On December 17, 2010, Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart died aged 69. He was singer, songwriter, musician (harmonica, saxophone, wind instruments) and producer, best known as a leader and frontman of the ensemble called “Magic Band”. Don Van Vliet was friend and collaborator with Frank Zappa. His 1969 album “Trout Mask Replica”, was ranked 58th in the “Rolling Stone” magazine’s 2003 list of the “500 greatest albums of all time”. Captain Beefheart was regarded as “one of modern music’s true innovators”.
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Grover Washington
On December 17, 1999, Grover Washington, Jr. died aged 56. He was musician (saxophone), composer and arranger, considered to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. Some of his most popular works feature his own compositions and covers of “Mister Magic”, “Take Five”, “Soulful Strut”, “Reed Seed”, “Black Frost”, “Winelight”, “Inner City Blues” and “The Best is Yet to Come”. In his career he has performed and recorded with many famous musicians, including Kathleen Battle, Kenny Burrell, Hank Crawford, Charles Earland, Dexter Gordon, Urbie Green, Eddie Henderson, Masaru Imada, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Idris Muhammad, Gerry Mulligan, Don Sebesky, Johnny “Hammond” Smith, Melvin Sparks, Leon Spencer, Mal Waldron, Randy Weston, Bill Withers and Patti LaBelle.
David Bowie: Hunky Dory
On December 17, 1971, “RCA” label released “Hunky Dory”, the fourth David Bowie album. It was recorded June – August 1971, at the “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott. In 2010, “Time” magazine placed the album on its list of “100 best albums of all time”.
Personnel:
- David Bowie – vocals, guitar, alto and tenor saxophone, piano
- Mick Ronson – vocals, guitar, Mellotron, arrangements
- Rick Wakeman – piano
- Trevor Bolder – bass guitar, trumpet
- Mick Woodmansey – drums
- George Underwood – cover art
Track listing:
All tracks by David Bowie, except where noted.
- Changes
- Oh! You Pretty Things
- Eight Line Poem
- Life on Mars
- Kooks
- Quicksand
- Fill Your Heart – Biff Rose, Paul Williams
- Andy Warhol
- Song for Bob Dylan
- Queen Bitch
- The Bewlay Brothers
Kraftwerk: Electric Café
On December 16, 1986, “Kling Klang” label released “Electric Café”, the ninth Kraftwerk studio album. It was recorded 1982 – 1986, at the “Kling Klang Studios” in Dusseldorf, and was produced by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. This was the first Kraftwerk album to be created using predominantly digital musical instruments, although the final product was recorded on analog master tapes.
Personnel:
- Ralf Hütter – vocal, vocoder, keyboards, electronics, mix
- Florian Schneider – vocoder, speech synthesis
- Karl Bartos – vocal, electronic drums, electronic percussion
- Hubert Kretzschmar – design
Track listing:
- Boing Boom Tschak – Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos
- Techno Pop – Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos, Emil Schult
- Musique Non Stop – Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos
- Der Telefon-Anruf (The Telephone Call) – Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos
- Sex Objekt – Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos
- Electric Café- Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos, Maxime Schmitt
The Birdland Jazz Club
On December 15, 1949, “The Birdland Jazz Club”, named after Charlie Parker, opens in New York City. The club was located at “1678 Broadway” and worked until in 1965. The club re-opened for in1979 and in 1986 the second club located in “Manhattan’s Theater District” opened. The club current location is in the building next to The New York Observer headquarters.Some of the biggest names in Jazz history performed in “Birdland” including: Chet Baker; Count Basie; Roy Haynes; Jon Hendricks; Billie Holiday; Dave Holland; Freddie Hubbard; Hank Jones; Quincy Jones; Michel Legrand; Ramsey Lewis; Pat Martino; George Benson; Art Blakey; Dave Brubeck; Ron Carter; John Coltrane; Miles Davis; Sammy Davis Jr.; Blossom Dearie; Billy Eckstine; Duke Ellington; Maynard Ferguson; Ella Fitzgerald; Slim Gaillard; Erroll Garner; Stan Getz; Modern Jazz Quartet; Thelonious Monk; Anita O’Day; Charlie Parker; Oscar Peterson; Machito; Tito Puente; Bud Powell; Horace Silver; Nina Simone; Jimmy Smith; Billy Taylor; Clark Terry; McCoy Tyner; Sarah Vaughan; Dinah Washington; Joe Williams; Tony Williams; Lester Young; Michael Brecker; Melissa Manchester; Pat Metheny; Liza Minnelli; Michel Petrucciani; Harry Connick Jr.; Kurt Elling; Kevin Eubanks; Norah Jones; Diana Krall; Joe Lovano; John Pizzarelli; John Scofield; Maria Schneider; Phoebe Snow; Phil Woods and Yellowjacket.
Parliament: Mothership Connection
On December 15, 1975, “Casablanca” released “Mothership Connection”, the fourth Parliament album. It was recorded March – October 1975, at “United Sound” in Detroit and in “Hollywood Sound” in Hollywood, and was produced by George Clinton. In 2011, the “Library of Congress” added “Mothership Connection” to the “National Recording Registry”, declaring that “the album had an enormous influence on jazz, rock and dance music”.
