BIRTHDAYS
1939     Byron Allen, alto sax, b. Omaha, NB, USA.
1950     Joan Armatrading, singer/songwriter/guitar, b: Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies, (raised in Birmingham, England.) In 1958, the Armatrading family moved to Birmingham, England, and Joan taught herself to play piano and guitar, before meeting Pam Nestor, who was also a West Indian immigrant (b. Berbice, Guyana, April 28, 1948). At the time, both ladies were working in a touring cast of the celebrated hippie musical, 'Hair.' interesting to now is that Armatrading and Nestor wrote songs together, and individually. Joan recorded her first album when she was 21 years old, and has since never done a duet with anyone.
1960     Bob Baldwin, keyboards, b. Mount Vernon, NY, USA. At the age of four, Bob was already taking piano lessons from his father, - Robert Baldwin, Sr., also an accomplished jazz pianist.
1971     Geoff Barrow, drums/piano, b. Walton-in-Gordano, Avon, England (raised in Portishead, a suburb of Bristol),. Member group: 'Portishead', basically, a trio (plus a producer) formed 1991 in Bristol, UK, and consisting of Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons (vocals/melodies/lyrics, b. Jan. 4, 1965, Exeter, UK), Adrian Utley (Guitar/bass/piano/moog synthesizer/rhodes/producing/arranging, b. possibly in Bristol, UK), Dave McDonald (Engineer/producer, b. possibly in Bristol, UK)
1963     Kat Bjelland, guitar/vocals, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. Member group: 'Babes In Toyland', consisting of Kay Bjelland, Lori Barbero (drums), and Michelle Leon (bass), who was replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992 who left the band in 1996. Formed in Minneapolis, MN, in 1988, they were a "Riot Grrrl" band - meaning a hardcore, punk rock band with a militant Feminist stance. Kat dressed herself in a "kinderwhore" look, which became popular with US Female Punk Rock bands in the 1990s. (The "kinderwhore" look (as first defined by Kat Bjelland) consisted of torn, ripped Baby Doll dresses, 'slutty' makeup and leather boots.) A "fight' raged between Kat and Courtney Love, who also had adopted the 'look', over who did invent it. Since both girls claim to be the inventor of the look, and since both girls did previously work together, it is not possible to accurately determine the real inventor. Today, it is widely accepted that Kat Bjelland of 'Babes in Toyland' was the first to define it, while and Courtney Love perhaps made it popular. (Courtney Love: née: Courtney Michelle Harrison. b. July 9, 1964, San Francisco, CA, USA.) a singer/guitarist for the now-defunct band 'Hole'. Love is the widow of Kurt Cobain (1967-1994), a singer in the band Nirvana, with whom she had one daughter, Frances Bean Cobain. Love currently performins solo, and is also an occasional model and actress.
1952     Rob Blakeslee, trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, percussion, b. Portland, OR, USA
1944     Shirley Brickley, vocals, b: Philadelphia, PA, USA. member: 'The Orlons'
1932     Donald Byrd, Trumpet/composer, b. Detroit, MI, USA. né: Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd, II
1943     Rick Danko, electric bass, b. Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, d. Dec 10, 1999, (died in his sleep -natural causes). Member group: 'The Band'
1948     Dennis Dunaway, rock Bassist, b. Cottage Grove, OR, USA. Member groups: -'Billion Dollar Babies', 'Alice Cooper'. 'Alice' consisted of Alice Cooper (né: Vincent Damien Furnier, Singer /Songwriter /restaurant owner, b. Feb. 4, 1948, Detroit, MI, USA), Glen Buxton (guitar /bass guitar, b. Nov. 10, 1947, Akron, OH, USA, d on Oct. 19, 1997), Michael Bruce (Singer/ Songwriter/guitar/keyboards, b. March 16, 1948), Dennis Dunaway (Singer/Songwriter/bass guitar, b. Dec. 9, 1948, Cottage Grove, IL, USA -now recovering from Crone`s disease), and Neal Smith (Singer/ Songwriter/drums, b. Sept. 23, 1947, Akron OH, USA).
