BIRTHDAYS
1965     Ron Affif, guitar, b. Pittsburgh PA, USA. His uncle, Ron Anthony (b. Dec. 16 1933, Pittsburgh PA, USA), was a guitarist who worked with men such as pianist George Shearing and singer Frank Sinatra. (Interestingly, it was a guitarist named Jerry Condorato (from Naples Italy) who gave their first lessons to both Ron Anthony, and his young nephew Ron Affif.)
1913     Lucio Agostini, leader/music director/composer, b. Fano, Italy. d. 1996, Canada.
1938     Mike Auldridge, Bluegrass multi-instrumentalist, né: Michael Dennis Auldridge. Member: 'Chesapeake'
1956     Suzy Bogguss, C&W vocals, b. Aledo, IL, USA. née: Susan Kay Bogguss
1918     Houston Boines, guitar, b. Hazlehurst, MS, USA.
1890     Charlie Creath, leader/Trumpet, b. Ironton, MO, USA. d. Oct. 23, 1951, Chicago, IL, USA.
1935     Wolfgang Dauner, pianist/keyboards/composer/vocal/percussion, b. Germany. Dauner has somehow managed to combine "free jazz", opera, theatre, and rock in his work. In Stuttgart, Germany, he first studied trumpet, piano and composition at the Musikhochschule. Then, in the early '60s, joined Joki Freund's sextet. In 1964, after appearing at several German Jazz festivals, he made his recording debut leading his own trio. In 1969, Dauner led, and composed for, the Radio Jazz Group Stuttgart. In 1970, he formed the jazz-rock group 'Et Cetera', and then co-led (with Hans Koller) the 'Free Sound & Super Brass Big Band'. In 1975, he was one of the organizers of 'The United Jazz And Rock Ensemble'. Dauner's composed music radio and televison broadcasts as well as for films. He has also composed a children's opera.
1931     "Skeeter" Davis, C&W vocals, b. Dry Ridge, KY, USA. née: Mary Frances Penick.
1928     Bo Diddley, R&B singer/songwriter/guitar, b. Macomb, MS, USA. né: Otha Ellas Bates. Bates later used the name 'Ellas McDaniel', after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel. His stage name "Bo Diddley", is probably a Southern Black slang phrase meaning "nothing at all", as in "he ain't bo diddley".
1927     Bob Ferguson, C&W singer-songwriter/producer, b. Willow Springs, MO, USA.
1940     Perry Ford, vocals, b. Birmingham, England. Member group: 'Ivy League', a trio formed in 1964 in Birmingham, England was comprised of. John Carter (né: John Shakespeare), Ken Lewis (né: James Hawker), and Perry Ford (né: Bryan Pugh). They had three UK hits, "Tossing And Turning", "Funny How Love Can Be" and "That's Why I'm Crying". Previously, Hawker had written for Mike Sarne and had fronted 'Carter-Lewis And The Southerners' with the young Jimmy Page.
1945     Roger Glover, bass/songwriter/producer, b. Brecon, South Wales, UK. Member groups: 'Rainbow', 'Deep Purple', 'Episode Six', 'Timeline'.
