BIRTHDAYS
1955     Kazumasa Akiyama, acoustic and electric bassist, b. Tokyo, Japan. Akiyama has played with such Jazzmen as Hidehumi Toki, Isao Suzuki, Mikio Masuda, Kazumasa Akiyama, Yasuaki Shimizu and George Ohtsuka. As a player, he established a new style using a fretless bass. In 1982, he formed an experimental unit "Lager" that continued until 1985, when he began his solo activities and released five solo albums. He established a musical theory on the bass 'line' in his "Bass Line Book "(1987). He also presented a theory (for improvisations and composition) concerning the development of blue notes in "Blue notes and Tonality"(1992)
1920     Walter Bailes, C&W vocals/guitar. né: Walter Butler Bailes. member: 'The Bailes Brothers'
1954     Cheryl Bentyne, vocals/classical piano, b. Mt. Vernon, WA, USA. Most recalled as member of group "Manhattan Transfer" (she joined in 1979). raised in a musical family, her father was a swing bandleader, known as "The Benny Goodman of the Northwest", and her mother was a singer.
1953     Jeff Berlin, bassist, b. New York, NY, USA
1910     "Big Sid" Catlett, Drums, b. Evanston, IN, USA. d. Mar. 25, 1951, Chicago, IL, USA.
1963     Cyrus Chestnut, piano
1961     Dave Collard, rock keyboards, b. Bristol, England. Member group: 'The Jo Boxers'
1960     John Crawford, bass/synthesizer. Member group: 'Berlin', a group comprised of John Crawford (bass/synthesizer, ex-'Videos') with Terri Nunn (b. June 26, 1961. USA. They managed only one single before they broke up in 1981, but soon reformed adding guitarist singer David Diamond
1937     Ted Dunbar, Guitar, b. Port Arthur, TX, USA. d. May 28, 1998
1955     Steve Earle, C&W/rock singer-songwriter, b. Fort Monroe, VA, USA. (raised in Schertz, TX, USA, - 17 miles north of San Antonio).
1905     Peggy Gilbert, saxophone, leader, clarinet, violin, vibes, vocals, arranging, b. Sioux City, Iowa, USA, d. Feb. 12, 2007, Los Angeles (?), CA, USA, Age: 102 (complications of hip surgery)
1920     George Handy, piano, Arranger, Composer, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Jan. 8, 1997, Harris, New York, USA. né: George Joseph Hendleman. As a child he was taught to play the piano by his mother, and later studied at Julliard, New York University and with Aaron Copland. In 1941, he played with Raymond Scott's quintet, but he is perhaps best remembered today for the great swinging arrangements he contributed to the the mid-1940s Boyd Raeburn Big Band. However, he was to remain with Raeburn for just two years when a personality conflict resulted in his leaving. He did write for other bands including the Alvino Rey,   and Herbie Fields, orchestras, as well as for Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears, all-girl band. During 1956-'57, he was pianist with a Zoot Sims' group. Nevertheless, after working with Raeburn, Handy did sink into comparative obscurity. Handy did record several times. In 1945, the Onyx label recorded his quartet, and that same year he recorded two sides with the 'Vivien Garry Trio' for the 'Studio & Art' label. In 1946 , he recorded "The Bloos", a specially commissioned piece for Norman Granz. During 1954-'55 he recorded two albums for the RCA subsidiary "X."
1944     Francoise Hardy singer-songwriter, b. France.
1943     Billy Harper, Tenor Saxophone, b. Houston, TX, USA.
1945     William Hart, R&B vocals, b. Washington, DC, USA. Member group: 'Delfonics'. a trio comprised of trio comprised of William Hart, his brother Wilbert, and Randy Cain
1898     Harry Hines, alto and baritone sax, clarinet, b. Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, UK, d. Dec. 31, 1971 Little remembered now, but Hines played sax in one of England's early orchestras, the (Patrick) "Spike" Hughes Orchestra.
1959     Susannah Hoffs, vocals, b. Newport Beach, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Bangles'. Susannah's uncle was a musician who had worked for performers such as Joni Mitchell and Linda Ronstadt.
1953     Sheila Hutchinson, vocals, b. Chicago, IL, USA. Member group: 'The Emotions', a trio of sisters named Jeanette, Wanda and Sheila Hutchinson.
1965     Issei Igarashi, Trumpet, b. Kitami, Japan
1981     "Ray J", rapper, b. McComb, MS, USA (raised in Carson, CA, USA). né: Willie Norwood, Jr. .
1918     Elmore James, (Blues) guitarist, b. Durant, Mississippi, USA. d. 1963.
1902     "Stump" Johnson, piano, b. Clarksville, TN, USA.
