BIRTHDAYS
1967     Gary Allan, vocals/guitar, b. Montebello, CA, USA. né: Gary Allan Herzberg. Gary was playing the 'honky-tonk' circuit while still a high school student. In 1996, Decca Records signed him. In 2003, he was nominated for the CMA Horizon award.
1928     Gene Allen, Baritone Sax/Bass Clarinet, b. East Chicago, IN, USA.
1910     Luis Arcaraz, b. Dec. 5, 1910, Mexico City, Mexico, d. Dec. 15, 1963, Near San Luis Potos, Mexico. (Auto Accident). né: Luis Arcaraz Torras. A fine musician now, sadly, almost forgotten. Please also see our Tunesmiths Database entry for Arcaraz, for a partial list of his compositions.
1961     Anders Bergcrantz, trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, b. Malmoe, Sweden
1935     Totti Bergh, soprano and tenor sax/clarinet, b. Oslo, Norway
1927     Adulyade Bhumibol, Clarinet/saxes/piano/composer, b. Cambridge, MA, USA.
1972     Stefano Bollani, piano, b. Milan, Italy. In 1998, Musica Jazz magazine voted him Best Jazz Talent Of The Year. In 2000, he was awarded the Italian Django D'Or award. In 2002, he won the Positano Prize, and in 2003, he was winner of the New Star Award from the Japanese Swing Journal magazine. Among jazz musicians with whom Bollani has worked are Lee Konitz, Gato Barbieri, Han Bennink, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Wheeler Scott Colley, Richard Galliano, Roswell Rudd, Roberto Gatto, Mirko Guerrini, Greg Osby, Irene Grandi, Clarence Penn, Aldo Romano, and Phil Woods, among others.
1960     Brian Bromberg, bass, electric bass, guitar, keyboards, arranger, b. Tuscon, AZ, USA
1902     John Henry "Bubba" Brown, guitar/piano, b. Brandon, MS, USA
1947     Mike Bukovsky, Trumpet/flugelhorn, b. Czechoslovakia
1938     J. J. Cale, singer-songwriter, b: Oklahoma City, OK, USA. né: John Weldon Cale. NOT: Jean Jacques Cale. The stage name of "J J Cale" was suggested to him, circa 1964 or '65, by a Los Angeles club owner, since there was another musician out there by the name of John Cale. Among others, J. J. Cale has played with Eric Clapton and keyboardist Rocky Frisco, (b. July 26, 1937, St. Louis, MO, USA. Birthname unknown, but early in his career, he was billed as "Rocky Curtiss and the Harmony Flames". Cale and Frisco have been friends for many years). Cale's songs have been covered by everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers Band, Deep Purple, Captain Beefheart, The Band, Santana, Bryan Ferry, and Widespread Panic. CAUTION: Do not confuse with the Punk/Rock singer-songwriter and viola player John Cale (b. March 9, 1940, Crynant, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK - a Classicallly trained viola player who originally worked with John Cage, but who wanted to be in a rock 'n' roll band)
1931     Rev. James Cleveland, piano/songwriter, b. Chicago, IL, USA
1934     Arthur "Art" Davis, Bass/educator, b. Harrisburg, PA, USA. d. July 29, 2007, Long Beach, California, USA. 1958-1959 played with Max Roach, 1959-1960 Dizzy Gillespie , and in 1960 with Gigi Gryce. Recorded with with Booker Little (1958, 1961) Art Blakey, and with John Coltrane (1961, 1965), also performing with on numerous other occasions with Coltrane. In 1958 and 1959 he played with Max Roach. During 1959 and 1960 he toured Europe with Dizzy Gillespie. In 1961 he recorded and played with John Coltrane. During 1962 and 1970, at various times played with the NBC, CBS, and Westinghouse television orchestras. At various times starting in 1965, he played with the Clark Terry, Quincy Jones,Gigi Gryce, Oliver Nelson, Booker Little (1958, 1961), John Coltrane (1961, 1965), Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Lena Horne, Freddie Hubbard, and Art Blakey orchestras. . In the '70s, and Davis began to devote more time to teaching and subsequently combined a new career as a working psychologist with playing music, and doing sessions, playing in a duo with Hilton Ruiz in 1985 and 1986. (Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) tragically died from a fall in New Orleans where he had gone to help raise funds for the victims of 'Hurricane Katrina'. ) Davis finally recorded as a leader in 1980 (for Interplay) and in 1985 (Soul Note).
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
--- Art Davis, Trumpet/flugelhorn, b. Dec 5, 1934, Virginia, USA, who has toured with such stars as Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Rosemary Clooney, and who currently (2007) teaches (assistant professor) at Northern Illinois University.
--- Country fiddler Art Davis, who has worked with with Bill Boyd, Gene Autry, and Tommy Allsup, among others. (b. May 31,1913, d. Jan. 16, 1987, Bloomburg, Texas, USA. né: Aubrey Davis,)
--- Background vocalist (for the Chess label) Art Davis, who is sometimes billed as Arthur Davis.