1933     Melvin Glen Goins, C&W vocals, b. Bramwell, WV, USA. Member: 'The Goins Brothers'
1940     Jerry Granelli, Drums, b. San Francisco, CA, USA.
1937     John Hartford, C&W singer/songwriter, b. New York, NY, USA. Member: 'The Dillards'
1953     Thomas Heidepriem, bass, electric bass, keyboards, piano, b. Germany. Among those with whom Heidepriem has worked are such stars as 'Phonolith' (Bernd Konrad-Hans Koller Unit with Didier Lockwood), Franco Ambrosetti, Randy Brecker, Richie Beirach, Harald Banter (4+6 WDR), 'Billy Cobham/Colin Towns/Bigband', Carla Bley (Southwestern German Broadcasting Corporation Jazzmeeting (19)87), DRS Bigband, Wolfgang Dauner, Palle and Lars Danielson, EBU Bigband, Friedemann, George Gruntz, Peter Giger, Bill Holman, Ralf Hübner, Roy Haynes, HR Jazz Ensemble, 'Eddie Daniels/Big Band', Gabriele Hasler, Maria Joao, Peter Jacques, Herbert Joos, Bernd Konrad, Joachim bold, Michael Kersting, Lee Konitz, Christof Lauer, Günter Lenz, Albert Mangelsdorff, Alphonse Mouzon, Thomas Moeckel, Laureen Newton, Peter O'Mara, Michael Sagmeister, Christoph Spendel, Manfred Schoof, Claus Stötter, Martin Schrack, Heinz Sauer, Clark Terry, "Toots" Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler, Jiggs Wigham, Ernie Watta. During his career, he has appeared on many radio and TV-productions at home and abroad. He has toured for the Goethe Institute in Southeast Asia (CH. Lauer Quartet), North Africa (Sagermeister), the Balkans (Heinz Saur, 'Voices'), Japan, Taiwan and Portugal (Konrad). Festivalauftritte in Frankfurt, Montreux, San Remo, Lugano, Stuttgart, Cologne, Nuremberg, Zürich, Wiesen, Freiburg, and others. In 1978, Heidepriem won the Würtemberg Jazz Prize. Since 1987, Heidepriem has been a lecturer in music at the Stuttgart University, and also since 1993, lecturer at Frankfurt's University.
1959     Don Henry, C&W songwriter, b. San Jose, CA, USA.
1959     Paul Jackson Jr., guitar, b. Los Angeles, California, USA
1951     Chris Jasper, keyboard, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA.
1945     David "Davy" Jones, vocal. b. Manchester, England. Member: "Monkees"
1918     James Henry "Jimmy" Jones, Piano/Arranger, b. Memphis, TN, USA, d. Apr 29, 1982, Burbank, CA, USA. During 1943-1945, he recorded and played with Stuff Smith's group. From 1946-1947, he was with J. C. Heard. During both 1947-1952 and 1954-1958, he was singer Sarah Vaughan's pianist (a two-year illness caused the break). In 1954, he worked with Buck Clayton (one of their recordings was titled "How Hi The Fi"). In 1963, Jimmy worked on the show 'My People' with the Duke Ellington band. Between 1967-1968, he worked as Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist. Over time he was a sideman on recordings led by Jazzmen as Coleman Hawkins, Paul Gonsalves, Don Byas, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, amd Clark Terry.
1969     Jason Kay, vocals, b. Stretford (near Manchester), England. (aka: Jay Kay) Member group: 'Jamiroquai', whose current core members are: Jason Kay - vocals (b. Dec.30, 1969), Matt Johnson - keyboards, Derrick McKenzie - drums (b. March 27, 1962), Rob Harris - guitar (b. August 27, 1971) and Sola Akingbola - percussion (b. August 2). Incidentally, Jason comes from a musical family. His mother, Karen Kay, was a well known jazz singer.
1895     Vincent Lopez, bandleader/piano, b. Dec. 30, 1895, d. Sept. 1975, Miami, FL, USA. (some sources say b. 1898)
1928     Jim Loughnan, Reeds, b. Melbourne, Australia
1947     Jeff Lynne vocalist and guitarist, b. Birmingham, England. One of the founding members of the Electric Light Orchestra. Lynne wrote many of E-L-Os top-ten records, including "Showdown" and "Evil Woman." He subsequently devoted his energies to record production. In 1988, Lynne became a member of The Traveling Wilburys, with Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.
