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.
Tag Archives: George Benson
Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky
On July 22, 1968, “Columbia” label released “Miles in the Sky”, studio album by Miles Davis. It was recorded January 16 and May 15-17, 1968, at “Columbia Studio B” in New York, and was produced by Teo Marcero. It was first Miles album to include electric bass and electric piano.
Personnel:
- Miles Davis– trumpet, cornet
- Wayne Shorter– tenor saxophone
- Herbie Hancock– piano, electric piano
- George Benson– electric guitar
- Ron Carter– bass, electric bass
- Tony Williams– drums
Track listing:
- Stuff – Miles Davis
- Paraphernalia – Wayne Shorter
- Black Comedy – Tony Williams
- Country Son – Miles Davis
Eric Gale
On May 25, 1984, Eric J. Gale died aged 55. He was musician (guitar) and composer, as session guitarist has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names of the music scene, including Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy McGriff, Benny Golson, Van Morrison, Bernard Purdie, Herbie Mann, Yusuf Lateef, Chico Hamilton, Sonny Stitt, Quincy Jones, Al Kooper, Lena Horn, Gabor Szabo, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Esther Philips, Chuck Rainey, Johnny Hammond, Stanley Turrentine, David Newman, Hank Crawford, Grover Washington, Jr., Roberta Flack, Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws, Bob James, Joe Higgs, Van McCoy, Ron Carter, George Benson, Phil Upchurch, Tom Scott, Idris Muhammad, Ashford & Simpson, Cedar Walton, Stanley Turrentine, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Paul Butterfield, Joe Cocker and David Ruffin. As leader he released twelve albums.
Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On
On May 21, 1971, “Tamla” label released “What’s Going On”, the eleventh Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded June –September 1970; March – May 1971, at “Hitsville U.S.A.”, “Golden World”, and “United Sound Studios” in Detroit and “The Sound Factory” in Hollywood, and was produced by Marvin Gaye. “What’s Going On” was an immediate success both commercially and critically, and is regarded as one of the most important albums in the music history. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked it at number six on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 1985, readers of “NME” magazine voted “What’s Going On” the “Best Album of all Time”. “Guardian” ranked “What’s Going On at number one on its list of the “100 Best Albums Ever”.
Personnel:
- Marvin Gaye – lead and backing vocals, piano, mellotron, box drum
- The Detroit Symphony Orchestra conducted and arranged by David Van De Pitte
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
- Solo Horns – instrumentation
- Joe Messina, Robert White– electric guitars
- Jack Ashford– tambourine, percussion
- Earl Van Dyke– keyboards
- Johnny Griffith– celeste, keyboards
- Max Janowsky – double bass
- James Jamerson– bass guitar
- Bob Babbitt– bass guitar
- Chet Forest – drums
- Eddie “Bongo” Brown– bongos, congas
- Earl DeRouen – bongos, congas
- Bobbye Hall– bongos
- Jack Brokensha– vibraphone, percussion
- Larry Nozero, Angelo Carlisi, George Benson, Tate Houston– saxophone
- Eli Fontaine– alto saxophone
- Wild Bill Moore– tenor saxophone
- John Trudell, Maurice Davis – trumpet
- Nilesh Pawar – oboe
- Carl Raetz – trombone
- Dayna Hardwick, William Perich – flutes
- Gordon Staples, Zinovi Bistritzky, Beatriz Budinzky, Richard Margitza, Virginia Halfmann, Felix Resnick, Alvin Score, Lillian Downs, James Waring – violin
- Edouard Kesner, Meyer Shapiro, David Ireland, Nathan Gordon – viola
- Italo Babini, Thaddeus Markiewicz, Edward Korkigan – cello
- Carole Crosby – harp
- The Andantes – Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps – backing vocals
- Mel Farr, Charlie Sandersand and Lem Barney of the Detroit Lions – backing vocals
- Dave Bingof, The Detroit Pistons, Bobby Rogersof , The Miracles, Elgie Stover, Kenneth Stover – backing vocals
- Curtis McNair – art direction
- Katherine Marking – design
- Alana Coghlan – design
- James Hendin – photography
Track listing:
- What’s Going On – Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo “Obie” Benson
- What’s Happening Brother – Marvin Gaye, James Nyx Jr.
- Flyin’ High (In the Friendly Sky) – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
- Save the Children – Al Cleveland, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Marvin Gaye
- God is Love – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, James Nyx Jr.
- Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) – Marvin Gaye
- Right On – Earl DeRouen, Marvin Gaye
- Wholy Holy – Renaldo “Oboe” Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
- Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) – Marvin Gaye, James Nyx Jr,
Idris Muhammad
On July 29, 2014, Leo Morris aka Idris Muhammad died aged 73. He was musician (drums, percussion), whose drumming crossed over several musical styles including funk, jazz, and rhythm and blues and has performed and recorded extensively with number of musicians, including Pharoah Sanders, Gene Ammons, Fats Domino, Roberta Flack, Grover Washington, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Lou Donaldson, Bob James, Randy Weston, Bobbi Humphrey, Andrew Hill, Bob Stewart, Sonny Stitt, Ahmad Jamal, John Scofield, George Coleman, Paul Desmond, Grant Green, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Lovano, Tisziji Munoz, Roots, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Reuben Wilson and Leon Spencer.
Louis Johnson
On May 21, 2015, Louis Johnson died aged 60. He was musician (bass), founding member of funk band the “Brothers Johnson” and one of the most demanded bass players. Johnson performed on Quncy Jones albums “Body Heat” and “Mellow Madness”, Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall”, “Thriller” and “Dangerous” and hit songs “Billie Jean” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”. Johnson also performed on George Benson’s album “Give Me the Night”.
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