MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN 2018
MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN 2018
JANUARY 4
RAY THOMAS (76) / ENGLISH ROCK MUSICIAN, FLUTIST, SAXOPHONIST, OBOIST, SINGER, SONGWRITER IN THE MOODY BLUES.
JANUARY 5
MIKIO FUJIOKA (36) / JAPANESE EXTREME METAL GUITARIST IN BABYMETAL BAND 2013-2018 (KAWAII METAL, KAWAIICORE PIONEERS).
JANUARY 7
FRANCE GALL (70) / POPULAR FRENCH CHANSON SINGER WITH LOVE FOR JAZZ. STARTED CAREER AS A TEENAGER, WORKED WITH SERGE GAINSBOURG. AT 17 WON THE 1965 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST (POUPEE DE CIRE, POUPEE DE SON). SOLD MILLIONS OF ALBUMS. HER HIT ELLA, ELLE L'A (ELLA, SHE HAS IT) WAS ATRIBUTE TO JAZZ SINGER ELLA FITZGERALD AND A PROTEST AGAINST RACISM (1.5 MILLION COPIES). AWARDED THE FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR IN 2013.
BUSTER STIGGS (63) / REAL NAME MARK JOHN HOUGH, ENGLISH-BORN NEW ZEALAND PUNK ROCK, NEW WAVE AND ROCK DRUMMER, SONGWRITER. PLAYED IN THE FIRST TWO NEW ZEALAND PUNK ROCK BANDS THE SUBURBAN REPTILES AND THE SCAVENGERS. STUDIED TO BE A TEACHER, ORIGINALLY WANTED TO BE A JAZZ MUSICIAN. BUT HE DISCOVERED PUNK WHEN IT EXPLODED AND DID NOT THINK TWICE. HE MUST HAVE BEEN A BAD BRAIN REALLY.
JANUARY 8
DENISE LaSALLE (78) / BORN ORA DENISE ALLEN, US BLUES AND R&B/SOUL SINGER, SONGWRITER, RECORD PRODUCER. CALLED THE QUEEN OF THE BLUES (AFTER KOKO TAYLOR'S DEATH). SOLD MILLIONS OF RECORDS. IN 2011 INDUCTED INTO THE BLUES HALL OF FAME.
JANUARY 10
"FAST" EDDIE CLARKE (67) / ENGLISH ROCK GUITARIST FAMOUS ESPECIALLY FOR HIS WORK WITH THE CLASSIC LINEUP OF THE HEAVY METAL LEGENDARY BAND MOTÖRHEAD (LEMMY KILMISTER, CLARKE AND PHIL TAYLOR). ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS OWN GROUP FASTWAY FOUNDED WITH BASS GUITARIST PETE WAY (FORMERLY OF UFO). BRIEFLY WORKED WITH THE AMERICAN PUNK ROCK BAND CALLED PLASMATICS, BRITISH GIRLSCHOOL AND THE CLASH'S DRUMMER TOPPER HEADON.
JANUARY 14
MARLENE VerPLANCK (84) / US JAZZ AND POP SINGER CONCENTRATING ON BIG BAND JAZZ, THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK AND CABARET. IN 1955, AT 21 RECORDED DEBUT ALBUM I THINK OF YOU WITH EVERY BREATH I TAKE SUPPORTED BY HANK JONES, JOE WILDER, WENDELL MARSHALL, KENNY CLARKE AND HERBIE MANN. IN 1965 GOODIES WITH J.J. JOHNSON. ALSO A VOCALIST IN CHARLIE SPIVAK'S BAND AND THE TOMMY DORSEY BAND.
JANUARY 15
EDWIN HAWKINS (74) / US GOSPEL MUSICIAN, PIANIST, CHOIR MASTER, COMPOSER, ARRANGER, PIONEER OF URBAN CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL SOUND. LEADER OF THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS. THEY HAD AN INTERNATIONAL HIT (IN 1968 AND 1969) RECORDING HIS ARRANGEMENT OF OH HAPPY DAY AT HAWKINS' CHURCH IN 1967. IN 1970 THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS RECORDED WITH FOLK SINGER/SONGWRITER MELANIE (MELANIE SAFKA) HER GREAT PSYCHEDELIC POP HIT LAY DOWN (CANDLES IN THE RAIN) IN WHICH HAWKINS PLAYED THE PIANO. THE SONG WAS INSPIRED BY HER PERFORMANCE AT WOODSTOCK IN AUGUST 1969.
