Clark Terry 100 -- December 14, 2020

Trumpeter and flugelhorn player Clary Terry was born 100 years ago today, on 14-December-1920.  He played with everyone.

Joe Williams 100, Grover Washington, Jr 75 -- December 12, 2018

Singer Big Joe Williams was born 100 years ago today, on 12-December-1918.  He sang with Lionel Hampton in the 1940s and Count Basie in the 1950s.  He had a powerful voice.







Christmas is coming.


Sax player Grover Washington, Jr was born 75 years ago today, on 12-December-1943. He often played jazz-funk. "Just the Two of Us" with Bill Withers was a big crossover hit.







Both Joe Williams and Grover Washington, Jr died in 1999.

Harry "Sweets" Edison 100 -- October 10, 2015

Happy birthday to Harry "Sweets"  Edison, remarkable trumpeter born on 10-October-1915.  He played with Count Basie and various Basie alumni for many years after.  I remember him playing up until he died in 1999. 

Happy Saint Joseph's Day #6 -- March 19, 2014

Happy Saint Joseph's Day to my fellow Joes.

Big Joe Turner from Kansas City was a great blues shouter.  He worked with boogie woogie piano player Pete Johnson and they composed and recorded "Roll 'Em Pete" in 1938.  This song is one of the candidates for the first rock'n'roll record. 
Here is one version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnO-Wp4BZMg

Turner replaced Jimmy Rushing in Count Basie's band.  On his own he recorded "Shake, Rattle and Roll," which was a big hit with the newly growing rock'n'roll audience.  Bill Haley and His Comets covered it and made a lot more money. 
Here is a version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wTQsAgktg

Big Joe Turner went back to the blues for the rest of his career.  He is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Nickname #14 -- May 22, 2012

Bill "Count" Basie was one of the greatest piano players and bandleaders in 20th Century American music.  He began playing the piano in his native New Jersey.  He moved to Harlem and met many important musicians including Fats Waller and Willy the Lion Smith.  He became the pianist for Walter Page's Blue Devils, a territory band that worked out of Kansas City.  He moved on to Benny Moten's band, which dominated Kansas City.  After Moten died, Basie formed a new band, which was one of the best swing bands.  He featured Lester Young, Ben Webster, Freddie Greene, Buck Clayton, Jo Jones and many more. 

"Count" was a sign of his important place in the aristocracy of music. 

He even appeared in Blazing Saddles.