On December 18, 2011, Ralph Anthony MacDonald died aged 67. He was musician (percussion, steelpan), songwriter, arranger, record producer, and philanthropist. His best known compositions are “Where Is the Love”, a “Grammy Award” winner for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway duet), “Just the Two of Us” (recorded by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.), and “Mister Magic” (recorded by Grover Washington Jr.). MacDonald was member of the bands Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, Steelband Panorama, and Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. He recorded with many famous musicians including David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, Bob James, Ashford and Simpson, and The Brothers Johnson. As a leader MacDonald released ten albums.
Tag Archives: Aretha Franklin
Thomas Tedesco
On November 10, 1997, Thomas J. Tedesco died aged 67. He was a musician (guitar), part of the loose collective of Los Angeles area’s session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. As he played on hundreds studio recordings, “Guitar Player” magazine described him as “the most recorded guitarist in music history”. He recorded with the Beach Boys, Chet Baker, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, the Association, Bobby Darrin, Barbra Streisand, Jan and Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Ricky Nelson, Cher, Neil Diamond, Van Dyke Parks, Michael Franks, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, Peggy Lee, Johnny Rivers, Al Kooper, Michael Nesmith, Paul Anka, Don Ellis, Minnie Riperton, Maria Muldaur, Leon Russell, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, J.J. Cale, Quincy Jones, Stephen Bishop, Kenny Loggins, Jack Nitzsche, Sarah Vaughan, Lalo Schifrin, Randy Newman, Hugh Masakela, and Joan Baez. Tedesco performed on soundtracks including The French Connection, Jaws, The Godfather, Field of Dreams, and The Deer Hunter. As a leader he released ten albums.
Duane Allman
On October 29, 1971, Howard Duane Allman died aged 24. He was singer, musician (guitar, slide guitar, dobro), recorded and performed with The Hour Glass, Allman Joys, Derek and the Dominos, Wilson Pickett, Johnny Jenkins, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Mann, Boz Scaggs, Delaney & Bonnie, and Eric Clapton, but was best known as founder, guitarist, and leader of The Allman Brothers Band.
Gene Page
On August 24, 1998, Eugene Edgar Page Jr. aka Gene Page, died aged 58. He was a conductor, composer, arranger, and record producer, one of the most successful arrangers and conductors from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s, who worked on more than 200 Platinum and gold records. He created specific sound in the arrangements, and work with numerous artists including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, George Benson, The Jackson 5, Jefferson Starship, The Righteous Brothers, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Roberta Flack, Elton John, Leo Sayer, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Frankie Valli, Helen Reddy, Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Donna Loren, Martha and The Vandellas, Cher, Barry White, The Love Unlimited Orchestra, and Dionne Warwick. Page released four solo albums and composed soundtracks for few movies.
Curtis Ousley
On August 13, 1971, Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery) aka King Curtis died aged 37. He was music director, record producer, and musician (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet), worked in various music genres, rhythm, and blues, rock and roll, soul, blues, funk, and soul-jazz. He performed and recorded with numerous musicians and bands including Aretha Franklin, Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, ]Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Andy Williams, The Coasters, LaVern Baker, Joe South, John Lennon, the Rimshots, Champion Jack Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, Oliver Jackson, King Pins, Bernard Purdie, The Shirelles, The Noble Band, Cornell Dupree, and Duane Allman. At the 1970 “Grammy Awards”, Curtis won the “Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy” for “Games People Play”. In March 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
Jeff Porcaro
On August 5, 1992, Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro died aged 38. He was a songwriter, musician (drums), and record producer, best known as the drummer with Toto. He was one of the most south after session drummers in popular music, played on hundreds of albums and worked with numerous artists such as Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, George Benson, Greg Lake, Seals & Crofts, Les Dudek, Joe Cocker, Steely Dan, The Jacksons, Tommy Bolin, Jackson Browne, Leo Sayer, Boz Scaggs, Carly Simon, Eric Carmen, Valerie Carter, Lisa Dal Bello, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Colin Blunstone, Larry Carlton, Allen Toussaint, Dave Mason, Warren Zevon, Ruben Blades, Bim, Jerry Williams, Al Stewart, Marc Jordan, Rickie Lee Jones, Janne Schaffer, Lowell George, Aretha Franklin, Jon Anderson, Luis Miguel, Love and Money, Patti Austin, Mariya Takeuchi, The Brothers Johnson, Peter Frampton, Bee Gees, Char, Christopher Cross, Randy Crawford, Al Jarreau, Amii Ozaki, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Eye to Eye, Donna Summer, Elton John, Melissa Manchester, Donald Fagen, Herbie Hancock, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Russ Taff, Chicago, David Gilmour Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton, Peter cetera, Earth Wind & Fire, roger Hodgson, David Benoit, Dr. John, Steve Porcaro, Nik Kershaw, Poco, Clair Mario, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Madonna, Jude Cole, Sandy Patty, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Bolton, Cher, Dire Straits, Richard Marx, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, B-52’s, Go West, 10CC, Roger Waters, Paul Young, and David Crosby. In 1993, Porcaro was posthumously inducted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”.