1928     Eartha Kitt, vocals/actress, b. Jan. 17, 1927, North, South Carolina, USA. Kitt's age was always a mystery. However, in 1998, a group of students in her South Carolina hometown unearthed her birth certificate. The document revealed her true birthday, -January 17, 1927. An illegitimate child, Eartha Kitt is the daughter of a white dirt farmer and a black Cherokee mother. At age nine, she came to Harlem, NYC, after her parents had given her away. At 15, she quit high school and found work in a Brooklyn, NY factory. The teenager lived in friends' homes and in the New York Subway system. By the 1950s, Eartha was performing with the Katherine Dunham Dance troupe on a European tour. After getting a solo billing at a Paris night club, Eartha became the toast of the Continent. Famed actor Orson Welles called her "the most exciting girl in the world". Eartha has always found it easy to speak out on hard issues and plays no favorites. In 1968, .she made such Viet Nam anti-war statements during a White House luncheon that the American 'First Lady', Lady Byrd Johnson, began to weep uncontrollably. For awhile, Eartha was virtually exiled from the United States. Eartha will always be remembered for her big hit "C'est Si Bon".
1929     Thomas Grady Martin, Rock-a-Billy Vocals/guitar. b: Chapel Hill, TN, USA. d. Dec. 3, 2001, Lewisburg, TN, USA. Age: 72. (congestive heart failure) né: Thomas Grady Martin
1931     Harold "Hal" Miller, vocals, b. USA Member: 'The Rays'
1943     Chris Montez, Rock vocals., b: Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1913     Vido Musso, tenor saxophone/clarinet, b Carini, Italy. d. Jan 9, 1982. (Some sources claim b. Jan. 13 and 17, 1913.) Raised in Detroit, MI, Vido played clarinet before switching to tenor. In 1930, he moved to Los Angeles where he became good friends with Stan Kenton and the two were sidemen in several of the same local bands. In 1936, Musso and Kenton briefly co-led their own big band. However this ended when Musso became a star on his own by playing in Benny Goodman's Orchestra (1936-37). Musso next played briefly with Gene Krupa's new band (1938), but then rejoined Goodman a couple times (1939 and 1941-42). Among other bands in which he worked are Harry James (1940-41), Woody Herman (1942-43) and Tommy Dorsey (1945) -- all between unsuccessful attempts to lead his own big band. It is widely recognized that Vido was at the peak of his fame during his two periods with Stan Kenton (1945-46 and 1947), and is very well recalled for his emotional rendition of "Come Back To Sorrento". With the ending of the Big Band era, Vido eventually moved back to Los Angeles, played locally, and often leading his own small groups in clubs. Starting in 1957, worked regularly in Las Vegas. His excellent full-toned playing earned him Down Beat Poll awards in 1943, '46, and '47.
1915     Johnny Porazzo, guitar/banjo, b. Boston, MA, USA. Happily still with us (3/2001), and playing in the Chicago, IL area. Played with Vaughn Monroe, Joe Venuti and Wayne King bands. His father was a guitar and Mandolin maker. A reader has reported that Johnny made a mandolin in 2000 and has recorded with it. Another site visitor, Tom Cadwallader, has reported (Aug. 2006) that "Johnnny Porazzo is living in Rockford, IL (orignally from Boston), still playing occasional gigs & using an archtop jazz guitar he recently designed and hand-carved. Celebrated his 91st birthday in Jan of 2006".
1966     Shabba Ranks, (Dancehall reggae) vocals, b. Sturgetown, Jamaica. né: Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon.
1896     Harry F. Reser, leader, guitar, Banjo, b. Piqua, OH, USA. d. Sept. 27. 1965, New York, NY, USA.
1917     Tommy Reynolds, Leader/Clarinet, b. Akron, OH, USA.
1950     Paul Rishell, guitar/drums, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. He began as a R&R drummer Then he heard some recordings of country blues singers Son House and Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton and Blind Lemon Jefferson. It was the beginning of a lifetime devotion to this uniquely American form of music. By 1970 he taught himself to play both acoustic and electric guitar, and was working as a sideman and studio player in Boston, MA. In 1975, Paul was both performing regularly as a solo acoustic blues artist, and also leading his own Blues band. While working on his CD, "Swear to Tell the Truth", Paul met Annie Raines who was working on the project. They hase since become a touring and recording team, working both as an acoustic and electric duo, as well as with a full band. Over his career, Paul has played with Son House, Johnny Shines, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Howlin' Wolf, and shared the stage with many of his blues heroes.
1958     Yves Robert, Trombone, b. Clermont-Ferrand, France
1971     "Kid Rock", rock vocals/songwriter, b. Detroit, MI, USA. né: Bob Ritchie.
