BIRTHDAYS
1898     John Abriani, saxophone, violin, leader, b. Venice, Italy , d. 1960. During 1925-1932, the Abriani brothers (John and Felice Abriani , -banjo, violin), led an orchestra that played regular gigs in Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. In 1927 and 1928, they recorded for the Homocord label (2 out of perhaps 8 recording total). One interesting sidelight on the year 1927 is that a young Al Bowlly arrived in Berlin, Germany, to work (again) with Edgar Adeler's orchestra. Bowlly made his first recordings here (as a soloist) with a number of jazz bands including those led by Arthur Briggs and John Abriani. It is probably safe to say that Berlin was then the jazz capital of Europe. Some writers have mentioned that the "Black" American trumpeter Arthur Briggs may have played with the band during this time. Between 1932-1934 John Abriani led his own (all-Italian) Jazz band in Calcutta, India. In the 1930s, this band was also recorded by the HMV label for distribution in India (real rarities for record collectors). In 1934, John Abriani returned from India, and continued his career as an active performer, and recording artist, throughout Europe for the remainder of the decade. In the 1940s, he was permanently settled in his native Italy, where his musical presence slowly diminished over the following decades.
1944     Ian Amey, vocals/guitar, b. Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK. Member group: 'Dave Dee, Dozey, Beaky, Mick & Tich', - who are: Dave Dee (b. David Harman, Dec, 17, 1943, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; vocals), Dozy (b. Trevor Davies, Nov. 27, 1944, Enford, Wiltshire, England; bass), Beaky (b. John Dymond, July 10, 1944, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; guitar), Mick (b. Michael Wilson, March 4, 1944, Amesbury, Wiltshire, England; lead guitar) and Tich (b. Ian Amey, 15 May 1944). Interstingly, the group began their career in 1962 as live performers during residencies at various Hamburg, Germany, clubs.
1918     Eddy Arnold, C&W vocals/guitar, b. Henderson, TN. USA. né: "Richard Edward Arnold. Perhaps his biggest hit record: "Anytime"
1932     John Barnes, Alto Sax, b. Manchester,England
1902     Pippo Barzizza, Violin, b. Genoa, Italy, d. April 2, 1996 in Sanremo, Italy. Age: 93
1963     Julian Brookhouse, guitar, b. Putney, London, England, UK. Member group: 'Curiousity Killed the Cat', formed in 1984 by Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot ((b. Martin Benedict Volpeliere-Pierrot, May 19, 1965, Earls Court, London, England; vocals), Julian Godfrey Brookhouse (guitar), Nicholas Bernard Throp (b. Oct. 25, 1964, Sunbury-On-Thames, London, England; bass), "Migi" (né: Michael Drummond, Jan. 27, 1964, Strawberry Hill, London, England; drums), and later in 1984, Toby Anderson (keyboards - songwriter).
1928     J. C. Burris, harmonica, b. Kings Mountain, NC, USA
1940     Oscar Castro-Neves, Guitar, b. Rio de Janiero, Brazil
1899     Sonny Clay, piano/leader, d. ca. 1972
1940     Bob Cornford, Piano, b. Brazil, d. 1983
1945     Peter Donald, Drums, b. San Francisco, CA, USA
1959     Andrew Eldritch, singer-songwriter/guitar/keyboard, b. Ely, England, UK. né: Andrew William Harvey Taylor. Member group: 'Sister of Mercy'
1948     Brian Eno, synthesizer/songwriter/record producer, b. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, UK. né: Brian Peter George St. Baptiste de la Salle Eno. Co-founder of 'Roxy Music'.
