BIRTHDAYS
1960   Danny Allen, (gospel) vocals, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. Member: 'The Zion Harmonizers'
1917   June Allyson, Actress/Singer, b. New York (The Bronx), USA
1934   Amiri Baraka, Writer, b. Newark, NJ, USA. né: Leroi Jones
1746   William Billings, Composer, b: Boston, MA, USA. d: Sept. 26, 1800, Boston, MA, USA. The most important native born composer of Colonial and Federal Eras.
1967   Toni Braxton, vocals, b. Severn, MD, USA. 1996 single "Un-Break My Heart" charted US No.1 and UK No.2. This Afro-American's debut album sold close to 10 million copies.
1939   Mel Brown, guitar, b. Jackson, MS, USA.
1964   Sam (Samantha) Brown, vocals, b. Stratford, London, England. Her 1989 single "Stop" charted UK No.4. 'Sam' Brown is the daughter of rock'n'roll singer/guitarist Joe Brown and singer Vicki Brown (who also was a part of the Pink Floyd group).
1939   Colin Cooper, Vocals/reeds/harp/flute/guitar b. Stafford, England. Member group: Climax Blues Band Other (current 2000) members of the band include Lester Hunt (Feb. 21, 1956, Stretford, Manchester, England) plays Guitar, bass-guitar, keyboards and vocals; George Glover (Oct. 28, 1947, Stoke-on-Trent, England) plays Keyboards and backing vocals; Neil Simpson (Jan. 6, 1959, Stoke-on-Trent, England) plays Bass-guitar, seven-string bass-guitar and midi bass-synthesizer; and Roy Adams (May 17, 1952, Birmingham, England) plays Drums and backing vocals.
1932   Sonny Costanzo, trombone/leader, b. New York, NY, USA, d. Dec. 30, 1993. Age: 61.
1914   Alfred Drake, Vocals/Actor, b. New York (The Bronx), NY, USA, d. July 25, 1992, New York, NY, USA.(heart failure).
1924   Marty Flax, Baritone Sax, b. New York, NY, USA. USA. d. May 3, 1972, - né: Martin Flachsenhaar
1930   George Girard, trumpet, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Jan. 18, 1957, New Orleans, LA, USA
1945   Kevin Godley, (rock) Drums/vocals. b. Manchester England. Member: 10cc
1949   David Hope, Bass Topeka, KS, USA. Member band: Kansas. 'Kansas' was formed in Topeka, KS, in the summer of 1972 by Phil Ehart, David Hope, Kerry Livgren and Richard Williams (who all graduated from Topeka West High School); Robby Steinhardt, who spent his teens in Lawrence, KS; and Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, MO.
1936   Clifton James, drums, b. Chicago, IL, USA.
1940   Andre Jaume, Clarinet/alto & tenor saxes/flutes, b. Marseilles, France
1911   Jo Jones, Drums, b. Chicago, IL, USA. d. Sept. 3, 1985, New York, NY, USA. né: Jonathan Jones. Jo had studied music for 12 years becoming proficient on Piano, Trumpet and Saxes. Upon leaving school, he joined a Carnival touring the Chatauqua circuit, working as a Tap Dancer and Vocalist. He then settled in Omaha for 3 years before joining the Tommy Douglas combo in Kansas City (1933). From '35 to late '36 he worked with Count Basie, - then briefly left Basie to work in St. Louis before rejoining Basie when the Count got a good gig at the Reno Club in Kansas City. He remained with Basie (except for duty in US Army during WW2) until 1948. Among his other work, Jo appeared in '47 with the JATP; '48-9 with Illinois Jacquet; '50-1 with Lester Young, '51-3 with Joe Bushkin; then freelanced in NYC for several years before touring Europe in 1957 with Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson. During '57-'60, he led his own trio in NYC clubs, and also in '60 toured Puerto Rico. Looking back on his career, we see that with his rim shot subtleties and hi-hat nuances, Jo Jones helped create the concept of the drums as more than just a device for timing beats.
1949   Kieran Kane, C&W singer/songwriter, b. New York (Queens), NY, USA. Member: "The O'Kanes", a duo of Kane and Jamie O'Hara, formed in 1985. Four years later, after three hit albums and scoring a half-dozen Top Ten singles, they disbanded. Circa 1995, Kieran, together with fellow singer/songwriters Kevin Welch, Tammy Rogers, and Harry Stinson formed the Nashville-based indie label Dead Reckoning.
