Died On This Date (August 9, 1974) Bill Chase, Wally Yohn, John Emma, Walter Clark / Chase

Bill Chase
October 20, 1934 – August 9, 1974

Wally Yohn
DOB Unknown – August 9, 1974
John Emma
DOB Unknown – August 9, 1974
Walter Clark
DOB Unknown – August 9, 1974

Bill Chase, John Emma, Wally Yohn and Walter Clark were members Chase, an early ’70s jazz rock band whose sound was not dissimilar to Chicago or Blood, Sweat & Tears.  Formed in the late ’60s by Bill Chase, a trumpet player who had previously played with Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson, the band released their debut album in 1971.  That album, Chase earned them a Best New Artist Grammy nomination.  Known for their rousing live shows, the band toured the world, in many cases blowing the headlining act off the stage.  They recorded a few more albums and had some personnel changes over the next couple of years.  While working on their fourth album in August of 1974, the band were en route to perform at a fair in Minnesota. Bad weather caused the plane to crash, killing Bill Chase, Wally Yohn, Walter Clark and John Emma as well as the pilot and a female passenger.



Died On This Date (July 26, 1995) Laurindo Almeida

Laurindo Almeida
September 2, 1917 – July 26, 1995

Laurindo Almeido was a world-class Brazilian guitarist.  Almeida was one of the most popular Spanish guitarist performing in and around Rio de Janeiro when he was invited to join Stan Kenton’s band in 1947.  After he moved to America, Almeido played with Kenton and became an in-demand session player.  Almeido’s guitar work can be heard in many classic films including The Godfather, Camelot, A Star Is Born, and The Old Man And The Sea.  He recorded many albums throughout his career, with a handful of them winning him Grammy awards.  Laurindo Almeido passed away on July 26, 1995 at the age of 77.



Died On This Date (June 15, 1982) Art Pepper / Jazz Sax Great

Art Pepper
September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982

artpepperArt Pepper was one of West Coast Jazz’s great saxophone players of the ’40s and ’50s, sharing the stage with the likes of Benny Carter and Stan Kenton, and later, Buddy Rich.  Unfortunately, Pepper was addicted to heroin and served approximately twelve years spread over four separate terms throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s, even serving two in San Quentin.  No doubt due to these breaks in his career, he was never able to reach the heights he might have.  Art Pepper died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 56.

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Died On This Date (June 6, 1991) Stan Getz / Jazz Great

Stan Getz (Born Stan Gayetzky)
February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991

Stan Getz was a jazz saxophone player who earned the nickname, “The Sound” because of his warm mellow tone.  Although he tried his hand at several different instruments, it was the saxophone he received from his father at 13 that Getz connected with.  He reportedly practiced as much as eight hours a day and was soon playing in the All City High School Orchestra of New York City.   And remarkably, Getz was hired at just 16 years old to play in Jack Teagarden’s band.  He would go on to play with the likes of Nat King Cole, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton before he was barely into his 20s.   Throughout the ’50s and ’60s, Getz came to exemplify all that was “cool jazz.”  He also dabbled in bossa nova, partnering with Tom Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto to record the classic album, Getz/Gilberto from which their Grammy-winning hit “The Girl From Impanema” came from.  In the ’70s, Getz moved toward fusion, recording with Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea.  Stan Getz struggled with drug and alcohol addiction from an early age, which likely lead to his death from liver failure at the age of 64.

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Getz / Gilberto - Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto & Stan Getz