--- Music journalist Arthur Davis
1920     Kay Davis, Vocal, b. Evanston, IL, née: Kathryn Elizabeth Wimp. Voice Major.at Northwestern Univ.
1939     Frank Dycus, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Hardmoney, KY, USA.
1963     Ty England, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Was guitarist for Garth Brooks. Recently, he has adopted the name Tyler England, in place of Ty England.
1915     Carl Donnell "Kansas" Fields, Drums, b. Chapman, KS, USA. d. August 3, 1995, Chicago, IL, USA. . né Charles Donnell Fields. In 1930s, Played with the Johnny Long Orch. (Chicago); Jimmy Noone, King Kolax ('40) and Roy Eldridge ('41) and his own band ('41). Also with Ella Fitzgerald in '41. Then to New York playing with Benny Carter; Edgar Hayes; Charlie Barnet; and at Minton's Club with Charlie "Yardbird" Parker; Gillespie. US Navy '42-'45. Then played with Eddie Condon; Roy 'Little Jazz' Eldridge; Willie 'The Lion' Smith. In 1947 with Sidney Bechet at Jimmy Ryans. In 1949 with Dizzy Gillespie. '49 own group. In 1953 toured Europe with Babs Gonzalez and Mezz Mezzrow, then settled in Europe.
1971     Craig Gill, Drums.b. Oldham, England. Member group: 'Inspiral Carpets', -all local lads from Oldham, including Graham Lambert, Stephen Holt, Craig Gill, Clint Boon and David Swift
1947     Egberto Gismonti, Guitar/piano, b. Carmo, Brazil
1980     Zainam Higgins, vocals, b. London, England. Member group: Cleopatra
1910     Luther Henry Huff, guitar, b. Fannin, MS, USA
1916     William Howard "Jesse" James, (Western Swing) bandleader, b. Mississippi, USA. Member: "Jesse James & All The Boys"
1906     Archie Johnson, Trumpet, b. Ellisville, MS, USA.
1944     Oliver Johnson, drums, b. Oakland, CA, USA. d. Mar. 6, 2002 Paris, France
1952     Andy Kim, singer/songwriter, b: Montreal, Que, Canada. ( aka: Baron Longfellow )
1932     "Little Richard", Rock/Doo Wop/R&B Vocals. b. Macon, GA, USA. né: Richard Wayne Penniman.
1958     Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Bass, b. Osaka, Japan
1960     Vytautas Labutus, Saxophone/Piano, b. Vilnius, Lithuania
1938     Willie James Lyons, guitar, b. AL, USA.
1947     Jim Messina, vocals, b: Harlingen, TX, USA. member: 'Buffalo Springfield', 'Poco' and 'Loggins and Messina'
1916     Roger F. Miller, Sr., trombone (and baritone horn in concert bands), b. Mt Bethel, PA, USA. d. Nov. 10, 2004, Anderson, SC, USA. In private correspondence, Roger's son, Jeff (trombonist) has advised that his father
      "Out of high school, traveled with Lew Stanley and the Nighthawks
      .......(and) played with the Johnny Long Orch., around 1944 and '45.
      Among the Johnny Long band members were Don Paladino (died March
      21, 1959, age: 30, -cancerous brain tumor), "Lefty" Feist, "Chick" Rendy,
      and vocalist Frances Lane. Roger Miller Sr. also played with Les Brown.
      I know he was friends with Will Bradley, (since I currently use a mouthpiece
      Will Bradley had made and which has his name etched into it.) My father
      used to talk about him as a friend of George Miller (not a family member)
      that played at some point with Will Bradley."
The Big Bands Database also thanks Ms. Kristen Kirk, Don Paladino's niece, for his date of demise.
1936     Chad Mitchell, vocals, b. Portland, OR, USA. Member group: 'The Chad Mitchell Trio', was formed in 1958, by three students at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington; Chad Mitchell (b. 1936, Portland, OR, USA), (attending on a choral scholarship), Michael Kobluk (b. 1937, British Columbia), and Mike Pugh, - named the 'Chad Mitchell Trio' only because his name sounded best.
1960     Les Nemes, bassist, b. Beckenham, Kent, England. Member group: 'Haircut 100', a group formed in 1981, fronted by Lead singer Nick Heyward, with guitarist Graham Jones and bassist Les Nemes.
1923     Johnny Pate, bass/arranger/producer, b. Chicago Heights, IL, USA
1949     Enrico Pieranunzi, Pianist, b. Rome, Italy
1922     Don Robertson, C&W songwriter/piano session player, b. Peking, China
1929     Red Rector, vocals/guitar, d. May 31, 1990. né: William Eugene Rector
1965     John Rzeznick, vocals/guitar, b. Buffalo, NY, USA. né: John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik. Member group: 'The Goo Goo Dolls', included John Rzeznik, Robby Takoc (bass/vocals, b Sept 30, 1964), and Mike Malinin (drums, b. Oct. 10, 1967).
