BIRTHDAYS
1924     Lee Adams, lyricist,
1914     Stanley Adams, Lyricist, d, Jan. 27, 1994
1929     Lorez Alexandria, Vocals, b. Chicago, IL, USA, d. May 22, 2001.
1923     Ray Beckenstein, alto-soprano-tenor-baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
1941     Don Bennett, piano/bass
1971     Walter Blanding Jr., tenor sax, b. Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Born into a musical family, he was already playing the saxophone at age six. In 1981, his family moved to New York City, and by age 16, he was performing regularly with his parents at the Village Gate. In New York, Blanding attended 'LaGuardia High School for Music & Art' and also the 'High School for The Performing Arts'. At the college level, he later studied at the 'New School for Social Research'. Subsequently, Blanding lived in Israel for 4 years. During this period, the American magazine 'Newsweek' described him as "Jazz’s Ambassador to Israel". During his stay in Israel, he invited such stars as Louis Hayes, Eric Reed, and others, to perform with him. He also taught in several Israeli schools and toured the country with his ensemble. 1991 saw his first recording released, "Tough Young Tenors", and it was acclaimed as one of the best Jazz albums of that year. Blanding has performed or recorded with such artists as Cab Calloway, the Wynton Marsalis Septet, Marcus Roberts, Illinois Jacquet, Eric Reed, Roy Hargrove and others.
1938     Howard Bowie, vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Member: 'The Zion Harmonizers'
1894     "Bricktop" - née: Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Smith, Saloon keeper/vocals, b. Alderson, W. VA, USA. d. Feb. 1, 1984, New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Her red hair and cigars were her signature. She numbered Cole Porter, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and writer F. Scott Fitzgerald among her friends. Her proteges included Josephine Baker, Mabel Mercer and Duke Ellington. While still a child, she once told her mother, "I want to be in the back room of a saloon." And, when Ada grew old enough, she went north to New York city and Harlem. There, she would sing and dance at such fabled clubs as 'Baron Wilkins Club' and 'Connie's Inn'. Composer Cole Porter once walked into the cabaret and ordered a bottle of wine. "Little girl, can you do the Charleston?" he asked. "Yes", she said. After she demonstrated the new dance, Cole exclaimed, "What legs! What legs!" Porter hired her on the spot to give Charleston lessons to his guests. He took her to Venice, Italy, where she sang and danced at private parties on his barge. By 1926, she had opened 'Chez Bricktop' on Paris' famed Rue Pigalle, a club that would become the talk of Paris and the world. In 1939, as the Germans marched down the Champs Elysee, "Bricktop" left her beloved Paris. In 1944, with the help of American heiress Doris Duke, she opened a cafe, in Mexico City which closed a few years later. In 1949, she opened another on the Via Veneto in Rome. In 1961, she closed Bricktop's for good, and retired to New York city where she died peacefully in her sleep, at age 89.
1961     Sarah Brightman, vocals/actress.
1956     Sharon Bryant. vocals. Member group: Atlantic 'Starr'
1963     Jean-Pierre Catoul, violin, keyboards, composer, b. Huy, Belgium, d. Jan. 22, 2001 (automobile accident). Age: 37. Jean-Pierre will always be recalled as one of the few modern violinists to merge Jazz together with rock music. At age 6, he began to study the violin. As a young man (all during the 1980s), he played in a variety of bands (both Jazz and rock). In 1986, when he was 23 years old, Jean-Pierre's career really began when he met William Sheller and became a part of Sheller's string quartet. It was the beginning of a long collaboration. Still, it wasn't until 1987 that Catoul began to fully realize his potential on the violin, when he started to study with respected French violinist Didier Lockwood. Up to that time, he had been playing both Classical and Jazz violin. From 1988 on, after his meeting with Didier Lockhoud, Jean-Pierre Catoul decided to devote himself only to Jazz. In 1989, Catoul was the recipient of a Saxe award from the Jazz Academy, as "the best young hopeful of the year." He was also heard on TV, the Queen Elisabeth Competition, where he played with some of the greatest classical virtuosos of the era. He had now played with some of the greatest Jazz violinists, and at the beginning of the 1990s, he was selected as one of the 20 best Jazz violinists in the world. In 1990, Catoul met the wonderful violinist Stéphane Grappelli, who invited Catoul to join him at numerous concerts and festivals. During the following 10 years, Catoul was very active. He was the subject of a TV program entitled "J-P Catoul, a Violin for Everywhere", he took part in a concert organized by Sir Yehudi Menuhin, "All the Violins of the World", and played at the Cirque Royal in Brussels alongside Grappelli and L. Subramaniam. In the mid-1990s, during his last years, Catoul and Breton accordionist Gwenaël Micault, formed bands that included pianist Charles Loos. Catoul also joined the band "One Shot", which was comprised of Charlie Mariano, Yvan Paduart, Nathalie Loriers, Peter Hertmans, Stefan Lievestro, and Hans Van Oosterhout. At the end of 2000, Catoul recorded a duet with the pianist Charles Loos entitled "Sad Hopes". In January 2001, Catoul lost his life in a car accident.