1916   Johnny Long, Leader/Violin, b: Newell, NC,USA. d. Oct. 31, 1972, Parkersburg, WV, USA. Tag:. The "Old Left Handed Fiddler". Worked with The Beachcombers; Paul Harman; Bob Houston; Helen Young; Julie Wilson.
1870   "Uncle" Dave Macon, Banjo/comic entertainer, b. Smart Station, TN, USA. d. March 22, 1952, Readyville, Tennessee, USA. né: David Harrison Macon Member: 'Grand Ole Opry' Show. Did you know that he is the Father of actor/singer Dorris Macon?
1927   Al Martino, vocals, b. Philadelphia, PA, USA. né: Alfred Cini
1951   John Cougar Mellencamp, vocals, b. Seymour, IN, USA.
1953   Miya Miyanoue, koto, b. Washington, D.C., USA (not in Japan). In 1990, Miya obtained a B.A. in music from San Francisco State University, and four years later, a master's degree in music composition from Mills College, studying with Alvin Curran. Masaoka greatly helped in introducing the koto to the world of avant-garde music. The Koto is a string instrument closely associated with Japanese tradition. It has a history dating back to the 11th century. In the early 1990s, she was living on the U.S.A. west coast where she was first noticed for her unusal sidewalk presentations, and then for collaborations with Pharoah Sanders, Wadada Leo Smith, and Henry Kaiser.
1911   Vaughn, Monroe, leader/vocals/trombone, b: Akron, OH, USA, d. May 21, 1973, Stuart, FL, USA. né: Vaughn Wilton Monroe. Worked with Austin Wylie; Larry Funk; Jack Marshard bands. His band's singers included Johnny Turnbull; Marilyn Duke; Mildred Law; the Four Lee Sisters; the Norton Sisters; the Moon Men; the Moon Maids; and Ziggy Talent.
1908   Alton "Slim" Moore, Trombone, b. Selma, AL, USA. d. 1978
1941   Martin Murray, Fiddle/mandolin, b. London England. Member group: The Honeycombs, 1964 single "Have I The Right" charted UK No.1.
1889   Clarence Muse, Actor/Composer/Film Writer, b. Baltimore, MD, USA, d. Oct. 13, 1979, Perris, CA, USA. (cerebral hemorrhage). Clarence was the first African-American to "star" in a film. Very early in his career, Muse found work as an opera singer, a minstrel performer and a vaudeville actor. He was considered a pioneer in the 'Black theatre' movement, composisng songs and writing sketches for plays. In his later years, Clarence, who held a law degree from Pennsylvania's Dickerson University, often requested that he be addressed as Dr. Muse.
1906   Wilson Ernest "Serious" Myers, Bass/Vocals/Arranger , b. Germantown, PA, USA. né: Wilson Ernest Myers.
1896   Philmore Wellington Ohman, Piano, b. New Brittain, CT, d. Aug. 8, 1969. Best recalled as part of the Arden and Ohman Two Piano team. But hey also co-led B'way Pit bands.
1912   Beverly Peer, Bass, Piano, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Jan. 16, 1997, New York, NY, USA.
1901   Ralph Rainger, composer, b. New York, NY, d. Oct., 23, 1942, Palm Springs, CA, USA.
1942   Zelma Redding, songwriter, b. Macon, GA, USA. (Otis Redding's wife)
1907   Mike Riley, Leader/Trombone/Trumpet/Vocals/Composer, B: Brooklyn, NY, USA. Composed: "The Music Goes 'Round And 'Round"; "Laughing Through Tears"; work with: Bill Crow: as told in his book "From Birdland To Broadway". With bands: Irving Aaronson; Ben Bernie; Rudy Vallee; Vincent Lopez; Will Osborne. & others.
1909   Jimmy Shirl, C&W songwriter, b. New York, NY, USA. He might have been "Country", but he also worked with Louis Jordan and Jimmy Dorsey.
1941   Tony Silvester, R&B vocals, b. Colon, Panama Member: 'Main Ingredient' and 'Poets'
1922   Martha Stewart, vocals/actress. b. Bardwell, KY, USA. (née: Martha Haworth.)
1925   Alvin Stoller, Drums, b. New York, NY, USA, d. Oct. 19, 1992. Strangely, Alvin is little recalled today, but he played with such stars as Bing Crosby, Georgie Auld, Ella Fitzgerald, guitarist George Van Eps, Mel Torme, Joe Mondragon (Sax): Ben Webster, pianist Paul Smith, Guitarist Barney Kessel, violinist Stuff Smith, bandleader Paul Weston, leader/trumpeter Billy May, Barney Kessel, Sammy Davis, Jr., flutist Shelly Manne, and just too many others to name.