Personnel:
- George Clinton, Calvin Simon, Fuzzy Haskins, Ray Davis, Grady Thomas,Gary Shider, Glen Goins, Bootsy Collins – lead vocals
- Garry Shider, Michael Hampton, Glen Goins, Bootsy Collins – guitars
- Bootsy Collins, Cordell Mosson – bass guitar
- Tiki Fulwood, Jerome Brailey, Bootsy Collins, Gary Cooper – drums, percussion
- Bernie Worrell – keyboards, synthesizers
- Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Boom, Joe Farrell – horns
- Gary Cooper, Debbie Edwards, Taka Kahn, Archie Ivy, Bryna Chimenti, Rasputin Boutte, Pam Vincent, Debra Wright, Sidney Barnes – backing vocals, handclaps
- Gribbitt! – art direction, design
- David Alexander – photography
Track listing:
- Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
- Mothership Connection (Star Child) – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
- Unfunky UFO – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider
- Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication – George Clinton, Garry Shider, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
- Handcuffs – George Clinton, Glenn Goins, John McLaughlin
- Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker) – Jerome Brailey, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins
- Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider
The Who: The Who Sell Out
On December 15, 1967, “Track” label released “The Who Sell Out”, the third Who (The) studio album. It was recorded May – November 1967, at the “Talentmasters Studios” in New York, “IBC Studios”, “Pye Studios”, “De Lane Lea Studios”, “CBS Studios”, and “Kingsway Studios” in London, and in “Gold Star Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Kit Lambert.
Personnel:
- Roger Daltrey – lead and backing vocals, percussion
- Pete Townshend – lead and backing vocals, guitars, keyboards, pennywhistle, banjo, sonovox
- John Entwistle – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, horns, sound effects
- Keith Moon – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, sound effects
- Al Kooper– keyboards, organ
- Speedy Keen – co-lead vocals
- Kit Lambert– engineer
- Damon Lyon Shaw – engineer
- David King, Roger Law– design
- Adrian George – psychedelic poster design
- David Montgomery – cover photography
Track listing:
All tracks by by Pete Townshend, except where noted.
- Armenia City in the Sky – Speedy Keen
- Heinz Baked Beans – John Entwistle
- Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand
- Odorono
- Tattoo
- Our Love Was, Is
- I Can See for Miles
- Can’t Reach You
- Medac
- Relax
- Silas Stingy – John Entwistle
- Sunrise
- Rael (1 and 2)
Dinosaur Jr.: You’re Living All Over Me
On December 14, 1987, “SST” label released “You’re Living All over Me”, the second Dinosaur Jr. studio album. It was recorded in 1987, and was produced by Wharton Tiers.
- J Mascis – vocals, guitar, percussion
- Lou Barlow– vocals, bass guitar, ukelele, tape
- Murph– drums
- Lee Ranaldo– backing vocals
- Maura Jasper – artwork
All tracks by J Mascis, except where noted.
- Little Fury Things
- Kracked
- Sludgefeast
- The Lung
- Raisans
- Tarpit
- In a Jar
- Lose
- Poledo
The Clash: London Calling
On December 14, 1979, “CBS” label released “London Calling”, the third Clash (The) studio album. It was recorded August – November 1979, at the “Wessex Sound Studios” in London, and was produced by Guy Stevens and Mick Jones. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “London Calling” at number 8 on it’s list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album sold in more than 5 million copies worldwide and was certified Platinum in the US by “RIAA”, and is regarded as one of the most important albums in the history of modern music.
Personnel
- Joe Strummer– lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
- Mick Jones – lead and backing vocals, lead guitar, piano, harmonica
- Paul Simonon – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar,
- Topper Headon– drums, percussion
- Mickey Gallagher– organ
- The Irish Horns – brass
- Ray Lowry – design
Track listing
All tracks by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, except where noted.
- London calling
- Brand New Cadillac – Vince Taylor
- Jimmy Jazz
- Hateful
- Rudie Can’t Fall
- Spanish Bombs
- The Right Profile
- Lost in the Supermarket
- Clampdown
- The Guns of Brixton – Paul Simonon
- Wrong’em Boyo – Clive Alphonso
- Death of Glory
- Koka Kola
- The Card Cheat
- Lover’s Rock
- Four Horseman
- I’m Not Down
- Revolution Rock – Jackie Edwards, Danny Ray
- Train in Vain
Yes: Tales From The Topographic Oceans
On December 7, 1973, “Atlantic” label released “Tales from Topographic Oceans”, the sixth Yes studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at the “Morgan Studios” in London, and was produced by Eddy Offord, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire,
- Jon Anderson – lead vocals, harp, drums, percussion
- Steve Howe – vocals, guitars
- Chris Squire – vocals, bass guitar, timpani
- Rick Wakeman– Minimoog synthesiser, Mellotron, Hammond organ, pipe organ, RMI Electra Piano, grand piano
- Alan White– drums, percussion, piano
- Guy Bidmead – tapes
- Mansell Litho – plates
- Roger Dean– cover design, illustrations
Track listing:
All lyrics by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, all music by Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White.
- The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)
- The Remembering (High the Memory)
- The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)
- Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)
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