I know its a tads late but i must put this blog about the legendary Stanley William Tracey CBE 1926-2013 Stan was this countries best Jazz pianist. Stan was in-house pianist at Ronnie Scott's from 1960 to1967 Stan played with people like Sonny Rollins Yusef Lateef Stan Getz Salina Jones and many many others far to many to mention but i think his proudest moment is when he played with his son Clark Tracey who is an amazing percussionist in his own right.
Thank you for your music Stan
Frank's 100th Birthday Born Francis Albert Sinatra (Frank) was a Jazz and popular music writer composer and singer oh yes i forgot to add actor producer and director i think you can safely say he had it in bucket loads. Frank was one of the most influential artists in the 20th centuary he sold more than 150 million records world wide. Frank was proberly best known for being part of the Rat Pack with Sammy Davisjnr Dean Martin the ones we all know but there was also another two who were Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.
Fantstic news there has been a second order for the bio-documentary "AMan in a Hurry" the Tubby Hayes story the dvd is selling like hot cakes through HMV and other leading retalers this is a fabulous piece of British Jazz history and a fabulous insight into our very home grown jazz musicians a great addition for all jazz lovers congratulations Mark Baxter and Lee Cogswell and everyone else involved (incuding arttozoot as we supplied some of the photography) i hope this now gets picked up by either the BBC or Sky Arts as it deserves it
It would had been Nat Adderley's bitrthday on the 25th November .... Nat who played cornet and trumpet who played hard bop and soul jazz generes was the brother of Cannonball Adderley the sax player Nat lived in his brothers shadow for many years was and amazing mucisian in his own right
Watching a bio of Clark Terry on Netflix called "Keep On Keeping On" a must see late in life Bio of a thouroghly nice man and Jazz legend
Cytnthia Robinson trumpeter and co founder of the band Sly and the Family Stone has sadly passed away aged just 69 losing her battle with cancer
Bengt- Arne Wallin the Swedish jazz musician composer and arranger has sadly passed away on 23rd November 2015 aged 89
Happy Birthday today To Diana Krall the Canadian born musician best known for her contralto vocals and her fluid jazz piano playing selling over 15 million albums world wide
Today would have been Zoot Sims Birthday born 29th October 1925 (born John Haley (zoot) Sims) a Jazz saxophonist Alto and Tenor played with many of the greats including Buddy Rich Al Cohn Annie Ross Count Basie and Art Pepper he even had a Muppet sax playing character named after him (Zoot)
Yusef Lateef born on 9th October 1920.... today would had been his 95th Birthday Lateef played many instruments including the flute sax and oboe he played along side many of the greats including Dizzy Gillespie and Cannonball Adderley but his greatest success was with his own bands and doing his own projects ...... Freddy always loved telling the story of how Brother Yuseef knocked on his London apartment door and excitedly asking if he could come in and use Freddys record deck as he had just brought a new record album and couldnt wait till he got home to listen to it so Freddy and Yusef spent the afternoon relaxing chatting listening to music and having a coffee
