BIRTHDAYS
1954     Nico Assumpçâo, bass/arranger/composer, b. Sâo Paulo, Brasil. né: Antônio Alvaro Assumpçâo Neto. Though his father was an amateur bassist, Nico first started playing the acoustic guitar at age 10. But at age 16, he filled in playing the bass for a schoolmate who could not attend his schools band's rehearsal. He immediately fell in love with his new instrument, and at age 17, moved to the U.S.A. to study harmony and orchestration at the University of California, after which he returned to Brazil, where he continued his studies at CLAM, with famous Brazilian bassists Luis Chaves and Amilton Godoy. In 1976, he again moved to New York to study at a deeper level. In New York, he played with such Jazzmen as Fred Hersh, Wayne Shorter, Sadao Watanabe, Pat Metheny, Fred Hersh, Don Salvador, Larry Willis, Steve Slagle, John Hicks, Victor Lewis, and Charlie Rouse. In the USA, he became one of the pioneers of the fretless and 6-string bass. In 1981, he returned to his native Brasil where he released that country's first bassist solo album (titled "Nico Assumpçâo"). In 1982 he moved to Rio de Janeiro. Over his career, he has played and/or recorded with Gilberto Gil, César Camargo Mariano, Milton Nascimento, Joâo Bosco, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, Wauke Wakabaiashi, Edu Lobo, Marco Pereira,Toninho Horta, Ricardo Silveira, Gal Costa, Luiz Avellar, Hélio Delmiro, Raphael RabelloMaria Bethânia, Márcio Montarroyos, Victor Biglione, Edu Lobo, and Léo Gandelman among others.
1919     James "Billy" Anderson, bass, b. East Orange, NJ, USA.
1950     Patrick Bacqueville, trombone, vocal, b. Kiel, Germany. Perhaps best known for his work with "Les Gigolos". On New Year's Eve 1996, Stéphane Roger's group 'Megaswing Quartet' were playing at the Bilboquet Club in the heart of Paris' Latin Quarter. Trombonist and singer Patrick Bacqueville was in the audience that night, and he was invited on stage The repertoire that evening included three songs by Louis Prima. The public was estatic, and the musicians decided to put together a band to sound like Louis Prima's 1960s band "Witnesses". Guitarist Christophe Davot and trumpeter Michel Bonnet were added and "Just Gigolos" was born. In October 1999. "Just Gigolos" was renamed "Les Gigolos". They have enjoyed tours to France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Great Britain, Lebanon, Morocco, and New Zealand. The band's popularity has never waned
1925     Benny Bailey, trumpet/fluegelhorn, b. Cleveland, OH, USA. d. April 14, 2005. né: Ernest Harold Bailey
1938     Fanita Barrett, vocals, b. St. Louis, MO, USA. Member: 'The Blossoms'
1940     Allan Blairman, drums, b. Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
1959     Michael Bradley, bass, Member group: The Undertones
1938     Dave "Baby" Cortez, Hammond Organ, b. Detroit, MI, USA. né: David Cortez Clowney.
1958     Danielle D'Agaro, tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, b. Spilimbergo, Italy
1914     Ivon De Bie, Piano/Leader, b. Aug.,13, 1914, Brussels, Belgium
1933     Wesley Devereaux, vocals/guitar, b. Omaha, NE, USA. Member: 'The Sultans'
1909     Skinnay Ennis, Vocals/leader, b. Salisbury, NC, d. June 3, 1963, Beverly Hills, CA, USA. (Choked to death on a bone stuck in his throat.) né: Robert Ennis.
1913     Jack Fina, pianist, d. May 13, 1970, Los Angeles, California, USA (heart attack). Fina is best recalled as the pianist with the Freddy Martin Orchestra in the 1940's. His biggest hit was "Bumble Boogie" (1946). Also of interest is the fact that he was briefly married to Bee Palmer, the 'Roaring 20s' Shimmy Queen', singer and actress (whose "main" husband was pianist Al Siegel).
1949     Cliff Fish, bassist. Member group: Paper Lace. 1974 single "The Night Chicago Died" charted US No.1.
1951     Dan Fogelberg, singer/songwriter, b. Peoria, IL, USA. Worked with Joe Walsh, Jackson Browne, and Randy Newman.
1920     "Charlie" (Charles Alfred) Galbraith, Jazz trombonist, b. London, England, UK, d. Jan. 16, 1997
