BIRTHDAYS
1948     Ron Asheton, guitar, Member group: Iggy Pop And The Stooges.
1922     Danny Bank, Baritone Sax/Bass Clarinet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1966     Lou Barlow, bass. b. UK. Member group: Dinosaur Jr. 1993 single "Start Choppin" hit No.20 in UK.
1921     George Barnes, Guitar, b. Chicago Heights, IL, USA. d. 1977.
1964     Regina Belle, vocals, b. Englewood, NJ, USA. Member: 'The Manhattans'
1936     Nick Brignola, Alto-Soprano-Baritone Sax/flute, b. Troy, NY, USA. d: Feb. 8, 2002, Albany, NY, USA. (Cancer). Nick came from a musical family in Troy, NY, USA - grandfather played tuba; and Nick's father had worked his way through school playing banjo and guitar at parties and dances. Nick was mainly self taught. He began playing clarinet at age 11, added alto and tenor saxs and flute. At age 20, baritone sax became his major instrument, when his alto was being repaired and the only "loaner" the music store had available was a baritone. While still in college, Nick was voted part of Down Beat Magazine's "Best College Jazz Group" and spent several weeks at the Cafe Bohemia In Greenwich Village, New York City, playing opposite such stars as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Buddy Rich, Cecil Payne and Cannonball Adderly. His earliest influences werfe Paul Desmond (Dave Brubeck Quartet) and, at first, the big bands of Benny Goodman, Harry James and Woody Herman, and later, Stan Kenton band, Claude Thornhill and the West Coast "Cool" Jazz musicians such as Stan Getz. For awhile, he also played in the hard Bop style of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins. But his greatest baritone influence was Harry Carney of the Duke Ellington band. Carney became his mentor encouraging him to take the horn to another level. Upon his death, he was survived by his wife Yvonne, daughters Jillian Haggerty and Kristin Walker, and son Nicholas Brignola, and one granddaughter.
1949     (Geezer) Terence Butler, bassist, b. Birmingham, England. UK. Member group: Black Sabbath. The 1970 single "Paranoid" hit No.4 in the UK.
1908     Fud Candrix, Tenor Sax, clarinet, violin, arranger, leader, b. Tongeren, Belgium, d. 1974.
1935     Diahann Carroll, vocals. b. New York (Bronx), NY, USA. née: Carol Diahann Johnson
1926     Ray Copeland, Trumpet, b. Norfolk, VA, USA. d. 1984.
1971     Jarrett "JC" Cordes, vocals. Member: PM Dawn.
1927     Memphis Curtis, songwriter, b. Galveston, TX, USA. Among the songs he wrote are "Let It Be Me" and then in 1953, he wrote "It Should've Been Me", - a big hit for singer Ray Charles. Other tunes he has written include "Back In Love Again", "Beat Of My Heart", "Given A Chance", "Here We Are", "It's Never Easy", "Love Will Lead You Back", "Miracle", "The Rhythm Of Love" (in collaboration with Gordon, and with Rocq-E-Harrel), "'Until The Day Breaks", and "Walk Away". CAUTION: Do not confuse with Country and Western composer Eddie "Memphis" Curtis, or with singer/songwriter/guitarist Curtis Thompson, leader of group 'Kulica', and a former bass player with 'Acoustic Junction'.
1939     Spencer Davis, guitar/vocal, b. Swansea, Wales, UK. Member: 'Spencer Davis Group'
1915     Eddie Dougherty, Drums, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
1941     Margie Evans, Vocal, b. Shreveport, LA, USA.
1947     Wolfgang Flur, electronic drums, Member group: Kraftwerk, His 1975 single "Autobahn" hit No.25 in the USA, and his 1982 single "Computer Love" made it to No.1.
1949     Chico Freeman, Tenor- soprano and alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, keyboards, percussion, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1970     Alvester Carroll Garnett, drums
1942     Gale Garnett vocals, b. Auckland, New Zealand. Her best hit was "We'll Sing In The Sunshine".
1948     Brian Glascock, drums. b. UK. Member: Motels.
1928     Vince Guaraldi, Piano, b. San Francisco, CA, USA. d. Feb. 6, 1976. Jazz pianist, did the music for Charles Shultz' "Peanuts" cartoons.
