Jazz

Died On This Date (August 11, 2011) Richard Turner / Friendly Fires; 27 Club

themusicsover August 11, 2011 No Comments

Richard Turner
DOB Unknown – August 11, 2011

Member of the 27 Club

Richard Turner was a young and respected English trumpet player who is perhaps best remembered for his three years performing live with popular UK alternative rock outfit, Friendly Fires. Turner also fronted his own alt.jazz combo, Round Trip which he formed in 2007 to showcase his improvisational skills. While swimming in a public pool in South London on August 11, 2011, Richard Turner went into cardiac arrest, and despite rescue efforts by trained lifeguards and paramedics, he passed away at an area hospital. He was 27.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus of the Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist

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Arranger Composer Jazz Musician

Died On This Date (July 26, 2011) Frank Foster / American Jazz Sax Great

themusicsover July 26, 2011 2 Comments

Frank Foster
September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011

Frank Foster was a jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger who is most often associated with Count Basie for whom he played for many years. Foster learned to play the sax and other wind instruments at a young age, and after going to college and serving in Korea for the U.S. Army, Foster joined the Count Basie Orchestra where he stayed for the next two decades. While in Basie’s employ, Foster also arranged many of his songs. That list includes “Shiny Stockings,” “Down For The Count,” and “Blues Backstage.” During the ’70s, Foster went off to play with Elvin Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, and Jimmy Smith. He rejoined the Count Basie Orchestra in 1986 and remained until 1995. Throughout his career, Foster also released numerous of his own albums for such prestigious labels as Blue Note, Savoy, and Concord. He also won two Grammys, and in 2002, he was awarded the Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts. In 2001, Foster suffered a stroke which left him unable to play, but he continued on as a band leader, composer, and arranger for many years to come. On July 26, 2011, Frank Foster passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 82.

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Jazz Musician Singer

Died On This Date (July 17, 2011) Gil Bernal / Respected L.A. Jazz Musician

themusicsover July 17, 2011 No Comments

Gil Bernal
February 4, 1931 – July 17, 2011

Gil Bernal was an esteemed jazz saxophonist and vocalist who, over a career that spanned some 60 years, became one of L.A.’s most in-demand session player, and played with a laundry list of the world’s greatest jazz musicians. Born in the Watts section of Los Angeles, Bernal grew up with future jazz greats Big Jay McNeely and Charles Mingus. He learned to play the sax as a youngster, and by the time he was in high school, he was playing local neighborhood parties and dances. And not long after graduating high school, Bernal was touring as part of Lionel Hampton’s band which at the time, included Little Jimmy Scott and Quincy Jones. He went on to form his own band which included Shelley Mann and Shorty Rogers. As an in-demand session player, Bernal played some of the most iconic sax solos on records by the likes of the Coasters, Ray Charles, Big Mama Thornton, and Duane Eddy. He also played in Spike Jones’ band for several years. And if that weren’t enough, Bernal could hold his own as a soulful singer as well. In 1967, his “The Eyes Of Love,” from the film Banning, was nominated for an Academy Award. And many of his other records, like “Can You Love A Poor Boy” and “To Make A Big Man Cry” are highly coveted by fans of Northern Soul. In recent years, Bernal was hand-picked by Ry Cooder to work with the Buena Vista Social Club as well as on Cooder’s 2005 release, Chavez Ravine. On July 17, 2011, Gil Bernal died of congestive heart failure. He was 80.

Jazz Latin Musician

Died On This Date (July 7, 2011) Manuel Galban / Buena Vista Social Club

themusicsover July 7, 2011 No Comments

Manuel Galban
January 14, 1931 – July 7, 2011

Manuel Galban was a Grammy winning musician and arranger who is perhaps best remembered for his work with Ry Cooder, Las Zafiros, and as a member of the popular Latin collective, Buena Vista Social Club. Born and raised in Cuba, Galban was still just a child when he began playing guitar in local bands, and when he was 14, he was hired on by Orchestra Villa Blanca for his first professional job. In 1963, he joined the immensely popular group, Las Zafiros, with whom he played for the better part of the next decade. Galban went on to perform with Cuba’s national music ensemble and then Grupo Batey for over 20 years. During the late ’90s, his talents reached an international audience when he performed as part of the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble in Wim Wenders‘ critically acclaimed documentary of the same name. That led to a partnership with Cooder who also participated in the film. In 2001, Galban and Cooder released Mambo Sinuendo which earned the pair a Grammy. Manuel Galban died of cardiac arrest on July 7, 2011. He was 80.

Thanks to Benjie Gordon for the assist

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Jazz Musician Producer R&B Songwriter

Died On This Date (July 5, 2011) Alphonso “Fonce” Mizell / Motown Hit Maker

themusicsover July 5, 2011 No Comments

Alphonzo Mizell
January 15, 1943 – July 5, 2011

Alphonzo “Fonce” Mizell was an American record producer and songwriter who, as part of the Corporation production team at Motown, penned and produced virtually every Jackson 5 hit between 1969 and 1971. That list includes “ABC,” “I Want You Back,” and “The Love You Save.” Mizell was also an accomplished musician dating back to his childhood when he, his brother, Larry Mizell and a school friend performed and recorded demos as a doo-wop group, the Nikons. After high school, Mizell attended Howard University where he studied the trumpet under the great Donald Byrd. Around this time, the Mizell brothers founded their own record label, Hog Records where they produced and released just one record, the Moments’ “Baby, I Want You,” which has been known to go for as much as $2500 to collectors. Fonce eventually went to work for Berry Gordy at Motown where, besides the Jackson 5, he worked on hits by the likes of Edwin Starr and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. Following his tenure at Motown, Fonce and his brother Larry formed their own production team, known affectionately as the Mizell Brothers, but professionally as Sky High Productions. They went on to produce several classic jazz albums for Blue Note which were recognized for their influence on jazz fusion and acid jazz. Albums of note included Byrd’s Black Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey’s Blacks And Blues. They also scored several disco-era hits including A Taste Of Honey’s “Boogie-Oogie-Oogie,” and L.T.D.’s “Love Ballad.” The Mizell Brothers’ influence continued to reach a new generation of fans well into the 2000s thanks to samples popping up in songs by the likes of Guru, A Tribe Called Quest and J Dilla. Alphonso Mizell was 68 when he passed away on July 5, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.

Died On This Date (August 11, 2011) Richard Turner / Friendly Fires; 27 Club

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Died On This Date (July 26, 2011) Frank Foster / American Jazz Sax Great

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Died On This Date (July 5, 2011) Alphonso “Fonce” Mizell / Motown Hit Maker

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