DOLORES O'RIORDAN (46) / IRISH MUSICIAN, SINGER/SONGWRITER, LEAD SINGER OF THE IRISH ROCK BAND THE CRANBERRIES (40 MILLION RECORDS WORLDWIDE). SUPER HITS: ZOMBIE, SALVATION, LINGER. (BTW LINGER WAS COVERED BY PUNK ROCKERS FROM SCREECHING WEASEL.)
MADE TWO SOLO ALBUMS: ARE YOU LISTENING? (2007) AND NO BAGGAGE (2009). FORMED A TRIO WITH ANDY ROURKE (THE SMITHS) AND OLE KORETSKY CALLED D.A.R.K. (FIRST ALBUM SCIENCE AGREES (SEPTEMBER 2016).
SHE WAS A FEMINIST AND ADVOCATED EQUAL RIGHTS.
JANUARY 16
DAVE HOLLAND (69) / ENGLISH ROCK DRUMMER. PLAYED POP, HEAVY METAL, HARD ROCK, FUNK ROCK. 1966-1969 PLAYED IN FINDERS KEEPERS WITH GLENN HUGHES (LATER DEEP PURPLE AND BLACK SABBATH) AND MEL GALLEY (LATER WHITESNAKE). IN 1969 THEY WERE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF TRAPEZE (THE MOODY BLUES BASSIST JOHN LODGE PRODUCED THEIR FIRST TWO ALBUMS TRAPEZE AND MEDUSA). IN 1975 HOLLAND SUPPORTED JUSTIN HAYWARD AND JOHN LODGE ON TOUR. IN 1979 JOINED JUDAS PRIEST. IN 1996 RECORDED WITH TONY IOMMI (THE 1996 DEP SESSIONS)
JANUARY 17
CHRISTIAN BURCHARD (71) / GERMAN MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST (DRUMS, VIBRAPHONE, SANTUR, KEYBOARD). IN 1969 FOUNDED JAZZ-ROCK / KRAUTROCK BAND EMBRYO WITH SAX AND FLUTE PLAYER EDGAR HOFFMANN. THIS MUSICAL COLLECTIVE WORKED WITH OVER 400 PLAYERS INCLUDING MAL WALDRON, CHARLIE MARIANO, MONTY WATERS, TRILOK GURTU, MARTY COOK, LARRY PORTER, ALLAN PRASKIN, OR FRANZ FERDINAND'S NICK McCARTHY. IN 2006 A COLLABORATION WITH NYC FREE-FORM IMPROV COLLECTIVE NO-NECK BLUES BAND TITLED EMBRYONNCK (STAUBGOLD). HIS DAUGHTER MARJA BURCHARD (DRUMS, PIANO, VIBRAPHONE, MARIMBA, VOCAL, TROMBONE) IS NOW LEADING THE BAND. CHRISTIAN BURCHARD (WITH TON STEINE SCHERBEN - GERMAN ROCK/ PROTOPUNK BAND) WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE FIRST GERMAN INDEPENDENT LABELS SCHNEEBALL IN 1976.
JANUARY 18
STEVE "GRIZZLY" NISBETT (69) / NEVIS-BORN BRITISH REGGAE DRUMMER (STEEL PULSE). IN 1957 LEFT THE CARIBBEAN TO EMIGRATE TO BIMINGHAM. AS A TEENAGER PLAYED DRUMS AND PERCUSSION WITH VARIOUS BANDS AND IN 1977 JOINED STEEL PULSE. OWNED A RECORD COMPANY CALLED GRIZZLY RECORDS.
JANUARY 20
JIM RODFORD (76) / ENGLISH ROCK BASS PLAYER. PLAYED PROGRESSIVE AND PSYCHEDELIC ROCK. IN 1964 HELPED HIS YOUNGER COUSIN ROD ARGENT FORM THE ZOMBIES. IN 1969 TOGETHER WITH KEYBOARDIST ROD ARGENT WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF ARGENT (1969-1976). THEN REDFORD JOINED THE KINKS (1978-1996) AND LATER PLAYED WITH THE ANIMALS II AND WITH THE ANIMALS AND FRIENDS WHICH INCLUDED EX-ANIMALS MUSICIANS.
TERRY EVANS (80) / AFRICAN AMERICAN R&B, BLUES AND SOUL SINGER, GUITARIST AND SONGWRITER.