1982     Natasha Hamilton, vocals. Member group: Atomic Kitten, The 2000 single "Whole Again" hit No.1 on UK Charts.
1925     "Peppermint" Harris, guitar, b. Texarkana, TX, USA. In 1951, his ode to booze "I Got Loaded" topped the R&B charts.
1933     Mimi Hines, vocals Group: 'Ford & Hines' (with husband, Phil Ford)
1949     Tommy Holt, Guitar/mandolin/vocals, b. Hamilton, OH, USA. member: The Boys From Indiana.
1899     Benny Krueger, saxophone, leader, (some sources say b. June 17, 1899, Newark, NJ, USA. d. April or July 29, 1967 ). (Please see Krueger entry on June 17 calendar page.)
1947     Abe Laboriel, Bass, b. Mexico City, Mexico.
1952     Nicolette Larson, C&W vocals. b. Helena, MT, USA. Best recalled song: "Lotta Love"
1920     Jerry Lloyd, Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1925     Willie Love, vocals, b. Birmingham, AL, USA. member: 'Fairfield Four'
1952     Chet McCracKen, drums. Member group: The Doobie Brothers.
1912     Irene Manning, vocals/actress, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA. d. May 28, 2004, San Carlos, CA, USA. nee: Inez Harvuot. She was the youngest of five children in a very musical family. Her parents were singers, her two brothers played the violin, one sister played the piano (as did Irene), and another sister played the cello and clarinet. As a young lady, Irene studied at Rochester's famed 'Eastman School of Music' in New York, where she showed great potential for grand opera. However, her strong desire for acting led her to combine her talents in both musical theatre, and film. About this time she adopted the name of Hope Manning. In 1937, Het Manheim, then Head of Publicity at Republic Studios cast her in her first film ('The Old Corral'), with 'cowboy' actor Gene Autry. Autry changed her stage name from Hope Manning to Irene Manning. Shortly after filming, Irene and Manheim married but their marriage soon ended in divorce. In 1942, Irene appeared opposite Humphrey Bogart in the drama 'The Big Shot'. That same year she also had the lesser role of diva Fay Templeton in 'Yankee Doodle Dandy', starring James Cagney as famed vaudevillian/composer George M. Cohan. In 1943, Warner Brothers signed her to sing opposite Dennis Morgan in Sigmund Romberg's 'The Desert Song'. During 1944, she acted in two films, again starring with Dennis Morgan in the film 'Shine On, Harvest Moon', and in the film 'The Doughgirls', with co-stars Ann Sheridan ("The Oomph Girl") and Alexis Smith. In 1945, she appeared in 'Escape in the Desert' featuring Philip Dorn. Today, few people recall that during World War II, Irene recorded four songs in the German language, for Glenn Miller's Orchestra just before he died in a 1944 plane crash while crossing the English channel. The songs included Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine", and "All the Things You Are," by Oscar Hammerstein 2nd and Jerome Kern. After her movie career faltered in the mid-'40s, she appeared on the Broadway stages in New York, and the East End stages in London. Ca. 1964, she married Maxwell Hunter II, and they remained married till his demise, Nov. 10, 2001. The marriage produced 3 sons, and 2 daughters. In 1970, Irene came out of retirement and appeared in some San Francisco stage musicals.
1933     Wilfred Middlebrooks, Bass, b. Chattanooga, TN. USA. Played with Tab Smith
1926/7     John Mixon, bass, St. Louis, MO, USA, d. Dec. 30, 1996, St. Louis, MO, USA
