On April 1, 2020, Ellis Louis Marsalis Jr.died aged 85. He was musician (piano) and music educator, worked with many famous musicians and bands including Ed Blackwell, Nat Adderley, Michael Caine, Art Tatum, Herry Connick Jr., Jimmy Cobb, Rich Matteson, David Benoit, Kermit Ruffins, Count Basie Orchestra, American Jazz Quintet, Irma Thomas and his sons Branford and Wynton Marsalis. As a leader he has recorded twenty albums.
Adam Schlesinger
On April 1, 2020. Adam Lyons Schlesinger died aged 52. He was singer-songwriter, musician (guitar) and record producer, founding member of the bands Fountains of Wayne, Ivy, and Tinted Windows. Lately he was key songwriting contributor and producer for the duo Fever High. Schlesinger won three “Emmys”, a “Grammy” and the “ASCAP Pop Music Award”.
Spock’s Beard: Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
On April 2, 2013, “InsideOut Music” and “Century Media” labels released “Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep”, the eleventh Spock’s Beard studio album. It was recorded 2011 – 2012, at “The Mouse House” in Altadena, CA, and was produced by Rich Mouser, Alan Morse and John Boegehold.
Personnel:
- Ted Leonard— lead and backing vocals, guitar
- Alan Morse— electric and acoustic guitars, pedal and lap steel guitar, mandolin, autoharp, backing vocals
- Ryo Okumoto— organ, mellotron, piano, synths, clavinet, vocoder
- Dave Meros— bass guitar, backing vocals
- Jimmy Keegan— drums, percussion, timpani, backing vocals
- Neal Morse— additional guitar
- Stan Ausmus — additional guitar
- John Boegehold — vocoder
- Craig Eastman — violin, viola, hurdy-gurdy
- Rich Mouser – engineer, mixing, mastering
Track listing:
- Hiding Out – Ted Leonard
- I Know Your Secret – Dave Meros, John Boegehold
- A Treasure Abandoned – John Boegehold, Alan Morse
- Submerged – Ted Leonard
- Afterthoughts – Alan Morse, Neal Morse, Ted Leonard
- Something Very Strange – John Boegehold
- Waiting for Me – Alan Morse, Neal Morse
Mudhoney: Vanishing Point
On April 2, 2013, “Sub Pop” label released “Vanishing Point”, the ninth Mudhoney studio album.
Personnel:
- Mark Arm- vocals, electric and slide guitar
- Steve Turner– guitar, backing vocals
- Guy Maddison- bass, backing vocals
- Dan Peters– drums, guitar, tambourine, glockenspiel
- Johnny Sangster – piano, backing vocals
- Ty Bailie – organ, clavinet
- Ivan Schwartz – synthesizers, theremin
- Sam Peters, Will Peters, Lacey Swain, Emily Nokes, Leiah Maupin – backing vocals
- Emily Rieman – photography, backing vocals
- Jeff Kleinsmith – art direction
Track listing:
All tracks by Mark Arm, Steve Turner, Dan Peters, and Guy Maddison.
- Slipping Away
- I Like It Small
- What to Do with the Neutral
- Chardonnay
- The Final Course
- In This Rubber Tomb
- I Don’t Remember You
- The Only Son of the Widow from Nain
- Sing This Song of Joy
- Douchebags on Parade
Bat for Lashes: Two Suns
On April 2, 2009, “The Echo Label” and “Parlaphone” labels released “Two Suns”, the second Bat for Lashes (Natasha Khan) studio album. It was recorded 2008 – 2009 in California, New York City, London, Brighton and Wales, and was produced by Natasha Khan and David Kosten.
Personnel:
- Natasha Khan – lead and backing vocals, synths, drum programming, guitar, piano, harmonium, hands, percussion, string machine, drums, bass synth, vibraphone, organ, engineering, art direction, booklet artwork, concept
- Ben Christophers – marxophone, pianochord, synths, guitar, phonofiddle
- Caroline Weeks – synths, bells, flute, handclaps, percussion, backing vocals
- Kath Mann – saw, violin, viola, backing vocals
- Alex Thomas– drums, percussion, timpani
- David Kosten– drum programming, synths, percussion, synth drone, toms, fingers
- Devin Maxwell – timpani
- Abi Fry– viola
- Adem– sampled wine glasses
- Chris Keating– drum programming
- Devon Dunaway – backing vocals
- Robert Roseberry Jr. – backing vocals
- Matt Lawrence – vocal recording (Scott Walker’s vocals)
- Mike Nesci – engineer
- Matt Boynton – engineer
- Tom Asselin – engineer
- David Wrench– engineer
- David Kosten – engineer, mixing
- Brian Thorn – engineer assistant
- Tim Bader – engineer assistant
- Mark Eastwood – mixing assistant
- Tony Hornecker – set design
- Andrew Murabito – design
- David Benjamin Sherry– cover photography
- Dan Sanders – photographic production
Track listing:
All tracks are written by Natasha Khan, except where noted.
- Glass
- Sleep Alone
- Moon and Moon
- Daniel
- Peace of Mind
- Siren Song
- Pearl’s Dream
- Good Love
- Two Planets
- Travelling Woman
- The Big Sleep
Jan Garbarek: Mnemosyne
On April 2, 1999, “ECM” label released “Mnemosyne”, the 33rd Jan Garbarek album, and his second one with the Hilliard Ensemble. It was recorded in April 1998, and was produced by Manfred Eicher and Jan Garbarek.
