On March 28, 2021, Malcolm Cecil died aged 84. He was musician (bass, double bass, synthesizer), in the late 1950s founded The Jazz Corners, performed and recorded with Dick Morrisey, Ronnie Scott, Tony Crombie, Gil Scott Heron, The Isley Brothers, Jim Hall, Bill Augustine, and was member of the band Blues Incorporated. With Robert Margouleff he formed the duo TONTO’s Expanding Head Band, based on combination of synthesizers, described by magazine “Rolling Stone” as revolutionary. As leader, Cecil released one album.
On February 25, 1997, “Kill Rock Stars” label released “Either/Or”, the third Elliot Smith studio album. It was recorded in 1996, and was produced by Elliot Smith, Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf. In 2013, “NME” magazine ranked Either/Or at number 149 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and in 2020, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 216 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
In November 1959, “Atlantic” label released “The Shape of Jazz to Come”, the third Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded in May 1959, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun. In 2012, the “Library of Congress” added the album to the “National Recording Registry”. Magazine “Rolling Stone” included the album in its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2015, the album was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.
In September 1966, “Phillips” label released “Wild Is the Wind”, the sixth Nina Simone studio album. It was recorded 1964 – 1965, in New York City, and was produced by Hal Mooney. In 2020, it was ranked 212 on “Rolling Stone’s” list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
Personnel:
Nina Simone – vocals, piano, arranger
Horace Ott – arranger
Sid Mark – liner notes
I Love Your Lovin’ Ways – Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus
Four Woman – Nina Simone
What More Can I Say – Horace Ott, Wade Brown Jr.
Lilac Wine – James Shelton
That’s All I Ask – Horace Ott
Break Down and Let It All Out – Van McCoy
Why keep On Breaking My Heart – Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus
Wild is the Wind – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington
Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair – traditional
On August 24, 2021, Charles Robert Watts died aged 80. He was musician (drums) and songwriter, member of Blues Incorporated and The Charlie Watts Tentetm, but was best known as a drummer of The Rolling Stones since 1963. Watts was featured on all the Rolling Stones albums. In 2006, he was inducted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”, and in 2016, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 12 on its “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time” list. In addition to his work with The Rolling Stones, Watts has released eleventh albums.
On March 4, 1957, “Specialty” label released “Here’s Little Richard”, the debut Little Richard album. It was recorded September 1955 – October 1956. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 50 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and ranked the track “Tutti Frutti” at number 43 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
Personnel:
Little Richard (Richard Penniman) – vocals, piano
Edgar Blanchard – guitar
Frank Fields – bass
Earl Palmer – drums
Lee Allen – tenor saxophone
Alvin “Red” Tyler – baritone saxophone
Huey Smith – piano
Justin Adams – guitar
William “Frosty” Pyles – guitar
Roy Montrell – guitar
Nathaniel Douglas – guitar
Lloyd Lambert – bass
Olsie Richard Robinson – bass
Oscar Moore – drums
Charles Connor – drums
Renald Richard – trumpet
Clarence Ford – tenor and baritone saxophone
Wilbert Smith – tenor saxophone
Grady Gaines – tenor saxophone
Joe Tillman – tenor saxophone
Clifford Burks – tenor saxophone
Jewell Grant – baritone saxohone
Track listing:
Tutti Frutti – Richard Penniman, Dorothy LaBostrie, Joe Lubin
True, Fine Mama – Richard Penniman
Can’t Believe You Wanna Leave – Leo Price
Ready Teddy – Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco
Baby – Richard Penniman
Slippin’ and Slidin’ – Richard Penniman, Eddie Bocage, Al Collins, James Smith
Long Tall Sally – Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell, Richard Penniman
On January 30, 1964, “Chess Records” label released “Folk Singer”, the fourth Muddy Waters studio album. It was recorded in September 1963, at “Tel Mar Recording” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Ralph Bass and Willie Dixon. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Folk Singer” at number 280 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
Personnel:
Muddy Waters – vocals, guitar
Buddy Guy – guitar
Sammy Lawhorn – guitar
James Madison – guitar
Otis Spann – harmonica, piano
Willie Dixon – bass
Milton Rector – bass
J.T. Brown – clarinet, tenor saxophone
Francis Clay – drums
Clifton James – drums
S.P. Leary – drums
Ron Malo – engineer
Vartan – art direction
Bob Schnieders – coordinator, liner notes
Mary Katherine Aldin – liner notes
Don Bronstein – cover design, photography
Jim Marshall – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Muddy Waters, except where noted.
My Home Is in the Delta
Long Distance
My Captain – Willie Dixon
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl – Sonny Boy Williamson
On January 16, 2021, Harvey Phillip Spector died aged 81. He was musician (guitar, piano), vocalist, songwriter and music producer. He developed music production “Wall of Sound”, he described as “Wagnerian approach to rock and roll”. Spector started the music career as member of the band Teddy Bears, at age of 21 he co-founded “Philles Records” and became the youngest ever US label owner to that point. In the 60’s he wrote songs or produced music for The Ronettes, The Crystals, Ike & Tina Turner, produced Beatles album “Let It Be”, and few solo John Lennon and George Harrison recordings. He also worked with Leonard Cohen, Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, Darlene Love, Ronnie Spector, The Wrecking Crew, The Righteous Brothers, and The Ramones. In 1973 Spector won “Grammy Award for Album of the Year” for co-producing Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh”, in 1989 he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and in 1997 he was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 63 on their list of “The Greatest Artists in History”.In 2009, he was convicted for the 2003 murder of the actress Lana Clarkson and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison, where he died.
On January 1976, Chester Arthur Burnett aka Howlin’ Wolf died aged 65. He was musician (guitar, harmonica), singer, and songwriter, one of best known Chicago blues artists. Some of his songs have like “Spoonful”, “Smokestack Lightnin’”, and “Killing Floor”, become standards, and have been recorded and performed by many blues and rock musicians. In 2011, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Wolf at number 54 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. As a leader he released 22 albums.
On January 7, 2020, Neil Ellwood Peart died aged 67. He was musician (drums, percussion), and songwriter, known by the nick name “The Professor”, but was best known as the drummer and the primary lyricist of the band Rush. Magazine “Rolling Stone” placed him at number 4 on its list of the “All Time Greatest Drummers”. In 1983, Peart was inducted into “The Modern Drummer Readers Poll Hall of Fame”, as the youngest person so honored.
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