musical excerpts, fyi. randye
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* Today in Black History - May 26 *
1926 - Miles (Dewey) Davis is born in Alton, Illinois. For over four
decades, he will be one of the most innovative and influential jazz
trumpeters, known for his hard bop and jazz and fusion
accomplishments. Most noted for the albums "Sketches of Spain,"
"Miles Smiles," and "Kind of Blue," he will also win three Grammy
awards for his albums "We Want Miles," "Decoy," and "Tutu" and be
awarded the French Legion d'Honneur in 1991.
* Today in Black History - May 27 *
1935 - Ramsey Lewis is born in Chicago, Illinois. While attending Chicago
Musical College, he will form the Gentlemen of Swing (later called
The Ramsey Lewis Trio) with The Cleff's old rhythm section, Eldee
Young (bass) and Redd Holt (drums). Their weekend gig will catch
the attention of an influential deejay (Daddio-O-Dayle), who
convinces blues record company owner Phil Chess to expand into jazz
and sign the trio. From the start (1958) their records were
popular, although in the early days they had a strong jazz content.
In 1958 Lewis will also record with Max Roach and Lem Winchester.
On the 1965 albums "The In Crowd" and "Hang On Sloopy," Ramsey will
make the piano into a major attraction and from that point on, his
records will become much more predictable and pop-oriented. In
1966, his trio's personnel will change with bassist Cleveland Eaton
and drummer Maurice White (later the founder of Earth, Wind and
Fire) joining Lewis. In the 1970s Lewis will often play electric
piano, although by later in the decade, he was sticking to acoustic
and hiring an additional keyboardist. He plays melodic jazz when
he wants to, but will stick to easy-listening pop music during the
his career.
* Today in Black History - May 28 *
1910 - Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker is born in Linden, Texas. He will
become a creator of the modern blues and a pioneer in the
development of the electric guitar sound that will shape virtually
all of popular music in the post-World War II period. Equally
important, Walker will be the quintessential blues guitarist. He
will influence virtually every major post-World War II guitarist,
including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Albert King, Buddy
Guy, Otis Rush, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
1944 - Gladys Knight is born in Atlanta, Georgia. Making her first public
appearance at age four, she will win first place on Ted Mack's
Original Amateur Hour at seven. A member of the "Gladys Knight and
the Pips" since the early 1950's, Knight will remain with the
popular group for over 30 years before pursuing a successful solo
career.
1966 - Percy Sledge hit number one with his first -- and what turned out to
be his biggest -- hit. "When a Man Loves a Woman" would stay at the
top of the pop music charts for two weeks. It will be the singer's
only hit to make the top ten and a million seller.
1981 - Mary Lou Williams joins the ancestors in Durham, North Carolina at
the age of 71. A jazz pianist who played with Louis Armstrong,
Tommy Dorsey, Earl "Fatha" Hines, and Benny Goodman, she formed her
own band in 1943. Williams was known for her jazz masses including
one "Mary Lou's Mass" that was choreographed by the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater in 1971.
* Today in Black History - May 29 *
1950 - Maureen "Rebbie" Jackson is born in Gary, Indiana. Rebbie will make
her professional debut at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with her
siblings, the Jackson's. In the late 70s, she will begin to
consider a solo career. Artists such as Betty Wright and Wanda
Hutchinson of the Emotions will mentor her, but it will be her
brother Michael who pens and produces her very first
it, "Centipede." As the title track of Rebbie's 1984
debut, "Centipede," introduces the pop world to a Jackson
most never knew existed.
1956 - La Toya Jackson is born in Gary, Indiana. She will become a singer
and one of the most controversial members of the Jackson family.
She will be referred to as "The Rebel With A Cause." She will cause
a big stir, when she poses for Playboy Magazine. Her book, "La
Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family," will be on the New York
Times Best Seller List for nine weeks. She will attract full
capacity audiences in her performances all over the world.
* Today in Black History - May 30 *
1953 - Eric Arthur "Dooley" Wilson joins the ancestors in Los Angeles,
California at the age of 59. He was a popular jazz drummer in Europ=
e
and America. He also worked as an actor, his most notable part
playing the pianist "Sam" in the movie "Casablanca." He also
appeared in the movies "Stormy Monday" and "Night in New Orleans."
1993 - Herman "Sonny" Blount joins the ancestors in Birmingham, Alabama at
the age of 79. He had been a prominent jazz bandleader, arranger
and pianist. He was better known as "Sun Ra," and was the founder o=
f
Saturn Records. Three documentaries produced about Sun Ra were "The
Cry of Jazz" (1959), "Space is the Place" (1971) and "Sun Ra: A
Joyful Noise" (1980).
* Today in Black History - May 31 *
1917 - One of the first jazz records, "The Darktown Strutter's Ball," is
released. It was written by songwriter and musician, Shelton
Brooks. It will become Brooks' most famous song.
1933 - Shirley Verrett is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She will become
an operatic mezzo-soprano known worldwide for her compelling
performance in Carmen. She will be a star at the world=92s great
opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Royal
Opera House Covent Garden, the Bolshoi Opera, the Paris Opera, the
San Francisco Opera, the Vienna Staatsoper, and the Lyric Opera of
Chicago. She will appear at the Metropolitan opera for more than
two decades. She will be the recipient of many honors and awards,
among them the Marian Anderson Award, Naumburg Award, and the
Sullivan Award; and fellowships from numerous foundations including
Ford, John Hay Whitney, and Martha Baird Rockefeller. She will
receive honorary doctorates from Holy Cross College in Worcester,
Massachusetts, and Northeastern University in Boston. She will join
the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1996, becoming the
James Earl Jones Distinguished University Professor of Music.
1961 - Chuck Berry's amusement park, Berryland, opens near St. Louis,
Missouri.
______________________________________________________________
Munirah Chronicle is edited by Brother Mosi Hoj
Archives: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/Munirah.html>
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