1924     Jeannie Cheatham, piano/vocals, b. Akron, OH, USA. (Some sources claim b. 1927, some say 1936. Her husband, Jimmy was born 1924). At just age Five, Jeannie Cheatham started studying piano, becoming a professional early on in here career. Subsequently, Jeannie worked with "Big Mama" Thornton on and off for ten years. In the 1950s, Jeannie worked with Dakota Staton, "T-Bone" Walker, Dinah Washington, Jimmy Rushing, Jimmy Witherspoon, and other Jazz and Blues artists. In 1984 she toured with the Cab Calloway orchestra. Jeannie is married to Jimmy Cheatham, bass trombonist and bandleader (b: June 18, 1924, Birmingham, Alabama, USA). Jimmy is formally trained, having studied at the New York Conservatory of Modern Music and other institutes. In 1956, the two first met, and they were married in 1959. In the 1960s, while living in New York, Jimmy Cheatham worked as Chico Hamilton's music director, and in 1972 worked briefly with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Jimmy Cheatham has taught in various Jazz programs, -first at Benington College in Vermont, then, in the mid 1970s, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He later headed the Jazz studies program at the University of California at San Diego. When Jimmy Cheatham isn't teaching, he and wife Jeannie tour with his band, 'Sweet Baby Blues Band'. Some of the sidemen who have appeared with the band include trumpeters 'Snooky' Young and Clora Bryant, tenor sax and clarinetist Jimmie Noone Jr., altoist Curtis Peagler, bassist Red Callender, and Rickey Woodard on tenor and clarinet. Other artists who have guested with the band include violinist Papa John Creach, altoists Charles, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Hank Crawford, tenor saxist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and guitarist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
1965     Mark Collins, guitar, Member group: 'The Charlatans'
1930     Edwin James "Eddie" Costa, piano/vibes, b. Atlas, PA, USA. d. Jul 28, 1962, New York, NY, USA.. Born in a rural Pennsylvania coal mining town, Costa loved the great Swing bands, and first studied piano with his brother Bill. One of his idols was pianist Bud Powell. Self-taught on vibes, Costa, an excellent sight reader, was much in demand as a sessions man. On piano, his trademark sound was the emphasis of the middle and lower registers while nearly ignoring the top two octaves. Costa often led his own Trio and Quintet dates, in addition to recording as a sideman with such Jazz stars as Woody Herman, Tal Farlow, the Bob Brookmeyer-Clark Terry Quintet, Johnny Smith, and Bill Evans, With some exceptions, most of Costa's recorded output remains unavailable on CD. Costa died when his car careened off of a busy New York parkway in 1962.
1940     Dash Crofts, vocals/guitar. Member group: 'Seals & Crofts'
1941     David Crosby, vocals/guitar, b. Los Angeles, CA. USA. né: David Van Cortland. member: 'The Byrds', and 'Crosby, Stills, and Nash'
1930     Frank Albert Devito, b. Utica, NY, USA. At just age 12, he started his professional career gigging in local clubs. At 15, he worked with the Bob Astor band; and at 16, he was working with the Ben Ventura group. He subsequently recorded with the Monkees, Rick Nelson, Sam Cooke, and Cher, among others. DeVito had a sophisticated background as a jazz drummer. Starting in 1953, he was recording with the Terry Gibbs Quartet for a few years. Over the next 20 years, DeVito was very active on the U. S. West Coast music scene doing some Nelson Riddle orchestrations, accompanying Frank Sinatra, performing in a nightclub act with Betty Hutton, and even doing some folk-rock work.
CAUTION: Do Not Confuse with trombonist Frank DeVito, who was part of several Lucky Millinder orchestras between 1941 and 1952.