JANUARY 23
HUGH MASEKELA (78) / SOUTH AFRICAN TRUMPETER, FLUGELHORNIST, CORNETIST, COMPOSER AND SINGER. CALLED THE "FATHER OF SOUTH AFRICAN JAZZ". WROTE FAMOUS ANTI-APARTHEID SONGS SUCH AS SOWETO BLUES OR MANDELA (BRING HIM BACK HOME). HIS VERSION OF GRAZING IN THE GRASS WAS NUMBER 1 IN US IN 1968 (FOUR MILLION COPIES).
STARTED CAREER AT 14. HE GOT HIS FIRST TRUMPET FROM LOUIS ARMSTRONG. IN 1959 FORMED THE JAZZ EPISTLES WITH DOLLAR BRAND (ABDULLAH IBRAHIM), KIPPIE MOEKETSI, MAKAYA NTSHOKO AND JOHNNY GERTZE. WORKED WITH MIRIAM MAKEBA (HIS WIFE 1964-1966). COLLABORATED WITH YEHUDI MENUHIN, JOHN DANKWORTH, HARRY BELAFONTE, PAUL SIMON (GRACELAND TOUR), HERB ALPERT, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND. RECORDED TWO SINGLES WITH THE BYRDS (SO YOU WANT TO BE A ROCK'N'ROLL STAR AND LADY FRIEND) AND PERFORMED AT THE MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL IN 1967. RECEIVED MANY AWARDS AND ALSO HONORARY DOCTORATES IN MUSIC.
JANUARY 24
MARK E. SMITH (60) / ENGLISH SINGER, SONGWRITER, BAND LEADER. FOUNDER, LEADER, DRIVING FORCE AND THE ONLY PERMANENT MEMBER OF HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL BRITISH POST-PUNK BAND THE FALL. MARK E. SMITH WAS A TEENAGE MEAT FACTORY AND DOCK WORKER WHO LEFT SCHOOL AND HOME AT 16 AND AFTER SEEING SEX PISTOLS IN MANCHESTER IN 1976 FORMED A BAND CALLED THE FALL (AFTER ALBERT CAMUS' NOVEL). OTHER INNOVATIVE 1976 MANCHESTER BANDS WERE BUZZCOCKS AND JOY DIVISION.
THE FALL WERE VERY ACTIVE FOR FOUR DECADES. THEY RELEASED 31 STUDIO ALBUMS, 32 LIVE ALBUMS AND 5 PART STUDIO, PART LIVE ONES. HAD 66 BAND MEMBERS (INCLUDING SMITH'S ONE-TIME WIFE - SINGER, GUITARIST AND IMPORTANT SONGWRITER BRIX SMITH START). THE FALL HAS ALWAYS HAD A CULT FOLLOWING. ONE OF THE BIGGEST FANS WAS A LEGENDARY RADIO DJ JOHN PEEL WHO RECORDED TWENTY FOUR SESSIONS OF THE BAND FOR HIS RADIO SHOW. THE 7 CD BOX OF THE COMPLETE PEEL SESSIONS 1978-2004 WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED, JUST AS WAS ANOTHER 7 CD BOX, THE FIRST COLLECTION OF ALL THEIR 7"S THE FALL - SINGLES 1978-2016 RELEASED JUST BEFORE SMITH'S DEATH.
JANUARY 28
NEIL HARRIS (63) / BRITISH PUNK ROCK MUSICIAN, A FOUNDING MEMBER (WITH JIMMY PURSEY) AND LEAD GUITARIST OF A PIONEERING UK PUNK BAND SHAM 69, FORMED IN HERSHAM IN 1975. THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP BROKE UP IN 1979. THEY HAD FIVE TOP 20 SINGLES (INCL. SUPERHIT IF THE KIDS ARE UNITED). NEIL HARRIS PLAYED WITH SHAM 69 FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS (1975-1977). IN 2011 HARRIS JOINED THE SO-CALLED TIM V SHAM 69 VERSION FOR SIX YEARS (2011-2017). SOME CONSIDERED THIS A FAKE AS OPPOSED TO "THE REAL" INCARNATION WHICH INCLUDED THREE ORIGINAL SHAM MEMBERS JIMMY PURSEY, DAVE PARSONS AND DAVE TREGUNNA.
