Grammy-Nominated Singer Slain In Santa Monica Remembered For 'Vocal Brilliance' And ‘Humble’ Heart

SANTA MONICA, CA — Friends and loved ones are remembering a Grammy-nominated singer who died after police say he was stabbed by his son in his Santa Monica home earlier this week.

Jubilant Sykes, 71, was found with critical injuries Monday evening after police got a 911 call about an assault at a home at 18th Street and Delaware Avenue, the Santa Monica Police Department said.

Rescuers with the Santa Monica Fire Department pronounced Sykes dead on scene, police said.

Jubilant Sykes' son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, was identified as a suspect and detained at the home, police said.

Jail records show Micah Sykes was booked into jail Tuesday. He is being held on $4 million bail and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.

Micah Sykes was charged with murder in the death of his father, a complaint filed on Dec. 11 with the Superior Court of Los Angeles County shows. His arraignment was continued to Feb. 11, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Jubilant Sykes’ friend, Reaver Bingham, called the slaying “shocking” in an interview with KTLA.

“It’s beyond words,” Bingham said.

Jubilant Sykes was a Grammy-nominated opera singer, according to his website.

He was "known for bringing a unique dimension to the traditional career of the classically trained vocalist by drawing on gospel, jazz and folk influences to deliver performances in differing musical genre," his website says.

He performed on a wide array of stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 1990, he appeared in the Metropolitan Opera production of “The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess” in the role of Jake.

Jubilant Sykes performed as the Celebrant in a recording of Leonard Bernstein's “Mass,” which was nominated for Best Classical Album in 2010, the New York Times reported.

Marin Alsop, who conducted the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for the recording, told the newspaper that "Jubilant brought a rare combination of vocal brilliance, spiritual depth and emotional honesty to the role of the Celebrant."

"His artistry elevated everyone around him, and he had a profound ability to connect with audiences in the most human and vulnerable way," Alsop told the New York Times.

Jubilant Sykes was also a longtime member of the Music Ministry at Grace Community Church, where he first sang in 1978.

“Though known to many around the world for his remarkable baritone voice, those of us who walked with him in fellowship came to treasure something far deeper: a humble, steady faith, and a heart that longed for the beauty of Christ to be seen and heard through everything he did,” his church said in a written statement.

He told NPR in 2002 that he felt comfortable singing every genre of music, from pop to opera.

“My singing is like breathing — it’s an extension of me. I don’t think of it is extraordinary. It’s my passion,” he told NPR in a 2002 interview.

Sykes was artistic advisor for Orchestra Santa Monica, and he sang in and narrated some of the group's performances, the organization said in a statement.

“Jubilant was a true inspiration—his artistry, generosity, and kindness touched countless lives," said Roger Kalia, Orchestra Santa Monica's music director.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.