Chris Jasper is dead. The former member of The Isley Brothers died on February 23, 2025 at the age of 73.
His family confirmed the news in a social media posting and announced that he was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2024. In the statement, the family also tears Jasper’s biography.
Chris Jasper was born on December 30, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a classically trained pianist. Already at the age of seven he started studying classic piano music. He later completed an apprenticeship in music composition at the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. The respected jazz pianist and composer Billy Taylor taught him personally.
Chris Jasper: Musical successes
In 1973 Chris Jasper the Isley Brothers joined and shaped the band over a decade. Together with Ernie and Marvin Isley, he converted the original vocal trio into a six-member R&B and radio group. As a composer, producer and arranger, he played a key role in numerous hits from the band. In 1984 he founded the Trio Isley-Jasper Isley with Ernie and Marvin, which celebrated a great success with “Caravan of Love”. Three years later, he started his solo career and launched his own label, Gold City Records. Over the years he published a total of seventeen R&B albums.
“His innovative works influenced generations of musicians, and many of his compositions were sampled or covered,” explains his family. The artists who were inspired by him include Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Notorious Big, Tupac Shakur, Queen Latifah, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Fantasia, Will Smith and Jaheim.
At the end of her statement, Jasper’s family emphasizes: “In addition to his musical achievements, Chris was a loving and committed husband and father. He leaves his wife Margie Jasper, a lawyer and author from New York, as well as his three sons Michael, Nicholas and Christopher. Its loss hurts us deeply, but his musical heir will continue to inspire generations. ”