1973     Andy Griggs, (C&W) singer-songwriter, b. Monroe, LA, USA.
1964     Ian Haughland, heavy metal guitar. Member groups: Europe; The Final Countdown.
1930     Don Ho, vocalist, b. Kakaako (on Oahu), HI, USA. d. April 14, 2007, Honolulu, HI, USA (Cardiac Arrest). For more than 40 years, Don Ho was more than a singer. He was a one-man tourist destination. His shows, at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel in Honolulu, drew visitors from around the world. He was truly an Hawaiian institution. Curiously, he never appeared on TV's "Hawaii Five-O", one of the big island's top tourist lures, but he did his ambassadorial work via numerous other series, including "Johnny Carson's Tonight Show", "Charlie's Angels" and "I Dream of Jeannie". In 1972, he greeted "The Brady Bunch's" Bobby and Cindy Brady during their three-episode Honolulu stay. In 1976-77, he hosted his own ABC daytime variety show, The Don Ho Show. Ho's breakthrough came in 1965 via the album "The Don Ho Show" , with 12 songs ("Tiny Bubbles" not included) and one reprise, - all culled from two nights of his popular act at Duke Kahanamoku's lounge. A year later, in 1966, "Tiny Bubbles" climbed the charts. Heart problems had plagued Ho. In 2005, he underwent experimental stem-cell treatment in Thailand to help stem the damage caused by a degenerative condition in the organ. Don was survived by his talented daughter, sing-songwriter, actress, "Hoku" (née: Hoku Christian Ho, b. June 10, 1981, known simply as 'Hoku',
1932    Michael James, British jazz critic, b. Reading, England, UK, d. Jan. 26, 1998, Somerset, England, UK. Age: 65, CAUTION: Do Not Confuse with R&B singer Michael James, b. Sept 13, 1940,.Jamaica, who is widely known as Jimmy James,)
1902     Dale Jones, bass, b. Cedar County, b. Nebraska, USA, d. June, 1970
1912     Nate Kazebier, Trumpet, b. Lawrence, KS, USA, d. OCt. 22, 1969
1963     Tigg Ketler, drums, b. Chula Vista, CA, USA.
1927     Charles Freeman Lee, trumpet/piano/vocal, b. New York, NY, USA. Studied at Wilberforce Academy (OH), and played with Wilberforce Collegians. Has a B.S. in Biology from Central State College. 1950 piano with Snooky Young. 1951 trumpet with Candy Johnson. In 1952 trumpet with Sonny Stitt and Eddie "lockjaw" Vinson. In 1953 with Joe Holiday. '54-5 freelanced in NYC. 1956 with James Moody. Visited Ohio for a year returning to NYC and gigging around (incl. Birdland) on both Piano and trumpet.
1921     Jimmy McCracklin, (R&B) pianist/songwriter, b. St. Louis, Missouri, USA. né: James David Walker. Jimmy hegan his career as an amateur boxer. In 1938, he joined the U. S. Navy, where he served throughout World War II. In 1945, after his service discharge, his first recordings were released by Globe Records. In 1946. he formed the 'Blues Blasters' who were recorded in 1948 by the Triton label. He was subsequently recorded by many small labels. In 1961, after appearing on the TV show 'American Bandstand', he formed his own record label, 'Art-Tone Records', and enjoyed his biggest hit with "Just Got to Know". Over the years, he has been recorded by other small labels. In the 1980s and 1990s, McCracklin continued to tour and produce new albums.
1959     Jimmy McCulloch, rock guitar. b. Glasgow, Scotland, UK. d. Sept. 27, 1979 (Coronary induced by morphine and alcohol). Recorded with Roger Daltrey, Wings, Thunderclap Newman, John Entwistle, Stone The Crows, and The Bluesbreakers.
1955     Mulgrew Miller, Piano, b. Greenwood, MS, USA.
1913     "Big Chief" Russell Moore, trombone, b. Komatke, AZ, USA. d. Dec 15, 1983, Nyack, NY, USA. (member of the Native American Pima Tribe). The "Big Chief" was born (on the reservation) August 13, 1913 (Pima Tribe). He studied music with his uncle at Blue Island, IL. (Along with the t'bone, he also mastered the piano, trumpet, drums and euphonium - and also played the baritone sax with the National Guard band in Chicago 1928-9). A brief chronology on him should include: 1941 With Harlan Leonard's band; 1942 with Noble Sissle's band; 1943-5 Satchmo's Big Band; 1946-8 With Sidney Bechet; 1949 To Europe and the Paris Jazz Festival. 1953 Again toured Europe - recording with Buck Clayton and Mezz Mezzrow (Was also in a film with Satchmo - "New Orleans" ). In 1954 With Jimmy McPartland's band (In 1924, Jimmy replaced Bix in the Wolverines.); 1957 With Lester Lanin's band - featured jazz soloist. In Late '50s Seen at New York's Metropole Cafe (that's where I first saw and heard him. He (and the band) were up on the shelf above the Bar. (Did you know that today (2002), the Metropole is an "All-Nude" female show joint?) He also played Central Plaza and the 'obligatory' college dates. In 1959, he led his own band on tours (sponsored by Nat'l Council of American Indians) to Arizona and South Dakota, to raise funds for indigent Indian students. Sadly, Russell passed away in 1983 CAUTION: Do not confuse with bluegrass and White gospel performer, Russell Moore, usually associated with the "Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver" band
