BIRTHDAYS
1910     Van Buren "Red" Anglin, C&W guitar/vocals, b. Franklin, TN, USA.
1919     Vera Auer, Pianist, Vibist, Accordionist, b. Vienna, Austria. d. Aug. 2, 1996, USA. She was the grandniece of famed Classical violinist/educator Leopold Auer (b 7 June 1845;, Veszprem, Hungary, d 15 July 1930, Loschwitz, Dresden, Germany). Among Leopold's students were such Classical violinists as Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Nathan Milstein, Efrem Zimbalist, Benno Rabinof, and Oscar Shumsky. As a young girl, Vera first studied piano in Vienna, Austria, and found a career playing Classical music. In the late 1940s, Hungarian guitarist Attila Zoller re-located to Vienna where he struck up a friendship with Vera. Greatly influenced by his Jazz stye, Vera (then in her 30s) formed the Vera Auer Combo, a quartet in which she first played the accordion, and later the vibes, with Zoller's Jazz guitar, Helmuth Zukovits bass and Franz Mikuliska at the drum set. Their combination of guitar and vibes was very suggestive of Red Norvo's group. In 1950, the group recorded under the name of "Vera Auer and Her Soloists", and were also heard on Austrian radio (RAVAG). In 1951, the group won a "Combo" category prize in the Viennese jazz competition. 1951 also saw her first foreign tour into Turkey and to West Germany, where such Jazz stars as Friedrich Gulda, Joe Zawinul, Hans Salomon and Toni Stricker also worked in her group.. In 1954, due to poor prospects of playing Jazz in Austria, Vera relocated to Frankfurt, Germany, where she continued playing Jazz, and performing with visiting Americans such as trumpeter Donald Byrd and drummer Art Taylor. Taylor chose to remain in Europe, and all through the 1950s, Vera was often featured during his festival appearances, In 1959, Vera married a little known American Jazz musician, Brian Boucher, and in 1960, the couple moved to the United States. In the USA, Vera attended the Lenox School Of Jazz, where among her teachers were Gunther Schuller, John Lewis and George Russell. Vera was soon playing with many Jazz stars including Dave Burns, tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, Mal Waldron, Richard Williams, trumpeters Cal Massey and Ted Curson and trombonist J.J. Johnson. In 1977, her album "Positive Vibes" was released with a quintet co-led by Vera and trumpeter Richard Williams. It is strange that she is not better known, because Vera Auer was one of the first European musicians, to play 'modern' Jazz. -- Murray Pfeffer
1920     Lorraine Benson, vocalist. b. Pocatello, ID, d. August 10, 1996, San Dimas, CA. Born in Pocatello, her nickname was 'Pokey'. Sang with the Ray Herbeck (her hubby) Orch, and with Jan Savitt band (recorded one side "Breathless"). She and Ray are buried in the Veterans Admin. Cemetary in Phoenix, AZ, USA. .
1916     Burt Bales, piano, b. Stevensville, Montana, USA, d. Oct 26, 1989, San Francisco, CA, USA.
1935     Ran Blake, Piano, b. Springfield, MA, USA.
1948     Joe Bonner, Piano, b. Rocky Mount, NC, USA.
1936     Gerald "Sonny" Brown, Drums, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA.
1922     Hylo Brown, (Bluegrass) vocals, b. River, KY, USA. né: Frank Brown,
1895     Emile Christian, trumpet, Cornet, slide cornet (soprano trombone), Trombone, bass trombone, bass sax, clarinet, String Bass, composer, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Dec. 3, 1973, New Orleans, LA, USA. né: Emile Joseph Christian. By 1910, this hot trombonist was a member of a very musical family, and very well regarded in New Orleans. He was a member of the 1919 Original Dixieland Jazz Band that brought Jazz to England. During the last part of his career, be played the String bass, - perhaps because of dental problems. He usually preferred the German spelling of his name, as Emil. His brother Frank Joseph Christian was a popular bandleader, and also a wonderful hot cornetist. (See our Sept. Calendar) Early on, Emile had played with his brothers Charles and Frank, and also with the bands of '"Papa Jack" Laine', and 'Albert Laine', and in 'Fischer's Brass Band'. In 1916, he worked with Merritt Brunies in both New Orleans, LA, and Chicago, IL. In late 1917 (still in Chicago), he played with the 'Bert Kelly Jass Band', before rejoining Brunies. In 1918, he went to New York City where he replaced Eddie Edwards in the 'Original Dixieland Jass Band'. In 1919 and 1920, he toured England with the ODJB playing with them in London, and also contributed his tune "Satanic Blues" to their repertory. (Among the tunes that Christian wrote include "Meet Me At the Green Goose", "Satanic Blues", and "Mardi Gras Parade", among others.) Emile made his first recordings with the ODJB. After a return to New York city and a brief period with the 'Original Memphis Five', he returned to Europe where he played, into the mid 1930s, with various Jazz bands (both 'Black' and 'White' bands) in various European cities, including Berlin, and also in India. In the 1950s, he returned to New Orleans where he played with the bands of trumpeter Leon Prima (Louis Prima's brother), Santo Pecora, and Sharkey Bonano, as well as his own band. In 1957, he toured with the Louis Prima (Louis Prima, b. December 7, 1910 - d. August 24, 1978)
1971     Avishai Cohen, bass, piano
1951     Kent Duchaine, guitar, b. Minneapolis, MN, USA.
1942     Douglas Fagan, tenor sax, b. Thomaston, GA, USA.
1948     Craig Frost, keyboards, b. Flint, MI, USA. Member group: 'Grand Funk Railroad', and 'Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band'.
