BIRTHDAYS
1920     Harry Arnold, leader, composer, sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, vocal, arranger b. Helsingborg, Skåne län, Sweden, . d. Nov. 2, 1971, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden., né: Harry Arnold Persson. Amazingly, Arnold began playing the clarinet in 1937, and started arranging in 1938 without the benefit of formal study. He later told interviewers that he learned to arrange by "analyzing the works of everyone from Ravel to Basie". From 1942 to 1949, Arnold led his own band in Malmo, and subsequently worked as tenor sax and arranger for Thor Ehrling’s band In 1956 he organized a 17 piece group, "Harry Arnold And His Swedish Radio Studio Orchestra", that played weekly radio broadcasts. In 1958, a 25-year-old Quincy Jones (on his third tip to Sweden) recorded with Harry Arnold's band (Jazztone label).
1948     Lynn August, (Zydeco) accordion, b. Lafayette, LA, USA. Encouraged by his mother to pursue a career in music, the blind August was raised on a steady diet of zydeco, New Orleans Rhythm and Blues, and 'swamp-pop' music. He first played rhythm drums on an old wash basin, and at just age 12, joined the legendary "Esquerita" (né: Eskew Reeder. a South Carolina-born and New Orleans-based pianist and singer, -originally a gospel performer-, who invented the wild piano and stage style popularized by his friend "Little Richard". In 1970, Esquerita retired from the music scene and died of AIDS in 1986) who convinced August to also take up the piano. August did, and a few years later, added the Hammond B-3 organ as well. In the mid-1960s, he played with a young Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, and subsequently freelanced sitting in with a variety of local swamp-pop combos. He later led his own big band, and even directed a church choir. 1988 was a seminal year for August. His his zydeco career began in earnest when he seriously started playing the accordion. Along with tenor saxophonist John Hart, he founded 'The Hot August Knights'. He was able to absorb the original Creole style of "jure" singing into his own contemporary aesthetic, by studying field recordings made in 1934 by archivist Alan Lomax. In 1988, he also signed with the Maison de Soul label, His debut release was "It's Party Time", followed in 1989 by "Zydeco Groove". In 1992, he signed with the 'Black Top' label, which released his "Creole Cruiser", with the acclaimed "Sauce Piquante" appearing a year later. --Murray Pfeffer
1912     Jenö Beamter, Drums, vibes, marimba, percussion, b. Budapest, Hungary, d. Jan. 11, 1984, Budapest, Hungary.
1937     George (Roland) Bohanon, Trombone, b. Detroit, MI, USA
1936     Don Bradley, vocals, b. St. Louis, MO, USA. member groups: 'The Vibrations','The Jayhawks'
1962     Alison Brown, record label executive/banjo.
1925     Felice Bryant, singer-songwriter, b. Milwaukee, WI, USA. née: Matilda Genevieve Scaduto. Member: 'Boudleaux and Felice Bryant'. Felice was the lyricist for such hit tunes as "Bye Bye Love", "Wake Up Little Suzie", etc.
1943     Lana Cantrell, Pop vocalist. b. Sydney, Australia. One of her hit releases was "Those Were the Days".
1929     Julius Cheeks, (Gospel) vocals, b. Spartanburg, SC, USA. Member: "Sensational Nightingales".
1921    Warren Covington, Trombone/Leader, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA, d. Aug. 24, 1999, New York, NY, USA. In 1939, He first worked with the Isham Jones band, then with Mitchell Ayres and with Horace Heidt until '43. During WW2, he saw service with the U.S. Coast Guard and, while in service, appeared in the show Tars and Spars. After his discharge, he was with the Les Brown band for about 6 months, and then with Gene Krupa. '46'-7 led The Commanders - his own group. '46-56 on CBS (NYC) Radio staff. When Tommy Dorsey died in Feb. 1958, Warren took over as leader. Another interesting fact is that Warren's first professional gig was at the Steel Pier on Tybee Island, GA, and 52 years later, also his last professional gig...."
1950     Rodney Crowell, vocals/guitar, b. Houston, TX, USA. Backed C&W singer Emmylou Harris.
1918     Frank "Floorshow" Culley, tenor sax, b. Salisbury, MD, USA.
1964     Ian Dench, guitar. Member group: EMF 1990 UK No.3 and US No.1 single Unbelievable.
1958     Bruce Dickinson, guitar, b. Worksop, England. né: Paul Bruce Dickinson
1952     Andy Fraser, bassist, b. London, England, UK. Member group: 'Free'. 1970 single "All Right Now" charted UK No.2 and US No.4 .
1926     Stan Freberg, Comedic vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. During the decade of the 1950s, he had more novelty record hits than any other artist. Made hundreds of hilarious radio and television commercials.