1959     Mark Nevin, Member group: Fairground Attraction.
1903     Guy Paquinet, Trombone, b. Tours, France, d. 1981
1927     Joseph L. "Joe" Puma, guitar, b. New York, NY, USA, d. May 31, 2000
1962     Tony Remy, Guitar, b. London, England.
1913     W. L. Richardson, vocals, b. Orville, AL, USA. Member: 'Fairfield Four'
1948     Tony Santini, vocals. Member group: Sha Na Na
1942     Frank Son Seals, guitarist/vocalist , b. Osceola, AR, USA. né: Frank Seals Jr.
1919     George Albert Shearing, piano/accordion/vocal, b. London, England. (composer "Lullabye of Birdland".)
1958     Feargal Sharkey, vocals/guitar. b. Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Member group: Undertones
1949     "Sheralee", vocals, b. Ft. Lauderdale FL, USA. Perhpas best recalled as a vocalist on radio program "Your Hit Parade"
1950     Pluto Shervington, vocals, b. Jamaica. né: Leighton Shervington.
1938     Michael Smith, Keyboards/composer/leader, b. Tiline, KY, USA.
1940     Sean James Stokes, bassist, b. UK. Member group: 'Bachelors'.
1919     'Baby Boy' Warren, Blues vocals/guitar, b. Lake Providence, LA, USA. né: Robert Henry Warren.
1913     Anna Mae Winburn, guitar/bandleader, b. Port Royal, TN, USA. Member: 'The Sweethearts Of Rhythm'
         Notable Events on this date include:
1860.    Phoebe Anne Oakley Moses, later known as Annie Oakley was born. The Irving Berlin musical, Annie Get Your Gun, was based on her life. Among her other accomplishments, she was also a fine markswoman, who, as a member of Buffalo Bill Cody's "Wild West Show" had toured America.
1924.    Vernon Dalhart recorded "The Prisoner's Song", the first Country song to sell one million copies
1968.    Joe Hinton, vocals, died in Boston, MA, USA. Age: 39
1971.    King Curtis, sax/producer, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 37. n&eaccute;: Curtis Ousley. (some sources say d. Aug 14)
1974.    Harold "Tina" Brooks, tenor sax, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 42
1982.    Joe Tex, guitar/songwriter, died in Navasota, TX, USA. Age: 49
1997.    Luther Allison died in Madison, WI, USA (cancer). (b. August 17, 1939, Widener, Arkansas, USA.)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1908     "Cheer Up, The Cherry Will Soon Be Ripe", - Byron Harlan vocal. (Myer tune)
1913     "Folks Up Willow Creek", - Conway's Band.
1917     "Beale Street Blues", - Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band.
1917     "The Old Grey Mare", - Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band. (Will Handy Tune)
1917     "Ching Chong", - Fred van Eps Trio. (Roberts tune)
1917     "Razzberries", - Fred van Eps Trio. (Frank Banta tune)
1923     "Kashmiri Song", - Paul Ashe and his Granada Orch.
1924     "Mean Looks", - Vic Myers Orch.
1924     "Hard Hearted Hanny", - The Little Ramblers Orch.
1924     "Tessie (Stop Teasing Me)", - The Little Ramblers Orch.
1928     "Four or Five Times", - Dixie Syncopators Orch. (Oliver)
1929     "Marianne", - The Clicquot Club Eskimos (aka: Harry Reser Orch.)
1930     "Go Home and Tell Your Mother", - Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.
1931     "My Song", - Ben Selvin Orch. (ex: George White's 'Scandals')
1931     "This Is The Missus", - Ben Selvin Orch. (ex: George White's 'Scandals')
1934     "New Moon Over My Shoulder", - Johnny Green Orch.
1936     "Here's Love In Your Eye", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1936     "You Turned The Tables On Me", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1936     "Down South Camp Meeting", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1936     "Pick Yourself Up", - Benny Goodman Orch.
1937     "Big Apple", - Tommy Dorsey's Clambake 7.
1955     "Wake The Town And Tell The People", - Les Baxter
1955     "Yellow Rose Of Texas, The", - Johnny Desmond
1955     "Tina Marie", - Perry Como
1966     "Working In The Coal Mine", - Lee Dorsey
1966     "Sunshine Superman", - Donovan
1966     "Land Of A 1000 Dances", - Wilson Pickett
1966     "Guantanamera", - Sandpipers
1977     "Cold As Ice", - Foreigner
1977     "Keep It Comin' Love", - KC & The Sunshine Band
1977     "Star Wars (Main Title)", - John Williams
1983     "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All", - Air Supply
1983     "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", - Bonnie Tyler
1988     "I Hate Myself For Loving You", - Joan Jett
1988     "Please Don't Go Girl", - New Kids On The Block
1988     "Don't Worry, Be Happy", - McFerrin, Bobby