BIRTHDAYS
1936     Bill Allred, trombone
1933     "Big Leon" Brooks, harmonica, b. Sunflower, MS, USA.
1955     Chris Cain, guitar, b. San Jose, CA, USA. Recorded for 'Blind Pig Records"
1973     Mark Caparone, trumpet
1937     Ray Collins, "doo wop" vocals/tambourine. Member group: Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention n 1964, Frank Zappa (Frank Vincent Zappa, b. Dec 21, 1940, Baltimore, MD, USA, d. Dec 4, 1993, Los Angeles, CA, USA) joined the R&B group the 'Soul Giants', a band that included vocalist Ray Collins, bassist Roy Estrada and drummer Jimmy Carl Black. Emerging as their creative leader, Zappa changed their name to 'The Mothers', and then to 'The Mothers Of Invention', when they were signed by Verve Records. For much of their seminal 1960's albums, the group also included woodwind player Bunk Gardner, guitarist Jim Sherwood, keyboardist Don Preston, multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood and additional drummers Billy Mundi and Art Tripp.
1946    Joe Correrro, Jr., vocals. Member group: Paul Revere & the Raiders ( Paul Revere, piano/organ/vocals, b. Jan. 7, 1938, Harvard, NB, USA. The 'Reveres' also included Mark Lindsay (Singer, saxophonist, songwriter, and producer, b 1942, Cambridge, ID, USA.), Charlie Coe, and Freddy Weller. Other members who over the years passed through the 'Paul Revere and the Raiders' were Ross Allemang, Keith Allison, David Bell, Robert Michael Bradley, Gregory Branson, Charlie Coe, Joe Correro, Carlos Driggs, Steve Eaton, Scott Ellershaw, Ron Foos, Dick Gerber, Doug Heath, William Hibbard, Mike Doc Holiday, Red Hughes, Merwin Kato, Daniel Krause, Jerry Labrum, Drake Levin, Mark Lindsay, Andrea Loper, Omar Martinez, Dick McGavin, Pierre Ouellette, Jamie Revere, Paul Revere, Neil Rush, Leon Russel, Michael Smith, Russell Smith, Jim Valley, Phil "Fang" Volk, Dick Walker, Freddy Weller, Steve West, Rev. Richard White, Robert White, Robert Woolley.
1973     Billy Currington, C&W singer-songwriter, b. Rincon, GA, USA. (near Savannah)
1906     Tommy Douglas, alto sax, b. Eskridge, KS, USA.
1905    Tommy Dorsey, trombone/leader, b. Shenandoah, PA, USA. d. Nov. 26, 1956, Greenwich, CT, USA. age: 51. Tommy was almost 2 years younger than brother Jimmy (reeds). In early 1920s, they first played with the Scranton Sirens orch. In 1925 they joined the California Ramblers Orch. They went on to play with Jean Goldkette and Paul Whiteman Orchestras. Began recording under their own names in 1928. Formed a touring band in 1934. Tommy Quit the Dorsey Bros band in 1935. They were re-united in 1950s. Tommy died 1 week after his 51st birthday.
1935     Jerry Foster, C&W Singer-Songwriter/composer/Guitar, b. Tallapoosa, MO, USA. Best remembered as part of the songwriting team of Foster and Bill Rice (Singer-Songwriter/composer/piano, b. April 19, 1939, Datto, Arkansas, USA,)
1938     Jerry Fuller, Singer-Songwriter, producer, b. Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Both of his parents were singers. His father, Clarence Fuller, had sung for fiddler and bandleader Bob Wills back when Will was leading the 'Light Crust Doughboys' band. His mother, Lola Fuller, sang, and taught music to her children, setting Jerry Fuller and Bill Fuller as the singing Fuller Brothers. His sister, Claudine, sang on some of Jerry's own early records and demos. At age 21, he moved to Los Angeles, and landed acontract with Challenge Records. "Betty My Angel," a Top Ten hit on the West Coast, followed, as did several more regional successes; and in 1960, Fuller's rockabilly flavored version of "The Tennessee Waltz" made the nation Top 40 and earned him an invitation to appear on "American Bandstand." As a songwriter, Jerry Fuller has written hits for the likes of Ricky Nelson, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Reba McEntire, John Conlee, Al Wilson, Tom Jones, and many others. As a producer, he's been responsible for such chart successes as O.C. Smith's, "Little Green Apples," Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's 'Young Girl," Mark Lindsay's "Arizona," The Knickerbockers' "Lies," and Collin Raye's "Love Me" to name but a few. To date, Fuller has 28 gold/platinum records, over 40 Top Ten hits, more than 250 national chart records, and a host of awards and accolades, including 12 BMI achievement awards and 5 BMI "Million-Air Awards." His songs and productions have been responsible for the sale of over 120 million records, tapes and CDs --so far.
