Snow Patrol manager, Jazz Summers, dies aged 71

Summers was also the manager for Lisa Stansfield, Soul II Soul, Badly Drawn Boy, Klaxons, Scissor Sisters and London Grammar, among others.

Big Life Management, which Summers co-founded 29 years ago, said the music industry has “lost one of its most brilliant characters”.

One of the all-time music industry greats, Jazz Summers, died last night following a long illness. Summers and Parry also managed Big Life Records, which released music from the likes of The Orb, Yazz, Coldcut, De La Soul and The Soup Dragons, Billboard reported.

A spokesman for Big Life Management paid a special tribute to Summers.

Adds former Dananananaykroyd drummer John Baillie Jr: “Sad to hear about the passing of Jazz Summers, grateful to have felt his passion for music and for the tremendous faith he put in us”.

Boy George, who used to be managed by Summers, tweeted that he was “heartbroken” and added: “He was a formidable force of nature! A fighter till the end”.

Born in 1944, he served in the army as a radiographer before breaking into the music world.

Summers, together with Simon Napier-Bell, helped Wham! crack America and turn out to be the primary Western pop group…

Former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe said: “We’ve lost a good friend”. “Jazz was a one-off – they broke the mould after his creation”. The very mention of his name would either, (if he was on your side, ) make you want to clench your fist and thrust it into the air, or (if he was against you, ) curse, swear, call him every name under the Sunday.

He is survived by his wife Dianna, his daughters Katie, Rio and Georgia, his granddaughters Claire, Lila and Rose and his brother Don. He was one of our first friends in the UK. Always there to inspire and support. Thoughts are with his family.

“Jazz Summers meant the world to the four of us”, stated another Summers act, The Futureheads.

“Jazz Summers was a master of artist development”, Big Life’s statement continues.