1929Johnny Fuller, guitar, b. Edwards, MS, USA.
1908     Lionel Hampton, bandleader, vibes, drums, piano (two fingers),, vocals, (Some sources say b. April 12). d. August 31, 2002. First achieved fame as part of the Benny Goodman sextet.
1936     Beaver Harris, Drums/leader, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA. d. Dec 22, 1991, New York, NY, USA. (né: William Godvin Harris.)
1969     Wade Hayes, C&W guitar/vocals, b. Bethel Acres, OK, USA. His father Don was a professional musician who played bars and honky tonks across Oklahoma.
    1956Holly Hofman, flute, b. ( near) Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Her father, a jazz guitarist, saw to it that his daughter was classically trained. At seven, her formal education began with lessons with Walter Mayhall and soon thereafter from the first flutist of the Cleveland Orchestra, Maurice Sharp. Holly’s music education continued through high school at Interlochen Arts Academy. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado
1936     Billy James, Drums, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
1957     Steve Kaufman, (not just C&W) guitar, b. New York, NY, USA.
1926     Cy Laurie, Clarinet, producer, b. London, England, UK
1944     Doyle Lawson, (Traditional Bluegrass/Country Gospel) mandolin/vocalist, b. Ford Town, TN, USA. In 1979, Doyle founded "Quicksilver".
1940     Charlie Lourie, label co-owner (Mosaic), Boston, MA, USA, d. 2000
1972     Stephen Marley, drums/background vocals/producer. Member group: 'Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers'
1914     "Blind" James Phillips, guitar, b. Birmingham, AL, USA.
1958     Gary Primich, harmonica, b. Chicago, IL, USA
1923     Ernest Anthony "Tito" Puente (Jr.), Conga drums/bongos/percussion/piano/vibrophone/alto sax/piano, b. New York, NY, USA, d. May 31, 2000, New York, NY, USA. Age 77. né: Ernesto Antonio Puente, Jr. Initially, Puente ("El Rey Del Mambo"), was a Fred Astaire-styled dancer but an ankle injury re-focused his attention on music. He started his career at age 13, playing in a local nightclub. Fifty-six years later, Puente released his 100th album -"The Mambo King 100th LP" -and earned a Grammy nomination. Tito died on Wednesday, May 31, 2000. He suffered complications after open heart surgery. Puente was survived by his wife, Margie, two sons and a daughter. President Clinton, traveling in Berlin on Thursday, the following day, said Puente's "countless recordings are classics in the genre he helped define."
1925     Henri Renaud, Piano/Record Producer, b. Villedieu-sur-Indre, France, d. Oct. 16, 2002, Paris, France.
1967     Issi Rozen, (Jazz) guitar, b. Haifa, Israel. (Currently-2005-resided in Boston, MA, USA)
1961     Ashley Slater, Trombone, b. Scuefferville, Quebec, Canada
1939     Johnny Tillotson, C&W vocals, b, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
1951     Luther Vandross, rock vocalist, b. New York, NY, USA. Biggest hit recording: "On the Wings of Love"
1945     Jimmy Winston, organ. né: Langwith. Member groups: Moments, and Small Faces.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1959.    Dolly Parton, at age 13, released her first single, "Puppy Love."
1970.    Perry Bradford, piano/leader, died in New York (Queens), NY, USA. Age: 77
1974.    Savannah Churchill, vocals, died in New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Age: 54 Member: 'Four Tunes'
1976.    Joseph Gale, co-owner Gale Agency, died in Columbus, OH, USA. Age: 70
1976.    Carlo Krahmer, drums/label owner (Esquire), died in London, UK. Age: 62
1992.    Johnny Shines, guitar, died in Tuscaloosa, AL, USA. Age: 76
1994.    Delton Broussard, (zydeco)accordion, died in Lawtell, LA, USA. Age: 66
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1926   "King Porter Stomp", recorded by Jelly Roll Morton on Vocalion Label (chicago, IL, USA).
1926   "The Pearls", recorded by Jelly Roll Morton on Vocalion Label.
1942   "Swingin' on Nothing", "When It's Sleepy Time Down South". Louis Armstrong Orch.
1944   "It's Love-Love-Love", King Sisters
1944   "I Love You", Jo Stafford
1950   "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" - Eileen Barton
1950   "Music, Music, Music" - Teresa Brewer
1957   "School Day", - Chuck Berry
1957   "Love Is A Golden Ring", Frankie Laine
1958   "Oh Lonesome Me" - Don Gibson
1958   "Book of Love - The Monotones
1963   "Reverend Mr. Black", -Kingston Trio
1963   "Losing You", -Brenda Lee
1963   "If You Wanna Be Happy", -Jimmy Soul
1963   "Foolish Little Girl", -Shirelles
1966   "Daydream" - The Lovin' Spoonful
1966   "The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
1966   "I Want to Go with You" - Eddy Arnold
1968   "Beautiful Morning, A", Rascals
1974   "Entertainer, The", Marvin Hamlisch
1974   "Help Me", - Joni Mitchell
1974   "Oh Very Young", -Cat Stevens
1974   "The Loco-Motion" - Grand Funk
1974   "A Very Special Love Song" - Charlie Rich
1982   "Chariots of Fire" - Titles - Vangelis
1982   "I Love Rock 'N Roll" - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
1985   "Fresh", Kool and The Gang
1985   "Walking On Sunshine", Katrina and The Waves
1985   "Things Can Only Get Better", Howard Jones
1990   "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Sinead O'Connor
1990   "I'll Be Your Everything - Tommy Page
1991   "Love Is A Wonderful Thing", Michael Bolton
1991   "Losing My Religion", Rem