FEBRUARY 3
LEON "NDUGU" CHANCLER (65) / US JAZZ, FUNK AND POP DRUMMER AND PERCUSSIONIST, STUDIO MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR. STARTED PLAYING DRUMS AT THIRTEEN, IN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYED WITH WILLIE BOBO, LATER WITH GERALD WILSON BIG BAND, HERBIE HANCOCK. RECORDED WITH MILES DAVIS (ONLY LIVE AND MILES FIRED HIM AFTER THE 1971 TOUR AS HE DID NOT TUNE HIS DRUMS THE WAY MILES WANTED), FREDDIE HUBBARD AND BOBBY HUTCHERSON.
AS A SIDEMAN ON MICHAEL JACKSON'S "BILLIE JEAN". IN 1982 GRAMMY NOMINATED. WORKED WITH HAMPTON HAWES, THELONIOUS MONK, HERBIE HANCOCK, JOHN LEE HOOKER, GEORGE BENSON, HUBERT LAWS, JOE HENDERSON, STANLEY CLARKE, GEORGE DUKE, SANTANA, GATO BARBIERI, LALO SCHIFRIN, FRANK SINATRA, EDDIE HARRIS, ERIC CLAPTON, HAROLD LAND, JEAN-LUC PONTY, DONNA SUMMER, LIONEL RICHIE, KENNY ROGERS, PATRICE RUSHEN, TINA TURNER, THE TEMPTATIONS AND WEATHER REPORT.
FEBRUARY 9
CRAIG MacGREGOR (68) / AMERICAN BASS GUITAR PLAYER AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST. KNOWN ESPECIALLY FOR HIS WORK IN THE ENGLISH ROCK BAND FOGHAT. MacGREGOR PLAYED AND RECORDED WITH THE BAND ON AND OFF BETWEEN 1976 AND 2016. A VICTIM OF A MEDICAL ERROR WHICH EVENTUALLY KILLED HIM, HE SUPPORTED THE PATIENT TEST RESULTS INFORMATION ACT IN THE YEARS PRECEDING HIS DEATH.
JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON (48) / ICELANDIC COMPOSER OF MUSIC FOR THEATRE, DANCE, TV AND FILMS (INCL. SICARIO AND THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING). SOLO ALBUMS FOR 4AD, TOUCH, DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON AND FatCat). STARTED AS A TEENAGER IN THE SHOEGAZE BAND DAISY HILL PUPPY FARM (JOHN PEEL PROMOTED THEM, STEVE ALBINI WAS A FAN). LATER A GUITARIST IN INDIE ROCK BANDS OLYMPIA, UNUN AND HAM). CO-FOUNDED KITCHEN MOTORS, A THINK TANK TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN PUNK, JAZZ, CLASSICAL, METAL AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC ARTISTS. COLLABORATED WITH JAKI LIEBEZEIT, PAN SONIC, BARRY ADAMSON, MARC ALMOND, STEPHEN O'MALLEY OF SUNN O))), DARREN ARONOFSKY. HIS DRONE MASS WAS PERFORMED IN KRAKOW IN 2015.
FEBRUARY 11
TOM RAPP (70) / AMERICAN SINGER, SONGWRITER, GUITAR AND UKULELE PLAYER, ATTORNEY AND THE LEADER OF PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, THE PSYCHEDELIC FOLK ROCK BAND (MAINLY ACTIVE 1965-1976, REFORMED 1997-2006). HIS BAND USED OUTSTANDING MUSICIANS LIKE WARREN SMITH, JOE FARRELL, GRADY TATE, CHARLIE McCOY, BOB DOROUGH, BILLY MUNDI, DAMON KRUKOWSKI, NAOMI YANG. PEARLS BEFORE SWINE STARTED THEIR CAREER INSPIRED BY THE FUGS AND RECORDING FOR A LEGENDARY BUT UNPAYING ESP-Disk LABEL.
FEBRUARY 13
KLAASJE van der WAL (69) / DUTCH BASS GUITARIST. PLAYED IN THE PSYCHEDELIC ROCK GROUP SHOCKING BLUE (1967–1972). THEY HAD GREAT HITS LIKE VENUS (OVER FIVE MILLION COPIES, LATER COVERED BY BANANARAMA), LOVE BUZZ (COVERED BY NIRVANA AS THEIR DEBUT SINGLE FOR SUB POP 1988). SHOCKING BLUE ALSO COVERED ACKA RAGA BY JOE HARRIOTT AND JOHN MAYER FROM THE INDO-JAZZ FUSIONS ALBUM.
