BIRTHDAYS
1913     Charles Daly "Charlie" Barnet, soprano-Tenor-alto Sax, leader, b. New York, NY, USA. d. Sept. 4, 1991, USA. Had his first band when he was 16. By age 20 he had formed his first big band. By 26, he had a "smash" hit recording with "Cherokee" (1939) plus a reputation as a fine saxophonist and swing bandleader. In common with Benny Goodman, he racially integrated his band early on, -a band that was extremely popular during the Big Band era, and that also appeared in several films. Charlie had an eye for young talent, and discovered many budding artists, including Lena Horne.
1964     John Cocuzzi, Drums/Vibraphone/piano/electric piano/leader/vocals, b. Washington D.C. (Andrews Airforce Base), USA
1951     "Bootsy" Collins, bass, b. Cincinnati, OH, USA.
1900     Sterling Bruce Conaway, banjo/guitar/mandolin, d. 1973, Washington, D.C., USA (Brother of banjoist and guitarist Lincoln M. Conway.)
1931     "Detroit Junior" (né: Emery H. Williams Jr.), Blues Pianist, b, Haynes, AR, USA.
1894     Henry James "Hank" Duncan, piano, b. Bowling Green, KY, USA. d: June 7, 1968, Long Island, NY, USA. (some sources say. d. June 6, 1968.) Graduate of Fisk Univ. In 1919, Duncan, a fine New Orleans jazz pianist, led his own group, the Kentucky Jazz Band, in Detroit, Michigan. (It may have been the same band that he had previously led in Louisville, Kentucky. During 1920-'25, he was playing in Buffalo, New York, and then relocated to New York city. In the early 1920s, he spent 3 years with the Royal Flush Orchestra under the leadership of Fess Williams. In 1931, Duncan toured with King Oliver and then was part of a group including trumpeter Tommy Ladnier and clarinetist Sidney Bechet. On and off, Duncan would continue to perform and record with Bechet throughout his career. During 1932-'33, he performed and recorded with Bechet's 'New Orleans Feetwarmers' From 1934-'35, he worked with double bass player Charlie Turner's Arcadians, - whose members also appeared with famed pianist Fats Waller under the name of "Fats Waller and His Rhythm". Duncan played second piano with Waller, and the two men took part in nightly cutting contests as part of the band's performances. In 1935, "Fats Waller and His Rhythm" (including Don Redman, among others), made their first recording. The group's version of "I Got Rhythm" also included a "cutting contest" of alternating piano solos by Waller and Hank Duncan. In 1945, Duncan performed in Boston, Massachusetts, with Bunk Johnson and Sidney Bechet. During 1947-'55, he was a piano soloist at Nick's in New York city. From 1955-'60, he played with Zutty Singleton and Louis Metcalf at the Metropole. He then returned to Nick's, where he worked until it closed in 1963. In the 1960s, he also appeared with Lee Blair's group. Shortly afterwards, illness forced him to give up playing.
1924     Richard Egües, pianist, composer, arranger and flutist, b. Santa Clara, Cuba, d. Sept. 2, 2006, Cuba. As a child, his father taught him to play flute, guitar, piano and clarinet. At 14, he was the pianist of the Monterrey Orchestra, and a year later, at 15, was playing in other groups including the Santa Clara Band. He achieved his greatest fame in the 1950s, when he joined the celebrated Aragon Orchestra, sharing the leadership with violinist Rafael Lay (who died in Cuba in the early 1980s). While he composed many tunes such as danzones, including "Cero Penas" and "Gladys", guarachas, and sons such as "La Cantina", "Maloja" and El Trago, he will always be recalled for his many beautiful Cha Cha Cha's, including "Bombón Cha", "El Bodeguero" (later a part of Nat King Cole's repertoire), "Picando de Vicio", and "Por Qué me Tienes Así" When he died, Cuban radio broadcasters rendered him tribute by playing the Aragon Orchestra catching cha-cha-cha recordings, where his flute was so prominently heard.
1940     Eddie Henderson, Trumpet, b. New York, NY, USA.
1946     Keith Hopwood, R&R vocals. Member: Hermin's Hermits. Some of his hit vocals include "I'm Henry the Eighth I Am", and "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter".
1911     Mahalia Jackson, Gospel singer, b. New Orleans, LA, USA. d: Jan. 27, 1972, Evergreen Park, IL, USA.
1949     Shirley King, vocals, b. West Memphis, AR, USA.
1942     Ranee Lee, vocals, b. New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA Ranee's professional stage career started as a dancer. She also played drums and tenor saxophone with various touring groups in the United States and Canada before moving to Montreal, Quebec, (ca. 1970). She subsequently focused on perfecting her exquisite vocal capabilities, and today (2005) is irrefutably one of Canada’s greatest Jazz vocalists.