1969     Jakob Dylan, singer/songwriter, b. New York, NY, USA. Member group: 'The Wallflowers'. Youngest child of legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, he attended art school before putting together his band, The Wallflowers, in the early 1990s
1950     Wolfgang Engstfeld, tenor and soprano sax, b. Düsseldorf, Germany. At age 14, Engstfeld began saxophone studies in Düsseldorf, and in Graz, Austria. He later won several Prizes as a soloist in various festivals (Roermond, San Sebastian, etc) and received the "Förderpreis" from the City of Düsseldorf. In the 1970s, he, pianist Michel Herr, and trumpet player Uli Beckerhoff formed the quintet 'Jazztrack'. This group toured extensively and recorded four albums. Subsequently, Engstfeld worked with such grougs as 'Changes' (2 LPs), 'Association P.C.' (with Jasper Van't Hoff and Pierre Courbois), the 'Klaus Weiss Big Band', the 'Michael Gibbs Orchestra', as well as many European and American Jazz stars including Chet Baker, Charlie Mariano, Albert Mangelsdorff, John Scofield, Manfred Schoof, Eje Thelin, Andrew White, Eberhard Weber, Charles Tolliver, Rainer Bruninghaus, Wolfgang Dauner, Daniel Humair, Norma Winstone, Philip Catherine, Volker Kriegel, Jasper Van't Hoff, Edvard Vesala, Jon Christensen, and Ack Van Rooyen, amoung others. He later rejoined pianist Michel Herr, drummer Leroy Lowe and several bassists (Palle Danielsson, Isla Eckinger, Riccardo Del Fra, Hein Van De Geyn, Detlev Beier, etc) to found an international quartet which recorded 3 albums. He toured the world as a member of various ensembles, for the Goethe Institut. In Germany, he led a trio ("Engstfeld / Plümer / Weiss) that recorded 3 albums, and which toured extensively, often with guest players such as trumpet players Terumasa Hino (1987) and Randy Brecker (1989). He also led and recorded with a quartet, called "Wolfgand Engstfeld / Peter Weiss Quartet", with Hatmut Kracht (b) and pianist Bob Degen (and also with pianist Achim Kauffman). Wolfgang Engstfeld has played in the big bands of the German radios WRD, NDR and with the Klaus Weiss Big Band. He has taught in Hamburg, Aachen, Duisburg, and currently (2006) teaches in Düsseldorf, and at the Cologne Conservatory, where he has the title of "Professor". Engstfeld is also a member of several groups led by Belgian pianist/composer Michel Herr and appears on his quintet CD "Notes of Life" (Igloo Igl 142). Known for his warm sound and his great lyrical feeling, he is one of Germany's most respected saxophonists and composers.
1970     Zak Foley, bassist, d. Dec. 31, 2001. Member group: 'EMF', their 1990 and 1991 single "Unbelievable" ccharted US No.1 and UK No.3.
1909     "Blind" Roosevelt Graves, guitar, b. Summerland, MS, USA.
1927     Benny Green, Writer, b. Leeds, England, d. June 22, 1998.
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
--- pianist Benny Green b. April 4, 1963
--- trombonist Bennie Green b. Apr. 26, 1923, d. March 23, 1977
1939     R. L. Griffin, harmonica, b. Kilmore, TX, USA.
1941     Dan Hicks, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Little Rock, AR, USA.
1932     Jessie Hill, vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Jessie's big hit release was "Ooh Poo Pah Doo"
1938     David Houston, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Bossier City, LA, USA, d. Nov. 30, 1993.
1965     Jerry Hughes, keyboards. Member group: 'Yankee Grey', a Country (modern) music band consisting of singer Tim Hunt, guitarist Matt Basford, drummer Kevin Griffin, keyboardist Jerry Hughes, fiddler Joe Caverlee and bassist Dave Buchanan.
1944     Neil Innes, comic songwriter/singer, b. Essex, england. Member groupz: 'Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band' / 'The Rutles'
1929     Ollie Jones, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. Member groups: 'The Blenders', and 'The Cues'
1970     David Kersh, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, b. Humble, TX, USA. né: Charles David Kersh.
1952     "Smokey" Logg, guitar/harmonica, b. Texas, USA.
1903     Matty Malneck, Fiddle, viola, arranger, Composer, /Leader, b. Newark, NJ, USA. d. Feb 25, 1981, Los Angeles, CA. USA. Led an octet that included Milton DeLugg on accordion and Manny Klein on trumpet. Among the songs he wrote are "I'll Never Be The Same" and "I'm Through With Love".
1906     Freddie Martin, Tenor sax, Leader, b. Cleveland, OH, USA, d. Oct. 1, 1983
1957     Donny Osmond, vocals, b: USA. member: 'The Osmonds'
1943     Jimmy Owens, Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1919     "Polka Dot Slim" (né: Monroe Vincent), guitar, b. Woodville, MS, USA.
1941     William Powell, vocals, b. Canton, OH, USA. Member: 'The O'Jays'
1906     Gil Rodin, Tenor Sax, b. Russia, d. June 10 (or 17), 1974
1916     Bob Scobey, Trumpet/Leader, b. Tucumcari, NM, USA. d. June 12, 1963, Montreal, Canada. Classical trained on Trumpet from age 9. Worked in various radio, theatre pit and dance bands. In 1938, he met Lu Watters and began playing Jazz. In the Yerba Buena Jazz Band 1940-1950 except for 3 years in Army WW2. Then formed his own succesful band in Oakland, CA. Later moved to Chicago. IL. Has also worked with Turk Murphy.
