Award-winning jazz singer Cassandra Wilson dies aged 70

Mississippi-born Grammy-winning Jazz singer Cassandra Wilson has died at the age of 70.

Speaking to the New Jersey radio station WBGO, her manager Roberto Torre said that she “transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager,” without giving a cause for her death.

In 1982, Wilson co-founded the M-Base Collective with saxophonist Steve Coleman. She then released her debut solo album, Point of View, in 1986, featuring original songs alongside rendition of Miles Davis.

Following 1990’s Jumpworld and 1991’s She Who Weeps, she made her Blue Note Records debut with 1992’s Blue Light ‘til Down, featuring renditions of Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, and Ann Peebles.

Her next album, New Moon Daughter, came out in 1995, with covers Neil Young, U2, Hank Williams, and Monkees, while 1999’s Traveling Miles explored Miles Davis’ catalogue.

Her final album, Coming Forth by Day, came out in 2015 on what would have been Billie Holiday’s 100th birthday.

Across her career, Wilson also collaborated with the likes of Coleman, Greg Osby, and Wynton Marsalis, Roots, Terence Blanchard, Olu Dara, Charlie Haden, Elvis Costello, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Luther Vandross, among others.

The singer was nominated for four Grammys, bringing home two for her 1997 album New Moon Daughter album and in 2009 for Loverly.