1966     Tanya Donelly, vocals, b. Newport, RI, USA. Member group: 'Throwing Muses', 'Breeders', 'Belly'
1903     Jack Gardner, Piano, b. Joliet, IL, USA. d. 1957
1946     Larry Graham, bass/vocals. Member group: 'Sly & The Family Stone'
1926     Armando "Buddy" Greco, vocal, piano, composer, vibes, organ, arranger, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. n&eaccute;: Armando Greco. Buddy's father was a music critic (with his own Phila. PA radio show), and his two brothers are also musicians. Between 1944 and '49, led his own trio as pianist/singer/arranger. In 1950, Buddy was with Benny Goodman on his England and France tour, following which Buddy reformed his trio. Later often worked as a Vocal Solo act.
1938     Roland Hall, trumpet, b. Pasadena, MD, USA
1914     Alyce King, vocalist . Part of King Sisters vocal group - Alvino Rey Orch.
1928     Vic Knight, Trumpet/Leader, b. St. Petersburg, FL, USA, d. Jan. 31, 2000, Boca Raton, FL, USA. Vic pursued twin careers in music and radio. The trumpet-playing leader was a popular disc jockey on station WXLW in Indianapolis, IN in the 1950s. Led a sixteen-piece big band that played for dances and society balls at such venues at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, as well as for proms and dances throughout Indiana. Moved to Delray Beach, FL in 1965 to purchase station WDBF, changing the station's music format to "Big Bands and All That Jazz." Formed a Florida big band in the late 1970s. Played for society balls and country clubs and accompanied such stars as Helen O'Connell and Bob Hope, but also played for promotional events and civic concerts to promote the radio station. Added a vocal group, the No-Name Jive Singers, which performed regularly with the band. Formed a seven-piece group, the Gentlemen of Jazz, which played for parties and at restaurants too small fostra. Preferred swing but also played modern ballads, however was reluctant to play Latin, rock, or two-beat styles. Bequeathed his exceptional book of arrangements to his pianist son, Ted Knight, who continues the South Florida big band tradition established by his father.
1949     Mikio Masuda, Piano/Leader, b. Osaka, Japan
1942     Lionel Morton, b. Blackburn, Lancashire, UK. Member group: 'The Four Pennies', 1964 single "Juliet" charted UK No.1.
1914     Bobby Naret, Alto Sax, b. Loncin, Belgium
1947     George Newsome, guitar/vocals, b. Stafford, England. Member group: 'Climax Blues Band'
1940     Curtis Prince, drums, percussion
1947     Maddy Prior, vocals. Member group: Steeleye Span
1943     Ben Sidran, Piano/Vocals/writer, b. Chicago, IL. USA
1941     Connie Smith, vocals b. Elkhart, IN, USA. née: Constance June Meadows
1909     "Stuff" Smith, Violin/Leader, b. Portsmouth, OH, USA, d. Sept. 25, 1967, Chicago, IL, USA. né: Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith. As a child he was taught music by his father, and played with the family band. In the 1920s, he worked (and recorded) with Alphonse Trent's "territory" band. He worked mostly in obscurity until 1936 when he led a quintet on New York's famed 52nd Street - Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys. One of the "boys" was trumpeter Jonah Jones. Their comedic songs and free-swinging style brought them wide fame, especially with Stuff's own tune "I'se A-Muggin'" that was widely popular with radio station 'disk jockeys'. Well known all during the 1940s, "Stuff" was largely forgotten during the 1950s, but happily was well recorded on the Verve label (Norman Granz), and was also heard on Nat "King" Cole's 'After Midnight' sessions for the Capitol Label (Johnny Mercer). Stuff was a truly dynamic and loveable player, but he was also a dynamic 'drinker'. A Paris (France) hospital once tagged him as a 'walking medical museum'. In 1967, he gulped down his last shot of Bourbon (in Munich, Germany) and was buried not too far from Copenhagen, Denmark (where another violinist - Svend Asmussen was born). In personal eMail, one reader, Mr. Steen Moercholdt, has advised that:
    "'Stuff's' grave is situated in a graveyard just outside Juelsminde. in a little place
    called Klakring. Juelsminde is between Vejle and Horsens. He is lying just beside the
    entrance. I went to contact our local archive here in Juelsminde about the question
    how he ended up here. Someone told me, that his wife came from this part of Denmark."
    "Stuff" often remarked that his main influence was Louis Armstrong.
Avidly loyal fans felt that he could 'out-swing' any of his 'competitors'.
