BIRTHDAYS
1923     Ewart Abner Jr., songwriter/arranger/producer (for 'Veejay' label), b. Chicago, IL, USA
1914     Bob Atcher, (C&W) vocals/guitar, b. Hardin County, KY, USA. né: James Robert Owen Atcher. He was born into a musical family.His father was a champion fiddle player, and as a child Bob learned both the violin and the guitar.
1888     Irving Berlin, Composer, b. Temun, Russia, d.1989, New York, NY, USA. né: Israel Isidore Baline.Famed composer Jerome Kern was once asked what Irving Berlin's place was in American Music.Kern's now famous reply was that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music - he IS American music".He was perhaps the greatest, and most prolific, of all American Pop composers, - his music encompassing a tremendous range musical styles.
1938     Carla Bley, Composer/piano/organ/leader, b. Oakland, CA, USA.née: Carla Borg. Self-taught, although her father, a church musician, gave her the fundamentals.At age 17, she moved to New York, and while working intermittently as a pianist, and cigarette girl in clubs, composed Jazz tunes for such musicians Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, and Paul Bley, -her husband at the time. In 1964, and her second husband, Mike Mantler, formed 'The Jazz Composers Guild Orchestra'.In 1966, she helped form the non-profit 'Jazz Composer's Orchestra Association', whose mission is to produce, and distribute commercially unviable Jazz. In 1967, Carla found wide success with her "A Genuine Tong Funeral", recorded with the Gary Burton quartet.In 1969, she also composed and arranged "Liberation Music Orchestra" for Charlie Haden. In 1971 She composed the Jazz opera "Escalator Over The Hill", perhaps her most substantial work. It was well received by press and public, leading to several composing grants.In 1985, she wrote music for the soundtrack of the film ' Mortelle Randone'.Carla has long led her own ten-piece band, and while she always plays piano and/or organ with her bands, still most critics will agree that her strengths lie elsewhere. Carla's asymmetrical compositional structures, and her unpredictable melodies are often as catchy as they are obscure.
1944     Roy Blumenfeld, drums, b. New York (The Bronx), NY, USA. Member group: 'The Blues Project'.
1926     Beryl Audrey Bryden, Jazz Vocals, b. Norwich, Norfolk, England, d.July 14, 1998 (Lymphatic cancer).Called "Britain's queen of the blues." This Jazz vocalist sang with George Webb's Dixielanders, -Britain's first traditional, or "revivalist" Jazz band.In time she also worked with such other stars as Freddy Randall, Alex Welsh, Billie Holliday and Louis Armstrong. In 1948, she formed her own grooup, Beryl's Backroom Boys, and also made her first radio broadcast.(One of her memorable recordings was "Rock Island Line"). Bryden was a member of The Cambridge Jazz Club.
1941     Eric Burdon, R&B/Pop vocals, b. Walker-on-Tyne, England, UK. Member groups: 'The Animals', and 'War'
1913     Salvador "Tutti" Camarata, trumpet, leader, label co-founder (London), b. Glen Ridge, NJ., USA, d. . April 20, 2005.
1943     Les (John) Chadwick, Bassist, b. Liverpool, England, USA. Member group: 'Gerry & The Pacemakers'.
1910     Johnny "Scat" Davis, Leader/vocals/trumpet/actor, b. Brazil, IN, USA d. . Nov. 28, 1983, Pecos TX, USA. (Heart Attack)
1913     Olivia "Lady Charlotte" Cook, piano, b. New Orleans, LA, USA.
1929     John Coppola, Trumpet, arranger, b. Geneva, NY, USA.
1931     Dick Garcia, Guitar, b. New York, NY, USA.
1955     Jos Haagmans, vocals. b. Holland, With the 'Frank Boeijen Group'
1959     Deborah Hartings, bass, b. Evansville, IN, USA
1906     J. C.Higginbotham, Trombone, b. Social Circle, GA, USA. d.May 26, 1973,New York, NY, USA. né: Jay C.Higginbotham.
1955     Mark Herndon, drummer, b. Springfield, MA, USA. Member group: 'Alabama'.
1944     Ralph Humphrey, Drums, b. Berkeley, CA, USA.
1901     "Chick" Hurt, mandolin, b. Willowshade, KY, USA. Member: "The Prarie Ramblers", and other groups.