1934     Jacques Loussier, Piano, b. Angers, France
1927     Warne Marion Marsh, Tenor Sax, b. Los Angeles, CA, USA. d. Dec. 18, 1987, Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA, USA. Died on stage at Dante's a club while playing one of his favorite standards "Out Of Nowhere"
1963     Natalie Merchant, vocals.
1928     Kenneth Michael "Kenny" O'Brien, bass, b. New York, NY, USA.
1942     Milton Nascimento, vocals, piano, guitar, b. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1928     Kenny O'Brien, bass/vocals (background). Some of the stars with whom Kenny has worked include singer Engelbert Humperdinck, drummer Gregg Bissonette, and bassist Matt Bissonette, guitarist Hugh Burns, drummer Steve Aho, pianist Pete Murray, elec. guitarist Nigel Nisbet, keyboardist Jason Freese, guitarist Doug Bossi, vibist Frank Ricotti, guitarist Fridrik Karlsson, guitarist Hugh Burns, pianist Mick Wilson, bassist Roy Vogt, guitarist Nigel Nisbet, trombonist Kai Winding, pianist Roy Frazee, trombonist Wayne Andrem, trombonist Carl Fontana, drummer Tom Montgomery and Dick Lieb (Baritone Horn, Baritone Sax, Bass Trombone), among others.
CAUTION: Do not confuse with:
-- Kenny O'Brien, member of the Pop-Rock group 'Las Cuatro Monedas', formed in the early 1960's in Caracas, Venezuela (and comprised of Kenny O'Brien (Lead Guitar & Vocals), Gary O'Brien (Bass & Vocals), Marlene O'Brien (Vocals) and Brenda O'Brien (Drums & Vocals)).
-- Kenneth O'Brien, the actor.
1907      Tony Pastor, Tenor Sax/Vocal/Leader, b. Middletown, CT, USA. d. Oct. 31, 1969, Old Lyme, CT, USA.
1944     Michael Piano, vocals. Member: The Sandpipers
1951     Maggie Roche, vocals. Member: The Roches
1952     Alex Sinclair, strings, b. Bassano, Alb, Canada. Member: Tamarack
1953     Julian Keith Strickland, drums/guitar. Member: B-52's
1967     Keith Urban, C&W vocals, b. Whangarei, New Zeland.
1915     Beto Villa, (Tejano-Conjunto) alto sax, b. Falfurias, TX, USA.
   Notable Events on this date include:
1934.     Composer Cole Porter recorded (Victor) his own composition, "You're the Top". (From B'way show: 'Anything Goes').
1935.     Talented twelve-year-old Frances Gumm sang on Wallace Beery's NBC radio show. MC and comedian George Jessel had given her the name of Judy Garland because he thought it was better than her own.
1941.     Victor Schertzinger, composer, died in Hollywood, California, USA
1952.     Hattie McDaniel, actress/vocals, died in Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA, USA. (breast cancer) Age: 57 (b. June 10, 1895, Wichita, KS, USA)
1961.     Ed "Jack Raggs" Johnson, trombone/arranger, died in New York (Bronx), NY, USA. Age: 51
1966.     Jessie Mae Robinson, songwriter, died in Los Angeles, CA, USA. Age: 47
1970.     "Rounder Records" was founded in Somerville, MA, USA.
1989.     Grace Smith, vocals, died in Newark, NJ, USA. Age: 81
1990.     William S. Paley, ceo/CBS Records, died in New York (Manhattan), NY, USA. Age: 89
1994.     Wilbert Harrison, vocals, died in Spencer, NC, USA. Age: 65 Perhaps best recalled for his release "Kansas City"
1998.     Burt Bales, piano, died in San Francisco, CA, USA.
1999.     Hoyt Axton, C&W singer/songwriter/actor, died in Victor, MT, USA. Age: 61.
2004.     Robin Kenyatta, alto sax, died in Lausanne, Switzerland
   Songs Recorded/Released this date include:
1931     "Time On My Hands", Leo Reisman Orch., with Lee Wiley on vocal.
1944     "How Many Hearts Have You Broken ", - Stan Kenton
1944     "It Had To Be You ", - Artie Shaw Orch.
1951     "Slow Poke ", - Pee Wee King
1951     "Domino ", - Tony Martin
1959     "So Many Ways ", - Brooks Benton
1959     "We Got Love ", - Bobby Rydell
1959     "Oh! Carol ", - Neil Sedaka
1963     "500 Miles Away From Home ", - Bobby Bare
1963     "Papa Joe's (Down At) ", - Dixiebelles
1963     "I'm Leaving It Up To You ", - Dale and Grace
1963     "Everybody ", - Tommy Roe
1968     "Love Child ", - Supremes
1968     "Magic Carpet Ride ", - Steppenwolf
1974     "I Can Help ", - Billy Swan
1985     "I Miss You ", - Klymaxx
1985     "Alive & Kicking ", - Simple Minds
1985     "Sleeping Bag ", - ZZ Top
1991     "Blowing Kisses In The Wind ", - Paula Abdul
1991     "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss ", - P.M. Dawn