1950   David Taylor, guitar, b. Great Britain. Member group: Edison Lighthouse, 1970 single "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes" charted UK No.1 and US Top 5.. "Edison" was essentially a 1970s vehicle for session singer Tony Burrows, who also sang with such groups as 'White Plains', the 'Brotherhood Of Man' and 'The Pipkins'. The backing musicians were originally part of a band called 'Greenfield Hammer". 'Edison' -basically -only had two hits, "Love Grows...", and "It's Up To You Petula", which charted UK Top 50.
CAUTION: There are other David Taylors.
-- David Taylor, Bass Trombonist, born in New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA. With an M.S. degree from the Julliard School of Music, this David Taylor started his playing career as a member of Leopold Stowkowski's American Symphony Orchestra, and also appeared with the New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez. Almost simultaneously, he was a member of the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Band, and recorded with Duke Ellington ("The New Orleans Suite"), 'The Rolling Stones', and 'Blood, Sweat, and Tears'.
-- Dave Taylor, born in Nottingham, England, UK, who began playing the piano at age 8. After working in many British Rock bands, he eventually wound up in Finland. Jyrki Hämäläinen Chief executive of the top Pop Music Magazine 'Suosikki' has said: "Dave Taylor, is the most sensational act in Finnish show business today".
-- David Taylor, Vocals, Electric Piano, Organ, Accoustic Guitar, who was born Kit's beach, Vancouver, and raised in Boston and San Diego.
1931   Gordon Terry, (Bluegrass) fiddler, b. Decatur, AL, USA. At age 19. he joined the 'Grand Ole Opry' show (remaining on the show for 8 years) during which time he also played with 'Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys'. 1957 saw the release of perhaps his most successful single "Wild Honey". In 1958, he was in Hollywood acting in the film 'Hidden Guns'. He subsequently also appeared in some TV shows before returning to Tennessee, -where he continues to work as a busy sessions man.
1954   Tico Torres, drums, b. New York, NY, USA. Member: Bon Jovi - "You Give Love a Bad Name"
1951   Tata Vega, vocals, b. New York (Queens), NY, USA.
1963   Dale Watson, C&W singer/songwriter/guitarist, b. Birmingham, AL, USA.
1954   Warren Weatherspoon, drums, b, Chicago, IL, USA.
1968   Thom York, vocals/guitar/keyboards, b. Oxford, England. Member group: Radiohead, 1997 album "OK Computer" charted UK No.1 and US No.21.
1937   George Young, alto & tenor sax
1940   Larry Young, Organ/piano, b. Newark, NJ, USA. d. March 30, 1978
         Notable Events on this date include:
1962.   "Scrapper" Blackwell, guitar, died in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Age: 59 (some sources show him d. Oct. 8.)
1966.   Smiley Lewis, guitar, died in New Orleans, LA, USA. Age: 53
1987.   Will Mercer Cook, songwriter, died in Washington, DC, USA. Age: 84
1988.   Billy Daniels, vocals, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 73
1992.   Ed Blackwell, drums, died in Hartford, CT, USA. Age: 62
1993.   Laymon A. Jackson, bass, died in Atlanta, GA, USA. Age: 62
2000.   Jazz guitarist Dennis Sandole (pronounced: san-DOE-lee) died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Age: 87. He was a mentor to John Coltrane, and others. (Dennis Sandole was born Sept. 29, 1913)
2001.   Jimmie Logsdon, C&W singer-songwriter, died. USA. Age: 79
         Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1943   "People Will Say We're In Love ", -Bing Crosby vocal
1957   "Melodie D'Amour ", - Ames Brothers
1957   "Keep A Knockin' ", - Little Richard voc.
1957   "Be-Bop Baby ", - Ricky Nelson voc.
1967   "Natural Woman, (You Make Me Feel Like A Man) ", - Aretha Franklin
1972   "I Can See Clearly Now ", - Johnn Johnny Nash
1972   "I'll Be Around ", - Spinner
1989   "It's Just The Way That You Love Me ", - Paula Abdul voc.