1966     Lennart Jansson, cornet, trumpet, drums, b. Karlskrona, Sweden; d. Dec. 3, 2005. Sweden. né: Lennart Joel Harald Jansson.
1966     Julian Joseph, Piano, b. London, England
1942     Ruben Juarez, singer, bandoneonist. b: Cordoba county, Argentina.
1940     Bob Kindred, tenor-soprano-baritone sax, clarinet, flute , b. Lansing, Michigan, USA
1930     Marylyn King, vocals. part of the King Sisters group
1905     "Kansas" Joe McCoy, guitar, b. Raymond, MS, USA. Worked with 'Memphis Minnie'
1916     Moon Mullens, Trumpet, b. Mayhew, MS, USA. d.1977
1885     Joseph "King" Oliver, cornet/bandleader, b. Abend, LA, USA, d. April 10, 1938, Savannah, GA, USA. ( PLEASE NOTE: --Oliver's date of birth is unknown.Various researchers have placed his birth as 1885 in Dryades Street, in New Orleans. Others say he was born in Donaldsville, LA, USA (on a plantation - date unknown), while still others claim b. May 11, 1885, Abend, LA as his birthplace. His date of demise is better known. Most researchers now accept April 10, 1938, Savannah, GA. as his place and date of demise. (Though some claim April 8 or 9 as the date of demise.)
Curiously, this fine early New Orleans "Dixieland" cornetist will not be recalled for his fine cornet playing, but rather for choosing as his protege the man generally considered to be the greatest of all New Orleans musicians, Louis Armstrong. Armstrong often gave credit to Joe Oliver as his principal mentor. Oliver was in New Orleans playing the cornet in 1907. One of the first important Jazz cornetists, Oliver's career began with the Olympia and Eagle brass bands in New Orleans. During this time, Oliver met and encouraged Louis Armstrong.
By 1915 he was an established bandleader and by 1917, he was being billed as "King." In 1918, after the closing down of 'Storyville' (the city's red-light district), Oliver moved to Chicago. In 1922, "King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band" was formed in Chicago, and Joe sent for Armstrong to join him as second cornetist. In hindsight, this was an auspicious momnent. It launched Armstrong on a career that made his name famous throughout the entire world, and indirectly ensured the spread of Jazz across the USA, and eventually the world. In 1928, Oliver went to New York City, and from then on his fortunes declined. Throughout the early depression years of the 1930s, Oliver led several touring bands, and finally retired in 1937. Plagued by dental trouble, and unable to keep up with rapidly evolving Jazz styles, he died in obscurity while working as a poolroom marker in Savannah, GA.
The 1922 'Oliver's Creole Jazz Band' went on to make Jazz history with their 1923 Gennett recordings. The list of sidemen in his 1926-1928 big band, 'King Oliver's Dixie Syncopators', reads like a who's who of Jazz at the time. Oliver's original compositions, including "Dippermouth Blues", "Doctor Jazz", and "Canal Street Blues", are all Jazz standards. (Dippermouth was the nickname given to Louis Armstrong when he was attending the Waifs Home for Boys.)
There is an interesting sidelight on Oliver, Armstrong, and another Dixieland cornetist, "Bunk" Johnson. When Bunk Johnson was re-discovered in the 1930s, he told anybody who would listen that he - Bunk - was a great cornetist. Furthermore, Bunk claimed to have taught Louis Armstrong how to play Jazz. When Louis was later asked about this, Armstrong said that Bunk was a fine musician, but that his principal mentor was Joe "King" Oliver. To quote Louis: "He (King Oliver) became like a father to me."
1959     Martha Quinn, Video DJ (for MTV), b. Ossining, NY, USA. She is the step-daughter of Jane Bryant Quinn, personal finance columnist.
