BIRTHDAYS
1902     Vernon Andrade, violin/leader, d. 1966
1944     Manuel Arrington, vocals, b. Collins, MS, USA.
1922     Samuel Aaron Bell, Bass, b. Muskogee, OK. USA. d. July 28, 2003, New York (Bronx), NY, USA. Age: 82. Among the Jazzmen with whom he worked are Andy Kirk, Duke Ellington, Teddy Wilson, Stan Kenton, Lucky Millinder, Lester Young, and others. Bell received a bachelor's degree from Xavier University in New Orleans, and a doctorate in education from Teachers College at Columbia University (New York). During World War II, he served in the U. S. Navy, where he played, in a Navy band in Indiana. After working with Ellington he taught music at Essex County College in Newark, NJ, and later became chairman of its performing arts department, retiring in the early 1990's. In addition to his many recordings with Ellington's orchestra, he also appeared on the records of artists ranging from Buck Clayton and Billie Holiday to Sammy Davis Jr. For a time in the 1950's he led the Aaron Bell Trio, based at the Concord Hotel in the Catskills Mountains (resort area near New York city). .
1928     Freddy Bienstock, Music executive (owner: E. B. Marks Music), b, Vienna, Austria
1902     Rube Bloom, Piano, b. New York, NY, USA. d. 1976
1885     Lillyn Brown, vocals, b. Atlanta, GA, USA. née: Lillian Thomas
1892     Eddie Cantor, vocals/actor, d. Oct. 10, 1964, (Beverly Hills) Los Angeles, CA. USA. Heart Attack. né: Isadore Edward Iskowitz. Also known as "Banjo Eyes" or "The Apostle of Pep".
1945     Doug "Cosmo" Clifford, drums, b. Palo Alto, CA, USA. Member group: 'Creedence Clearwater Revival'.
1968     Aaron Comess, drums. Member group: 'Spin Doctors'
1947     Glenn Cornick, bass. b. Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Played with Jethro Tull and also member group 'Wild Turkey'.
1937     James "Jimmy or Spanky" DeBrest, Bass, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. March 2, 1973, USA.
1927     "Fatty George", clarinet/alto sax/leader, b. Vienna, Austria, d. March 29, 1982, Vienna, Austria. né: Franz Pressler.
1963     Billy Gould, bass: Member group: 'Faith No More'
1900     Bobby Gregory, C&W vocals, b. Staunton, VA, USA. In the 1930s, he was a protege of famed Country singer Vernon Dalhart.
1928     Johnny "Little Giant" Griffin III, Tenor Sax, b. Chicago, IL, USA. Member: 'Thelonious Monk Quartet'
1944     Bernard Henderson, vocals, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'Hues Corporation'
1937     Joe Henderson, Tenor Sax, b. Lima, OH. USA, d. June 30, 2001, San Francisco, CA, USA. Member groups 'Blood Sweat and Tears'. Also played with Horace Silver and Miles Davis among others. He was often heard at Todd Barkan's famous 'Keystone Korner' club (North Beach, San Francisco. CA.)
1963     Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez, drums/percussion, b. Havana, Cuba. 'El Negro' was raised in a musical family. His grandfather was the trumpeter in the famous 'Septeto National', and had composed Jazz programs for Cuban radio. 'El Negro's'elder brother was fond of rock-music from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin. 'El Negro's" first lessons were with (American trained) Fausto Garcia Rivera, then with Enrique Pla, percussionist with the legendary Cuban group 'Irakere' (other members included Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D'Rivera). He began to play with the orchestra of saxophonist Nicolas Reynoso (whose pianist was Gonzalo Rubalcaba), and while with the band he also began studying at the National School of Arts in Havana. He became the full-time drummer in the then new Rubalcabas group 'Proyecto'. For seven years he toured the world with this group (recording seven albums), and made an international reputation for himself. Truly ambidextrous, the public has always been astonished with both with his unusual way of playing, and with his unusual set of drums. Hernandez is able to play the leading pattern with either hand. Or, he can play the basic Afro-Cuban music rhythmic figure, the clave-beat, with his left foot pedal on the "high-hat" cymbals (or the "cowbell"), while his right foot is supporting the 'base line', - during which time, his hands quite independently play highly complex rhythms on the bongos and timbales (often included instead of the classical 'tom toms') in his drum-set. In 1990, while playing in Italy during a world tour, he applied for political asylum in the USA, but was refused entry. For the next three years, he taught percussion in Rome's 'Timba Centro di Percussion'. In 1993, he was finally allowed to move to New York city, but not to leave the New York area. In the New York studios, 'El Negro' often worked with such stars as Paquo Vazquez, Ed Simon, Dave Valentin, Daniel Ponce, and Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra under the baton of Paquito D'Rivera. After his travel restrictions were lifted, Hernandez would go on to become one of the most wanted and innovative percussionists of our time. In 1997, he was awarded his first Grammy as a percussionist on the Santana album 'Supernatural'.