1928     Gene Mayl, Bass/tuba/leader, b. Dayton, OH, USA.
1915     Brownie McGhee, R&B vocals/guitar.
1921     Lillian S. McMurry, label founder (Trumpet), b. Purvis, MS, USA.
1928     Jack Montrose, tenor sax/composer/arranger, b. Detroit, MI, USA. d. Feb. 7, 2006
1923     Frank Motley Jr., trumpet/leader, b. Cheraw, SC, USA
1963     Ulrike Muehlbachler, drums, b. Austria. Ulrike is a partner (for some 18 years) with gifted Hammond organist T. C. Pfeiler (b. Jan. 1. 1958, Salzburg, Austria). The duo are also part of the very successful (2003) Hammond B3 Lounge project. Ulrike is also the producer of Tonewheel Records http://www.tonewheelrecords.umm.at
1923     Earl Murphy, bass
1923     Joaquin Murphey, steel guitarist, b. Hollywood, CA, USA.
1958     Lewis Nash, drums, b. Phoenix, Arizona, USA. (some sources say b. Oct. 30, 1958). Curiously, although Nash has played the drums on over 200 recordings, he has only one CD under his own name, - "Rhythm Is My Business" (1989). He will, perhaps, always be best recalled for his work, during the 1990s, with the 'Tommy Flanagan Trio' (Flanagan on piano, Peter Washington on bass, Nash on drums). Throughout the 1990s, Nash worked with such Jazz stars as Oscar Peterson, Bud Shank, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Horace Silver, Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Branford Marsalis, Scott Hamilton, Cyrus Chestnut, and Jackie McLean, among others. Late in the decade, Nash formed his own 'Lewis Nash Ensemble', consisting of Nash, David Finck on bass, Jimmy Green on saxophone, Steve Nelson on vibraphone, and Steve Kroon on percussion.
1943     Mike Nesmith, singer/songwriter, b: USA. (member: 'Monkees')
1926     "Jesse" James Richard, guitar, b. MS, USA CAUTION: Do not confuse with Richard David James, (aka: Aphex Twin) Rock drums/bass, b. August 18, 1971, Limerick, Ireland (raised in Cornwall, United Kingdom). Also, do not confuse with Rick James, Rock vocalist, and do not confuse with Jimmy Richards (with an "s").
1939     Del Shannon, vocals, b: USA. d. Feb. 8, 1990, Santa Clara, CA, USA. né: Charles Westover
1946     Patti Smith, vocal, b: USA
1972     Brooke Sofferman, drums/percussion, b. Colchester, Vermont, USA. Brooke is currently (2005) on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music, while continuing to perform, and record, around New England, New York and the U. S. A. East coast with many well known Jazzmen such as Jerry Bergonzi, John Medeski, Chris Potter, George Garzone, Bruce Gertz, John Lockwood, Bevan Manson, Herb Pomeroy, and John Abercrombie to name a few.
1941     Irene Stephens, singer, b. Oswaldtwisle, Lancashire, England, UK. Irene first began performing in the local venues of her native Lancashire, England, town. and, with her professional background, subsequently continued her career as a singer and entertainer performing in various theatre, nightclub, and TV studios. Her big break came when, while performing on the BBC, American bandleader Fred Waring saw her and offered to headline her on an American tour with his 'Pennsylvanians'. (Photo courtesy Chris Griffin Estate. All rights reserved.) While working with Waring, Irene met trumpeter/arranger Paul Griffin (see our July 19 Calendar), and when the 8 month tour ended, Irene returned to the UK, and soon Paul followed. They were married in July 1971. Irene continued her own solo career, while Paul became a much in demand sessions musician. In 1981, Irene and Paul returned to the U.S. where Irene went on to perform her one woman show at such venues as New York's famed Park Plaza Hotel, Caesar's Palace, Trump Plaza, the Detroit Athletic Club, and with the River City Brass Band, a 50 piece ensemble featuring musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at all the major hotels in the Catskill Mountains area (New York city suburb), and has been featured soloist with The Delaware Valley Opera Company. Currently (2006), adding to her busy schedule is the "Griffin House", a 'Bed and Breakfast' and Dining establishment in Jeffersonville, New York. Here too, she is a one woman show as she spontaneously bursts into song while performing her duties as owner, manager, chambermaid, chief cook and bottle washer. (http://griffin-house.com/) Irene's featured album "Favorite Things" is a composite of the many styles which she performs in her nightclub shows. The orchestrations feature both Irene and Paul. They have also recently recorded a Christmas album featuring themselves as a Singers Unlimited Vocal Ensemble, a gospel choir, and solo performers in the Classical, commercial and Jazz genres.