1928     Joseph A. "Joe" Morello, Drums, b. Springfield, MA, USA. Part of the 'Dave Brubeck Quartet'.
1936     Sonny Morgan, Percussion, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1921     Mary Osborne, Guitar, b. Minot, ND, USA. d. March 4, 1992, Bakersfield, CA, USA. age 70. (Liver Cancer). During her long career, this inventive soloist and gifted accompanist, played and recorded with many of the greats of Jazz, including Charlie Christian, Mary Lou Williams, Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Shavers. Osborne was born into a musical family. As a very young child, she studied the Banjo, violin, and other stringed instruments. By age nine, she began concentrating on the Guitar, and was already playing Ragtime, as well as Country and Western dances, in bands led by her father. By age 12, Osborne was already working on radio, singing to her own guitar accompaniment. She was also a member of a female trio. Circa 1938, she heard the Alphonso Trent band at a dance, and was greatly influenced by Trent's guitarist, Charlie Christian. She changed direction, switching from acoustic to electric guitar and even sat in with Christian on severql occasions. By the early 1940s, Osborne had married trumpet player Ralph Scaffidi, who encouraged her playing. She found work in the Dick Stabile and Bob Chester orchestras among others. (Among those others was an all-female band, led by famed guitarist Joe Venuti.) The late 1940s found her working in New York City clubs and recording studios. In the '50s, Osborne was still working in the radio and television studios, and though busier than ever, she also found time to continue her studies. She continued an active career into the late 1970s, even forming her own small band that included her husband and her son on bass. In 1972, Liver Cancer took her life.
1954     Joanie Pallatto, vocals
1933     Ben Riley, Drums, b. Savannah, GA, USA.
1925     "Little" Jimmy Scott, vocals, b: Cleveland, OH, USA.
1970     Mandy Smith, Rock vocals, b. England. Best recallled release: "I Just Can't Wait". In 1989, she married 'Rolling Stone' Bill Wyman, in 1992 she got divorced .
1925     Phoebe Snow, singer/songwriter, b. New York, NY, USA. née: Phoebe Laub. Grew up in Teaneck, NJ (suburb of New York City) and first studied piano, then switched to guitar. In the early 1970s, she was performing in Greenwich Village (NYC neighborhood) singing an eclectic mix of Folk, Blues, Pop, Torch songs, and Jazz. Her album "Poetry Man," reached number four on the charts. She next toured with famed singer/songwriter Paul Simon, later returning to the 'studios'. Her 1976 album 'Second Childhood', achieved 'gold'. In 1975, her newborn daughter, Valerie, was diagnosed with profound autism, and Snow, a single mother, decided (against the wishes of doctors) to raise her child at home by herself. These parental duties were a damper on her career. During the following 10 years or so, she may only have released 4 or 5 records. In 1989, she appeared with Donald Fagen's all-star Rock and Soul Revue, and also signed with the Elektra label. More recently, (1994) she appeared at Woodstock (New York) with a gospel group.
1918     "Red" Sovine, C&W Singer-Songwriter/Guitar, b. Charleston, WV, USA. né: Woodrow Wilson Sovine.
1949     Mick Tucker, drums, b. UK. d. Feb. 14, 2002, (leukaemia). Member: Sweet. Over 15 UK Top 40 hits plus one No. 1 release (1973).
1926     Piero Umiliani; piano/composer, b. Florence, Italy, d. Feb. 14, 2001, Rome, Italy
1949     Mike Vale, bass. Member group: Tommy James & The Shondells, The 1966 single "Hanky Panky" was No. 1 in the USA, and the 1968 single "Mony Mony" hit No. 1 in the UK.
1969     Byron Wallen, trumpet, flugelhorn, b. London, England, UK. Raised in a musical environment, Byron studied classical piano from an early age. His parents are both originally from Belize, but moved to New York, where Byron used to visit them as a teenager, taking the opportunity to study the trumpet with great musicians like Jimmy Owens, Donald Byrd and Jon Faddis. He subsequently graduated with a degree in Psychology, Philosophy and Maths from Sussex University (England). During this period, he recorded for Loose Ends and Cleveland Watkiss and played trumpet in a variety of musical settings; with Mervyn Africa, The Style Council, Charles Earland, Courtney Pine and Jean Toussaint. He has played trumpet alongside African pioneers such as Hugh Masekela, Manu Dibango and Ammonpondo. He has also worked with Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronnie Laws and Chaka Khan. Firmly routed in the jazz tradition, he is one of the most versatile jazz voices currently (2006) on the British scene. He has toured with David Murray, performed with Ralph Moore, Billy Higgins, Butch Morris, Eddie Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Herlin Riley and Freddie Hubbard. He has recorded with George Benson, Brice Wassy, and has toured the world with Incognito. He has also performed with such rappers as The Roots, Digable Planets and US3. Among his compositions is the "Tarot Suite" (premiered in 1994), an enticing piece of music that draws inspiration from the symbols and imagery of the tarot cards. The twenty-two-piece suite is written for ten musicians received rave reviews from the British press.