1948     Glen Garrett, Alto Sax, b. Salt Lake City, UT, USA
1947     Graham Goble, Guitar. Member group: Little River Band
1928     Joe Gordon, Trumpet, b. Boston, MA, USA. d. 1963
1901     Edmond Hall, Clarinet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. 1967
1946     I. J. ("Iron Jaw") Harris, vocals, b. Marianna, AR, USA
1922     Frank Hicks, (Western Swing) guitar, b. Fresco, CA, USA
1950     "Chip" Jackson, bass
1896     Elva Johnson, guitar, b. Hardware, VA, USA
1938     Larry Johnson, guitar/harmonica, b. Atlanta, GA, USA
1941     Lainie Kazan, vocals/actress, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. Among her hit records was "Lust in the Dust"
1937     Karin Krog, Vocal, b. Oslo, Norway
1923     Ellis Larkins, Piano, b. Baltimore, MD, USA, d: Sept. 29, 2002, Baltimore, MD, USA. The eldest of six children, he came from a musical family. His father worked both as a janitor and as a violinist in the Baltimore City Coloured Orchestra and Chorus. Ellis started on violin at age two, and by four, his father was teaching him the notes on the piano. All Larkins's early studies were in classical music. He was the first African-American to be admitted to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. One of his earliest concerts (in his home town of Baltimore) started with a Pastorale by Scarlatti in C Major, and continued with Mozart's Sonata in C Major; Seven preludes, A Flat Major Etude, and Fantaisie Impromptu by Chopin; Brahms's Rhapsody; a Moment Musicale by Schubert; Lento by Cyril Scott; and a Prelude in G Minor by Rachmaninoff. Larkins once recalled that soon after that recital he began to listen to jazz pianists Fats Waller, Count Basie and Earl Hines on the radio. In 1940, he graduated from high school, and a friend from the family's church arranged for him to audition at the Juilliard College in New York. Larkins was awarded a three-year scholarship. While still a student, he began working evenings as a jazz pianist to support himself. He joined guitarist Billy Moore's Trio, then playing the Café Society in downtown New York city. Recalling that date, Larkins once said: "It was good money for a 19-year-old squirt. The classical thing was a long road. I didn't exactly switch, I just deviated and never deviated back." While with Moore, Jazz entrepreneur John Hammond heard him and arranged for Ellis to join the musicians' union (AFM). His skills were such that in the next few years he recorded with Coleman Hawkins, Dickie Wells, Edmond Hall, Mildred Bailey and a string of top Jazz performers. Another pianist, Dick Katz, put his finger on the style: " "He has a vast repertoire of the great song composers such as Gershwin. Larkins rarely strays far1945 from the melodies, but harmonically he has perfected voicings that have eluded many and influenced many others. He can be entirely persuasive at barely audible levels. Larkins has long been a coveted accompanist for many singers, including Ella Fitzgerald." Though Larkins had a contract with Decca between 1956 and 1959 that called for him to make an album each year, he still continued to work with singers and regularly played for Joe Williams, Sylvia Sims, Chris Connor, Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte and Eartha Kitt. He also worked for a season at the 'Village Gate' (a New York club) backing the harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler. In 1974 Larkins toured South America with the pianists Marian McPartland, Teddy Wilson and Earl Hines. In 1975, he appeared in the Swiss film short 'Ellis Larkins' and in 1980 in a film about singer Anita Ellis, whom he had often accompanied over the years. But mostly he worked in New York city "piano bars", such as Gregory's, Michael's Pub and the Carnegie Tavern. At Gregory's Alec Wilder was a frequent patron. One evening Mr. Wilder remarked that Ellis played his music "the way I heard it before I wrote it down." Eventually the noise in the bars became too much for Ellis and he gave up that kind of work.
1914     Norman Leonard Litman, promoter/correspondent/proprietor, d. July 30, 2002, (Alzheimer's disease Besides being a concert promoter, he was also the owner of clubs such as 'Mercur's Music Bar', and 'Lenny Litman's Copa' which attracted such artists as Bill Haley's Comets, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis. In addition, Litman was a correspondent for both Variety and Billboard Magazines.
1937     Trini Lopez, singer/songwriter, b. Dallas, Texas, USA. Big hit record: "If I Had a Hammer"
1903     Bobby Martin, Trumpet, b. Long Branch, NJ, USA. d. Aug. 28, 2001, Detroit, MI, USA.
1915     Mac MacKenzie, guitar, b. Charleston, SC, USA
1931     James Mitchell, tenor-baritone sax, b. Ashland, MS, USA
1896     Jimmy O'Bryant, Clarinet, b. Arkansas, d. June 24, 1928, Chicago, IL, USA. During 1920-1921, Jimmy worked with 'The Tennessee Ten'. In 1923, he was part of a group co-led by Jelly Roll Morton and W.C. Handy. In 1924, he worked with Joe "KIng" Oliver. Still, he is probably best recalled for both his recordings with 'Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders', and with his own 'Washboard Band'. O'Bryant's early death cheated the music lovers of hearing more from this talented clarinetist.
1955     Hazel O'Connor, vocals.
1932     Baba Oje, rapper, b. Laurie, MI, USA. Member group: 'Arrested Development', a rap collective from Atlanta, GA. Originally, 'Speech' (then known as 'DJ Peech', b. Todd Thomas, Oct. 25, 1968, Milwaukee, WI, USA; lead vocals) met 'DJ Headliner' (b. Timothy Barnwell, July 26, 1967, New Jersey, USA) while they were studying at the Art Institute Of Atlanta. They formed 'Disciples Of Lyrical Rebellion', a proto-gangsta outfit. In time, they morphed into a more community-conscious, Afrocentric outlook act, changing the name to 'Arrested Development' and gradually picked up new members. These included Aerle Taree (b. Taree Jones, Jan. 10, 1973, Wisconsin, USA; vocals/clothes design), Montsho Eshe (b. Temelca Garther, Dec. 23, 1974, Georgia, USA; dancer), and Rasa Don (b. Donald Jones, Nov. 22, 1968, New Jersey, USA; drums). Subsequently, spiritualist Baba Oje, whom 'Speech' had known as a child, was added as the group's symbolic leader.