1932     "Little Richard", Rock/Doo Wop/R&B Vocals. b. Macon, GA, USA. né: Richard Wayne Penniman.
1960     Jack Russell, vocals, b. Montebello, CA, USA. Member group: Great White, consisting of On Feb. 20, 2003, the band was performing in a Rhode Island nightclub- "The Station". When they set off some fireworks on stage, the nightclub became engulfed, in less then 3 minutes, in a horrific fire, the death toll from which eventually reached 97 people. One of those killed was the band's guitarist, Ty Longley, (age 31 b. Sept. 4, 1971, Sharon, PA; USA, d. Feb. 20, 2003, Warwick, RI, USA)
1925     Alvin "Red" Tyler, tenor/baritone saxes, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. April 3, 1998, USA. (natural causes). During his career, he worked with 'Gatemouth' Brown, and 'Dr. John' and 'Professor Longhair'. His baritone sax was heard on R&B hits by 'Shirley & Lee', 'Little Richard', "Fats" Domino, and many others. He was a member of Cosimo Matassa's legendary 'J&M Studio Band'. Near the end of his career, he was playing a more traditional Jazz style in the Germaine Bazzle led "The Gentlemen of Jazz" group. Tyler died at age 72.
1973     Corey Weeds, alto and tenor sax, club owner
1899     'Sonny Boy 'Williamson, Blues/Folk Vocalist/guitar, b. Glendora, MI, USA, d. May 25, 1965 (heart attack)..aka: Rice Miller, and Aleck Ford
1901     Ray Whitley, singing cowboy film star, b. Atlanta, GA, USA.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1936.    Bing Crosby hosted "The Kraft Music Hall". Jimmy Dorsey (who would later become host) led the Kraft Orchestra.
1961.    Tony Almerico, trumpet, cornet, vocal, leader, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. (b. 1905, New Orleans, LA, USA)
1963.    Susie Edwards, vocals, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 67. The "Susie" in the team of 'Butterbeans & Susie'
1968.    C. P. MacGregor, producer/transcriber/recording Studio owner, died in Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 71. In 1924, MacGregor was Brunswick Records manager for the San Francisco territory. He later had his own studios; "CP MacGregor Studios", at 729 S. Western Avenue, Hollywood, CA, where many stars were recorded, including the Stan Kenton orchestra, Peggy Lee singing with the Dave Barbour Orchestra, and many others
1969.    "Stump" Johnson, piano, died in St. Louis, MO, USA. Age: 67
1972.    Kenny Dorham, trumpet, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 48
1977.    Roland "Rahsaan" Kirk, tenorsax, died in Bloomington, IN, USA. Age: 41
1987.    "Fat Larry" (né: Larry E. James) drums, died in Phildelphia, PA, USA. Age: 38
1987.    Pappy Daily, label owner (Starday), died in Houston, TX, USA. Age: 85
1987.    "Fats" Heard, drums, died in Cleveland, OH, USA. Age: 64. Worked with Lionel Hampton
1987.    David Lastie, tenorsax, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age: 53
1987.    "Cookie" Giudice, vocals, died in Wyncote, PA, USA. Age: 41
1987.    Molly O'Day, C&W vocals, died in Virginia, USA (cancer). Age: 64
1987.    Harold Westcott "Pappy" Daily, C&W music executive, died. Age: 85
1990.    Bill Hardman, trumpet, died in Paris, France, Age: 57. Worked with Tiny Bradshaw
1996.    Wilf Carter, aka: "Montana Slim", died in Scottsdale, AZ, USA. (b. January 20, 1904, Nova Scotia, Canada) Canada's most successful country singer. Billed as "The Yodelling Cowboy". During his long career, 'Slim' composed over 500 songs.
2002.    Bob Berg, tenor and soprano saxes, died in Long Island, NY, USA. (Auto Accident -His car was hit by a Cement Truck during a snow storm) b. April 7, 1951 in New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA)
2002.    Arvell Shaw, bass, died in Roosevelt, NY, USA. (heart attack. b. Sept. 15, 1923, St Louis, MO, USA)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1941     Sheperd Serenade, - Bing Crosby
1953     Stranger In Paradise, - Tony Bennett
1953     Oh! My Pa-Pa, - Eddie Fisher
1964     I Feel Fine, - The Beatles
1964     Wedding, The, - Julie Rogers
1970     Knock Three Times, - Dawn
1970     It's Impossible, - Perry Como
1970     My Sweet Lord, - George Harrison
1970     Domino, - Van Morrison
1987     Hazy Shade Of Winter, - Bangles
1987     Seasons Change, - Expose
1987     I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, - Prince
1992     Deeper And Deeper, - Madonna