1958     Nick Seymour, bassist, b. Benalla, Victoria, Australia. Member group: 'Crowded House'
1932Elsie Smith, tenor sax/clarinet, b. New Iberia, LA, USA.
1926     Earle Spencer, Leader/trombone, b.,MA, d. Sept., 23, 1991, CA, USA.
1941     Sammy Strain, vocals, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Member groups: 'Little Anthony & the Imperials' / 'The O'Jays'
1928     Donald Paul Stratton, trumpet, b. Woburn, MA, USA.
1956     "Sylvia", C&W singer-songwriter, b. Kokomo, IN, USA. née: Sylvia Jane Kirby
CAUTION Do not confuse with the "Sylvia" of the group "Ian and Sylvia". That Sylvia is Sylvia Fricker, b. Sept. 19, 1940, in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. (Her mother was a music teacher.)
1917     Rey De La Torre, guitar, d. 1994. This cuban-born guitarist is now mostly forgotten.
1943     Kenny Vance, Singer/songwriter, b. New York (Queens), NY, USA. né: Kenneth Rosenberg. Member group: 'Jay & the Americans'
1934     "Junior" Wells, Harmonica, West Memphis, AR, USA. d. Jan. 15, 1998. né: Amos Blakemore. aka: Amos Wells.
1918     Cedric West, Guitar/Trombone, b. Rangoon, Burma
1932     Billy Edd Wheeler, (Country-Folk) Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Author/Poet/Actor, b. Whitesville, VA, USA. One historian called Wheeler "...the thinking man’s hillbilly"
1972     Frank Wright, drums. Member group: 'Green Day' (aka: 'Tré: Cool'). Lawrence Livermore (the founder of Lookout! Records) called Frank Wright 'Tr�Cool' when he was the drummer in his band 'The Lookouts'.
1976     Eric Zamora, guitar, Member group: 'Save Ferris', now (2003) consisting of Bassist Bill Uechi, lead singer Monique Powell, lead guitarist Brian Mashburn, drummer Evan Kilbourne and guitarist Eric Zamora who carry on as the "modified" "Save Ferris" after the departure of the two horn players.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1926.    17 year old Benny Goodman's first issued recording session this day. He was the clarinetist with 'Ben Pollack and His Californians' on their recording of the tune "When I First Met Mary". Victor Records.
1969.    Bobby Henderson, piano, vocal, trumpet, died in Albany, NY, USA. (This Henderson was born March 15, 1910, New York, NY, USA)
CAUTION: Do not confuse with some other Hendersons, such as:
--- Bobby Henderson Australian Jazz trumpeter
--- Bobby Henderson a rocker from Louisiana
--- Bobby Henderson (Bluegrass) baritone vocalist
--- Bobby Henderson, Bassist, active since the late 1990s with guitarist and bandleader Willie Willis.
--- Robert Henderson (Jazz) Arranger
--- Robert H. Henderson (Jazz) Bandleader/Drums
--- Robert Hendersen, (note the "e") who is a classical vocalist, and there are still other Bobby Hendersons.
1975.    Frank Signorelli, composer, piano, died in New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
1979.    Tommy Jackson, C&W fiddler session musician, died Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 53
1980.    Otto Cesana, arranger, leader, died in New York, NY, USA.
1981.    Sonny Til, vocals, died in Baltimore, MD, USA. Age: 56. Member: 'The Orioles'
1985.    Calvin Jackson, piano, died in Encinitas, CA, USA. Age: 66
1985.    Cees See, drums, died (b. 1934, Netherlands)
1985.    Charlie Munro, reeds, flute, died
1993.    Carter Jefferson, tenor sax, died in Krackow, Poland, Age: 49
1993.    Eugene "Texas" Ray, harmonica, died in Electra, TX, USA. Age: 56
1996.    Faron Young, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar/Actor, shot himself in the head, at his home in Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 64 (Despondent over his poor health)
2001.    Jack Sohmer, writer, died in Miami, Florida, USA. (after suffering two strokes in less than a week).
2006.    Georgia Gibbs, vocalist, died in New York, NY, USA
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1927     "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", - Louis Armstrong's Hot Seven
1935     Music Goes Round and Round", - Tommy Dorsey Orch
1943     Oklahoma Album, - Oklahoma Album
1949     White Christmas, - Bing Crosby
1949     Old Master Painter, The, - Richard Hayes
1949     Yingle Bells, - Yogi Yorgesson
1957     At The Hop, - Danny and The Juniors
1957     Put A Light In The Window, - Four Lads
1957     Why Don't They Understand, - George Hamilton IV
1967     Hello Goodbye, - Beatles
1972     Superstition, - Stevie Wonder
1978     I Was Made For Dancin', - Leif Garrett
1978     Little More Love, A, - Olivia Newton-John
1989     Two To Make It Right, - Seduction
1989     I Remember You, - Skid Row