On December 5, 2017, Jean-Philippe Léo Smet aka Johnny Hallyday died aged 74. He was musician (piano, guitar), singer and actor, the pioneer of the French rock and roll scene. He was called “The French Elvis”, and described as “The biggest rock star you’ve never heard of in English-speaking countries”. In 1997, he was made “Chevalier of the Legion of Honour”, and in 2001, Officer of the “Order of the Crown” in Belgium. In his more than four decades long career he worked with many famous musicians including Mick Jones, Jimmy Page, Tony Joe White, Dalida, Bon Jovi, Michael Bolton, Sylvie Vartan, Bono, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tommy Brown, Connie Francis, and Laura Pausini. In his lifetime Hallyday released 81 studio and live albums.
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Douglas Hopkins
On December 5, 1993, Douglas Owen Hopkins died aged 32. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar), and songwriter, member of the The Chimeras, but was best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter of Gin Blossoms.
Chico O’Farrill: Nine Flags
In December 1966, “Impulse!” label released “Nine Flags”, the ninth Chico O’Farrill album. It was recorded in November 1966, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Thiele.
Personnel:
- Chico O’Farrill – arranger, conductor
- Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Art Farmer, Bernie Glow, Jimmy Nottingham – trumpet
- Harry DiVito, Urbie Green, J. J. Johnson, Benny Powell – trombone
- Julius Watkins – French horn
- Jerry Dodgion, Joe Firrantello, Eddie Wasserman, Frank Wess – woodwinds
- Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
- Larry Coryell – guitar
- Pat Rebillot – piano
- George Duvivier – bass
- Gus Johnson, Don Lamond, Mel Lewis – drums
- Carl Hard – percussion
Track listing:
All tracks by Chico O’Farrill.
- Live Oak
- Patcham
- Aromatic Tabac
- Dry Citrus
- Royal Saddle
- Panache
- Green Moss
- Manzanilla
- Clear Spruce
- The Lady From Nine Flags
Gerry Mulligan: Night Lights
In December 1963, “Philips” label released “Night Lights”, the 36th Gerry Mulligan album. It was recorded September – October 1963, at “Nola Penthouse Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Hal Mooney.
Personnel:
- Gerry Mulligan – baritone saxophone, piano
- Art Farmer – flugelhorn
- Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone
- Jim Hall – guitar
- Bill Crow – bass
- Dave Bailey – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Gerry Mulligan except where noted.
- Night Lights
- Morning of the Carnival – Luiz Bonfá, Antônio Maria
- In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning – David Mann, Bob Hilliard
- Prelude in E Minor – Frédéric Chopin
- Festival Minor
- Tell Me When
Brooke Fraser: Albertine
On December 4, 2006, “Columbia” label released “Albertine”, the second Brooke Fraser album. It was recorded 2005 – 2006, and was produced by Marshall Altman.
Personnel:
- Brooke Fraser – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, string arrangements, photography
- Michael Chaves – electric guitar
- Sean Hurley – bass guitar
- Marshall Altman – percussion, backing vocals, string arrangements, engineer
- Stevie Blacke – strings, string arrangements
- Andy Hayes – engineer assistant
- Don Bartley – mastering
- Sophie Howarth – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Brook Fraser, except where noted.
- Shadowfeet
- Deciphering Me
- Love, Where Is Your Fire
- Love Is Waiting
- Albertine
- C.S. Lewis Song
- Epiloque
- Faithful
- Seeds – Dave Bassett, Brook Fraser
- Hosea’s Wife
- The Thief – Brook Fraser, Dan Wilson
- Hymn
Quincy Jones: The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones
In December 1959, “Mercury” label released “The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones”, the sixth Quincy Jones album. It was recorded in November 1959, at “Fine Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Qunicy Jones.