Personnel:
- Jan Garbarek– soprano and tenor saxophone
- Hilliard Ensemble– vocal ensemble
- Rogers Covey-Crump– tenor vocals
- John Potter– tenor vocals
- Gordon Jones – baritone vocals
- David James – countertenor vocals
- Friedrich Hölderlin – lyrics
Track listing:
- Quechua Song
- O Lord in Thee Is All My Trust
- Estonian Lullaby
- Remember Me My Dear
- Gloria
- Fayrfax Africanus
- Agnus Dei
- Novus Novus
- Se Je Fays Dueil
- O Ignis Spiritus
- Alleluia Nativitatis
- Delphic Paean
- Strophe and Counter-Strophe
- Mascarados
- Loiterando
- Estonian Lullaby
- Russian Psalm
- Eagle Dance
- When Jesus Wept
- Hymn to the Sun
Leon Russell: Life Journey
On April 1, 2014, “Universal Records” label released “Life Journey”, the 37th Leon Russell album. It was recorded 2013 – 2014, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tommy LiPuma.
Personnel:
- Leon Russell – lead and background vocals, piano, liner notes
- Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
- John Clayton- bass, conductor, arranger
- Dixieland Band
- William Cantos – background vocals
- Alvin Chea– background vocals
- Perry Morgan – background vocals
- Louis Price– background vocals
- Graham Dechter – acoustic guitar
- Robben Ford– guitar
- Anthony Wilson– guitar
- Chris Simmons- slide guitar
- Greg Leisz- pedal steel, pedal steel guitar
- Hugh McCracken- guitar, soloist
- Larry Goldings- Hammond B3
- George Bohanon– trombone
- Lee Callet – tenor saxophone
- Charles Owens – tenor saxophone
- Rickey Woodard– tenor saxophone
- Keith Fiddmont – alto saxophone
- Ira Nepus – trombone
- Ryan Porter – trombone
- Maurice Spears – bass trombone
- Bijon Watson – trumpet
- Gilbert Castellanos– trumpet
- Clay Jenkins – trumpet
- Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet
- James Ford – trumpet
- Darrell Leonard- flugelhorn, trumpet
- Jeff Clayton- clarinet, alto saxophone
- James Gordon – clarinet
- Christoph Luty – bass
- Willie Weeks- bass
- Jeff Hamilton- drums
- Abe Laboriel Jr.– drums
- Elena Barere – concert master
- Alan Broadbent- string arrangements
- Jill Dell’Abate – string contractor
- Elton John- executive producer
- Shari Sutcliffe – music contractor, production coordination
- Chandler Harrod – engineer, Pro-Tools
- Mark Lambert – piano engineer, vocal engineer
- Elliot Scheiner- string engineer
- Al Schmitt- engineer, mixing
- Doug Saks – mastering
- Ryan Roth – design, photography
- Mike Diehl – design
Track listing:
- Come On in My Kitchen – Robert Johnson
- Big Lips – Leon Russell
- Georgia on My Mind- Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell
- That Lucky Old Sun- Haven Gillespie, Beasley Smith 4:09
- Fever- Eddie Cooley, John Davenport
- Think of Me – Mike Reid
- I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)- Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
- The Masquerade Is Over – Herb Magidson, Allie Wrubel
- I Really Miss You – Paul Anka
- New York State of Mind- Billy Joel
- Fool’s Paradise -Johnny Fuller, Bob Geddins, Dr. David Rosenbaum
- Down in Dixieland – Leon Russell
The Dukes of Stratosphear: 25 O’ Clock
On April 1, 1985, “Virgin” label released “25 O’Clock”, debut Dukes of Stratosphear album. It was recorded in December 1984, at “Chapel Lane Studios” in Hereford, UK, and was produced by John Leckie, Swami Anand Nagara, Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory and Ian Gregory.
Personnel:
- Sir John Johns (Andy Partridge) – vocals, guitar, bass, sleeve art
- The Red Curtain (Colin Moulding) – vocals, bass, rhythm guitar
- Lord Cornelius Plum (Dave Gregory) – mellotron, piano, organ, fuzz-tone guitar
- I.E.I. Owen (Ian “Eewee” Gregory) – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Andy Partridge except where noted
- 25 O’ Clock
- Bike Ride to the Moon
- My Love Explodes
- What in the World??… – Colin Moulding
- Your Gold Dress
- The Mole from the Ministry
Art Ensemble of Chicago: Full Force
On April 1, 1980, “ECM” label released “Full Force”, the 27th Art Ensemble of Chicago album. It was recorded in January 1980, at “Columbia Recording Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel:
- Lester Bowie– trumpet, celeste, bass drum
- Malachi Favors– double bass, percussion, melodica
- Joseph Jarman– vocal, saxophone, clarinet, percussion
- Roscoe Mitchell– saxophone, clarinet, flute, percussion
- Don Moye– vocal, drums, percussion
Track listing:
- Magg Zelma – Malachi Favors
- Carefree – Roscoe Mitchell
- Charlie M – Lester Bowie
- Ol’ Time Southside Street Dance – Joseph Jarman
- Full Force – Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Don Moye, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors
Tomasz Stanko: Balladyna
On April 1, 1976, “ECM” label “Balladyna”, the fifth Tomasz Stanko album. It was recorded in December 1975, at “Tonstudio Bauer” in Ludwigsburg, Germany, and was produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel:
- Tomasz Stańko – trumpet
- Tomasz Szukalski – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
- Dave Holland – bass
- Edward Vesala – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Tomasz Stanko, except where noted.
- First Song
- Tale – Dve Holland, Tomasz Stanko, Edward Vesala
- Num – Edward Vesala
- Duet – Dave Holland, Tomasz Stanko
- Balladyna
- Last Song
- Nenaliina
