On March 16, 2017, James Henry Cotton died aged 81. He was musician (harmonica), singer and songwriter, had a successful solo career, recording albums under his own name, and recording and performing with number of great blues and rock musicians including Gregg Allman, William “Billy Boy” Arnold, Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Butterfield, Grateful Dead, Pat Hare, Howlin’ Wolf, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Freddie King, Alexis Korner, Steve Miller, Charlie Musselwhite, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Keith Richards, Todd Rundgren, Santana, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Otis Spann, Taj Mahal, Big Mama Thornton, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Louis Walker, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Johnny Winter.
Tag Archives: 2017
Leon Ware
On February 23, 2017, Leon Ware died aged 77. He was composer, released eleven albums as a performer, but he was best known for producing and writing music for other musicians and bands including: The Isley Brothers, Donny Hathaway, The Miracles, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, Loose Ends, James Ingram, Melissa Manchester, Krystol, Bobby Womack, Lulu, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Maxwell, Minnie Riperton and Marvin Gaye.
Larry Coryell
On February 19, 2017, Larry Coryell died aged 73. He was musician (guitar) and composer, known as the “Godfather of Fusion”. As a leader he has recorded 65 albums, and has performed and recorded with many world known music acts including: John McLaughlin, Miroslav Vitouš, Chick Corea, Paul Santa Maria, Lenny White, Victor Bailey, Badi Assad, John Abercrombie, John Hicks, Willie Williams, Santi Debriano, Yoron Israel, Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, The Eleventh House, The Appletree Theatre, Jim Pepper, Gary Burton, Randy Brecker, Jazz Composer’s Orchestra, Wolfgang Dauner, The 5th Dimension, The Free Spirits, Chico Hamilton, Arnie Lawrence, Herbie Mann, Michael Mantler, Steve Marcus, Charles Mingus, Bob Moses, Chico O’Farrill, The Arista All Stars, Simon & Bard Group, Dennis Haklar, Joey DeFrancesco, The Fusion Syndicate, The Wide Hive Player, Kenny Drew Jr., Michael Urbaniak and Dylan Taylor.
Clyde Stubblefield
On February 18, 2017, Clyde Stubblefield died aged 73. He was musician (drums, percussion), best known for his work with James Brown. His recordings including “Cold Sweat”, “I Got The Feelin’, “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud”, “Ain’t It Funky Now”, “Mother Popcorn”, “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved” and “Sex Machine”, are considered to be the standards for funk drumming. Stubblefield became one of the most sampled drummers in the modern music, and the 20-second drum break, a snippet of a Stubblefield solo on James Brown’s 1970 single “Funky Drummer,” marked his biggest impact on music.
Al Jarreau
On February 12, 2017, Alwin Lopez “Al” Jarreau died aged 76. He was musician (percussion) and singer, with successful solo career, has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and bands including: Joe Sample, Chick Corea, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn Rick Braun, George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Sister Sledge, Bob James, Shakatak, Lee Ritenour, Benny Golson and Quincy Jones. In 1991 Jarreau was awarded the “Honorary Doctorate of Music” by “Berklee College of Music”; in 2001 he was inducted in the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”; in 2004 he was awarded “Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts” by “University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee”, and in 2012 he was inducted in the “SoulMusic Hall of Fame at SoulMusic.com”. Jarreau won seven “Grammy Awards”.
John Wetton
On January 31, 2017, John Kenneth Wetton died aged 67. He was singer, musician (bass) and songwriter, best known as founding member and bass player of King Crimson and Asia. He has recorded and performed with Mogul Thrash, Family, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, U.K., Jack-Knife, Wishbone Ash, Phenomena, Gordon Haskell, Renaissance, Qango, Brian Eno, Ayreon,Steve Howe, Bill Bruford, Geoff Downes, Larry Norman, Alan White, Billy Sherwood, Peter Banks, Bryan Ferry, Pete Sinfield, Roger Chapman, Duncan Mackay, Atoll, District 97, Ayreon, Eddie Jobson, David Cross and Steve Hackett. As leader, Wetton released six albums.
Jaki Liebezeit
On January 22, 2017, Jaki Liebezeit died aged 78. He was musician (drums, percussion, double bass, saxophone, piano), best known as co-founder and drummer of the band Can. Liebezeit recorded and performed with many musician and bands including Manfred Schoof, Brian Eno, Phantomband, Jah Wobble, Phew, Philip Jeck, Depeche Mode,Eurythmics, Cyclopean and Bernd Friedmann.