The Ohio-born musician, who had lived in the Clearwater area since 1988, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer Oct. 20, 2023 a few days after his 67th birthday.
A member of the Professional Drum Teachers Guild, Close was on the faculty at Clearwater’s Players School of Music. He performed often on both sides of the bay, with various ensembles, and was a mainstay at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and other festivals. In 2017, he wrote and recorded the CD Rhythms of My Soul, on which he collaborated with seven different bass players.
from https://stpetecatalyst.com
