BIRTHDAYS
1946     Jacques Berrocal, trumpet, cornet, trombone, valve trombone, flute, vocal, percussion, flute
1897     Cyril Blake, guitar/vocals/trumpet/leader, b. Trinidad, British West Indies, d. Dec. 3, 1951. Cyril is the brother of drummer George 'Happy' Blake. Cyril left the islands in 1918, arrived in England and became an immediate success as a guitarist in 'The Southern Syncopated Orchestra'. In the decades both before and after World War II, Blake was an essential part of the music scene of England. He found work in various ethnic bands, as well as in Rhythm and Blues groups before finally settling down to playing great Calypso music, - his roots. Among the bands in which he worked early in his career were the Leon Abbey and Happy Blake, and clarinetist Rudolph Dunbar orchestras. In the mid-1930s, Blake played in 'Leslie Thompson's Emperors of Jazz', But, perhaps, his biggest fame came as leader of 'Cyril Blake and His Jigs Club Band'. Among the many great Jazzmen who journeyed to 'Jigs' to hear Cyril Blake playing were Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. His demise in 1951 deprived the world of a fine musical artist.
1956     Jane Bunnett, Saxophone/Flute, b. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1854     James A. Bland, Composer, b: Flushing, NY, USA. d: May 5, 1911, Philadelphia, PA, USA
1962     Liz Boado, vocals, b: Dorchester, MA, USA
1945     Eddie Brigati, vocals. b. Garfield, NJ, USA. Member: 'The (Young) Rascals'
1956     Jane Bunnett, soprano sax/flute/, b. Toronto, ON, Canada
1883     Victor Jacoby, Composer, b: Budapest, Hungary, d. Dec. 10, 1921
1921     Frank Donnison, bass, b: Plumstead-London, UK.
1926     Jesse Drakes, Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1943     Ursula Dudziak, Vocal, b. Straconka, Poland
1928     Clare Fischer, Piano/organ/arranger, b. Durand, MI, USA.
1943     Bobby Fuller, guitar/vocals, b. Baytown, TX, USA. Member: 'Bobby Fuller Four'
1942     Annette Funicello, actress/vocals, b. Utica, NY, USA.
1929     Giogio Gaslini, Piano/composer, b. Milan, Italy
1916     Jack Harris, guitar, b. Little Rock, AR, USA.
1944     "Bugs" Henderson, guitar, b: Palm Springs, CA, USA.
1948     Tyrone Hill, trombone, b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Hill is perhaps best known for his work with the 'Sun Ra Arkestra' (Sun Ra. né: Herman Poole Blount. b. May 22, 1914, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, d. May 30, 1993. His date of birth is that listed on Sun Ra's passport. His actual date remains uncertain.) Hill has also co-led his own "Elliott Levin-Tyrone Hill Quartet".
1930     Jean Hoffman, piano/vocals, (some sources alternately claim b. Sept. 21 or Oct.21)
1939     Ray Jones, Bass. Member: Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
1898     Peck Kelley, piano/leader, d. Houston, TX, USA. d: Dec. 26, 1980, Houston, TX, USA. né: John Dickson Kelley. A fine musician who very rarely ventured out of his hometown of Houston, - even refusing lucrative offers from other bandleaders. Without any doubt, "Peck" was the premier "White" bandleader in Houston Texas. In 1957, he finally recorded for the Commodore label, but the two discs were issued only ofter his death (Peck Kelley Jam with Dick Shannon Quartet) . Some of the many Jazz musicians who worked in his band include Louis Prima. "Pee Wee" Russell, and Jack and Charlie Teagarden. In 1921, Peck Kelley hired the young trumpeter, Jack Teagarden to play in his band (Peck Kelley's Bad Boys). At times, other members of "Peck's Bad B oys" included Clarinetists Leon Rappolo and "Pee Wee" Russell. Teagarden's association with Kelley would influence the future of Teagarden's entire musical career. In 1922, "Peck's" band worked that summer at the Garden of Tokio Ballroom in Galveston, Texas. From 1921 to 1925, Teagarden worked on and off with Kelley, and their mutual admiration, respect and friendship lasted for the rest of Teagarden's life.