FEBRUARY 16
LITTLE SAMMY DAVIS (89) / AMERICAN BLUES HARMONICA PLAYER, SINGER, SONGWRITER. IN THE 1950s IN CHICAGO PERFORMED WITH MUDDY WATERS, JIMMY REED AND LITTLE WALTER'S BAND ACES. HAD A TWO DECADE BREAK AFTER HIS WIFE'S DEATH. LATE IN LIFE MET LEVON HELM AND PERFORMED REGULARLY AT LEVON HELM'S "MIDNIGHT RAMBLES" AT HIS HOME IN WOODSTOCK..
FEBRUARY 18
DIDIER LOCKWOOD (62) / FRENCH JAZZ VIOLINIST. IN THE 1970's PLAYED IN MAGMA, AN AVANT, PROG ROCK, JAZZ/FUSION BAND. RECORDED ALSO WITH GONG, BILLY HART, ZAO. INFLUENCED BY STEPHANE GRAPELLI, JEAN-LUC PONTY AND ZBIGNIEW SEIFERT.
FEBRUARY 19
NORM ROGERS (61) / AMERICAN DRUMMER. WORKED WITH THE ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY / COUNTRY ROCK BAND THE JAYHAWKS (1984-1988). PLAYED ON THEIR FIRST ALBUM THE JAYHAWKS (1986).
MARCH 7
JERZY MILIAN (82) / POLISH JAZZ VIBRAPHONIST, PIANIST, COMPOSER, BAND LEADER, PAINTER. LED MANY JAZZ GROUPS AND ORCHESTRAS. WORKED WITH KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA TRZCINSKI, ESPECIALLY IN THE KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA SEXTET (1956-1958). THIS BAND WAS A BIG SUCCESS DURING THE 1ST JAZZ FESTIVAL IN SOPOT IN 1956. THEN WITH JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI QUINTET AND HIS OWN BANDS. WAS THE DIRECTOR AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE POLISH RADIO AND TELEVISION ORCZESTRA IN KATOWICE AND LECTURER AT THE POZNAN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.
MARCH 12
NOKIE EDWARDS (82) / AMERICAN GUITARIST AND BASS GUITARIST, PLAYED ALSO MANDOLIN, STEEL GUITAR, BANJO AND VIOLIN. LIKE JIMI HENDRIX HE HAD NATIVE AMERICAN ROOTS. NOKIE EDWARDS IS ESPECIALLY KNOWN AS A MEMBER OF THE VENTURES, THE BEST-SELLING INSTRUMENTAL GROUP IN HISTORY (OVER 100 MILLION RECORDS). THE VENTURES INFLUENCED LOTS OF SURF ROCK, PUNK, SURF PUNK AND HARDCORE BANDS TO COME. THEIR GREATEST HITS WERE WALK DON'T RUN, HAWAII FIVE-O, WALK DON'T RUN '64. NOKIE EDWARDS HAD ALSO HIS OWN SOLO CAREER AS WELL AS ACTING CAREER IN DEADWOOD, AN AMERICAN WESTERN TV SERIES. HE DESIGNED HIS OWN CUSTOM GUITAR THE HitchHiker AND THE NOKIE EDWARDS DUAL BLADE HUMBUCKER PICKUP.
MARCH 13
CHARLIE QUINTANA (56) / AMERICAN ROCK AND PUNK DRUMMER, BEST KNOWN FOR PLAYING WITH SOCIAL DISTORTION (2000-2009). AT FIFTEEN HE PLAYED IN A LATINO PUNK BAND THE PLUGZ FROM LOS ANGELES (1977-1984). THE PLUGZ (SOMETIMES CALLED LOS PLUGZ) ARE SAID TO BE THE FIRST DIY PUNK BAND IN L.A. THE BAND STARTED THEIR OWN PLUGZ RECORDS AND LATER FATIMA RECORDS. THE PLUGZ WERE FEATURED ON THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE CULT MOVIE REPO MAN. THEY WERE THE ONLY BAHD TO CONTRIBUTE THREE TRACKS. OTHER PERFORMERS WERE: IGGY POP, BLACK FLAG, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, CIRCLE JERKS, BURNING SENSATIONS, FEAR, JUICY BANANAS.