Personnel:
- Quincy Jones – conductor
- Art Farmer, Lennie Johnson, Jimmy Maxwell, Lee Morgan, Ernie Royal, Nick Travis – trumpet
- Billy Byers, Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Frank Rehak – trombone
- Julius Watkins – French horn
- Porter Kilbert, Phil Woods – alto saxophone
- Budd Johnson – tenor saxophone
- Jerome Richardson – tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo
- Sahib Shihab – baritone saxophone
- Patti Bown – piano
- Les Spann – guitar, flute
- Buddy Jones, Buddy Catlett – bass
- Don Lamond – drums
- Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Bill Potts, Ernie Wilkins – arranger
Track listing:
- Lester Leaps In – Lester Young
- Ghana – Ernie Wilkins
- Caravan – Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
- Everybody’s Blues – Ernie Wilkins
- Cherokee (Indian Love Song) – Ray Noble
- Air Mail Special – Benny Goodman, Charlie Christian, Jimmy Mundy
- They Say It’s Wonderful – Irving Berlin
- Chant of the Weed – Don Redman
- I Never Has Seen Snow – Harold Arlen, Truman Capote
- Eesom – Bill Potts
Graeme Goodall
On December 3, 2014, Graeme Goodall died aged 82. He was recording engineer and record label owner, a key figure in the early days of Jamaica’s recording industry, co-founder of “Island Records”, and founder and owner of “Doctor Bird” and “Pyramid” labels.
Derek Wadsworth
On December 3, 2008, Derek Wadsworth died aged 69. He was musician (cornet, trombone, keyboards), composer and arranger. He was musical director for Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield, and the musical “Hair”. As a musician and arranger he worked with Maynard Ferguson, Georgie Fame, Nina Simone, David Essex, Judy Garland, Humphrey Lyttelton, Graham Collier, Tonny Bennett, George Harrison, Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Mike Oldfield, Simply Red, Kate Bush, Cat Stevens, Small Faces, Manferd Mann, and the Rolling Stones.
Grady Martin
On December 3, 2001, Thomas Grady Martin died aged 72. He was musician (guitar), founder and leader of the band Grady Martin and Slew Foot Five (later Grady Martin and his Winging Strings). As a session guitarist he was member of the Nashville A-team, and in his 50-year career he recorded and performed with Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Leon Russell, Patsy Cline, J. J. Cale, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Horton, Conway Twitty, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Arlo Guthrie, Brenda Lee, Don Woody, Sammi Smith, Marty Robbins, and Johnny Burnette. In March 2015, Martin was inducted in the “Country Music Hall of Fame”.
Scott Walker: Bish Bosch
On December 3, 2012, “4AD” label released “Bish Bosch”, the fourteenth and the final Scott Walker studio album. It was recorded in 2012, and was produced by Scott Walker and Peter Walsh.
Personnel:
- Scott Walker – vocals, electric guitar, keyboards, percussion
- Hugh Burns – acoustic and electric guitar, electric baritone guitar, e-bow guitar, dobro, ukulele, Hawaiian pedal steel
- James Stevenson – electric guitar, electric baritone guitar, mando guitar
- BJ Cole – Hawaiian pedal steel
- Mark Warman – keyboards, drum programming, tuned gongs, handclaps, machetes
- Peter Walsh – keyboards FX, drum programming, finger snaps
- John Giblin – bass, double bass
- Ian Thomas – drums
- Alasdair Malloy – percussion, tuned gongs, machetes
- Michael Laird – Rams horns
- Pete Long – baritone saxophone, tuba
- Guy Barker – trumpet
- Tom Rees – trumpet
- Paul Willey – violin harmonics
- Andrew McDonnell – Lo Rumbles & White Noise
Track listing:
All tracks by Scott Walker.
- See You Don’t Bump His Head
- Corps De Blah
- Phrasing
- SDSS1416+13B (Zercon, A Flagpole Sitter)
- Epizootics!
- Dimple
- Tar
- Pilgrim
- The Day The ‘Conducator’ Died (An Xmas Song)
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