BIRTHDAYS
1947     Greg Abate, alto & tenor saxes
1952     Karl Bartos, Keyboards/Programming/Vocals, b. Berchtesgaden, Germany Member group: 'Kraftwerk'
1947     John 'Bonzo' Bonham, drums, b. Redditch, Worcestershire, England, UK, d. Sept. 25, 1980. Member group: 'Led Zeppelin'
1904     Stan Brenders, Piano/Leader, b. Brussels, Belgium, d. 1969
1926     Duncan Campbell, trumpet, b. Glasgow, Scotland, UK, .d. Nov. 22, 1988. Perhaps best recalled for his work with the Ted Heath Orchestra 1950-1965.
1947     Junior Campbell, vocals/guitar, b. Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Member group: 'Marmalade'
1954     Mario Castronari, Bass, b. Berlin, Germany
1921     Alan George Clare, Piano, b. London, England, d. 1993
1967     Johnny Diesel, Guitar/Vocals. né: Mark Lizotte. This American-born, Australian-raised, singer/guitarist, is now known simply as 'Diesel'.
1948     Paulinho Da Costa, Percussion, b. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
1953     Russell deCarle, bass/vocals, b. Peterborough (?), ONT, Canada, Member: 'Prarie Oyster'
1939     Charles Drain, vocals, b. Eupora, MS, USA. Member: 'The Tabs'
1939     Richard Dunbar, vocals, b. Washington, DC, USA. Member: 'The Knight Brothers'
1955     Marty Ehrlich, Flute/Reeds, b. St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
1954     Paul Franklin, C&W steel guitar, b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1908     Gene Gifford, Arranger, guitar, banjo, b. Americus, GA, d. 1970. The "Brains" behind the original    Casa Loma Band.
1904     Otto "Toby" Hardwick, Alto Sax, b. Washington, DC, USA. d. 1970, USA. Member: 'Duke Ellington Orchestra'
1961     Corey Hart, Rock vocals, b. Montreal, Que. Canada.
1937     Louis Hayes, Drums, b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1935     Albert "Tootie" Heath, Drums, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. The Heath Brothers band. His brother, Percy, was a part of the original 'Jackson Jazz Quartet', which later became the "Modern Jazz Quartet. In 1984, Albert became the group's drummer when Connie Kay (who had replaced original drummer Kenny Clarke) died. Then, Milt Jackson died on Oct. 9, 1999, and the wonderful pianist John Lewis died on March 29, 2001.
1923     Heinz Hermannsdoerfer, b: Kempten (Allgaeu), Germany. He studied trombone at the conservatoire in Augsburg and piano and music theory with professor Harriet Weitmann in Memmingen. After WW II, he played in such well-known orchestras as Ernst Jaeger, Eddie Sauter and Kurt Edelhagen. 1952, he was engaged by the SWR (South West Rundfunk) orchestra. In addition to his activity as trombonist, het wrote many arrangements for SWR. Additionally, since 1978, he was trombonist with Ernst Mosch and his Original Egerlaender Musikanten, and wrote arrangements for the MOSCH and Ewoton Musikverlag
1927     "Red" Holloway, Tenor/Alto Sax, b. Helena, AR, USA.
1964     "Kid" Frost, vocals, b. East Los Angeles, CA, USA. Member group: 'La Raza'. Starting 1995, he began to record simply as 'Frost'.
1977     Scott Klopfenstein, Vocals/Trumpet/Keyboards/drums, California, USA. Member group: 'Reel Big Fish', a ska-punk band.
1941     Ivan Krillzarin, percussion
1902     Billy Mayerl, leader/composer/piano, b. London, UK, d. March 25, 1959, Beaconfield-Bucks, UK.
1972     Christian McBride, (Jazz) Bass, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. Among the many stars with whom McBride has played are Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard, and such "newer" musicians as Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton and Benny Green.
1964     Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels, rapper, b. New York, NY, USA. Member group: 'Run D.M.C.'
