Alvin Batiste Dies

Clarinetist Alvin Batiste, 74, died of a heart attack hours before he was to take the stage with Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival May 6th.

The show at the jazz tent went ahead as planned. Batiste, who toured with Ray Charles, wrote and also toured with Billy Cobham and Cannonball Adderley.

He was considered one of the founders of the modern jazz scene in New Orleans.