On April 5, 2018, Cecil Percival Taylor died aged 89. He was musician (piano) and poet, regarded as one of the pioneers of free jazz and one of the greatest innovators in the modern music.
Merle Haggard
On April 6, 2016, Merle Ronald Haggard died aged 79. He was musician (guitar, fiddle) and songwriter, together with his band the Strangers helped the creation of the Bakersfield sound, characterized by the twang of Fender Telecaster and the mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound.
Niki Sullivan
On April 6, 2004, Niki Sullivan died aged 69. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, best known as one of the four original members of Buddy Holly’s backing band. In 2012, Sullivan was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of the Crickets.
Alison Moyet: Raindancing
On April 6, 1987, “CBS” label released “Raindancing”, the second Alison Moyet studio album. It was recorded 1986 – 1987, and was produced by Jimmy Iovine, Jess Bailey, Alison Moyet, Joseph Hughes, David Freeman and Jean Guiot.
Personnel:
- Alison Moyet – vocals, mixing
- Dave Freeman – vocals
- Joe Chiccarelli, John Fryer, Robert de la Garza, Mark Desisto – recording
- Jess Bailey, Scott Litt, Mike Shipley, Humberto Gatica – mixing
- Vladimir “Vlado” Meller – mastering
- Rob O’Connor (Stylorouge) – design, art direction
- Richard Houghton – sleeve photography
- Mike Shipley – associate producer
Track listing:
- Weak in the Presence of Beauty – Michael Ward, Rob Clarke
- Ordinary Girl – Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey, Rick Driscoll
- You Got me Wrong – Alison Moyet
- Without You – Alison Moyet
- Sleep Like Breathing – David Freeman, Joseph Hughes
- Is This Love – Alison Moyet, Jean Guiot
- Blow Wind Blow – Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey
- Glorious Love – Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey, Rick Driscoll
- When I Say (No Giveaway) – Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey, Rick Driscoll
- Stay – Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey, Rick Driscoll
Bill Haley And His Comets: Same
In April 1960, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled, tenth Bill Haley and His Comets album. It was recorded in January 1960, in New York City, and was produced by George Avakian.
Personnel:
- Bill Haley– rhythm guitar
- Franny Beecher– lead guitar
- Billy Williamson– steel guitar
- Johnny Grande– piano
- Al Rappa- bass guitar
- Ralph Jones– drums
- Rudy Pompilli- tenor saxophone
Personnel:
- Crazy Man Crazy – Bill Haley
- Kansas City- Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
- Love Letters in the Sand- Fred Coots, Nick Kenny, Charles Kenny
- Shake, Rattle and Roll- Charles Calhoun
- I’m in Love Again- Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino
- Stagger Lee– traditional, arranged by Lloyd Price
- Rock Around the Clock- Jimmy DeKnight, Max Freedman
- I Almost Lost My Mind- Ivory Joe Hunter
- Blue Suede Shoes- Carl Perkins
- My Special Angel- Jimmy Duncan
- Blueberry Hill- Vincent Rose, Larry Stock, Al Lewis
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On- Dave “Curlee” Williams
Cliff Richard: Cliff
In April 1959, “Columbia” label released “Cliff”, the debut Cliff Richard (and his band the Drifters, later known as the Shadows) album. It was recorded 9 – 10 February 1959, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Norrie Paramor.
Personnel:
- Cliff Richard– lead vocals
- Hank Marvin– lead guitar
- Bruce Welch- rhythm guitar
- Jet Harris– bass guitar
- Tony Meehan– drums
- Mike Sammes Singers– backing vocals
- Malcolm Addey – engineer
Track listing:
- Apron Strings – George David Weiss, Aaron Schroeder
- My Babe – Willie Dixon
- Down the Line – Roy Orbison
- I Got a Feeling – Baker Knight
- Jet Black – Jet Harris
- Baby I Don’t Care – Leiber, Stoller
- Donna – Ritchie Valens
- Move It – Ian Samwell
- Ready Teddy – John Marascalco, Robert Blackwell
- Too Much – Lee Rosenberg, Bernard Weinman
- Don’t Bug Me Baby – Leon Luallen, Johnny Bragg
- Driftin’ – Hank Marvin
- That’ll Be the Day – Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison
- Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent
- Danny – Ben Weisman, Fred Wise
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On – Dave “Curly” Williams
Architecture in Helsinki: In Case We Die
On April 5, 2005, “Tailem Bend/Inertia” label released “In Case We Die”, the second Architecture in Helsinki studio album. It was recorded June 2004 – January 2005, at “Super Melody World”, and was produced by James Cecil and Cameron Bird.
Personnel:
- Cameron Bird – lead vocals, guitars, percussion
- James Cecil – backing vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums
- Gus Franklin – vocals, trombone, horns, guitar, drums
- Isobel Knowles – vocals, trumpet, horns
- Jamie Mildren – instrumentation, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, flute, glockenspiel, melodica
- Sam Perry – vocals, slide guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards
- Tara Shackell – instrumentation, tuba, trombone, keyboards
- Kellie Sutherland – vocals, clarinet, melodica, horns, keyboards
Track listing:
- Neverevereverdid
- It’5!
