Jazz legend Wallace Roney dies of Covid-19 complications

Legendary jazz musician Wallace Roney has died at the age of 59 of complications from the novel coronavirus in New Jersey, reports CNN.

Roney, an iconic trumpeter, died on Tuesday at St Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, his publicist Lydia Liebman said in a statement.

"I am saddened to confirm that the iconic trumpeter and jazz legend Wallace Roney passed away due to complications of Covid-19 this morning just before noon," Liebman was quoted as saying by the CNN report.

"Working with Wallace was and will remain one of the greatest privileges of my life," the publicist also said, adding "It was an honour to represent him and to be part of his musical world. I cannot even begin to express how much I will miss him and his music."

"We are devastated," Erin Davis, Cheryl Davis and Vince Wilburn, Jr wrote in a post on the Twitter account dedicated to jazz legend Miles Davis. "Wallace was a global life force in the jazz community."

"He was loved and mentored by Miles," the tweet said. "We will miss you Wally. We love you. Peaceful journey."

Roney won a Grammy Award in 1994 for the album "A Tribute To Miles," and was nominated for another in 1997.

Roney and Miles Davis played together at a Montreux Jazz Festival concert in Switzerland, directed by Quincy Jones, according to the tweet from the account dedicated to Miles Davis who passed away in 1991, reports CNN.

"Roney has long since carved out his own reputation as a true modern great. He will be missed dearly," said a tweet from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, calling Roney a "singular trumpeter".

Roney's family is considering a memorial service "once this pandemic has passed," his publicist added.