1953     Mike Oldfield, Composer, b. Reading, Berkshire, England, UK.
1941     K.T. Oslin, C&W vocals, b. Crossett, AR, USA.
1914     Norrie Paramor, piano/leader, b. London, England, d. Sept. 9, 1979 (Some say b. 1913)
1970     "Prince Be", Rapper, b. Jersey City, NJ, USA. né: Attrell Cordes. Member group: 'PM Dawn'. "Prince Be" (Attrell Cordes) is the eldest of two brothers, and usually does the vocals. Jarrett Cordes (b. July 17, 1971, Jersey City, NJ), is the youngest, and writes and performs most of the music for 'PM Dawn'. They came from a very musical family. their step-father was a member of 'Kool And The Gang', while 10 of their aunts and uncles were rappers and DJs, in the 1970s. Still, their backgrounds also includes tragedy. Their real father died of pneumonia when they were children, and their brother Duncan drowned when he was two years old. Their group name 'PM Dawn' was chosen to indicate "the transistion from dark to light". Or, as 'Prince Be' has said, "PM Dawn is an abbreviation of the idea that in the darkest hour comes the light."
CAUTION: Do NOT confuse with the artist known simply as "Prince". (Please see our June 7 Calendar for details.)
1929     Tam Reid, folksinger, b: Countesswells, Aberdeenshire, UK, d: Jan. 29, 2003, Cullerlie, Aberdeenshire, UK. né: Thomas Reid. Called: "The King of the Bothy Ballad", he is now best recalled for singing the songs, "Princie And Jean" and "The Muckle Gawkit Gype".
1951     Jonathan Richman, vocals/guitar, b. Boston, MA, USA. Member group: 'The Modern Lovers'.
1915     L. C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson, guitar/violin, b. Brenham, TX, USA.
1965     Jon Sevink, fiddler, b. Brighton, England, UK. Member group: 'The Levellers', a group formed in 1988 when bassist Jeremy Cunningham and drummer Charlie Heather teamed up with fiddler Jon Sevink and vocalist/guitarist Mark Chadwick.
1920     Dave Stogner, Western Swing bandleader, b. Gainesville, TX, USA.
1948     Gary Thain, bass, b. Wellington, New Zealand, d. December 8, 1975 (drug overdose). Member of the Keef Hartley Band. Fired by the band due to his addiction, he was replaced by former 'King Crimson' bassist/vocalist John Wetton.
1915     Gus Viseur, Accordion, b. Lessines, Belgium , d. 1974
1938     Lenny Welch, vocals, b. Asbury Park NJ , USA. Best hit record: "Breaking up is Hard to Do"
1926     Bonnie Jean Wetzel, Bass, b. Vancouver, WA, USA. d. 1965, USA.
1966     Pete Wiggs, keyboard, b. Croydon, Surrey, England, UK. Member group: 'Saint Etienne', a trio with Bob Stanley (keyboard), Peter Wiggs , and Sarah Cracknell (vocals, b. April 12, 1967, Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK.)
1974     Ahmet Zappa, vocals, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. né: Ahmet Emuukha Rodan Zappa. On Jan. 24, 2004, Armet married Selma Blair. Ahmet is the son of Frank Zappa (guitar, b. Dec. 21, 1940, Baltimore, MD, USA, d. Dec. 4, 1993 -prostate cancer). Frank's other siblings are a daughter, Moon Unit Zappa (b. Sept. 28, 1967, New York, NY, USA), her sister Diva Muffin Zappa (b.July 30, 1979, Los Angeles, CA, USA) and a son Dweezil Zappa (b. Sept. 5, 1969, Hollywood, CA, USA). Dweezil's birth name is: Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa. He is married to Lisa Loeb. In a 1982 interview, Diva said that she was so named because her father, Frank Zappa, said she was screaming louder than all the other babies in the nursery. Moon Unit Zappa is married to Paul Doucette, the drummer with rock band "Matchbox Twenty".
1906     Rev "Uncle" Johnny Williams, guitar, b. Alexandria, LA, USA.
         Notable Events occuring this date include:
1945.    First album chart introduced in the USA. Back then, albums were several 78rpm discs in a book-like binder.
1956.    Adrian Rollini, bass sax, vibraphone, xylophone, goofus, celeste, drums, piano, chimes, leader, died in Homestead, Florida, USA (b. June 28, 1903, Larchmont, New York, USA )
1981.    Ernie Freeman, piano/arranger, died in Hollywood, CA, USA. Age: 58
1989.    Johnny Green, songwriter, died in Beverly Hills, CA, USA. Age: 80
1991.    John Maher Jr, publisher (Down Beat), died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 43
1992.    Barbara Lee, vocals (with The Chiffons), died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 48
1995.    Johnny Van Derrick, violinist died Age: 68 (b. 1926)
1995.    Perry Lederman, guitarist (occasional Folk singer), dies Age: 52 (date of birth unknown)
2003.    June Carter Cash, died in Baptist Hospital, Nashville, TN, USA. Age: 73
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1942 "Always In My Heart", - Glenn Miller
      1971 "Treat Her Like A Lady", - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
      1971 "I'll Meet You Halfway", - The Partridge Family
      1976 "Love Is Alive", - Gary Wright
      1982 "Let It Whip", - The Dazz Band
      1982 "Crimson & Clover", - Joan Jett