1944     Denny Freeman, guitar, b. Orlando, FL, USA.
1907     Frank Froeba, piano, celeste, leader, b. New Orleans LA, USA, d. Feb. 18, 1981, Miami FL, USA. (variously claimed to be born on Aug. 6, 7, 8, and 31). At just 15, he began gigging with such bandleaders as Johnny Wiggs and John Tobin. At just age 17 he began to record and between 1924 and 1978. Froeba recorded on some 91 records, -sometimes with his own group: "Frank Froeba & His Swing Band" (Bunny Berigan (tp), Joe Marsala (cl), Herbie Haymer (ts), Frank Froeba (p), Clayton Duerr (g), Pete Peterson (b), Maurice Purtill (d), Tempo (as "Temple") King, Ted White (vcl). --April 17, 1936 ). One interesting sidenote on Froeba's band concerns singer Bea Wain. In 1937, before Bea Wain joined Larry Clinton's orchestra, she fronted her own vocal group "Bea & The Bachelors", comprised of Al Rinker, Ken Lane and John Smedberg. This quartet first performed on Fred Waring's radio program as part of the vocal group 'V-8', -a combined effort with the 'Modernaires', and then in 1937, Bea and The Bachelors joined Kay Thompson where they formed part of Thompson's 'Rhythm Singers'. Later that same year, while the quartet was working on Kate Smith's program, bandleader Larry Clinton offered Wain a job in his newly-formed orchestra. After Wain left, the three Bachelors continued performing together as the 'Al Rinker Trio', and soon joined pianist Frank Froeba band. Froeba's name is often misprinted as "Froba, Freba" and "Frob". Among the many legendary Jazzmen with whom he worked are Benny Goodman, (when George Van Eps and Frank Froeba left Goodman, they were replace by Allan Reuss and Jess Stacy) Gene Krupa, Hymie Schertzer, Artie Shapiro, Bunny Berigan, Harry Goodman, Arthur Rollini, Allan Reuss, Red Ballard, Ralph Muzillo, Toots Mondello, Jack Lacey, and Nate Kazebier. As the Big Bands era drew to a close, Froeba re-located to Miami, Florida, began to use the name "Frob", and, of course, continued recording. As a composer, the song "(Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive", is attributed to Cab Calloway, Jack Palmer and Frank Froeba. --- Murray Pfeffer
1966     Kristin Hersh, singer/songwriter. Member group: Throwing Muses, 1992 Firepile EP charted UK No.46.
1939     Ron Holden, vocals, b. Seattle, WA, USA. Best recalled release: "Love You So".
1941     Howard Johnson, Tuba/Baritone Sax, b. Montgomery, AL, USA
1904     Dave Kapp, label owner (Kapp Records) b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1936     Rahsaan Roland Kirk , Tenor Sax/reeds, b. Columbus, OH, USA. d. 1977
1963     Marcus Lewis, vocals, b. Pontiac, MI, USA. Best recalled release "Sing me a Song".
1939     Joe Madison, organ/piano, b. ?Niagara Falls, NY< USA.
1937     "Magic Slim", guitar, b. Torrence, MS, USA. né: Morris Holt Member: ' Magic Slim & the Teardrops', a fine Chicago Blues band. The times do change. These days (2005) Slim's no longer slim. This Mississippi native had to take up the guitar when he was forced to give up playing the piano after he lost his little finger in a cotton gin mishap. One of his boyhood pals, "Magic Sam" bestowed his 'magic' monicker on the budding guitarist
1965     Raul Malo, C&W vocals, The Mavericks, US country rock group, 1998 UK No.4 single Dance The Night Away.
1958     Don Michaels, singer/elec. keyboard. Currently (2002) living in the Netgherlands
1960     Jacqui O'Sullivan, b. UK. Member group (1988): Bananarama. 1988 single "I Want You Back" charted UK No.5.
1959     Michael Peterson, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Tucson, AZ, USA.
1936     Charles Pope, vocals, b. Atlanta, GA, USA. Member: "The Tams"
1949     Tim Renwick, guitar, b. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK. 'Quiver, Mike & The Mechanics', and perhaps 20 other bands. His career has been close with 'Pink Floyd'.
1887     Charles Luckeyeth "Luckey" Roberts, Piano, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. d. Feb. 5, 1968, New York, NY, USA. Shortly after his birth, the family settled in New York City, and Luckey appeared on the New York stage at just age 3, acting in play 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'. Between 1913 to 1923, this early Ragtime soloist also composed some Rags, perhaps the most famous of which are "Junk Man Rag", and "Pork and Beans Rag". It is little recalled now, but before and after WW1, Luckey wrote music for 14 musical comedies on the New York stage. All during the 1920s, Luckey led a band that was extremely popular with the millionaires of 'high society' and that played in such places as Newport, RI, Palm Beach, FL and New York. He then became an owner of a Harlem Bar named The Rendezvous (on St. Nicholas Ave) while still remaining quite musically active. In 1939, he appeared in a Carnegie Hall concert, and in a 1941 Town Hall Concert.. All during the '40s, he did some composing and two of his best known tunes were "Massachusetts" and Glenn Miller's 1941 hit release "Moonlight Cocktail" (which Luckey originally called "Ripples of The Nile"). As a pianist, he had considerable influence on the techniques of such other men as James P. Johnson and Duke Ellington. He even helped the Duke of Windsor choose his 'Jazz' record collection. But, regretfully, Luckey left very few recordings of his own for posterity. ---Murray Pfeffer