- Tiny Paintings
- Wishbone
- Maybe You Can Owe Me
- Do the Whirlwind
- In Case We Die (Parts 1-4)
- The Cemetery
- Frenchy, I’m Faking
- Need to Shout
- Rendezvous: Potrero Hill
- What’s in Store?
Status Quo: Famous in the Last Century
On April 5, 2000, “Mercury” label released “Famous in the Last Century”, the twenty-fourth Status Quo studio album. It was recorded in 1999 – 2000, at “Astria Studios” and “ARSIS Studios”, and was produced by Mike Paxman.
Personnel:
- Francis Rossi– vocals, lead guitar
- Rick Parfitt– vocals, guitar
- Andy Bown- keyboards
- John Edwards- bass
- Jeff Rich- drums
Track listing:
- Famous in the Last Century – Andy Bown
- Old Time Rock and Roll – George Jackson, Thomas E. Jones III
- Way Down – Martine
- Rave On! – Petty, William “Billy” Tilghman, Sunny West
- Roll Over Beethoven – Chuck Berry
- When I’m Dead and Gone – Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle
- Memphis, Tennessee – Chuck Berry
- Sweet Home Chicago – Johnson
- Crawling from the Wreckage – Parker
- Good Golly Miss Molly – Blackwell, Marascalco
- Claudette – Roy Orbison
- Rock’n Me – Miller
- Hound Dog – Leiber, Stoller
- Runaround Sue – DiMucci, Maresca
- Once Bitten Twice Shy – Ian Hunter
- Mony Mony – Bloom, Bo Gentry, James, Ritchie Cordell
- Famous in the Last Century – AndyBown
Sade: Stronger Than The Pride
On April 5, 1988, “Epic” label released “Stronger Than Pride”, the third Sade studio album. It was recorded 1987 – 1988, at “Compass Point Studios” in Nassau, Bahamas; “Studio Marcadet” in Paris, and “Studio Miraval” in Le Val, France, and was produced by Mike Pela, Ben Rogan, Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman and Paul S. Denman.
Personnel:
- Sade Adu– vocals
- Stuart Matthewman– guitar, saxophone
- Gordon Hunte – guitar
- Andrew Hale – keyboards
- Paul S. Denman– bass
- Martin Ditcham– drums, percussion
- James McMillan – trumpet
- Jake Jacas – trombone
- Leroy Osbourne – vocals
- Gavyn Wright– solo violin
- Nick Ingman– string arrangements
- Mike Pela– engineer, co-production
- Ben Rogan – engineer, co-production
- Franck Segarra – engineer assistant
- Jean-Christophe Vareille – engineer assistant
- Olivier de Bosson, Alain Lubrano, Vince McCartney, Melanie West – engineer assistant
- Herb Powers, Jr. – mastering
- Graham Smith – artwork, design
- Levon Parian – cover photography
- Toshi Yajima – inlay photography
Track listing:
- Love Is Stronger Than Pride – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
- Paradise – Sade Adu. Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman, Paul S.Denman
- Nothing Can Come Between Us – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
- Haunt Me – Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman
- Turn My Back on You – Sade Adu. Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
- Keep Looking – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale
- Clean Heart – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
- Give It Up – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
- I Never Thought I’d See the Day – Sade Adu, Leroy Osbourne
- Siempre Hay Esperanza – Sade Adu, Leroy Osbourne, Stuart Matthewman
Ziggy Marley: Conscious Party
On April 5, 1988, “Virgin” label released “Conscious Party”, the third Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers album. It was recorded 1987 – 1988, at “Sigma Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. In 1989, “Conscious Party” won “Grammy Award” for Best Reggae album.
Personnel:
- Ziggy Marley – lead and backing vocals, guitar
- Keith Richards- lead guitar
- Mulu Gessesse – guitar
- Earl “Chinna” Smith- guitar
- Mark Roule – tambourine
- Jerry Harrison- Hammond organ
- Dereje Makonnen – keyboards
- Gary Pozner – keyboards
- Melaku Retta – keyboards
- Franklyn “Bubbler” Waul – keyboards
- Zeleke Gessesse – bass
- Raphael W’Mariam – drums, timbales
- Asrat Aemro Selassie – percussion, bongos, conga, tambourine, vibraslap, cabassa, wood block, backing vocals
- Lenny Pickett- clarinet, piccolo, saxophone, contrabass
- Stephen Marley– lead and backing vocals
- Rita Marley- backing vocals
- Cedella Marley – backing vocals
- Sharon Marley – backing vocals
- Teddy Pendergast – backing vocals
- Laura Weymouth – backing vocals
- Tina Weymouth- backing vocals
- Glenn Rosenstein – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Ziggy Marley except where noted
- Conscious Party
- Lee and Molly
- Tomorrow People
- New Love
- Tumblin’ Down – Tyrone Downie, Ziggy Marley
- We a Guh Some Weh
- A Who a Say – Ziggy Marley, Steve Marley
- Have You Ever Been to Hell
- We Propose
- What’s True
- Dreams of Home
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