1956     Jerry Underwood, Saxophone, flute, b. Bristol, England, d: August 3, 2002, Chambery, France. (Brain tumor.) Jerry was definitely in the top bracket of UK and European jazz, and his contribution to Jazz in England's Bristol area were manifold . Among the groups with whom he worked are Tao, Pentangle, Klaunstance, Big Co-Motion, John Martyn, Bullet and Spirit Level
1911     Robert Franklin Vaughn, violin/piano/Wurlitzer organ , b. San Francisco, CA, U.S.A. , d. Jan. 4, 2002 A Cinema Organist who accompanied The Phantom Of The Opera, and the premiere of Flesh And The Devil.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1956.    Avant garde lyricist Bertold Brecht dies. (Perhaps most famous work "Drei Pfennig Oper" ("Three Penny Opera"), with music by Kurt Weill.). Louis Armstrong took the melody "Mack The Knife" from the opera, and turned it into a world wide hit.
1958.    "Big Bill" Broonzy, guitar/vocals, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 60
1962.    June Richmond, vocals, died in Gothenburg, Sweden. Age: 47 (With Andy Kirk Orch.)
1962.    Harry White, trombone, cornet, sax, paino, arranger, composer, died in New York, NY, USA. (b. June 1, 1898. Bethlehem, PA, USA )
1969.    Tony Fruscella, trumpeter, died in New York City, USA. (alcohol related cirrhosis of the Liver. b. Feb. 4, 1927, Orangeburg, New York (suburb of New York city), USA)
1971.    King Curtis died in New York City at the age 37. (Some sources say d. Aug 13)
1972.    Oscar Levant died in Beverley Hills, CA. at the age of 65.
1978.    Joe Venuti died in Seattle, WA. at the age of 72.
1978.    Orchestra leader Victor Sylvester died (in France).
1981.    The BBC recording of the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana reached number one on the British album charts.
1984.    "Bobo" Jenkins, Blues guitar, died in Detroit, MI, USA. Age: 69
1988.    Fred Below, drums, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 61
1988.    Roy Buchanan, guitar, died in Fairfax, VA, USA. Age: 48
1989.    Donald Rafael Garrett, bass, clarinet, flute died (or Aug. 17) (b Feb 28, 1932, El Dorado, Arkansas, USA )
1990.    Lafayette Leake, piano, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 71 (in a diabetic coma)
1990.    Chester Zardis, bass, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age: 90 Played with Dede Pierce, and Kid Howard
1992.    Tony Williams, vocals, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 64 With 'The Platters'
2004.    Peter Strange, trombone, died in Banstead, Surrey, England, UK (b. Dec. 19, 1938, London, England, UK )
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1917     "Some Sunday Morning", - Ada Jones and Billy Murray vocal.
1917     "I'de Feel At Home If They'de Let Me Join The Army", - Billy Murray. (WW1)
1924     "Morning", - Benson Orch. of Chicago
1925     "Vanity Waltz", - Rudy Wiefoeft sax with Frank Banta Orch.
1928     "Blow Wind Blow", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1928     "Rose of Caracas", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1928     "Cecelia", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1928     "Rosita", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1928     "Caroline", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1928     "Sweet Man", - Lionel Belasco's Orch.
1929     "Huggable Kissable You", - Ted Wallace and His Campus Boys Orch.
1929     "Sweetheart's Holiday", - Ted Wallace and His Campus Boys Orch.
1929     "Satisfied", - Ernie Golden Orch.
1933     "My Moonlight Madonna", - Victor Young Orch.
1933     "It's The Talk Of The Town", - Boswell Sisters with Victor Young Orch.
1933     "This Time It's Love", - Boswell Sisters with Victor Young Orch.
1933     "Snowball", - Hal Kemp Orch.
1933     "Who Do You Think You Are", -Paul Whiteman Orch., Presents Ramona
1934     "Vilia", - Jeanette MacDonald vocal. (ex: Franz Lehar's Merry Widow Operetta)
1935     "I Wished On The Moon", Bing Crosby
1939     "Doodle Do Do", - Tiny Hill and His Orch.
1942     "Take Me", - Benny Goodman
1942     "Cow-Cow Boogie", - Freddie Slack
1947     "Lady Of The Lavender Mist", - Duke Ellington Orch.
1961     "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor", - Lonnie Donegan
1961     "My True Story", - Jive Five
1965     "Help", - Beatles
1965     "Like A Rolling Stone", - Bob Dylan
1971     "Ain't No Sunshine", - Bill Withers
1976     "She's Gone", - Hall & Oates
1976     "Still The One", - Orleans
1976     "Devil Woman", - Cliff Richard