1905     Joseph Kosma, composer, b. Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary), d. August 7, 1969, La Roche-Guyon, France. né: Jozsef Kozma. (some sources claim b. Oct. 12, 1905. We are showing him on both calendars dates.)
1968     Shelby Lynn, C&W singer-songwriter/guitar, b. Quantico, VA, USA
1937     Boris Midney, clarinet/alto-tenor sax, b: Moscow, Russia.
1899     William Morris Jr., agency owner, b: New York, NY, USA. ( William Morris Agency)
1970     Manuel M. Mota, guitar
1930     John Neves, bass, b. Mansfield, MA, USA. d: 1988
1949     Doug Newby, sax, b. Surry, VA, USA. Member: 'Bluzblasters'
1942     Roy Roberts, guitar, b. Livingston, TN, USA.
1945     Leslie West, guitar/vocals, b. New York, NY, USA. né: Leo Weinstein. Member: Mountain
1962     Melvin Yeazie, (zydeco) guitar, b. Lafayette, LA, USA. Member: 'Buckwheat Zydeco'
1898     Ralph Percy Yaw, Composer/Arranger, b. Enosburg Falls, VT, USA.
           Notable Events on this date include:
1944.    Clarence Profit, piano, died in New York, NY, USA.
1953.    Carolina Slim (né: Edward Harris), guitar, died in Newark, NJ, USA. Age: 30
1962.    Leon Chappelear, C&W guitar/songwriter/leader, died. Age: 53. Suicide: Shot himself in the face with a shotgun. (aka Leon Chappel. né: Horace Leon Chappelear, Aug. 1, 1909) Chappelear was involved in an auto accident, on September 13, 1935 (Friday the 13th), that affected his brain, and behavior. Unable to sing as well as he once did, his career dwindled. Subsequently, he became involved in a geat many strange activities, and once was even jailed for gambling. In the early 1950s, he moved to the west coast and recorded a series of sides for Capitol as "Leon Chappel."
1963.    Walter Davis, piano, died in St. Louis, MO, USA. Age: 51
1967.    Ransom Knowling, bass, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 55
1968.    Rosalie Hill, vocals, died in Senatobia, MS, USA. Age: 58
1969.    Nate Kazebier, trumpet, died
1978.    Dorothy Shay, singer/actress/comedian died. Age: 57. Tagged: 'The Park Avenue Hill Billy"
1981.    Will Osborne, vocal, leader, died in Santa Monica, California, USA
1982.    Marvin Holtzman, arranger, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 60
1983.    Keith Barrow, vocals, died in New York, NY, USA. Age: 29
1986.    Thorgeir Stubo, guitar, died
1989.    Bunny Jones, sax, died in Roxbury, MA, USA. Age: 76 Worked with Count Basie, and Illinois Jacquet
1990.    Clarence Cronic, gospel vocals and member of "Smith's Sacred Singers" died. Age: 88.
1991.    Jimmy Jones, bass lead vocals, died in Chicago, IL, USA. Age: 63
1994.    Jimmy Miller, drums/producer, died in Boulder, CO, USA. Age: 52
2001.    Tom Baker, one of Australia's most respected Jazz musicians, died (coronary) while on tour in the Netherlands. Age: 49
           Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
      1942   "Strip Polka ", - Andrews Sisters
      1942   "When The Lights Go On Again ", - Vaughn Monroe Orch.
      1948   "Buttons And Bows ", - Dinning Sisters
      1955   "You Are My Love ", - Joni James
      1955   "I Hear You Knocking ", - Gale Storm
      1966   "Rain On The Roof ", - Lovin' Spoonful
      1966   "I'm Your Puppet ", - Purify, James & Bobby
      1966   "Devil With The Blue Dress On/Good Golly ", - Ryder, Mitch & The Detroit Wheels
      1983   "Crumblin' Down ", - John Cougar
      1983   "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", - Michael Jackson
      1988   "Giving You The Best That I Got ", - Anita Baker
      1988   "I Don't Want Your Love ", - Duran Duran
      1988   "Walk On Water ", - Eddie Money