PASSINGS

Drummer for Shadowfax

Stuart Nevitt, 55, composer, drummer/percussionist and one of the early members of the Grammy-winning world beat band Shadowfax, died March 15 of complications from diabetes and heart disease at his home in Rio Rancho, N.M.

Born in Elizabeth, N.J., Nevitt learned the rudiments of drumming at age 4 from his father, who was also a drummer. Nevitt played in rock bands and orchestras throughout high school before going off to the University of Miami to study music.

He moved to Chicago in the early 1970s and met woodwind player Chuck Greenberg, bassist Phil Maggini and guitarist G.E. Stinson.

They invited him to join their experimental group named after Gandalf’s horse, “Shadowfax,” from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel “Lord of the Rings.” The group recorded 10 albums and released two greatest-hits packages. It was awarded a Grammy in 1998 for its album “Folksongs for a Nuclear Village.” The band quit touring and performing after Greenberg’s death in 1995.

After the band broke up, Nevitt continued to perform and record, most recently producing and releasing his first solo project “The Marion Kind.” He also performed on recordings by violinist Kim Angelis.

Longtime Navy basketball coach

Ben Carnevale, 92, the longtime Navy basketball coach who later headed the U.S. Olympic Basketball Committee, died Tuesday, the U.S. Naval Academy announced, without giving a cause of death. He had been living in Williamsburg, Va.

Born Bernard Louis Carnevale on Oct. 30, 1915, in Raritan, N.J., he played for New York University and was a member of the 1935 national championship team. He also played in the first National Invitation Tournament in Madison Square Garden in 1938.

He played professionally with the Jersey Reds of the American Basketball League. He served in the Navy during World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart.

In 1944, he became coach at the University of North Carolina. The Tar Heels went 52-11 in his two seasons and played in the NCAA national title game in 1946, losing 43-40 to Oklahoma A&M.

He took over at Navy in 1946 and over the next 20 seasons became the school’s winningest basketball coach. The Midshipmen went 257-160 and made six postseason tournaments under Carnevale, despite not allowing players to be taller than 6 feet 5.

He was athletic director for NYU from 1966-72 and at William & Mary from 1972-82.

He was the chairman of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Committee from 1964-68 and was a committee member for 20 years.

He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., in 1970.

Fashion designer, boutique owner

James Reva, 67, a California fashion designer who owned boutiques starting in the early 1970s and later sold his label through specialty stores in Beverly Hills and New York City, was found dead March 17 at his Los Angeles studio. The cause was a heart attack, according to his friend William Collins.

Reva, born July 15, 1940, in Los Angeles, graduated from Woodbury College.

He launched his business in 1972 and captured national attention with his version of the “rich hippie” look, a mix of dressy fabrics with denims. He opened his first designer boutique in Arcadia and eventually moved the shop to Beverly Hills, where the clientele included actresses Jane Fonda and Lee Grant.

After closing his storefront in the early 1980s he went into the wholesale business, selling directly to specialty stores. Starting in 1986 he operated out of a converted house on Fairfax Avenue, where he held fashion shows in the backyard and sold directly to clients. His wearable designs and loyal customer base accounted for a steady business.

Award-winning scriptwriter

Rafael Azcona, 81, a Spanish novelist and scriptwriter known for the Oscar-winning comedy “Belle Epoque,” died of lung cancer Monday at his home in Madrid, according to Spanish news reports.

Born Oct. 24, 1926, in the northern city of Logrono, Azcona wrote for humor magazines before making his name with the film script based on his black comedy novel “El Pisito” (The Little Apartment), directed by Italy’s Marco Ferreri in 1959.

He went on to work with directors such as Luis Garcia Berlanga and Carlos Saura.

He teamed up with director Fernando Trueba in “Belle Epoque,” which won an Academy Award for best foreign film in 1994.

He won six Spanish Goya film awards, including one for lifetime achievement in 1998.

From Times Staff and Wire Reports