On June 16, 1939, Ella mourned the loss of her mentor Chick Webb. In his absence the band was renamed "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Band," and she took on the overwhelming task of bandleader. Perhaps in search of stability and protection, Ella married Benny Kornegay, a local dockworker who had been pursuing her.
Which concert allowed Ray Brown to meet and perform with Oscar Peterson for the first time?
You had to up your game. July 7, 1990, at the Hollywood Bowl was my first gig with Oscar and Ray. We were wearing tuxedos and I had completely sweated through by the end of that first song — and I was just playng brushes! I thought: 'Boy, this takes a lot, just to get through one tune.”Feb 17, 2018
Ray Brown, byname of Raymond Matthews Brown, (born October 13, 1926, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died July 2, 2002, Indianapolis, Indiana), American string bassist and one of the greatest of all jazz virtuosos.
Nicholas Caldwell, an original member of the R&B vocal group the Whispers, died on Tuesday at his home in San Francisco. He was 71. Willette Ballard, a representative for the group, said the cause was congestive heart failure.Jan 7, 2016
Bassist Ray Brown Dies
Bassist Ray Brown, one of the most important musicians in jazz, lending his impeccable support to the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, died Tuesday. He was 75.
Bley, Corea, Schneider Top Critics Poll
The 69th Annual DownBeat International Critics Poll delivered a warm blanket to a jazz community shivering through the…
Lasting Impressions of Bill Evans
Bill Evans’ discography is immense, beginning with his first recordings as a sideman in 1953 and running through…