|
Ghost Writer (album)
''Ghost Writer'' is the second solo album by Garland Jeffreys, released by A&M Records in 1977. It was recorded with an all-star lineup of session musicians, including Dr. John, The Brecker Brothers, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd, Hugh McCracken, David Spinozza, and Leon Pendarvis. Alongside the tracks specially recorded for the album, it includes Jeffreys' earlier song "Wild in the Streets", recorded with Dr. John and his band and released as a single by Atlantic Records in 1973. The album peaked at No. 140 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Critical reception AllMusic wrote that the album "covers a lot of ground in ten songs, but it never gets lost on its whirlwind ride around the city, and if it became a cult item rather than a mainstream success, anyone who gives this a fair hearing is likely to conclude it's the work of an artist of the first order." ''The Boston Globe'' called it "a classic of the era, with hints of doo-wop, easy skanking, and even a little disco, all scuffed up wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garland Jeffreys
Garland Jeffreys (born June 29, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter in rock and roll, reggae, blues, and soul music. Career Jeffreys is from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, of African American and Puerto Rican heritage. He majored in art history at Syracuse University, where he met Lou Reed before The Velvet Underground became active. In 1966, Jeffreys began to play in Manhattan nightclubs including Gerde's Folk City, The Bitter End, Gaslight, Kenny's Castaways and later Reno Sweeney, where he began to explore racially conscious themes in his work, sometimes utilizing blackface masks and a rag doll named Ramon in performance. Jeffreys played guitar on John Cale's 1969 debut solo album ''Vintage Violence'' and contributed the song "Fairweather Friend". In 1969 he founded Grinder's Switch with Woodstock-area musicians including pianist Stan Szelest, guitarist Ernie Corallo, and percussionist Sandy Konikoff. Lewis Merenstein, producer of Van Morrison's ''Astral Weeks'', produced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leon Pendarvis
Leroy Leon Pendarvis (born 1945) is an American session musician. He plays keyboards and is a background vocalist. He is also an occasional guitarist. The artists he has worked with over the years include Bonnie Raitt on her ''Streetlights'' album which was released in 1974, Van McCoy on his ''Disco Baby'' album which was released in 1975, Barbra Streisand on her '' Songbird'' album which was released in 1978, Eric Clapton on his ''August'' album which was released in 1986, Don Johnson on his '' Let It Roll'' album which was released in 1989, Avril Lavigne on her '' Keep Holding On'' album which was released on 2007, and many more. He was at one time a member of the group Passion. He is also the musical director and conductor for NBC's '' Saturday Night Live'' (SNL) Band. Since 1986 he has been a member of The Blues Brothers band. He was the husband of singer and chorist Janice Pendarvis (born Janice Gadsden), who sang for Roberta Flack, Sting, Philip Glass, David Bowie, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Lasley
David Eldon Lasley (August 20, 1947 – December 9, 2021) was an American recording artist, singer, musician and songwriter. He was best known as a touring background singer for James Taylor, as a session singer on recordings by artists including James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Bette Midler, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs; as a songwriter for artists including Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Maxine Nightingale, Rita Coolidge, Crystal Gayle, and Luther Vandross; and for his solo albums, albums with his 1970s vocal group Rosie, and for his early years in Detroit with his vocal group The Utopias. His best known songs include Maxine Nightingale's " Lead Me On" (co-written with Allee Willis), The Manhattan Transfer's "Shaker Song" (co-written with Willis and Jay Beckenstein), and Boz Scaggs' "Jojo" (co-written with Scaggs and David Foster. In 1980, David Lasley was signed by David Geffen to Geffen Records. At the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arnold McCuller
Arnold McCuller (born August 26, 1950) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was active as a solo artist and session musician, but is perhaps best known for his work as a touring back-up singer with artists such as James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Phil Collins, Beck, Bonnie Raitt, and Todd Rundgren. He toured for forty-five years with Taylor and is an audience favorite for his featured vocal parts on the songs " Shower the People", "I Will Follow", and "Is That the Way You Look". He has also toured extensively with Collins and is one of the main lead vocalists on the live version of "Easy Lover". In 2010 McCuller joined the Troubadour Reunion Tour supporting James Taylor and Carole King. Film McCuller has had numerous acting parts in films, particularly in movies centered on music, such as ''American Hot Wax'' (1978) and ''The Hollywood Knights'' (1980). He appeared in the film '' The Sum of All Fears'' singing "The Star ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on November 27, 1945, in the Philadelphia suburb of Cheltenham to a musical family. His father Bob (Bobby) was a lawyer who played jazz piano and his mother Sylvia was a portrait artist. Randy described his father as "a semipro jazz pianist and trumpet fanatic. In school when I was eight, they only offered trumpet or clarinet. I chose trumpet from hearing Diz, Miles, Clifford, and Chet Baker at home. My brother (Michael Brecker) didn't want to play the same instrument as I did, so three years later he chose the clarinet!" Randy's father, Bob, was also a songwriter and singer who loved to listen to recordings of the great jazz trumpet players such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown. He took Randy and his younger brother Mic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 2004, and was inducted into the ''DownBeat'' Jazz Hall of Fame in 2007. Biography Early life and career Michael Brecker was born in Philadelphia and raised in Cheltenham Township, a local suburb. He was raised in a Jewish—and artistic—family: his father, Bob (Bobby), was a lawyer who played jazz piano and his mother, Sylvia, was a portrait artist. Michael Brecker was exposed to jazz at an early age by his father. He grew up as part of the generation of jazz musicians who saw rock music not as the enemy but as a viable musical option. Brecker began studying clarinet at age 6, then moved to alto saxophone in eighth grade, settling on the tenor saxophone as his primary instrument in his sophomore year. He graduated from Chelte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Sanborn