1979     Rebecca Lynn Howard, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Salyerville, KY, USA.
1957     'David J', bass/vocals, b. Northhampton, England, UK. né: David Jay Haskins. Member group: 'Bauhaus', a group formed in 1978 in Northampton, England, and consisted of a a trio with bassist/vocalist 'David J', Guitarist/vocalist Daniel Ash, and drummer Kevin Haskins, originally called the "Craze" before forming Bauhaus 1919, with vocalist Peter Murphy. By 1979, they had dropped the 1919 from their name.
1946     Stafford James, Bass, b. Evanston, IL, USA
1913     Santiago "Don" Jimenez, accordion, b. San Antonio, TX, USA. Santiago's father, Patricio, was a very popular accordion performer in southern Texas, around the turn of the XX century, and Santiago's two sons have followed in his footsteps. (In 2004) Flaco Santiago is a leading exponent of norteno, or conjunto, music, while Santiago Jr. carrys on with the more traditional sounds of his father.
1947     Hubert Ann Kelly, vocals, b. Fairchild, AL, USA. Member group: 'Hues Corporation'
1945     Robert Knight, "soul" vocals, b. Franklin, Tennessee. USA.
1914     Ray Leatherwood, Bass, b. Itasca, TX, USA. d. January 29, 1996, California, USA. This longtime member of Les Brown's band also worked with Bob Chester's Orch,, the Jack Teagarden Sextet, and helped back singers Julie London, and Matt Dennis. He toured with the the Bob Hope troupe on 20 Christmas visits to U. S. military bases around the world. He also worked with Rosy McHargue's Ragtimers, but only for recording sessions.
1944     Clair Lee, vocals, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'Hues Corporation'
1951     "Miss Honey" (née: Alexander), piano. b. USA. She plays piano with her husband's group 'Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers' (Rod plays the harmonica and does the vocals.)
1939     Ricky Owens, vocals, b. St. Louis, MO, USA. Member: 'The Vibrations' and 'The Jayhawks'
1949     Larry Rice, (Bluegrass) mandolin.
1945     Doug Riley, composer, pianist, arranger and record producer, b. Toronto, ON, Canada, d. August 27, 2007, Calgary, AB, Age: 62. Canada (Massive Coronary while sitting in an airplane waiting to take-off). . aka: "Doctor Music". At only age 4, Riley took lessons in classical piano at Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music. At age 6, he discovered Jazz listening to his dad's stride and boogie woogie piano 78s, that included Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, James P. Johnson, "Fats" Waller. After his family moved to Montreal, he studied pipe organ with Harry Duckworth at St. Anne de Belleville Church, and piano with Paul DeMarky (who was also Oscar Peterson's piano teacher). As a child, Riley had suffered from polio, but recovered. He went on to graduate from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music in composition. In the 1970s, Riley formed a vocal and instrumental ensemble, "Doctor Music", that enjoyed several Top 20 hits, including "Try A Little Harder", "Sun Goes By" and "Bedtime Story", as well as "Dr. Music" (circa 1984). In the '80s, Riley worked with Mort Ross, Tommy Ambrose and Larry Trudel to compose over 2,000 jingles, then worked on television production. He wrote three ballets for the National Ballet, a double concerto for flute (clarinet, sax) and string quartet for Moe Koffman, a piano concerto for Mario Bernardi's retirement from the National Arts Centre Orchestra, among other works. From 1993 to 2000. Riley continuously won "Jazz Organist of the Year" at the annual Jazz Report Awards. In the fall of 2004, he was awarded the Order of Canada. Although he played with symphony orchestras, Riley loved every musical genre including Country, Jazz, Blues, Folk and even funk. He toured to just about every nook and cranny of Canada. Among those with whom he played and recorded are singers Jackie Richardson, Dionne Taylor and Measha Bruggergosman. He recorded with Anne Murray, the Brecker Brothers, Gordon Lightfoot, and his last release was 'Strike', recorded with Tyler Yarema and John Roby. Riley once told a newspaper reporter, "Writing is the most lucrative, and the least fun. The most fun is playing."
1964     Paul Ryder, bass: Member group: Happy Mondays
1967     Patty Schemel, drums. Member group: 'Hole'
1933     Freddie Scott, R&B vocals, b. Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
1926     Joe Segal, promoter, nightclub owner
1916     Eldon Shamblin, ( pedal steel ) guitar, arranger, b, Weatherford, OK, USA, d. August 5, 1998, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. (cardiac arrest) . Member: "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys". A self-taught guitarist, he joined the "Playboys' in 1937, whose 1938 hit "Ida Red", was later rewritten by Chuck Berry as "Maybellene". Eldon not only played guitar, but was also the Playboys arranger. One interesting sidenote on his career was that Eldon was also a self-taught arrnger. It is said that he learned by carefully reading the Big Band arrangements of the day. In 1940, his two-beat rhythm invention ( which became his trademark sound) was heard on "Take Me Back to Tulsa", In 1942, he was drafted into the U. S. Army, where he remained for the remainder of World War II. In 1947, he rejoined the Texas Playboys playing with them until 1954. In 1970, (after a near 15-year hiatus) he organised a tribute to Wills, and played on Merle Haggard's album "A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (Or My Salute to Bob Wills)". Soon after, he became a member of "The Strangers" (Haggard's support band,). In the 1980s, he joined a new version of the 'Texas Playboys' In addition to recording and playing, Shamblin also taught guitar at Rogers State College
1943     Richard Sterban, bass/vocals, Member group: 'The Oak Ridge Boys'. Best recalled for such songs as "American Made", "Cryin' Again", "I Guess It Never Hurts to Cry Sometimes", "Touch a Hand Make a Friend", "Talk About the Good Times", "Where the Soul Never Dies", "Love Song", "Everyday", "Make My Life with You", "Little Things", and others.