1910     Jack Washington, Baritone-alto Sax, b. Kansas City, KS, USA. d. 1964.
1967     Stokley Williams, R&B vocals/guitar. b. Minneapolis, MN, USA. Member group: 'Mint Condition', a group that included (Homer O"Dell, keyboardist Larry Waddell (b. August 31 1963), keyboardist/saxophonist Jeff Allen, keyboardist/guitarist Keri Lewis, and guitarist/bassist Rick Kinchen).
         Notable Events on this date include:
1951     Harry Choates, cajun violin (b. Dec. 26, 1922, Rayne, LA, USA -raised in Texas), died (in jail) in Austin, TX, USA. Age: 28
1954     The world’s first jazz fest, The Newport Jazz Festival, was held on the grass tennis courts of the Newport Casino, in Newport RI, USA. (The Eddie Condon band opened with "Muskrat Ramble".)
1959     Billie Holiday, vocals, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 45. ( cardiac failure) née: Eleonora Fagan
1967     John Coltrane, tenor/soprano sax, died in Huntington,L.I., USA. Age: NY40
1974     Don Rich, guitar, died in Morro Bay, CA, USA. Age: 32. (motorcycle accident) worked with: "Buck Owens and his Buckaroos"
1974.    Ed Young, fife band, died in MS, USA. Age: 65
1974.    George York, died at age 64. Member: "The York Brothers"
1983.    Roosevelt Sykes died in New Orleans, LA, USA Age: 77.
1987.    Howard McGhee, trumpeter died in New York, NY, USA. (b. March 6, 1918 in Tulsa, OK, USA.)
1992.    Johnny Letman, trumpet, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 74. (b. Sept. 6, 1917 ) worked with Tiny Grimes
1996.    Charles Chandler died in Tyneside, England. Age: 57.
2003.    Alvin Alcorn, trumpet, died in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Age: 96. (b. Sept. 7, 1912, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. né: Alvin Elmore Alcorn )
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1908   "The Boy Who Stuttered and The Girl Who Lisped", - Ada Jones and Billy Murray vocal.
1918   "Clarinet Marmalade", - The Original Dixieland Jazz Band
1922   "On The Alamo", - The Benson Orch. of Chicago
1923   "You Can't Do What My Last Man Did", - James P. Johnson piano.
1930   "Just A Little Bit Closer", - Tom Clines and his Music
1931   "Radio Rhythm", - The Savannah Syncopators
1935   "The Lady In Red", - Ethel Merman vocal.
1937   "One O'Clock Jump", - Count Basie Orch.
1939   "South Of The Border", - Sammy Kaye Orch.
1939   "Cherokee", - recorded by the Charlie Barnet Orch.
1940   "I'll Never Smile Again", Ray Noble and his Orch
1940   "Her Old Man Was Suspicious", - Alec Wilder Octet
1941   "Ay Ay Ay", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1941   "Heat Wave", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1941   "Song Of India", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1941   "Rose Room", - Fred Feibel Organ solo.
1942   "The Humming Bird", - Tommy Tucker Orch.
1942   "Just As Though You Were Here", - Tommy Dorsey
1961   "Wooden Heart", - Joe Dowell
1961   "Pretty Little Angel Eyes", - Curtis Lee
1961   "Last Night", - Mar-Keys
1965   "Don't Just Stand There", - Patty Duke
1965   "Save Your Heart for Me", - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
1971   "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", - Marvin Gaye
1971   "Liar", - Three Dog Night
1976   "You Should Be Dancing", - Bee Gees
1976   "This Masquerade", - George Benson
1976   "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", - Elton John
1976   "Let 'Em In", - Paul McCartney
1982   "Vacation", - Go-Go's
1982   "Take It Away", - Paul McCartney
1982   "Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigge", - Donna Summer