and highly regarded musicians in Nova Scotia. He was a supportive community leader and mentor for musicians and artists of all ages and backgrounds. Jerry was instrumental in the establishment of the Halifax Jazz Festival, which over the past 30 years has evolved to become a Signature Event in Halifax and the largest music festival in the Maritimes. Jerry was also a founder and longstanding creative director of the Creative Music Workshop, an intensive summer program that has been a flagship education program of the Halifax Jazz Festival for the past 25 years.
With a career that spanned 60 years, Jerry performed with the likes of Charlie Haden, Mose Allison, Sonny Stitt, Sly Stone, Ornette Coleman and Vince Guaraldi, and recorded over 30 albums as a leader. His prolific and genre-crossing music has been recognized by institutions such as the Junos, The Grammy Awards, the National Library of Congress Sound Archives, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His profound influence on the cultural community in Nova Scotia and beyond can’t be overstated. He is dearly missed and his work will forever continue in the hands of his countless students and admirers.