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
** Jerry Fuller, jazz drummer (b. April 5, 1939, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, d. July 13, 2002, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
** Jerry Fuller, jazz clarinetist, b. Sept. 15, 1929, Santa Maria, CA. USA.
1897     Bud Green, songwriter, b: Austria, d: Jan. 2, 1981, Yonkers, NY, USA. age:84. Best known song: "Flat Foot Floogie"
1944     Bob Greenlee, bass, b. Dayton Beach, FL, USA. (Also producer for Kingsnake Records)
1934     Dave Guard, vocals, d. March 22, 1991. Sang with 'The Kingston Trio' and the 'Whiskeyhill Singers'
1954     Annette Guest, vocals, b. Chester, PA, USA. Member group: 'First Choice'
1926     Nobuo Hara, Tenor Sax/leader, b. 1926, Toyama, Japan
1964     Vincent Herring, Alto-soprano Sax, b. Kentucky, USA.
1908     Willie Anderson "Smokey" Hogg, guitar, b. Centerville, TX, USA. Worked with singer Victoria Spivey
1908     Frederic H. "Keg" Johnson, Trombone, b. Dallas, TX, USA. d. 1967. Brother of tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson. Studied music with daughter of Booker T. Washington, and also worked with Lucky Millinder, Cab Calloway and Ray Charles orchestras and recorded with Gil Evans.
1929     Earl Connelly King, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA.
1944     Fred Lipsius, alto sax. Member group: Blood, 'Sweat & Tears'
1961     Mornington Lockett, Tenor sax, b. Stepney, London, England, UK. (raised on Isle of Wight). Studied at Dartington College Of Arts in Devon before moving to London where he attended the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama. Later joined (and recorded with) the Ronnie Scott Sextet (Lockett, Ronnie Scott, guitarist Jim Mullen, drummer Martin Drew,. US bass guitarist, Jo Hubbard, and vocalists Sarah Jane Morris, Claire Martin and Ian Shaw) In 1995 he appeared at the Barbican Hall in concert with Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and in 1998, appeared at the Cork Jazz Festival with Arturo's Cuban/American group. He has also played with the legendary hammond organist Jimmy Smith, at London's Jazz 'Café' He has also recorded an album under his own name for EFZ records.
1969     Travis McNabb, (rock) drums, b. Kenner, LA, USA. Member group: 'Better Than Ezra'
1957     Wilbert Miller, Drums, b. Port Arthur, TX, USA. Worked with 'Buckwheat Zydeco'
1939     Warren "Pete" Moore, bass vocalist, b. Detroit, MI, USA. Member group: 'Smokey Robinson & the Miracles', a group of High School students who began as the 'Five Chimes' in the mid-1950s. The original group included William "Smokey" Robinson, Warren "Pete" Moore, Clarence "Humble" Dawson, Donald Wicker, and James "Rat" Grice. They changed their name to the Matadors in 1956. Moore co-wrote some of their R&B hits including "Ain't That Peculiar" and "Going to a Go-Go."
1927     André Persiany, Pianist, b. Paris, France, d. Jan. 2, 2004, Paris, France (liver cancer). né Paul Stephane Persiani. While living in Paris, he played with such American expatriates as Sidney Bechet, Buck Clayton, Lionel Hampton, Bill Coleman and Mezz Mezzrow until 1956, when he came to America. Persiany spent most of the 1960s working in trumpeter Jonah Jones' quartet. In the 1970s, he returned to France, where his career really peaked. He continued his collaborations with American expatriates including Milt Buckner, Cat Anderson, Arnett Cobb, Charlie Shavers and Budd Johnson. Among Persiany's own recordings are "Swinging Here and There" (1958, Pathé), "The Real Me" (1970, Black & Blue) and "Every Night at Furstemburg" (1977, Open).
1965     Jason Pierce, Guitar/vocals, b. Rugby, Warwickshire, England Member group: 'Spiritualized'
1927     Andre Paul Stephane "Andy" Pesiany (né: Persiani), Piano, b. Paris, France, d. Jan. 3, 2004. Father was musical comedy composer. Andy played with Bechet, Mezzrow, Clayton, etc.
1971     Tony Rich, Singer/songwriter/guitar/keyboard, b. Detroit, MI, USA.
1975     Tamika Scott, vocals. Member group: Xscape. Tamika is now an ordained minister, and the younger sister of fellow Xscape member, LaTocha.
1952     Bill Sharpe, keyboards, b. England. Member group: Shakatak, a U.K. group that grew from the combining of two disparate bands when Bill Sharpe, Keith Winter and Roger Odell from the band 'Tracks' joined forces with Jill Saward, Nigel Wright and Steve Underwood from the group 'Northern Lights'.
