On October 19, 2025, Anthony Claiborne Jackson died aged 73. He was musician (electric bass, contrabass, guitar), bassist, regarded as “one of the masters of the instrument”. He performed live in more than 30 countries and recorded in more than 3000 sessions on more than 500 albums, with Al Di Meola, Billy Paul, Carlos Garnett, Roberta Flack, Patti Austin, Alex Bugnon, Michel Camilo, Jorge Dalto, Mandoki Soulmates, Will Downing, Carlos Franzetti, Jun Fukamachi, Eric Gale, Terumasa Hino, Garland Jeffreys, Chaka Khan, Steve Khan, Tania Maria, Harvey Mason, Michel Petrucciani, Buddy Rich, Lee Ritenour, Mike Stern, Hiromi Uehara, Grover Washington Jr., Monty Alexander, Peter Allen, Gabriela Anders, Ashford & Simpson, Fahir Atakoglu, Anita Baker, Bob Baldwin, Gato Barbieri, Thereza Bazar, Jim Beard, Bee Gees, George Benson, Warren Bernhardt, Randy Bernsen, Rory Block, Perry Botkin Jr., Ralph Bowen, Till Brönner, Peabo Bryson, Jimmy Buffett, Dina Carroll, Dennis Chambers, Sandeep Chowta, John Clark, Norman Connors, Chick Corea, Hank Crawford, Randy Crawford, Lou Courtney, Eddie Daniels, Michael Davis, Rainy Davis, Eumir Deodato, Devonsquare, Paul Dresher, Ned Rothenberg, Gene Dunlap, Eliane Elias, Pee Wee Ellis, Jon Faddis, Donald Fagen, Joe Farrell, Rachelle Ferrell, Barry Finnerty, Sonny Fortune, Hiroshi Fukumura, Four Tops, Henry Gaffney, Carlos Garnett, Stephane Grappelli, Urbie Green, Michael Gregory, Dave Grusin, Kit Hain, Delores Hall, Lionel Hampton, Gene Harris, Takehiro Honda, Lena Horne, Miki Howard, Bobbi Humphrey, Phyllis Hyman, Masaru Imada, Freddie Jackson, Joe Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones, Ryo Kawasaki, Earl Klugh, Kahoru Kohiruimaki, Wayne Krantz, Bireli Lagrene, Yusef Lateef, Webster Lewis, Dave Liebman, Reggie Lucas, Ralph MacDonald, Teo Macero, Madonna, Teena Marie, Sleepy Matsumoto, Maureen McGovern, Sergio Mendes, Pat Metheny, Bette Midler, Barry Miles, Russell Morris, Gerry Mulligan, Milton Nascimento, David “Fathead” Newman, Maxine Nightingale, Claude Nougaro, The O’Jays, Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Peter, Paul & Mary, Esther Phillips, Simon Phillips, Noel Pointer, Jesse Rae, Ernest Ranglin, Lou Rawls, Jess Roden, Diana Ross, Ray Russell, Sam & Dave, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, Alejandro Sanz, Lalo Schifrin, Helen Schneider, John Scofield, John Sebastian, Doc Severinsen, Carly Simon, Edward Simon, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Kathy Sledge, Lonnie Liston Smith, Steve Smith, Phoebe Snow, Bert Sommer, David Spinozza, Steely Dan, Jeremy Steig, Charles Sullivan, Ximo Tebar, Nino Tempo, John Tropea, Michal Urbaniak, Dave Valentin, Luther Vandross, Harold Vick, Roch Voisine, Martha Wash, Kazumi Watanabe, Sadao Watanabe, Frank Weber, Dave Weckl, James D-Train Williams, Vanessa Williams, Nancy Wilson, Bernie Worrell and Akiko Yano. As co – leader Jackson released three albums.
Tag Archives: Will Downing
Russell Malone
On August 23, 2024, Russell Malone died aged 60. He was musician (guitar), recorded and performed with Jimmy Smith, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall, Benny Green, Ron Carter, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Kenny Barron, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jack McDuff, Mulgrew Miller, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Sonny Rollins, Houston Person, David Sanborn, Mose Allison, Kenny Barron, Gary Bartz, Stefano Di Battista, David Benoit, Don Braden, Gary Burton, Regina Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, The Chieftains, Jimmy Cobb, Natalie Cole, Will Downing, Jon Faddis, Macy Gray, Dave Grusin, Vincent Herring, Shirley Horn, Freddie Hubbard, Etta Jones, B. B. King, Gladys Knight, Jeff Lorber, Christian McBride, Bill Mobley, New York Voices, Johnny O’Neal, Kenny Rankin, Tony Reedus, Stephen Scott, Janis Siegel, Terell Stafford, Joss Stone, Billy Taylor, Steve Turre and Gerald Wilson. As leader, Malone released 15 albums.
Billy Joel: River of Dreams
On August 10, 1993, “Columbia” label released “River of Dreams”, the twelve Billy Joel studio album. It was recorded in 1992, at The Boathouse at the “Island Boatyard” in Shelter Island, NY, “Cove City Sound Studios” in Glen Cove, NY and “The Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Billy Joel, Danny Kortchmar, Joe Nicolo and David Thoener. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; Platinum in Austria by “IFPI Austria”; 3 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada; Platinum in Germany by “BMVI”; 2 x Platinum in Ireland by “IRMA”; Platinum in Japan by “RIAJ”; Platinum in Netherlands by “NVPI”; Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”; Platinum in Switzerland by “IFPI Switzerland”; Platinum in UK by “BPI”; and 5 x Platinum in US by “RIIA”.
Personnel:
- Billy Joel – lead and backing vocals, clavinet, Hammond organ, piano, organ, synthesizer, keyboards
- Tommy Byrnes – guitar
- Mike Tyler – guitar
- Leslie West – guitar
- Danny Kortchmar – guitar
- Jeff Jacobs – synthesizer, additional programming
- Jeff Lee Johnson – bass
- Schuyler Deale: bass
- Chuck Treece – bass
- M. Stevens – bass
- Lonnie Hillyer – bass
- Liberty DeVitto – drums
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Zachary Alford – drums
- Andy Kravitz – percussion
- Jim Saporito – percussion
- Richie Cannata – tenor sax
- Arno Hecht – baritone sax
- Laurence Etkin – trumpet
- Osvaldo Melindez – trombone
- Wrecia Ford – backing vocals
- Color Me Badd – backing vocals
- David Witworth – backing vocals
- Frank Simms, George Simms – backing vocals
- Crystal Taliefero – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- Marlon Saunders – choir vocals, backing vocals
- Phillip Ballou, Katreese Barnes, Dennis Collins, Will Downing, Frank Floyd, Diane Garisto, Stephanie James, Devora Johnson, Corliss Stafford, Brenda White-King – choir vocals
- Curtis Rance King, Jr.- choir conductor and contractor
- Ira Newborn: orchestration
- Bob Thrasher, Bradshaw Leigh, Dave Wilkerson, Jay Healy – recording
- Carl Glanville, Joe Nicolo, Phil Nicolo, Dick Grobelny – engineer
- Dan Hetzel, Brian Vibberts – engineer
- Niko Bolas, David Thoener, Joe Nicolo, Phil Nicolo – mixing
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Jeff Schock – art concept
- Christopher Austopchuk – art direction
- Christie Brinkley – cover painting
- Sara Rotman – design
- Glen Erler – photography
- Lewis Del Gatto: orchestra manager
- Bill Zampino – production coordinator
- Andrew Baker, Artie Smith, Courtney Spencer, Dave Hofbauer, David Hewitt, Doug Kleeger, Greg Garland, Howie Mendelson, Jon “J.D.” Dworkow*, Larry DeMarco, Laura Delia, Lester Baylinson, Peter Goodrich, Steve Bramberg – technical support
Track listing:
All tracks by Billy Joel.
- No Man’s Land
- The Great Wall of China
- Blonde Over Blue
- A Minor Variation
- Shades of Grey
- All About Soul
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
- The River of Dreams
- Two Thousand Years
- Famous Last Words
