BIRTHDAYS
1957     Daniel Ash, guitarist/vocals, Member group: 'Bauhaus'
1957     Mamdouh Bahri , guitar, b. Sfax, Tunisia. As a child, he grew up listening to the traditional music of Tunisia, but during his teenage years, he was listening to Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and B.B. King. At age 18, he got his first guitar, and started emulating their sounds and performing with local bands. After hearing George Benson's "Weekend in L.A.", he got interested in Jazz. In 1982, he moved to Montpellier, France and was recruited by JAM (Jazz Action Montpellier) to teach music, and played a key role in the development of the organization until 1991. In 1987, his first recording, "Song for Sarah", was post-bop funk-oriented. From 1989 to 1993, he formed a quartet with pianist Horace Parlan that also included Italian bassist Riccardo Del Fra and drummer Idris Muhammad from New Orleans. In 1991, they recorded the CD "From Tunisia with Love", live in Carthage, Tunisia. In 1991, he moved to New York City and joined the collective "The Spirit of Life Ensemble" led by Daoud Williams, and performed with Talib Kibwe, Ted Curson, Michael Cochrane, and Winard Harper, among others. He recorded seven albums with the collective. In 1993, saw his third album, "Nefta", released. The original music was influenced by a variety of musical traditions including Middle Eastern, Jazz and North African music. In 1998, his trio (guitar, percussion and bass) continued with an acoustic album "African Flame".
1894     Roy Bargy, piano/arranger, b. b. Newaygo, MI, USA. d. Jan. 16, 1974, Vista, CA, USA.
1958     Bill Berry, drums, Member group: 'R.E.M'
1926     Charlie Biddle, bassist, b: Philadelphia, PA, USA, d: Feb. 4, 2003, Quebec, Canada, (Kidney Cancer). Though born in Philadelphia, PA, he was a resident of Canada for the last 55 years of his life. Biddle kept his U.S. citizenship, but became a Canadian citizen in 2000 after a change in regulations permitting dual citizenship. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and upon his release at war's end, took advantage of the G.I. Bill to study music at Temple University. In 1948, at the age of just 22, he moved to Quebec. He formed his own Jazz band that toured towns in the predominantly French speaking province. In 1955, he married Quebec-er Constance. Their four children all became musicians, and Sonya, Charles Jr., Stephanie, and Tracy are active in Quebec's entertainment industry. He was working as a car salesman by day, when during Expo '67, he produced Jazz concerts at the the World's Fair's Youth Pavilion. The shows introduced many Canadians to such artists as John Coltrane, Thad Jones and Pepper Adams. In 1979. Biddle organized a small, three-day jazz festival in Montreal, "Jazz de Chez Nous". This eventually grew into the Montreal Jazz Festival, which has grown to be one of the world's largest. He ran the club, Uncle Charlie's Jazz Joint. Ca. 1983, Biddle took part in the first recording project for the Montreal-based Jazz, Blues, and Gospel label, Justin Time. The album Live at Biddle's Jazz & Ribs by the Oliver Jones Trio was recorded at Biddle's restaurant and club, and featured Biddle on double bass, with Oliver Jones on piano, and Bernard Primeau on drums. Over his career, Biddle worked with Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, and Lionel Hampton in various Montreal Jazz clubs as well as working with such orthers as Oliver Jones, Three Jacks And A Jill, Nelson Symonds, Lionel Hampton, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner and Charlie Parker.
1919     James Blackwood, Jr., Southern Gospel Vocals, b. Ackerman, MS, USA. né: James Webre Blackwood, Jr. member: 'The Blackwood Brothers'. "Mr. Gospel Singer of America", he is the last surviving original member of the celebrated Blackwood Brothers gospel vocal group. He continues to perform now beyond his 80th birthday.
1877   Peter E. Bocage, (Dixieland) Trumpeter/violin/leader, b. Algiers, LA, USA. d. Dec. 3, 1967. Also see Bocage Orig. Creole Serenaders This famed old New Orleans Jazz man was present at the birth of Jazz. He knew and often listened to Buddy Bolden playing trumpet, and many also consider him responsible for trumpeter Bunk Johnsons learning to read music.