1933     Andy Stewart, Scottish singer.
1937     Noel Paul Stookey, singer/comedian, b. Baltimore, MD, USA. Member group: 'Peter, Paul & Mary' one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. The trio comprised Peter Yarrow- singer/songwriter (b. May 31, 1938, New York, NY, USA), Noel Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers, a Broadway singer (b. Nov. 9, 1936, Louisville, KY, USA.)
1926     Stan Tracey, Piano, b. London, England
1978     "Tyrese", R&B vocals/actress/model, b. Los Angeles (Watts), CA, USA. née: Darnell Gibson.
1959     Tracey Ullman, singer/actress.
1878     Fred van Eps, Banjo, b. d. Nov. 22, 1960. He learned to play the banjo by listening to Vess L. Osman playing the banjo on various cylinder recordings.
1965     Frank Vignola, guitar, b. West Islip, New York, USA
1890     Albert Warner, Trombone, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1966
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1923.    Canada's first radio network broadcast. Northern Electric station CHYC in Montreal and Canadian National station CNRO in Ottawa were hooked up by telephone lines, and broadcasted an anniversary program of the C-N-R.
1952.    Willie Lee Brown, guitar, died in Tunica, MS, USA. Age: 52
1962.    "Blind" Roosevelt Graves, guitar, died in Gulfport, MS, USA. Age: 53
1967.    Roger Penzabene, songwriter, died in Detroit, MI, USA. Worked with 'The Temptations'
1967.    Bert Berns, songwriter, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 38.
1977.    Thornel Schwartz, guitar, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 50
1977.    "St. Louis" Jimmy Oden, singer-songwriter/piano, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 74 (b. June 26, 1903, Nashville, TN, USA)
1978.    Loyce O. Conner, vocals, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 54
1979.    Composer Richard Rodgers, died (in New York City) at age 77. He first collaborated with lyricist Lorenz Hart, and later with Oscar Hammerstein the Second.
1985.    Elsie McWilliams, songwriter, died in Meridian, MS, USA. Age: 89. Worked with Jimmie Rodgers
1991.    Richard Blandon, vocals, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 57. Member: 'The Dubs'
1993.    Lyricist Mack David, died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 81. Among the hit lyrics he wrote for film songs are "My Own True Love" (from film "Gone With the Wind"), and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (from film "Cinderella"). Other David lyrics were "It Must Be Him," a huge it for singer Vicki Carr, and "Baby It's You," a 1961 top-10 hit for the Shirelles.
1993.    Sonny Costanzo, trombone, leader, died in New Haven, CT, USA. (Complications of a Heart Transplant). Age: 61
1993.    Art Rollini, tenor sax, died. ( The younger brother of the great Adrian Rollini )
1995.    Satch Satchell, sax, died in Dayton, OH, USA. Age: 55
1996.    John Mixon, bass, died in St. Louis, MO, USA
1997.    Ray Crawford, guitar, died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
2001.    Ralph Sutton, piano, died in Evergreen, CO, USA. Age: 79.
2004.    Artie Shaw, clarinet, leader, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 94.
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1943     Star Eyes , - Jimmy Dorsey
1957     Stood Up , - Ricky Nelson
1972     Trouble Man , - Marvin Gaye
1972     Hi, Hi, Hi , - Paul McCartney
1972     World Is Ghetto, The , - 'War'
1972     Do It Again , - Steely Dan
1989     Opposites Attract , - Paula Abdul
1989     Dangerous , - Roxette