1930     Frank Strazzeri, Piano, b. Rochester, NY, USA.
1942     Barbra Streisand, Vocals/actress, b. Brooklyn, New York, NY, USA. née: Barbara Joan Streisand. The Daughter of Diana Rosen and Emmanuel Streisand was born & raised as an orthodox Jew, and attended Bais Yakov School in Brooklyn, New York as a child. In 1978, she and Neil Diamond had a huge hit with "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", but the two Brooklyn, NY born superstars had sung together before (in a school choir) when both were students at New York City's Erasmus High School. She is good friends with Shirley MacLaine, with whom she celebrates their joint birthdays each year, and with clothes designer 'Donna Karan'. Barbra is one of only a handful of people to ever win a grammy, an oscar, a tony and an emmy.
1940     George Tomsco, guitar, Member group: 'The Fireballs'. Few fans today recognize his name, but Tomsco was one of the most popular and influential instrumentalists of the 'Tex-Mex' music genre.
19??     Wilfrido Vargas, saxophonist, b. Dominican Republic.
1945     Colin Walcott, Sitar/Tabla/percussion, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Nov. 8, 1984, Madgeburg, Germany
1958     Boris Williams, drums. né: Boris Bransby Williams. Member group: 'The Cure'
1914     Justin Wilson, Cajun Chef who invented (Wise brand) Potato Chips
1918     Nan Wynn, vocals.
1948     Steve York, Bass. Member group: 'Manfred Mann'
          Notable Events occuring this date include:
1957.    Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock, Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Actor, died in San Francisco, CA, USA. Age: 74
1970.    Otis Spann, piano, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 40. He had been a member of Muddy Waters' band during the 1950s and '60s.
1979.    Gale Binkley, C&W fiddle, died. Age: 83. Member: 'Binkley Brothers Dixie Clodhoppers'
1976.    "Sleepy" Johnson, guitar, died in Memphis, TX, USA. Age: 67 Worked with Big Wills.
1981.    "Little" Eddie Newell, harmonica, died in St. Louis, MO, USA
1983.    Jimmy Mundy, tenor sax/arranger, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 75
1990.    Johnny Sparrow, tenor sax, died in Baltimore, MD, USA. Age: 70
2001.    Singer Al Hibbler, who came to prominence with Duke Ellington in the 1940s, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 85.
          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1933 "Sweet Sue, Just You", Louis Armstrong Orch. (Rec'd betw. April 24-26 Chicago)
      1933 "There's a Cabin in the Pines", Louis Armstrong Orch. (Rec'd betw. April 24-26 Chicago)
      1933 "St. Louis Blues" ,Louis Armstrong Orch. (Rec'd betw. April 24-26 Chicago)
      1933 "I Wonder Who" ,Louis Armstrong Orch. (Rec'd betw. April 24-26 Chicago)
      1942 "Skylark", Miller, Glenn
      1942 "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree", Glenn Miller
      1946 "Oh, What It Seemed to Be" - The Frankie Carle Orchestra (vocal: Marjorie Hughes)
      1946 "You Won't Be Satisfied" - The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
      1954 "Wanted" - Perry Como
      1961 "Breakin In A Brand New Broken Heart", Connie Francis
      1961 "Running Scared", Orbison, Roy
      1962 "Mashed Potato Time" - Dee Dee Sharp
      1962 "Good Luck Charm" - Elvis Presley
      1970 "Let It Be" - The Beatles
      1970 "Spirit in the Sky" - Norman Greenbaum
      1971 "Bridge Over Troubled Water", Aretha Franklin
      1971 "Me And You And A Dog Named Boo", Lobo
      1976 "Happy Days", Pratt & McClain
      1976 "Love Hangover", Ross, Diana
      1976 "More, More, More (Pt. 1)", Andrea True
      1978 "Can't Smile Without You" - Barry Manilow
      1978 "Every Time Two Fools Collide" - Kenny Rogers & Dottie West
      1978 "If I Can't Have You" - Yvonne Elliman
      1986 "Cajun Moon - Ricky Skaggs
      1986 "Kiss - Prince & The Revolution
      1986 "Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer