On December 3, 2025, Steven Lee Cropper died aged 84. He was musician, songwriter, record producer and actor, known as “The Colonel”. He was the guitarist of the “Stax Records” house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He was also member of the Blues Brothers Band, and recorded and performed with many other artists including Alabama, Jimmy Barnes, William Bell, Barbi Benton, Big Star, Stephen Bishop, Frank Black, Bobby and the Midnites, Booker T. & MG.’s, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Burnette, Brian Cadd, Cate Brothers, Chicago, David Clayton Thomas, A. J. Croce, Patti Dahlstrom, Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Yvonne Elliman, Jose Feliziano, Eddie Floyd, Peter Frampton, Richie Furay, Art Garfunkel, Cyndi Grecco, Levon Helm, Chris Hillman, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Etta James, Wynonna Judd, Albert King, B.B. King, Al Kooper, John Lennon, Ann Margret, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Craig Morgan, Aaron Neville, Wayne Newton, Harry Nilsson, John Oates, Nigel Olsson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Wilson Pickett, Michel Polnareff, John Prine, Otis Redding, Bruce Roberts, Leon Russell, Sanford & Townsend, Leo Sayer, Poncho Sanchez, Guy Sebastian, Neil Sedaka, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Broderick Smith, The Soul Children, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staple, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Carla Thomas, Mickey Thomas, Wendy Waldman, Tower of Power, The Manhattan Transfer, Dale Watson and Jerry Lynn Williams. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him 36th on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists”. Cropper won two “Grammy Awards”, and as leader or co-leader Cropper released 13 albums.
Tag Archives: The Manhattan Transfer
Weather Report: Procession
In February 1983, “Columbia” label released “Procession”, the eleventh Weather Report album. It was recorded in 1982, and was produced by Josef Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.
Personnel:
- Josef Zawinul – keyboards
- Wayne Shorter – soprano and tenor saxophones
- Victor Bailey – bass
- Omar Hakim – vocals, drums, guitar
- José Rossy – percussion, concertina
- The Manhattan Transfer – vocals
- Neil Dorfsman, Tom Fouce, Mitch Gibson, Tom Miller – engineer
- John Lykes – cover artwork
- Bruce Talamon – photography
Track listing:
- Procession – Josef Zawinul
- Plaza Real – Wayne Shorter
- Two Lines – Josef Zawinul
- Where the Moon Goes – lyrics by Nan O’Byrne and Josef Zawinul, music by Josef Zawinul
- The Well – Wayne Shorter, Joseph Zawinul
- Molasses Run – Omar Hakim
David Williams
On March 6, 2009, David Williams died aged 58. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar), vocalist, song writer and music producer, known as a prominent and most in demand session guitarist. He worked with The Dells, The Temptations, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Chanson, The Pointer Sisters, Peter Allen, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Julio Iglesias, George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, Michael McDonald, Melissa Manchester, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Dionne Warwick, Shalamar, Go West, ABC, Boz Scaggs, Karen Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Julian Lennon, Bryan Ferry, Paul McCartney, Johnny Mathis, Del Shannon, Chaka Khan, Paul Hardcastle, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Lionel Richie, Jessica Simpson, Diana Ross, the Crusaders, Andraé Crouch, Eddie Murphy, Herbie Hancock, Peter Cetera, Whitney Houston and Monkey Business. As leader he released two albums.
Jay Migliori
On September 2, 2001, Jay Migliori died aged 70. He was a musician (saxophone), a founding member of Supersax, a Charlie Parker tribute band. Some artists he performed and recorded with include Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, The Beach Boys, Frank Zappa, Frank Sinatra, Maynard Ferguson, The 5th Dimension, Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Gene Ammons, Paul Anka, David Axelrod, Hoyt Axton, The Byrds, Captain & Tennille, Harry Chapin, Leonard Cohen, Albert Collins, Dick Dale, Neil Diamond, Woody Herman, Tito Puente, The Manhattan Transfer, Harry Nilsson, Van Dyke Parks, Esther Phillips, Helen Reddy, The Righteous Brothers, The Tubes, Loudon Wainwright III, Joe Williams, Brian Wilson, and Neil Young. As a leader, Migliori released three albums.
Richie Cole
On May 2, 2020, Richie Cole died aged 72. He was composer, arranger and musician (saxophone), began to play alto saxophone when he was ten years old, encouraged by his father, who owned a jazz club in New Jersey. In the 70’ he created his own “alto madness” bebop style. In the 90’s he formed The Alto Madness Orchestra. Cole recorded and performed with many musicians such as Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, Doc Severinsen, Eddie Jefferson, Nancy Wilson, Tom Waits, The Manhattan Transfer, Hank Crawford, Freddie Hubbard, Eric Kloss, Bobby Enriquez, Phil Woods, Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Greg Abate, Les DeMerle, Allan Harris, Jim Holman, Vic Juris, Peter Lauffer, Oliver Nelson, Anita O’Day, Red Rodney, Janine Santana, Mark Murphy, Sonny Stitt and Boots Randolph. In 2005, Cole was awarded the “State of California Congressional Certificate of Lifetime Achievement in Jazz” on behalf of the “Temecula Jazz Society”.
The Manhattan Transfer: Same
On April 2, 1975, “Atlantic” label released the self – titled, second Manhattan Transfer studio album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Ahmet Ertegün and Tim Hauser.
Personnel:
- Tim Hauser– vocals, vocal arrangements, arrangements
- Laurel Massé– vocals, vocal arrangements, tambourine
- Alan Paul– vocals, vocal arrangements
- Janis Siegel– vocals, vocal arrangements
- Jerry Friedman – guitar
- Ira Newborn– guitar, musical director, conductor, arrangements
- Don Grolnick– piano, electric piano, clavinet
- Richard Tee– organ, electric piano
- Murray Weinstock – organ
- Andy Muson – bass guitar
- Roy Markowitz – drums
- Daniel Ben Zebulon – congas
- Phil Bodner, Jerry Dodgion, George Dorsey, Harvey Estrin, David Sanborn, George Young – alto saxophone
- Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone
- Mike Rod – tenor saxophone
- Zoot Sims– tenor saxophone
- Michael Brecker, Seldon Powell, Mike Rod, Frank Vicari – tenor saxophone
- Lew Del Gatto, Wally Kane – baritone saxophone
- Randy Brecker, Mel Davis, Jon Faddis, Marky Markowitz, Bob McCoy, Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm – trumpet
- Phil Bodner, Wally Kane, Seldon Powell – clarinet
- Wayne Andre, Garnett Brown, Paul Favlise, Mickey Gravine, Quentin Jackson, Alan Raph – trombone
- Geoffrey Haslsm, Gene Paul – engineer
- Lew Hahn – recording, remix
Track listing:
- Tuxedo Junction – Erskine Hawkins, William Johnson, Buddy Feyne, Julian Dash
- Sweet Talking Guy – Doug Morris, Elliot Greenberg
- Operator – William Spivery- (derived from “Operator, Operator” by Sister Wynona Carr)
- Candy – Mack David, Joan Whitney, Alex Kramer
- Gloria – Esther Navarro
- Clap Your Hands – Ira Newborn, The Manhattan Transfer
- That Cat Is High – M. Williams
- You Can Depend on Me – Earl Hines, Charles Carpenter
- Blue Champagne – Frank Ryerson, Grady Watts, Jimmy Eaton
- Java Jive – Milton Drake, Ben Oakland
- Occapella – Allen Toussaint
- Heart’s Desire – Hugh X. Lewis, George Cox, James Dozier, Ralph Ingram, Bernard Purdie
The Manhattan Transfer: Coming Out
On August 19, 1976, “Atlantic” label released “Coming Out”, the third Manhattan Transfer (The) album. It was recorded in 1975, and was produced by Richard Perry.
Personnel:
- Tim Hauser– vocals, arrangements
- Laurel Massé– vocals, arrangements
- Alan Paul– vocals, arrangements
- Janis Siegel– vocals, arrangements
- Ira Newborn– guitar, autoharp, arrangements
- Ben Benay, Robert Bowles – guitar
- Dave Frishberg– Clavinet, keyboards, piano
- Paul Griffin– keyboards, organ, synthesizer
- Dr. John– piano, keyboards
- John Barnes, Clarence McDonald– piano
- Arthur Jenkins– piano, arranger
- Mike Melvoin– piano
- Bill Payne, Roger Steinman – piano
- Steve Paietta – accordion
- Andy Muson – double bass, bass guitar
- Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, David Kemper, Roy Markowitz, Jim Nelson, Rick Shlosser, Ringo Starr– drums
- Ralph MacDonald– congas, percussion
- Nicky Marrero – percussion, timbales
- Johnny “Dandy” Rodriguez Jr– bongos, percussion
- Bobbye Hall, Doug Thorngren – percussion
- Michael Brecker– soprano and tenor saxophone
- Jackie Kelso– tenor and baritone saxophone
- Jay Migliori– tenor saxophone
- Randy Brecker– trumpet
- Douglas Botnick, Lewis Hahn, Rick Rowe – engineer
- Douglas Botnick, Lewis Hahn, Rick Rowe – engineer
- Howard Steele – engineer, remixing
- Dennis Devlin, Dan Latham, Tim Sadler – engineer assistant
- Allen Zentz – mastering
- Tim Hauser– assistant producer
- Tim Hauser– assistant producer
Track listing:
- Don’t Let Go – Jesse Stone
- Zindy Lou – Johnny Moore, Eddie Smith
- Chanson D’Amour – Wayne Shanklin
- Helpless – Holland-Dozier-Holland
- Scotch and Soda – Dave Guard
- The Speak Up Mambo (Cuentame) – Al Castellanos
- Poinciana(The Song Of The Tree) Nat Simon, Buddy Bernier
- O.S – Ron Roker, Gerry Shury, Phil Swern
- Popsicle Toes – Michael Franks
- It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference – Todd Rundgren
- The Thought of Loving You – David White
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