Died On This Date (December 26, 2016) Alphonse Mouzon / Jazz Fusion Pioneer
themusicsover Alphonse Mouzon
November 21, 1948 – December 26, 2016
Alphonse Mouzon was a jazz drummer who came to be one of the architects of American jazz fusion during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Born in Charleston, SC, Mouzon realized in high school that he had what it took to make a living as a musician. Upon graduation, he moved to New York City where he studied music and drama. Mouzon’s first gig of note was playing percussion in the Broadway show, Promises, Promises. He then went to work with jazz great, McCoy Tyner, and spent about a year in Weather Report before being signed to Blue Note Records as a solo artist in 1972. In 1973, he joined up with Larry Coryell‘s Eleventh House, one of the premiere fusion bands of its time. He played with Coryell for about two years and can be heard on such albums as Introducing The Eleventh House and Level One. Throughout his career, which spanned over 45 years, Mouzon also recorded or performed with the likes of Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Roberta Flack, Robert Plant, Stevie Wonder, and Eric Clapton – to name a few. Alphonse Mouzon died from neuroendocrine carcinoma on December 26, 2016. He was 68.
What You Should Own
Colonel Abrams was an American R&B singer who launched his career in 1976 and rose to fame during the mid-’80s. His biggest hit was 1985’s “Trapped,” which cracked the Top 5 in the UK and topped the US Dance single charts. A follow-up single, “I’m Not Gonna Let You” charted on several dance and R&B charts and further helped lay the foundation of House Music. Abrams’ self-titled debut ultimately reached #75 on the Billboard Top 200, as well as #13 on their R&B Album chart. He went on to release three more albums over the next decade along with several more club and dance hit singles. In 2007 and 2008, Abrams released a handful of new singles on his own Colonel Records. In more recent years, he could be seen performing at ’80s revival shows. Sadly, it has been reported that Abrams was homeless and living in poor health as recently as 2015. Colonel Abrams was 67 when he passed away on November 24, 2016. Cause of death was not immediately released.