Bill Lee, Jazz Musician & Father of Director Spike Lee, Dies at 94

Bill Lee — a well-regarded jazz musician who accompanied specified artists arsenic Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and Harry Belafonte arsenic good arsenic scoring 4 of his boy Spike Lee’s early films, including nan deed Do nan Right Thing and 2 songs for Jungle Fever — has died. He was 94.

Lee died Wednesday (May 24) astatine his location successful Brooklyn, said Theo Dumont, a publicist for Spike Lee. The younger Lee posted respective photos of his begetter connected his Instagram page announcing nan death.

Lee was a convention bassist who has played connected albums by Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, John Lee Hooker and Peter, Paul and Mary, among galore others. He tin beryllium heard connected Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and Lightfoot’s “Oh, Linda.” He played connected Aretha Franklin’s Columbia medium debut successful 1960 Aretha.

Lee wrote nan soundtracks to Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do nan Right Thing and Mo’ Better Blues. Bill Lee besides appeared successful Do nan Right Thing.

Bill Lee and Spike Lee were estranged aft a falling retired successful nan 1990s that nan begetter attributed to his remarriage to Susan Kaplan.

In summation to Kaplan and Spike Lee, nan elder Lee is survived by his sons, David, Cinque and Arnold; a girl Joie; a brother, A. Clifton Lee; and 2 grandchildren.