Geraldine de Haas, a vivacious vocalist and pioneering jazz impresario who shaped Chicago's jazz scene for over four decades, died of natural causes on July 28, 2026, at Englewood Health Hospital, according to her son, actor/singer Darius de Haas. She was 91.
De Haas first gained international acclaim as a member of the sibling group Andy and The Bey Sisters, blending jazz, gospel, and soul. But it was her tireless work as a producer and advocate that cemented her legacy. Howard Reich, former Chicago Tribune jazz critic, noted that her 1974 Duke Ellington tribute in Grant Park made possible the now-famous Chicago Jazz Festival. "That de Haas also was a world-class singer who could spin and stretch a melody line a la Sarah Vaughan made her a Chicago treasure wherever she performed," Reich said.
Born Geraldine Wideman in Newark, NJ, in 1935, she was a founding member of Andy and the Bey Sisters, managed by Newport Jazz Festival founder George Wein. The group recorded for RCA Victor and Prestige, toured Europe for 16 months, and performed with legends like Dizzy Gillespie. They disbanded in 1967.
After marrying bassist Edgar de Haas and moving to Chicago in 1968, she became involved in theater and began producing jazz events. Her Ellington tribute in 1974 united the jazz community and led to the city's annual jazz festival. As she told PBS's Chicago Tonight, the success showed "many people from every corner of this city gathered to hear this wonderful music."
Kurt Elling, two-time Grammy winner, remembered her mentorship: "In her gracious way... she showed me how to carry myself on stage, how to work with instrumentalists, how to connect with audiences." In 1981, she founded Jazz Unites, Inc., and later served as Director of Performing Arts at the Illinois Arts Council. She received numerous awards, including the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Award and a Jazz Hero Award from the Jazz Journalists Association.
De Haas is survived by her son Darius, daughter Aisha, and other family. She was preceded in death by her husband Edgar, brother Andy Bey, and sister Salome Bey. Her work was driven by a simple mission: "People need to see what we have given to this world. That's the only reason why I work."