Judy Clay
On July 19, 2001, Judy Clay died aged 62. She was a singer (soul, gospel), member of Drinkard Singers, who later became better known as The Sweet Inspirations, and teamed with singer-songwriter Billy Vera. As a background vocalist, she worked with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Donny Hathaway, and Wilson Pickett.
John Hammond
On July 10, 1987, John Henry Hammond II died aged 76. He was record producer, music critics, civil rights activist, and music scout, one of the most influential figures in 20th-century modern music. As “Columbia Records” company executive and as a record producer, he supported numerous musical careers, including those of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Benny Goodman, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Freddie Green, Leonard Cohen, Arthur Russell, Harry James, Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Big Joe Turner, Pete Seeger, Babatunde Olatunji, Jim Copp, Asha Puthli, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Mike Bloomfield. He also initiated the revival of delta blues legend Robert Johnson’s music. He is the father of blues musician John P. Hammond.
Herbie Mann: Push Push
On July 1, 1971, “Embryo Records” label released “Push Push”, the 56th Herbie Mann album. It was recorded in 1971 and was produced by Arif Mardin.
Personnel:
- Herbie Mann – flute, saxophone
- Cornell Dupree- guitar
- David Spinozza- guitar
- Gene Bianca – harp
- Richard Tee- piano, electric piano, organ
- Chuck Rainey – bass
- Jerry Jemmott – bass
- Donald “Duck” Dunn- bass
- Bernard Purdie – drums
- Al Jackson, Jr.- drums
- Ralph MacDonald- percussion
Track listing:
- Push Push – Herbie Mann
- What’s Going On – Renaldo Benson, Alfred Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
- Spirit in the Dark – Aretha Franklin
- Man’s Hope – traditional, arrangement by Herbie Mann, based on “Hatikvah”
- If – David Gates
- Never Can Say Goodbye – Clifton Davis
- What’d I Say – Ray Charles
Roy Buchanan: Dancing on the Edge
In June 1986, “Alligator” label released “Dancing on the Edge”, the eleventh Roy Buchanan album. It was recorded in 1986, at “Streeterville Studios” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Roy Buchanan, Dick Shurman, and Bruce Iglauer.
Personnel:
- Roy Buchanan – vocals, guitar
- Delbert McClinton– vocals
- Donald Kinsey– guitar
- Stan Szelest– keyboards
- Larry Exum – bass guitar
- Morris Jennings– drums
- Justin Niebank – mixing
- Tom Coyne – mastering
Track listing:
All tracks Roy Buchanan; except where noted.
- Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini
- The Chokin’ Kind – Harlan Howard
- Jungle Gym
- Drowning on Dry Land — Mickey Gregory, Alan Jones
- Petal to the Metal
- You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover – Willie Dixon
- Cream of the Crop
- Beer Drinking Woman – Peter Chatman
- Whiplash
- Baby, Baby, Baby – Aretha Franklin, Carolyn Franklin
- Matthew
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