1963     Tim Raybon, C&W vocals.brother of Bluegrass guitarist/singer, Marty Raybon.Member group: 'Raybon Brothers'.
1931     Freddie Roach, organ, d. . Oct. 3, 1980
1943     Arnie Satin, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. Member: 'The Dovells'
1909     Richard J.Smith, trumpet. b. Kansas City, MO, USA. Played with Harlan Leonard
1955     Susan Stenger, bass/vocals, Member group: Band Of Susans
1895     William Grant Still, arranger, b. Woodville, MS, USA
1937     Ocie Stockard, banjo, The famed Western Swing band, 'Musical Brownies', died shortly after their founder Milton Brown died.(né: Willie Milton Brown, Sept.7, 1903, Stephensonville, TX, USA, d.Crystal Springs, TX, USA (Auto accident.Age: 32) One member, Ocie Stockard, soon formed his own band, 'The Western All-Stars', whose members included fiddler Joe Holley (formerly of the Crystal Springs Ramblers), fiddler Joe Holley (formerly of the Crystal Springs Ramblers), Wanna Coffman on bass, Jack Hinson (formerly of the Ross Rhythm Rascals) on piano and Cecil Mullins on guitar. Milton's own brother, Durwood Brown, also played ocassionally with the band.In 1946, Stockard left and joined 'Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys'.
1921     Joe Taylor, guitar. CAUTION: Do not confuse with Larry Joe Taylor, who also is a guitarist.
1947     Claude Hudson "Butch" Trucks, drums, b. Macon GA, USA. 'The Allman Brothers', formed in 1969, consisting of Duane Allman (slide guitar), Gregg Allman (vocals, organ), Dickey Betts (guitar), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), "Butch" Trucks (drums) and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums).
1983     Holly Valance, singer, actress
1924     Oscar Valdambrini, Trumpet, composer, b. Turin, Italy, d.Dec.26, 1996.
1914     "Doodles" Weaver, d.Jan.17, 1983 né: Winstead Sheffield Glendening Dixon Weaver, Best recalled as member Spike Jones' City Slickers
1827     Septimus Winner, composer, b. Philadelphia, PA, d.Nov.22, 1902, Philadelphia, PA.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1911.    James A.Bland, Afro-American songwriter, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA.Age: 56
1966.    Isaiah Morgan, cornet, died
1970.    Johnny Hodges, alto sax, died in New York, NY, USA.Age: 62
1972.    Alec Seward, guitar, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 71
1975.    Benny Harris, trumpeter, died
1979.    Lester Flatt, Bluegrass singer and guitar player, died in Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 64. During the 1950s and '60s, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and The Foggy Mountain Boys were an immensely popular 'Bluegrass' music group.
1979.    John Ashby, Fiddler, (b. Oct. 6, 1915, N. Warrenton, VA, USA) died. Age: 63. Was a member of "The Free State Ramblers" Bluegrass group.
1980.    Homer Wilson, guitar, died in Cairo, IL, USA.
1981.    Reggae musician Bob Marley died in Miami, Florida of cancer (brain tumor) at the age of 36.
1981.    Bob Marley, guitar/songwriter, died in Miami, FL, USA.Age: 36
1994.    Danny Overbea, guitar, died in Chicago, IL, USA.Age: 68
1996.    Walter Hyatt, founder of "Uncle Walt's Band", killed in airplane crash (ValuJet flight 592) in the Florida, USA, 'Everglades Swamp' area. Age: 47
1997.    Ernie Fields alto/baritone sax, leader died (b. Aug 26, 1905, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1937 "I'll Get By", - Teddy Wilson orch. (Billie Holiday voc.)
      1937 "Yours and Mine", - Teddy Wilson orch. (Billie Holiday voc.)
      1937 "Mean To Me", - Teddy Wilson orch. (Billie Holiday voc.)
      1944 "Long Ago (And Far Away)", - Perry Como
      1959 "Personality", - Lloyd Price
      1963 "Still", - Bill Anderson
      1963 "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)", - The Crystals
      1963 "You Can't Sit Down", - The Dovells
      1974 "Billy, Don't Be A Hero", - Donaldson, Bo & The Heywoods
      1974 "Sundown", Gordon Lightfoot
      1974 "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)", - Olivia Newton-John
      1985 "Sussudio", Phil Collins
      1985 "Would I Lie To You?", - The Eurythmics
      1985 "Angel", Madonna
      1985 "Search Is Over, The", - Survivor
      1991 "Rush Rush", - Paula Abdul
      1991 "Unbelievable", - EMF
      1991 "Power Of Love/Love Power", - Luther Vandross