1937     Bonnie Brown, C&W vocals, b. Sparkman, AR, USA Member: "The Browns"
1963     Chad Brock, professional wrestler/C&W singer, b. Ocala, Fl, USA.
1931     Kenny Burrell, Guitar, b. Detroit, MI, USA. né: Kenneth Earl Burrell.
1978     Will Champion, drums. b. UK. Member: 'Coldplay'
1925     Bill Clark, Drums, b. Jonesboro, AR, USA. d. 1986
1964     Jim Corr, guitar/vocals, Member group: 'The Corrs'
1891     "Big" Crawford, bass
1948     Leaveil Degree, vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member: 'The Whispers'
1923     Ahmet Ertegun, Producer, b. Istanbul, Turkey, d. Dec. 14, 2006, New York, NY, USA (coma caused by a fall). Age: 83. (some sources say born 1917) Founder, with his brother Nesuhi, of Atlantic Records (perhaps their biggest star - Bobby Darin). His father was a diplomat who was ambassador to Switzerland, France and England before he became ambassador to the United States. Not long before his demise, Ertegun told a reporter for the Associated Press that: "My father was a diplomat who was ambassador to Switzerland, France and England before he became ambassador to the United States, and we lived in all those countries and we always had music in the house, and a lot of it was a kind of popular music, and we heard a lot of Jazz. By the time we came to Washington, we were collecting records and we amassed a collection of some 25,000 Blues and Jazz records." Ertegun's love of Jazz began back when he and his late brother Nesuhi (who died July 15, 1989, a producer of such Jazz acts as Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman) used to hang around with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington in the clubs of Washington, D.C. Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun helped define American music as founders of Atlantic Records, a label that popularized the gritty R&B of Ray Charles, the classic soul of Aretha Franklin and the British rock of the Rolling Stones. Ertegun remained connected to the music scene until his last days. It was at an Oct. 29 concert by the Rolling Stones, at the Beacon Theatre in New York, where Ertegun fell, suffered a head injury and was hospitalized. He later slipped into a coma and died.
1915     George "Chet" Forrest, songwriter, d. Oct. 10, 1999
1952     Steve Gibson, C&W session guitarist/producer, b. Peoria, IL, USA.
1947     Karl Green, guitar/harmonica. Member: 'Herman's Hermits'
1945     Stephanie Haynes, vocals
1917     Milt Holland, drums/percussion, b. Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. Nov. 4, 2005, Los Angeles, California, USA. (Alzheimer's disease & kidney failure). In 1929, Milt began his professional music career playing primarily Jazz drums as well as all percussion. From 1941 to 1946, he was a staff musician at the CBS radio network. Then, in 1946, after being on the road with Raymond Scott, he moved to Los Angeles, where for more than half a century, he worked as a studio sessions drummer. He studied at UCLA and in India (from 1963 through 1978 with tabla masters Chatur Lal, Ramnad Easwaran and others), and was responsible for bringing the Tabla (and other exotic instruments) to western recordings for the very first time. For many years, Milt also traveled extensively in Africa, studying drumming and rhythmic systems -and called that continent "the Mother of all music" . Milton's first love was jazz and he played with the very best: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Benny Carter to name a few. During the early years in Los Angeles, he also recorded with Lalo Schifirn, Bing Crosby, Laurindo Almeda, Leonard Bernstein, Elmer Bernstein, Frank Sinatra, - even with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones among others. In films, his work was heard on such soundtracks as "West Side Story", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "The King and I", among others. Ringo Starr called him "a legend in his own time" and Bob Dylan called him "one of the greatest drummers in the world." Milton was very influential in the desegregation of L.A.'s Professional Musicians, Local 47, a fact that had always made him very proud. Milton was often referred to by his peers as a "Musician's Musician" He was given dozens of gold and platinum albums for his contribution to award winning recordings throughout his career.
1927     Louis "Barney" Hubert, sax, b. TX, USA.
1918     Henry "Hank" Jones, Piano, b. Vicksburg, MS. USA. Accompanied Billy Eckstine and Ella Fitzgerald. He led the Hank Jones Trio
1959     Stanley Jordan, Guitar, b. Chicago, IL. USA
1915     George Kelly, Tenor Sax/leader/arranger, b. Miami, FL, USA. d. May 24, 1998, New York, NY, USA.
1946     Gary Lewis Singer. né: Gary Levitch, -Jerry Lewis' son. member group: Gary Lewis and the Playboys.
1911     George Liberace, violinist/conductor, b. Menasha, WI, USA, d. 1983, USA. The brother of pianist "Liberace".
1943     "Lobo", vocals. b. Tallahassee, FL, USA (don't believe the Liner Notes), né: Kent LaVoie. "Lobo" has had new music released in the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's and 2000, making him one of the few artists with new releases spanning 5 decades. Perhaps his best known song is "I'd Love You To Want Me", but his top 3 hits are "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love", "Me And You And A Dog Named Boo" and "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend".