THE BAND'S RHYTHM SECTION MARSICO / QUINTANA ACCOMPANIED BOB DYLAN ON LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW ON 22 MARCH 1984 (PROBABLY DYLAN'S ONLY PERFORMANCE WITH PUNK ROCKERS!). THAT SAME YEAR THE BAND DROPPED THE NAME THE PLUGZ AND CONTINUED AS CRUZADOS. LATER QUINTANA PLAYED IN THE HAVALINAS AND THEY TOURED WITH BOB DYLAN, TINA TURNER, CHRIS ISAAK AND CROWDED HOUSE AMONG OTHERS.
CHARLIE QUINTANA ALSO WORKED WITH A FAMOUS SINGER, SONGWRITER, GUITARIST, ACTOR AND POET JOHN DOE FROM A LEGENDARY L.A. PUNK BAND X, APPEARED ON SOCIAL DISTORTION'S GOOD COMEBACK ALBUM SEX, LOVE AND ROCK'N'ROLL (2004) AND TOURED WITH MICHAEL NESS'S SOLO BAND RECORDING ON HIS UNDER THE INFLUENCES ALBUM (1999).
MARCH 16
BUELL NEIDLINGER (82) / US DOUBLE BASSIST AND CELLIST INTERESTED MAINLY IN JAZZ AND AVANT-GARDE. IN THE 50'S WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH PIANIST CECIL TAYLOR (NINE ALBUMS 1956-1961, INCL. TAYLOR'S DEBUT JAZZ ADVANCE IN 1956). PLAYED ALSO WITH BILLIE HOLIDAY, LESTER YOUNG, HERBIE NICHOLS, STEVE LACY, ROSWELL RUDD, JIMMY GIUFFRE, ARCHIE SHEPP, JAZZ COMPOSERS GUILD ORCHESTRA, CHUCK BERRY, ANTHONY BRAXTON, TONY BENETT, GIL EVANS BAND, FRANK SINATRA. OTHER COLLABORATIONS: ESTHER PHILLIPS, BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND, ARNETT COBB, BILL MONROE, CHARLES GAYLE, BARBRA STREISAND, FRANK ZAPPA, ELVIS COSTELLO, DUANE EDDY, RY COODER, ROY ORBISON, NATALIE COLE, ELTON JOHN, THE CARPENTERS, THE MOODY BLUES, BOB SEGER, THE BEACH BOYS, EARTH, WIND AND FIRE ETC. IN THE THIRD STREAM NEIDLINGER WORKED WITH GUNTHER SCHULLER. IN MODERN CLASSICAL MUSIC WITH MAURICIO KAGEL, GEORGE CRUMB, IGOR STRAVINSKY . NEIDLINGER SPENT MANY YEARS AS A MUSICAL EDUCATOR, ORCHESTRAL BASSIST AND SESSION MUSICIAN FOR RECORD DATES AND HOLLYWOOD FILMS.
SOME OF THE FAMOUS RECORDING SESSIONS HE PLAYED: TONY BENETT ON "I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO", THE CARPENTERS "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS", THE VILLAGE PEOPLE "YMCA", THE EAGLES "HOTEL CALIFORNIA" AND "DESPERADO".
MARCH 21
SHAWN ELLIOTT / AMERICAN SINGER FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ORIGINAL HARDCORE PUNK / POWERVIOLENCE / CRUST PUNK GROUP CAPITALIST CASUALTIES (A MIX OF HYPER SPEED HARDCORE AND GRINDCORE). THEY STARTED IN NOVEMBER 1986 IN SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, INSPIRED BY SIEGE, SSD, D.R.I., C.O.C., DEEP WOUND, NEON CHRIST, NEGATIVE FX. IN 1994 THEY RELEASED A SPLIT 7" EP WITH MILLIONS OF DEAD COPS TITLED "LIBERTY GONE" AS A BENEFIT FOR FOOD NOT BOMBS. THEY CHOSE THE NAME CAPITALIST CASUALTIES AS THEY FELT THEY WERE VICTIMS OF THE SYSTEM'S OPPRESSIVE CONDITIONS: “WHEN WE STARTED, ALL OF US HAD (AT SOME POINT) LIVED OUT OF OUR CARS. WE WERE STUCK WORKING SHITTY JOBS, AND FELT LIKE OUR LIVES WERE BEING STEAM-ROLLED BY CORPORATE AMERICA".