1916     Odell 'Mac' McLeod, C&W singer/songwriter, b. Roanoke, AL,USA.
1941     Augie Meyer, organist. Member group: 'Texas Tornados', 'Sir Douglas Quintet' with Meyer, accordionist Flaco Jimenez, and guitarist-singer-songwriter Freddie Fender.
1967     Mark Nightingale, trombone, b. Evesham, Worcestershire, England, UK. (Some sources say b. May 29)
1941     Johnny Paycheck, Country music vocalist, né: Donald Eugene Lytle. Early in his career, he used the name "Donny Young," when recording.
1948     Mick Ralphs, vocals/guitar, b. Heresford, England (near Wales), UK. Member groups: 'Mott the Hoople', 'Bad Company'
1939     Billy Robinson, Tenor saxist/composer/bandleader/educator, b. Fort Worth, TX, USA, d. August 11, 2005, Ottawa, Canada (heart attack). A big-toned tenor in the great Texas tradition. Billy's early musical associates included John Carter, Ornette Coleman and Dewey Redman. During the mid-1960s, Billy lived in San Francisco, CA, and then moved to New York, where, during 1969-'70, he worked with Charles Mingus (but unfortunately never recorded with him). In the late 1960s, Billy converted to Islam, and was a practicing Muslim for the rest of his life. In 1970, he married his first wife and moved to Montreal, Canada. Their son Zurvan was born later in 1970. In 1974, he married Suzanne Cyr and in 1978 they moved to Ottawa. During all this time, apart from the occasional local gigs, most of his work took him back to the United States. January 1972 saw Billy's record debut, on Archie Shepp's "Attica Blues", and in September 1972, he recorded "Evolution's Blend" for Radio Canada International. In 1973 he appeared on Sadik Hakim's Grey Cup Caper. In 1991 he recorded Doubt Dropping, followed by A Short Turn to the Future in 1998. In April 2005, Billy recorded a CD that was scheduled to be issued later that year.
1922     Dennis David Rose, (bebop) pianist/Trumpet/Tenor Horn, b. Clerkenwell, London, England, UK
1928     Walter Settles, vocals, b. Columbia, TN, USA. Member: 'Fairfield Four'
1913     Jimmy Shirley, Electric Guitar, b. Union, SC, USA (raised in Cleveland, Ohio). d. Dec. 3, 1989, New York (Harlem), NY, USA. Taught guitar by his father. During 1934-'36, Shirley worked in Cincinnati with J. Frank Terry and Hal Draper, and very briefly led his own group before moving to New York city. From 1937-'41, Jimmy was a member of the Clarence Profit Trio (and made his recording debut). During 1942-'43, he played with singer Ella Fitzgerald. In 1944, Shirley recorded with Sidney DeParis. In 1945, he recorded a single ("Jimmy's Blues") as a leader for the Blue Note label. During 1944-'54, Shirley played, on and off, with Herman Chittison, led his own bands, and occasionally worked with Phil Moore and others. In the early 1960's, he began doubling on electric bass. In 1967, he worked with Buddy Tate, in 1975, with Johnny Guarnieri, and in 1978, with Stephane Grappelli among others, In 1975, he also recorded an album, for 'Black & Blue', -a quartet set. Shirley was a very talented Swing guitarist, and one of the early electric guitar players. Sadly, though very well known to his fellow musicians, he remained fairly unknown to the wider public.
1966     Julian Siegel, saxophone, Bass, percussion, b. Nottingham, England, UK.
1963     Wendy Smith, vocals, b. Newcastle, England, UK. Member group: 'Prefab Sprout'
1953     Kathie Sullivan, vocals, b. Oshkosh, WI, USA. Kathie was originally "discovered" by Lawrence Welk who used her as his "local" "Champagne Lady" when his band was in Oshkosh. In 1976, after completing her studies at the University., she became a permanant part of Welk's band.