1938     Gap Mangione, Piano, b. Rochester, NY, USA.
1953     Hugh McDowell, celloist. Member: Electric Light Orchestra (maybe 30 Top 40 hit releases.)
1907     Roy Milton, Blues Vocals/Drums, b. Wynnewood, OK, USA. d. Sept. 18, 1983, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1923     Bjarne (Arnulf) Nerem, Tenor Sax, b. Oslo, Norway, d. April 1, 1991
1964     Jim Reeves, C&W vocals. Died in an aircrash near Nashville, TN, USA.
1973     Jerry Rivera, Spanish singer, b. Puerto Rico.
1919     David Saxon, songwriter, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Wrote for Louis Jordan Orch.
1950     Rosalyn M. Story, violin, b. Kansas City, KS, USA.
1964     Robert Townsend, guitar/vocals. Also played with group: 'Pop Will Eat Itself' (which began recording under the name of 'Wild and Wondering'). The band consisted of Clint Mansell (Vocals), Graham Crabb (Vocals), Adam Mole (Guitar/Keyboards), Richard March (Guitar), Fuzz (Drummer)/ Dr. Nightmare (Drum Machine).
1946     Robert "Bob" Welch, Guitarist/vocals. Member: Fleetwood Mac
1939     John West, guitar. Member group: Gary Lewis and the Playboys
1952     Mike Wolff, Piano, b. Victorville, CA, USA.
Noteable Events on this date include:
1963.    Curtis Counce, bass, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 37
1964.    Jim Reeves, guitar, died in Brentwood, TX, USA. . Jim was flying his own airplane;
1964.    Country Music Hall of Famer Jim Reeves (né: James Travis Reeves, b, Galloway, TX, USA), died (Age: 39) flying his own airplane, a single-engine Beechcraft, that crashed near Nashville, TN, USA. His pianist, Dean Manue, was also killed in the crash.
1966.    Bud Powell, piano, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 41 (Some sources claim d. August 1)
1970.    Booker Ervin, tenor sax, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 39. Worked with Charlie Mingus
1975.    "Guitar" Pete Franklin, guitar/piano, died in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Age: 47.
1975.    Tom Gary, harmonica, died in Memphis, TN, USA. Age: 56. Worked with Sleepy John Estes
1984.    Sidmore Parnes, founder : record world, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 62
1985.    'Prince' stared in the the autobiographical film of the Minneapolis rock star, 'Purple Rain'. The film grossed $7.7 million in its first three days of release on 917 movie screens. Back then, that was considered to be a huge success.
1986.    Teddy Wilson, piano, died in New Britain, CT, USA. Age: 73
1987.    C&W star Thomas "Thumbs" Carlisle died. Age: 56
1989.    Benjamin "Bull Moose" Jackson, tenorsax, died in Cleveland, OH, USA. Age: 70
1994.    C&W star "Ramblin'" Jimmie Dolan died. Age: 77,
1995.    Lonnie Smith, guitar, died in Richmond, VA, USA. Age: 87. Member: 'Harmonizing 4'
Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1919   "Mandy Medley", - Ben Selvin's Orch.
1919   "Novelty One Step", - Ben Selvin's Orch.
1919   "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", - Ben Selvin's Orch.
1928   "I'm On The Crest Of A Wave", - Harry Richman vocal.
1928   "Nagasaki", - The Six Jumping Jacks. (Harry Reser Orch.)
1929   "Because You Said You Loved Me", - Dan Russo's Oriole Orch.
1931   "You Can't Stop Me From Loving You", - Abe Lyman's Calfornia Orch.
1931   "I'm Happy When You're Happy", - The Radiolites. (Ben Selvin Orch)
1931   "Were You Sincere", - The Radiolites. (Ben Selvin Orch)
1931   "Fate Introduced You To Me", - Jacques Renard Orch.
1931   "This Is My Love Song", - Jacques Renard Orch.
1935   "Sweet Loraine", - Teddy Wilson Orch.
1940   "The Pan American Way", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1940   "Adios", - Enric Madriguera Orch.
1942   "Strip Polka", - Kay Kyser Orch.
1942   "I've Heard that Song Before", -Harry James orch., with Helen Forrest vocal
1942   "Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition", - Kay Kyser Orch.
1942   "Mr Five By Five", - Harry James Orch.
1942   "(It Seems to Me) I've Heard That Song Before", - Harry James Orch. Helen Forrest vocal.
1942   "Love Gone Cold", - Johnny Bond and The Red River Valley Boys. (Cowboy song)
1942   "He Wears A Pair Of Silver Wings", - Kay Kyser
1942   "Strictly Instrumental", - Harry James
1961   "School Is Out", - Gary "U.S." Bonds
1961   "Michael", - The Highwaymen
1961   "Hurt", - Timi Yuro
1965   "Down In The Boondocks", - Billy Joe Royal
1965   "Unchained Melody", - The Righteous Brothers
1965   "I Got You Babe", - Sonny & Cher
1971   "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", - Dramatics
1971   "Smiling Faces Sometimes", - Undisputed Truth
1976   "Shake Your Booty, (Shake, Shake, Shake)", - KC & The Sunshine Band
1976   "Play That Funky Music", - Wild Cherry
1976   "Summer", - War
1982   "Eye In The Sky", - Alan Parsons