David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school. One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s, Sanborn is described by critic Scott Yannow as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B, and crossover players of the past 20 years." He is often identified with radio-friendly smooth jazz, but he has expressed a disinclination for the genre and his association with it. Early life Sanborn was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri. He suffered from polio for eight years in his youth. He began playing saxophone on a physician's advice to strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing, instead of studying piano. Alto saxophonist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Cohn
Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist Zoot Sims. Biography Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to his work as a jazz tenor saxophonist, Cohn was widely respected as an arranger. His work included the Broadway productions of ''Raisin and ''Sophisticated Ladies'', and his arrangements of his own compositions were recorded by big bands led by Maynard Ferguson, Gerry Mulligan, Terry Gibbs and Bob Brookmeyer. Also, Cohn did arrangements for unreleased Linda Ronstadt recordings from the 1980s. Cohn also appeared on stage with Elvis Presley in June, 1972, as a member of the Joe Malin Orchestra at Madison Square Garden. Al Cohn died of liver cancer in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in 1988. Cohn's first wife was singer Marilyn Moore. His son, Joe Cohn, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rubens Bassini
Rubens Bassini (January 26, 1933 in Rio de Janeiro – September 1985) was a percussionist, who played bongos and congas above all. He played together with the band Os Ipanemas: Astor Silva; (trombone), Marinho (bass), Wilson das Neves (drums) and Neco (guitar). He also played with Judy Collins, João Gilberto, Sérgio Mendes, Chuck Mangione, Dom Salvador, Carly Simon, Spyro Gyra, Eumir Deodato and Dave Grusin, predominantly Bossa Nova. Discography *''Rubens Bassini E Os 11 Magnificos'' 1960 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil re- issued 2002 *''Rubens Bassini Y Los Latinos'' 1963 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil re -issued 2010 *''Rubens Bassini with Sérgio Mendes and Brasil'' '66, 77, 88 *''Deodato - Deodato 2'' - 1973 (CTI Records) *'' The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux'' - 1976 (Atlantic Records) As sideman With Herbie Mann *'' Brazil: Once Again'' (Atlantic, 1977) With Chuck Mangione *'' Main Squeeze'' ( A&M, 1976) With Jimmy McGriff *'' Tailgunner'' (LRC, 1977) With Don Sebesky *'' G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Grolnick
Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a session musician, he recorded with John Scofield, Billy Cobham, Roberta Flack, Harry Chapin, Dave Holland, Bette Midler, Marcus Miller, Bob Mintzer, Linda Ronstadt, David Sanborn, Carly Simon, J. D. Souther, Steely Dan, and James Taylor. Career Grolnick was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Levittown, New York. He began his musical life on accordion but later switched to piano. His interest in jazz began as a child when his father took him to a Count Basie concert, and soon after they also saw Erroll Garner perform at Carnegie Hall. He attended Tufts University with a major in philosophy. After he left Tufts, he formed the jazz-rock band Fire & Ice with Ken Melville on guitar and Stuart Schulman, his friend since childhood, on bass guitar. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rick Marotta
Richard Thomas Marotta (born January 7, 1948) is an American drummer and percussionist. He has appeared on recordings by leading artists such as Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Stevie Nicks, Wynonna, Roy Orbison, Todd Rundgren, Roberta Flack, Peter Frampton, Quincy Jones, Jackson Browne, Al Kooper, Waylon Jennings, Randy Newman, Kenny G, The Jacksons, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Warren Zevon, and Linda Ronstadt. He is also a composer who created music for the popular television shows ''Everybody Loves Raymond and Yes, Dear. Biography Marotta was born in New York City and taught himself to play drums at the age of nineteen. He was in a band called The Riverboat Soul Band, which released an album called ''Mess-up'' in 1968. Marotta spent several years in the early 1970s as the drummer for his own group, the short-lived Brethren. Tom Cosgrove sang and played lead, Stu Woods played bass, and Mike Garson played keyboar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its coverage of rock music and political reporting by Hunter S. Thompson. In the 1990s, the magazine broadened and shifted its focus to a younger readership interested in youth-oriented television shows, film actors, and popular music. It has since returned to its traditional mix of content, including music, entertainment, and politics. The first magazine was released in 1967 and featured John Lennon on the cover and was published every two weeks. It is known for provocative photography and its cover photos, featuring musicians, politicians, athletes, and actors. In addition to its print version in the United States, it publishes content through Rollingstone.com and numerous international editions. Penske Media Corporation is the current ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
