The beloved and iconic jazz bass innovator, composer, and leader Charnett Moffett has suddenly passed away due to a heart attack early Monday, April 11th. He was with Jana Herzen, his wife of two years and musical collaborator of twelve years at the time. He was pronounced dead at Stanford University Hospital.

He had worked with Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis, Art Blakey, Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Sanders, Dizzy Gillespie, Ellis Marsalis, Sonny Sharrock, Stanley Jordan, Wallace Roney. Arturo Sandoval, Courtney Pine, David Sanborn, David Sánchez, Dianne Reeves, Frank Lowe, Harry Connick, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Kirkland, Kevin Eubanks, Lew Soloff, Manhattan Jazz Quintet, Melody Gardot, Mulgrew Miller and Tony Williams.

Mr. Moffett had privately been struggling with bouts of intense pain from Trigeminal Neuralgia for the past few years and Herzen and the family suspect that the heart attack was a complication of that condition. The family is in shock and devastated, but also thankful that he is released from the intense pain, and invites all his fans and loved ones to celebrate with them that his indomitable, vastly creative, high flying, and joyful spirit is now free to fly even higher and even freer in the place that is better by far where “no eye has seen, what no hear has heard, and no human mind has conceived” (1st Co 2:9) that is the Kingdom of Heaven prepared by God Elohim.

The family will have a private memorial service in California on Sunday, April 24, and is looking into arrangements to honor Charnett’s musical and spiritual contributions with a life celebration ceremony in New York City in late August or early September.

Please respect their privacy at this time.

Charnett was not only a master musician, but he was also an incredibly kind and warm-hearted person.

He will be tremendously missed.