1963     Andy Rourke, bassist, b. Manchester, England. Member group: 'The Smiths', the group originally comprised of Stephen Patrick Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce disbanded in 1987. In the summer of 2002, Morrissey was living in Clark Gable's former Los Angeles, CA, mansion and had slso placed an ad in the LA Times searching for a drummer. Marr, Rourke and Joyce still work in and around the Manchester area.
1931     Clifford Solomon, tenor sax, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA, d. June 21, 2004, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Played with Johnny Otis, John Mayall, Charles Brown, Ray Charles and others.
1919     Larry Sonn, Trumpet/leader, b. Woodmere, Long Island, NY, USA. Currently (Jan. 2006), Larry is happily alive and well, and still living in Cuernavaca, Mexico, where he celebrated his 89th birthday in 2008.
1958     Jez Strode, keyboards, b. UK. Member group: 'Kajagoogoo', comprised of "Limahl" (vocals), Nick Beggs (bass, b. Dec. 15, 1961, Winslow, Buckinghamshire, UK), and Steve Askew (guitar, b. Leighton_Buzzard, UK), Jez Strode (keyboards) and Stuart Neale (drums). The band fired Limahl in 1983 after a huge disagreement, with Beggs taking over as singer, but the hits dried up completely. In 1984, they tried a relaunch as 'Kaja' which failed, and in 1986 they broke up for good. "Limahl" was an anagram of the singer's real name, Christopher Hamill (b. Wigan, UK).
1948     Mick Taylor, Rock slide guitarist, b. Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England. Member group: 'John Mayall's BluesBreakers', and 'The Rolling Stones', and others. One of the great slide guitarists in rock music.
1946     Domenic Troiano, rock Guitarist/singer-songwriter, b: Mondugno, Italy
1934     Cedar Walton, Piano, composer, b. Dallas, TX, USA.
1911     Morris "Fruit" White, Guitar/Banjo, b. St.Louis, MO, USA, d. Nov. 1986. As a child, he first played the banjo, and later also played the guitar. While still a teenager in the mid-1920s, he worked with the Dewey Jackson and Charlie Creath orchestras, as well as with singer Ethel Waters ('Sweet Mama Stringbean'). Then, in 1928, he joined "The Missourians" and remained with them when Cab Calloway took over the leadership. Today, Morris is best recalled for his work in the rhythm section of Cab Calloway's orchestra during the 1930s. In 1937, he left Calloway and subsequently (ca. 1941) played for a while with Lionel Hampton, after which he no longer played music full time.
1982     Amanda Wilkinson, vocals, Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Member group: 'The Wilkinsons', a C&W vocal group comprised of Stephen Curtis Wilkinson, Amanda Nicole Wilkinson, and Tyler Nathan Wilkinson, all born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada
1956     "Mighty" Paul Young, vocals, b. Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Member group: 'Streetband', and 'The Q-Tips'.
1912     Bob Zurke, Piano/leader, b. Detroit, MI, USA. d. Feb. 16, 1944
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1908.    composer Henry Herbert Godfrey, died in Montreal. Age: 50. At the turn of the 20th century, he wrote some of Canada's most popular patriotic songs.
1941.    Gene Krupa and his band recorded the standard "Drum Boogie," on Okeh Records. Irene Daye was the female vocalist.
1956.    Blind Alfred Reed, singer-songwriter/violin, died in Raleigh City, W. VA, USA. Age: 75
1962.    Claude B. Jones, trombone, died in S.S. United States NY, USA. Age 59
1965.    Joe Robichaux, piano/songwriter, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age 64
1970.    Billy Stewart, vocals, (and three members of his band) died in an automobile accident in Neuse River, NC, USA. Age 32
1973.    Ted Koehler, lyricist, died
1974.    Dean Martin's son, Dean Paul Martin, was arrested after he was alleged to have tried to sell a machine-gun to a U.S. undercover agent.
1985.    Wynn Stewart, died in Hendersonville, TN, USA. Age 51. (heart attack)
1985.    Jimmy Deberry, guitar, died in Sikeston, MO, USA. Age 73
1992.    Charlie Ventura, alto, soprano, tenor, baritone sax, leader, died
1994.    Grady "Fats" Jackson, tenor sax, died in Atlanta, GA, USA. Age 66
1996.    Robert Covington, drums, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age 54
2000.    Gene Harris, piano, died
2001.    Norris Turney, alto/soprano/tenor sax, clarinet, flute, piccolo, arranger, died
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
       1941    Yes My Darling Daughter, - Dinah Shore
       1946    Personality, - Johnny Mercer
       1970    No Time, - Guess Who
       1976    All By Myself, - Eric Carmen
       1976    Take It To The Limit, - Eagles
       1981    Woman, - John Lennon
       1987    Jacob's Ladder, - Lewis, Huey & The News
       1987    You Got It All, - Jets