1963     Marcus Roberts, Piano, b. Jacksonville, FL, USA né: Marthaniel Marcus Roberts.
1952     Alexis Sayle, actor/singer, b. UK. 1984 single "Ullo John, Got A New Motor?" charted UK No.15.
1910     Freddie Slack, Piano/Leader, Aug. 7, 1910, b. La Crosse, WI, d. Aug. 10, 1965, Hollywood, CA, USA
1935     A. B. Spellman, critic/author, b. Elizabeth City, NC, USA.
1958     Jim Sumen, guitar/bass. Member: 'Classix Nouveau'
1955     Jerry Tachoir, vibes, marimba, glockenspiel, cymbals, percussion b. Hendersonville TN, USA.
1942     B. J. "Billy Joe" Thomas, vocals, b. Hugo, OK, USA. Began singing while still a child, performing in church. While still in his teens, he recorded with the Triumphs (Houston, TX), but neither the band or B. J. gained any attention. Since then, B. J. Thomas has an incredible string of successes with 15 Top 40 pop hits, 10 Top 40 Country hits, 5 Grammys, 2 Dove awards, 2 platinum, and 11 gold records, and chart-toppers on the pop, country, gospel and adult contemporary charts.
1913     George Van Eps, Guitar, b. Plainfield, NJ, USA. d. Nov. 29. 1998
1917     Mose Vinson, Boogie and blues pianist, b. Holly Springs, MS, USA.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1957.    John Latouche, lyricist, died in Calais, Vermont, USA. (heart attack) (b. (Nov. 13, 1914, Baltimore, MD, USA - raised in Richmond, Virginia)
1969.    Joseph Kosma, composer, died in La Roche-Guyon, France. ( b,. Oct. 12, 1905, Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary)
1969.    Famed bandleader Russ Morgan died, age 65.
1971.    "Homer" Haynes, (ne´: Henry D. Haynes) of Bluegrass duo "Homer & Jethro" died in Hammond, IN, USA.
1978.    1950s crooner Eddie Calvert died in Johannesburg, South Africa (Coronary Arrest).
1984.    "Harmonica Frank" Floyd, harmonica, died in Cincinnati, OH, USA. Age: 75
1984.    Esther ("Little Esther") Phillips, vocals, died in Torrence, CA, USA. Age: 49
1984.    Blues harmonica player Frank Floyd dies in Memphis Tennessee.
1984.    R&B singer (Little) Esther Phillips dies in Los Angeles.
1989.    T. C. Lansford of "The Texas Playboys" died.
2004.    G.T. Hogan drums, died in San Antonio, TX, USA. ( né: Wilbert Granville Theodore Hogan Jr. b. Jan. 16, 1929, Galveston, Texas, USA ) (aka: Granville Hogan, Wilbert Hogan, G.T. Hogan, W.T. Hogan, and Wilbert G.T. Hogan. )
2005.    Alvin "Buddy" Banks, piano, clarinet, died in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. ( pancreatic cancer). Age: 78.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1916     "Since Maggie Dooley Learned the Hooley Hooley", - Margaret Farrell voc.
1916     "Sweet Babette, She Always Did The Minuet", - Margaret Farrell voc.
1925     "Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now", - Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Orch. (McHugh/Mills)
1925     "Who Wouldn't Love You", - Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Orch. (McHugh/Mills)
1925     "Hong Kong Dream Girl", - Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Orch. (McHugh/Mills)
1929     "I've Waited A Lifetime For This", - Roy Fox and His Montemarte Orch.
1932     "Napoli", - Nat Finston's Paramount Orch.
1933     "Shimmy Shammy", - Williams' Jug Band
1933     "High Society", - Williams' Jug Band
1933     "That's How Rhythm Was Born", - Casa Loma Orch.
1934     "The Show Is Over", - Ambrose and his Orch.
1936     "La Bomba", - Xavier Cugat Orch.
1936     "Inspiration", - Xavier Cugat Orch.
1936     "Mi Sombrero", - Xavier Cugat Orch.
1937     "I Can't Get Started", - Bunny Berigan and his orch, recorded for Victor Records.
1937     "Turn On The Red Hot Heat", - Bunny Berigan Orch.
1940     "God Bless America", - Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights (I. Berlin tune)
1941     "Gloomy Sunday", - Billie Holiday vocal release
1961    "As If I Didn't Know", - Adam Wade
1965    "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (Part 1)", - James Brown
1965    "California Girls", - The Beach Boys
1965    "It's The Same Old Song", - Four Tops
1965    "You Were On My Mind", - We Five
1971    "Spanish Harlem", - Aretha Franklin
1971    "I Just Want To Celebrate", - Rare Earth
1976    "Lowdown", - Boz Scaggs
1982    "Jack & Diane", - John Cougar
1982     "Who Can It Be Now?", - Men At Work