MARCH 25
MIKE HARRISON (72) / ENGLISH ROCK SINGER BEST KNOWN FOR BEING THE LEAD SINGER OF SPOOKY TOOTH, BRITISH BAND THAT ALSO INCLUDED LUTHER GROSVENOR (LATER IN MOTT THE HOOPLE), MIKE KELLIE (ALSO IN PUNK ROCK THE ONLY ONES), MICK JONES (LATER IN FOREIGNER), HENRY McCULLOUGH ( LATER IN PAUL McCARTNEY'S WINGS). BEFORE SPOOKY TOOTH MIKE HARRISON WAS IN THE V.I.P.s (WITH GROSVENOR AND KEITH EMERSON - LATER EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER). HARRISON ALSO SANG WITH ART AND HAMBURG BLUES BAND.
APRIL 5
CECIL TAYLOR (89) / AMERICAN PIANIST AND POET, COMPOSER, BANDLEADER, PERFORMER, GREAT MUSIC INNOVATOR, ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF FREE JAZZ AND AVANT GARDE. CLASSICALLY TRAINED, HE WAS INTERESTED IN NEW MUSIC AND CONTEMPORARY-CLASSICAL APPROACH. IN 1955 MOVED FROM BOSTON TO NEW YORK AND STARTED HIS QUARTET WITH STEVE LACY, BUELL NEIDLINGER AND DENNIS CHARLES. THEY RECORDED TAYLOR'S DEBUT ALBUM TITLED JAZZ ADVANCE IN 1956. IN JULY 1957 THEY APPEARED AT THE NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (GIG RELEASED ON VERVE IN 1958) THE NEXT TWO IMPORTANT RECORDS WERE LOOKING AHEAD! (CONTEMPORARY, 1959) AND UNIT STRUCTURES (BLUE NOTE, 1966). CECIL TAYLOR OFTEN PLAYED SOLO CONCERTS AS WELL AS TRIOS, QUARTETS AND LARGER ENSEMBLES INCLUDING THE CECIL TAYLOR BIG BAND.HE WORKED WITH ARTISTS LIKE ALBERT AYLER, JOHN COLTRANE, MAX ROACH, AMIRI BARAKA, ELVIN JONES, DEWEY REDMAN, JIMMY LYONS, SUNNY MURRAY, ANDREW CYRILLE, LOUIS MOHOLO, TONY OXLEY, WILLIAM PARKER, DEREK BAILEY, EVAN PARKER.
APRIL 8
NATHAN DAVIS (81) / AMERICAN HARD BOP JAZZ MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST (TENOR AND SOPRANO SAXOPHONES, BASS CLARINET AND FLUTE). KNOWN FOR HIS WORK WITH ERIC DOLPHY, ART BLAKEY, KENNY CLARKE, ART TAYLOR, HAMPTON HAWES, LARRY YOUNG, RAY CHARLES, SLIDE HAMPTON, JIMMY GARRISON, CARMELL JONES. MOVED TO PARIS IN 1962. Ph.D IN ETHNOMUSICOLOGY. PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF JAZZ STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH (1969-2013). HEAD OF THE PARIS REUNION BAND (1985-1989) WHICH INCLUDED NAT ADDERLEY, KENNY DREW, JOHNNY GRIFFIN, SLIDE HAMPTON, JOE HENDERSON, IDRIS MUHAMMAD, DIZZY REECE, WOODY SHAW, JIMMY WOODE. IN 1991 FOUNDED POST-BOP GROUP ROOTS (WITH ARTHUR BLYTHE, SAM RIVERS, CHICO FREEMAN, BENNY GOLSON, KIRK LIGHTSEY, DON PULLEN, SANTI DEBRIANO, BUSTER WILLIAMS, TOMMY CAMPBELL, IDRIS MUHAMMAD, ED THIGPEN). IN 2004 NATHAN DAVIS WROTE A JAZZ OPERA TITLED JUST ABOVE MY HEAD.
APRIL 12
SAMINA SAMOON (24) / PAKISTANI FEMALE SINGER. SHE WAS SHOT DEAD DURING A PERFORMANCE FOR NOT STANDING UP WHILE SINGING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALLEGED KILLER TOLD THE WOMAN TO STAND AND DANCE INSTEAD OF SINGING WHILE SITTING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE REFUSED, HE FELT OFFENDED AND KILLED HER. THE MURDERER WAS ALLEGEDLY DRUNK. SAMINA SAMOON (ALSO KNOWN AS SAMINA SINDHU) WAS SIX MONTHS PREGNANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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