1960     Matt Sorum, drums, b. Venice Beach, CA, USA. Member group: 'The Cult', and 'Guns 'n' Roses'
1939     Tommy Stewart, trumpet, b. Alabama, USA. Tommy's mother was a songwriter, vocalist and choir conductor. At age 10, Tommy was in his High School marching band, and was voted "most musical" by classmates at graduation time. Interestingly, Stewart was the band director, and taught music while performing and arranging outside of class. In 1964 he played with Fred Wesley and members of the 55th Army band. He wrote and composed for TV and even played with Blue Note recording artist Duke Pearson. In 1973, he arranged and composed a musical score called "The Burning of Atlanta" for Buddha Records. It marked the beginning of a busy period during which he would work as an arranger, producer, performer or writer for the such stars as Clarence Carter, Candy Staton, Johnny Taylor, Major Lance, Eddie Kendricks, Luther Ingram, Millie Jackson, "Flip" Wilson, Roy Gaines, Tamiko Jones and many others. Today, most folks recall Stewart for his 1976 album "Bump And Hustle Music". Currently (2003), Stewart stays busy playing Jazz trumpet and helps developing R&B acts. He also performs 'live' with his 'Tommy Stewart Orchestra', as well as with 'Cleave Eaton and Friends'. Tommy is a member of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
1915     William "Billy" or "Swee'pea" Strayhorn, Piano/Composer, b. Dayton, OH, USA. d. May 31, 1967. (Some sources say: b: Nov. 29) Duke Ellington's "write-hand" man; assistant arranger and pianist since 1939. Esquire Magazine Silver Award Arranger, 1945-6.
1923     Sam Trippe, Leader/trumpet, b. Endicott, NY, USA. d. Nov. 19, 1959, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1951     Kenny Werner, piano, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. At the age of 11 he recorded a single with a fifteen-piece orchestra and appeared on television playing stride piano. He got an early start at the Manhattan School of Music, attending while still in high school, but later switched to Boston's famed Berklee School of Music. In 1977, his first jazz recording was released, - an LP featuring piano solos of the music of Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, and George Gershwin. Soon after that Werner was invited to record with Charles Mingus on Something Like a Bird. In 1981, he released his first album of original work, "Beyond the Forest of Mirkwood". "298 Bridge Street", which was inspired by the sounds surrounding his Brooklyn studio, followed a year later. The early '80s brought extensive touring, including a tour with Archie Shepp and the Mel Lewis Orchestra. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Werner played with a variety of famed jazz artists, from John Abercrombie, Joe Henderson, Tom Harrell, Chico Freeman, and particularly with Joe Lovano, with whom he recorded several albums. He also served as pianist, arranger and musical director for famed Broadway star Betty Buckley. In the 212st C entury, Werner continues to work quite actively.
         Notable Events on this date include:
1943.    Capitol recorded (No. 159) Stan Kenton and his orchestra playing "Artistry in Rhythm" (later Kenton's theme), and "Eager Beaver" on the 'flip' side.
1964.    "Little" Johnnie Jones, piano, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 40
1965.    Joseph Falcon, (cajun) accordion, died in Crowley, LA, USA. Age: 65
1977.    Sonny Criss, alto-soprano sax, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 50
1985.    Stepin Fetchit, vocals/comedy, died in Woodland Hills, CA, USA. Age: 83
1988.    Robert "Galloping Gray Ghost" Knox, DJ, died in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Age: 74
1992.    Bobby Russell, C&W Singer=Songwriter died. Age: 51 (b. April 19, 1941, Nashville, Tennessee, USA)
1993.    David "Crow" Levine, guitar/ label owner (Re-Bop Records), died in Montpelier, VT, USA. Age: 46
2005.    Bob Enevoldsen, trombone, valve trombone, alto/tenor/bar sax, clarinet, arranger, died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA. Age: 85. (circulation problems)
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
     1936 "Pennies From Heaven", Teddy Wilson Orch. (Billie Holiday voc.)
     1936 "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", Teddy Wilson Orch. (Billie Holiday voc.)
     1942 "Manhattan Serenade",Harry James Orch.
     1942 "Mister Five By Five",Harry James Orch.
     1943 "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me", Stan Kenton Orch.
     1948 "Sweet Georgia Brown", Brother Bones & His Shadows
     1948 "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)", Spike Jones and the City Slickers
     1948 "So Tired", Morgan, Russ
     1955 "Burn That Candle", Bill Haley
     1966 "Mellow Yellow", Donovan
     1977 "Baby Come Back", Player
     1977 "Sentimental Lady", Bob Welch
     1983 "Union Of The Snake", Duran Duran
     1983 "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blue", Elton John
     1983 "Undercover Of The Night", Rolling Stones
     1983 "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", Yes
     1988 "I Remember Holding You", Boys Club