Category Archives: Jazz

Today’s Music: Billy Eckstine, Johnnie Johnson, Jerry Vale, Beck

Posted on July 8, 2012 by admin

Smooth jazz ballad singer Billy Eckstine was born today in 1914 (d. 1993). Whether you like the style of music or not, the man had a set of pipes on him. Blues pianist and singer Johnnie Johnson, best known for … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Gustav Mahler, Joe Zawinul, Ringo Starr

Posted on July 7, 2012 by admin

Composer/conductor Gustav Mahler was born today in 1860 (d. 1911). A sampling of his compositions: Jazz keyboardist and composer Joe Zawinul was born this day in 1932 (d. 2007). As well as composing the Cannonball Adderly pop hit “Mercy, Mercy, … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Bill Haley, Della Reese, Gene Chandler, Nanci Griffith

Posted on July 6, 2012 by admin

The first King of Rock ‘n’ Roll — he predated Elvis — Bill Haley was born today in 1925 (d. 1981). In 1953, a year before Elvis Presley was recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Bill Haley … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Smiley Lewis, Robbie Robertson, Huey Lewis

Posted on July 5, 2012 by admin

Blues singer and guitarist Smiley Lewis (real name: Overton Amos Lemons) greeted the world today in 1913 (d. 1966). Although he never achieved the fame of the many he inspired, his music is still covered today. The Band’s guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Robbie … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Stephen Foster, Champion Jack Dupree, Bill Withers

Posted on July 4, 2012 by admin

Born on the Fourth of July: Composer Stephen Foster in 1826 (d. 1864)… Blues pianist Champion Jack Dupree in 1910 (d. 1992)… And the great Bill Withers in 1938…

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Today’s Bonus Holiday Music: Ray Charles, “America the Beautiful”

Posted on July 4, 2012 by admin

What should be our national anthem, IMO.

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Today’s Music: George M. Cohan, Mississippi John Hurt, Pete Fountain, Fontella Bass

Posted on July 3, 2012 by admin

‘Yankee Doodle Boy’ George M. Cohan was born this day in 1878 (d. 1942). Here’s Jimmy Cagney performing some of his most famous compositions from the 1942 Cohan biopic, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Delta blues legend Mississippi John Hurt was born … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Rodrigo y Gabriela

Posted on July 2, 2012 by admin

The Cannonball Adderley Quintet, “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” In the mid-1960s, the prevailing opinion among rock DJ’s and radio station programmers across the nation was that jazz instrumentals were not of interest to their listeners. Then Cannonball Adderley released the funky-soulbeat … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Willie Dixon, James Cotton, Deborah Harry

Posted on July 1, 2012 by admin

Blues legend Willie Dixon was born today in 1915 (d. 1992). Without composer/bassist/arranger/producer Dixon, there likely would have been no ‘Chicago Blues’ sound, no Muddy Waters, no Howlin’ Wolf, and certainly no Chess Records. Here’s a sampling of some of … Continue reading →

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Today’s Music: Lena Horne, Dave Van Ronk, Yngwie Malmsteen

Posted on June 30, 2012 by admin

Irreplaceable jazz vocalist and the definition of class Lena Horne was born today in 1917 (d. 2010). Here’s her signature tune from 1943: And a live performance many years later: Folk-bluesman and ‘Mayor of MacDougal Street’ Dave Van Ronk started … Continue reading →

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