1925     Eddie Thompson, Piano, b. Shoreditch, London, England, UK, d. Nov. 6, 1986 (complications of emphysema). Blind from birth, he studied at the 'Linden Lodge School for the Blind', Wandsworth (as did George Shearing). He developed a love of Jazz by listening to stars such as Fats Waller, Earl Hines, and especially Art Tatum. By 1947, his formal education ended, and he became part of the London Jazz scene, -playing in the company of Ronnie Scott, Vic Ash, Tony Crombie, and Carlo Krahmer. In February 1948, he recorded with the Johnny Dankworth quartet (with a teenage Vic Feldman on drums). During this time, he supplemented his jazz income with a "day job" as a piano tuner. During the 1950s, he found work in various local London venues. Accompanied by his faithful guide dog, Maida, he would travel to London clubs by the Underground. In 1962, he relocated to New York city, where, during 1963-'67, he played at the Hickory House on that city's famed 52nd Street ("Jazz Street" -the same club where pianist Marian McPartland held sway in the 1940s). In 1972, he returned to London, and formed his own trio. Besides recording for the German BASF label and Doug Dobell's 77 label, he also appeared at BBC Jazz Club gigs, and often accompanied visiting American Jazzmen. In the late 1970s and early '80s, he made a series of recordings for HEP both as soloist and along with Roy Williams and tenor saxist Spike Robinson. Although he much admired the work of Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner, and Fats Waller, he had a marked preference for George Gershwin's music. Paradoxically, in the late eighties his playing enjoyed a sudden popularity in Japan. Such an irony would have caused him to smile.
1965     Steve White, drums, b. Eltham, South London, England, UK. Member group: 'The Style Council'. Steve's brother, Alan White is also a drummer, who, for nine years (1995-2004), played in britpop band 'Oasis'.
1922     Vic Willis, C&W accordion, b. Schulter, OK, USA. Member group: "The Willis Brothers". In 1932, 'The Willis Brothers' started as a Western trio called the Oklahoma Wranglers - Vic on accordion, "Skeeter" on fiddle and Guy on rthythm guitar. their first recordings the same day they accompanied Hank Williams on his first session in December 1946 (for Sterling Records). They toured and appeared in movies with Eddy Arnold and worked as session musicians. As "The Country Boys", they accompanied a very young Hank Williams, After World War II (in 1946) they became members of the 'Grand Ole Opry', and are probably best known for their 30-year association with the Grand Ole Opry, and the truck-driving songs they recorded for the Starday label.
1938     Peter Yarrow, vocalist, best known as the "Peter", Paul and Mary group.
          Notable Events occuring this date include:
1954.    Garland Wilson, piano, died in Paris, France. Age: 44
1967.    Billy Strayhorn, piano/arranger, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 51
1969.    The song "Give Peace A Chance" was recorded by The Plastic Ono Band during a 'bed-in' at Montreal's (Canada) Hotel La Reine.
1977.    Lloyd Perryman, (Western Swing) vocals, died Colorado Springs, CO, USA. Age: 60 Member of the 'Sons of the Pioneers' (1917-1977)
1980.    Sonny Burke, leader, piano, arranger, composer, producer died in Los Angeles, California, USA ( b. March 22, 1914, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA) Two of the songs he composed were "Black Coffee", and "Midnight Sun"
1990.    Red Rector, (C&W) vocals/mandolin, died. Age: 60
1990.    Flora Molton, (gospel ) slide guitar, died in Washington, DC, USA. Age: 82
1994.    Charlie Brown, sax, died in New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
1994.    Emmanuel "Manny" Klein, trumpet died. Age: 86. (b. Feb. 4, 1908, New York, NY, USA )
1996.    Elsbeary Hobbs, vocals, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 59. Member: 'The Drifters'
2000.    Tito Puente died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 90.
2000.    Joe Puma guitarist, died in New York, NY, USA. (cancer). Age: 72 (b.Aug. 13, 1927, New York (the Bronx), NY, USA)
          Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1917    "Dark Town Strutters Ball" ( First Jazz record released )
1929    "Am I Blue", Annette Hanshaw vocal recording.
1945    "Sentimental Journey", - Hal McIntyre
1969    "One", - Three Dog Night
1980    "Shining Star", - The Manhattans
1986    "Sledgehammer", - Peter Gabriel