Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Preston Haynes Love was born on April 26, 1921 in Omaha, Nebraska, grew up in North Omaha and graduated from North High.
He became renowned as a professional sideman and saxophone balladeer in the big band heyday, being a member of the bands of Nat Towles, Lloyd Hunter, Snub Mosley, Lucky Millinder and Fats Waller before getting his big break with the Count Basie Orchestra at age 22. Love played and recorded with the Count Basie band from 1945–1947 and played on Basie’s only #1 hit record, Open The Door Richard.
He eventually became a bandleader himself, playing with Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, his friends Johnny Otis and Wynonie Harris, with whom he had several hits. In 1952, he launched the short-lived Spin Records, as a joint effort with songwriter Otis René (When It’s Sleepy Time Down South). The label released material by the Preston Love Orchestra, among others.
By the early 1960s he was working with Ray Charles in California and Aretha Franklin, eventually becoming Motown’s West Coast house bandleader. He played and toured with The Four Tops, The Temptations, Tammi Terrell, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and others. Preston also recorded with Nichelle Nichols, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa, Shuggie Otis, T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder, among numerous others.
Love continued touring the U.S. and Europe into the 2000s, additionally lecturing and writing about the history he was part of. In his later years he returned to Omaha, wrote a book, led bands, the last of which featured his daughter vocalist Portia Love, drummer Gary E. Foster, pianist Orville Johnson, and bassist Nate Mickels. He also held down the position of advertising agent for the city’s local newspaper, Omaha Star, a local newspaper serving the city’s Black community. He appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Play Misty For Me with the Johnny Otis band.
Saxophonist, bandleader, and songwriter Preston Love, who was inducted into the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame, passed away on February 12, 2004 after a battle with prostate cancer.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Rick Henderson was born on April 25, 1928 in Washington, D.C. and studied composition as a high schooler and played locally in the late 1940s. He served in the Army from 1951 to 1953, then joined Duke Ellington’s Orchestra after being recommended by Clark Terry.
He played with Ellington during his years on Capitol Records, doing arrangements in addition to his duties as a player. He also composed tunes such as Carney for the Ellington band. After leaving Ellington’s employ in 1956, Rick returned to D.C. where he led the Howard Theatre’s house band until 1964.
Following this he worked as an arranger and composer for jazz orchestras, military bands and school ensembles. Among those who used his charts, in addition to Ellington, were Count Basie, Illinois Jacquet, and Billy Taylor. Henderson continued to lead bands into the 1990s, including the University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble from 1977 to 1978.
Saxophonist and arranger Rick Henderson passed away from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease on May 21, 2004.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Narada Michael Walden was born on April 23, 1952 in Kalamazoo, Michigan and after graduating from college he was a member of rock bands in Miami, Florida.
Atlantic Records released his first album, Garden of Love Light, in 1977, followed by I Cry I Smile and The Awakening. The latter album charted during the 1980s including a duet with Patti Austin and appeared on the Bright Lights, Big City movie soundtrack.
Fusing jazz with R&B he built his studio in 1985 and produced music for The Temptations, Stacy Lattisaw, Aretha Franklin, Angela Bofill, Lisa Fischer, Sister Sledge, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Whitney Houston, Clarence Clemons, George Benson, Kenny G, Lionel Richie, Al Jarreau, and Mariah Carey.
Walden has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won three including Best R&B Song for Freeway of Love; Producer of the Year, Non-Classical; and Album of the Year for The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album.
Drummer, keyboardist and bassist Narada Michael Walden, who got his nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy, is currently the drummer for Journey.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Lou Stein was born on April 22, 1922 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and joined Ray McKinley’s band in 1942. He played with Glenn Miller when the latter was stateside during World War II.
After the war he worked with Charlie Ventura from 1946 to 1947 and became a session musician. He performed with the Lawson-Haggart Band, Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, Louie Bellson, Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young.
Recording as a bandleader, in 1957 he had a U.S. Top 40 hit with Almost Paradise, as well as a Top 60 hit with his cover version of Got a Match the following year. From 1969 to 1972 he played with Joe Venuti.
Pianist Lou Stein passed away on December 11, 2002.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
John G. Blowers Jr. was born April 21, 1911 in Spartanburg, South Carolina and learned to play percussion during his schooldays and began performing with the Bob Pope Band in 1936.
After attending Oglethorpe College, in 1937 he travelled to New York City, where he found employment as a drummer in Greenwich Village. In 1938 he joined Bunny Berigan’s band, and in 1942 he began performing with the up-and-coming Frank Sinatra, who asked Johnny to record with him. They performed and recorded together regularly until the 1950s.
In 1947, he opened Club Blowers in the Queens district. In addition to Sinatra, Blowers performed with Louis Armstrong, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Sidney Bechet, Eddie Fisher, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, and Mel Tormé.
Johnny Blowers, drummer of the swing era, passed away on July 17, 2006.
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