Tag Archives: composer

Hugh Masekela

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On January 23, 2018, Hugh Ramopolo Masekela died aged 78. He was musician (trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet), singer and composer, known as “Father of South African Jazz.” As leader Masekela released 49 albums, and received many awards, including:

  • 1968 – Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Pop Performance – instrumental
  • 2002 – BBC Radio Jazz Awards: International Award of the Year
  • 2005 – Channel O Music Video Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 2007 – Ghana Music Awards: 2007 African Music Legend Award
  • 2010 – Order of Ikhamanga: South African National Orders Ceremony
  • 2014 – University of York Honorary Doctorate in Music
  • 2015 – Rhodes University: Doctor of Music

Curtis Mayfield

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On December 26, 1999, Curtis Lee Mayfield died aged 57. He was  musician (guitar, keyboards, piano), singer, songwriter and record producer, regarded as one of the most influential musicians and composers in soul and politically conscious African-American music. Mayfield started the career in a gospel choir, gained wide recognition as member and main composer of The Impressions, and later had a successful solo career. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked his 1965 song “People Get Ready” at number 24 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. The same song was also included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”, and in 1998 was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”. His album with the soundtrack for the 1972 movie “Super Fly”  was ranked at number 72 on “Rolling Stone’s” list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.  In 1994, Mayfield won a “Grammy Legend Award” in and a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” in 1995. In 1991, he was inductee into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of the Impressions, and in 1999 as a solo artist.

Leonard Bernstein

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On October 14, 1990, Leonard Bernstein died aged 72. He was pianist, composer,  conductor and music lecturer, regarded as one of the most important, influential and successful artists in the American music history. He was director of the New York Philharmonic and has been conducting concerts with some of the leading world orchestras. As composer he has worked with various music forms including ballet, opera, musicals, film scores, orchestral, chamber, choral, piano and  vocal music. Many of his music works are still regularly performed on the stages around the world, and his best known and most popular musical “West Side Story” is regarded as one of the classics of the world music literature.

Allan Holdsworth

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On April 16, 2017, Allan Holdsworth died aged 70. He was guitarist and composer, known as big innovator in development of the guitar playing. He was one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th Century, cited as influence by many famous guitarists such as  Tom Morello, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Greg Howe, Shawn Lane, Richie Kotzen, John Petrucci, Alex Lifeson and Kurt Rosenwinkel. In his four decades long career he released twelve albums as solo artists, and has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and bands including Igginbottom, Nucleus, Tempest, Soft Machine, The New Tony Williams Lifetime,  Pierre Moerlen’s Gong,  Jean-Luc Ponty, Bruford, U.K., Stanley Clarke, Chad Wackerman, Level 42 and K². According to “Guitar World” magazine he is “as influential as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen”.

John Lewis

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On March 29, 2001, John Aaron Lewis died aged 80. He was musician  (piano), composer and arranger, best known as the founder and musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Lewis recorded and performed with number of musicians, including Bill Perkins, Jim Hall, Percy Heath, Chico Hamilton, Sacha Distel,  Gunther Schuller, Svend Asmussen, Albert Mangelsdorff, Helen Merrill, Christian Escoudé,  Hank Jones,  Lew Tabackin, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis Nonet, Harold Farberman, Clifford Brown, Ruth Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Joe Newman, Sonny Stitt and J. J. Johnson.

Leon Ware

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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.

Dizzy Gillespie

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On January 6, 1993, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie died aged 75. He was musician (trumpet), singer, composer and bandleader, trumpet virtuoso and improviser,  regarded as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. Together with Charlie Parker, Gillespie was major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He has recorded and performed with some of the most important musicians in the jazz history, including Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Stan Getz, Sonny Stit,Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins,Benny Golson, Bobby Hackett, Mary Lou Williams, Willie Ruff, Dwike Mitchell, Art Blakey, Al McKibbon, Thelonious Monk, Kai Winding, Joe Turner, Roy Eldridge, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, John Lewis, Hank Jones, Percy Heath, Roy Eldridge,  Machito, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, Count Basie, Freddie Hubbard,  Arturo Sandoval, Phil Woods, Moe Koffman, United Nation Orchestra, Jackie McLean, Percy Heath, Ron Holloway, Ed Cherry, John Lee, Ignacio Berroa, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mike Longo, Manhattan Transfer,  Carmen McRae, Katie Bell Nubin,  Mongo Santamaria, Woody Shaw, Lillian Terry and Randy Weston.

Alphonse Mouzon

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On December 25, 2016, Alphonse Lee Mouzon died aged 68. He was musician (drums), composer, arranger, producer and actor, and the owner of Tenacious Records. He has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and music acts including Arild Andersen, Donald Byrd,  Herbie Hancock, Bobbi Humphrey, Joachim Kühn, Les McCann, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, Eugene McDaniels, Betty Davis, Infinity, Doug Carn, Norman Connors, Willie Colon, Poussez, Al Di Meola, Torsten de Winkel, Hellmut Hattler, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Fania All-Stars, Carlos Garnett, George Gruntz, Tim Hardin, Miki Howard, Paul Jackson, Paul Jackson Jr., Alphonso Johnson and Patrick Moraz.

Rick Wright

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On September 15, 2008, Richard William “Rick” Wright died aged 65. He  was musician (keyboards), composer, singer and songwriter, best known as founding member, keyboardist and vocalist of Pink Floyd. He recorded and performed on all Pink Floyd’s albums except on “The Final Cut”.

Joe Sample

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On September 12, 2014, Joseph Leslie “Joe” Sample died aged 75. He was musician (piano, keyboards) and composer, one of the founding members of the Jazz Crusaders (Crusaders from 1971), and has performed with some of the biggest names of the contemporary music, including Miles Davis, The Supremes, George Benson, B.B King, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Clapton and Steely Dan.