Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bheki Mseleku was born Bhekumuzi Hyacinth Mseleku on March 3, 1955 in South Africa. Entirely self-taught, though his father was a musician and teacher, his religious belief denied musical access to his children. Growing up in Apartheid he was subjected to restricted healthcare and lost the upper joints of two fingers in a go-karting accident.
His musical career began in Johannesburg in 1975 as an electric organ player for the R&B band Spirits Rejoice. After performing at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1977, Mseleku settled in Botswana for a time, then moved to London in the late 1970s. He attempted to settle into the jazz scene in Stockholm from 1980 to 1983, but returned to London. It was not until 1987 that Bheki made his debut at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, playing piano unaccompanied by other musicians, with a saxophone in his lap that a wider audience became familiar.
With the release and notoriety of his 1991 debut album Celebration, and subsequent nomination for a Mercury Music Prize that Verve Records signed him for several albums. The first of these featured Joe Henderson, Abbey Lincoln, and Elvin Jones.
Twelve years and five albums later Bheki recorded his final session “Home at Last” in 2003, having spent most of his last years in South Africa. He never found an outlet for his skills and established a new band in London that was very well received by fans. Over the course of his life Bheki Mseleku lived with diabetes and on September 9, 2008 the pianist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer and arranger passed away in his London flat at age 53.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Orrin Keepnews born March 2, 1923 in Bronx borough of New York City and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English in 1943. And was subsequently involved in bombing raids over Japan in the final months of World War II before returning for graduate studies at Columbia in 1946.
While working as an editor for the book publishers Simon & Schuster he moonlighted as editor of The Record Changer magazine in 1948 and by 1952 along with the magazine’s owner Bill Grauer, produced a series of reissues on RCA Victor’s Label “X”. The following year they founded Riverside Records, which was originally devoted to reissue projects in the traditional and swing jazz idioms.
Signing pianist Randy Weston was the label’s first modern jazz artist, who helped them to begin paying attention to the current jazz scene. Their most significant early move came in 1955, when they were made aware of the availability of Thelonious Monk, who was leaving Prestige and from this point, the label concentrated on the burgeoning modern jazz scene.
Keepnews produced significant young artists as Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Griffin, Jimmy Heath and was soon rivaling Blue Note and Prestige as a New York independent jazz label. In 1961, Keepnews produced what many regard as one of the greatest live jazz recordings of all time with the Bill Evans Trio, Sunday At The Village Vanguard and Waltz For Debby. However, in 1963 Grauer died of a heart attack and a year later the company was bankrupt, closing the Riverside doors. Not to be trumped, Keepnews founded Milestone Records in ’66 and released albums by McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz and Gary Bartz. 1972 saw him in San Francisco as jazz A&R for Fantasy Records who bought both Riverside and Milestone masters.
Returning to freelancing he opened the doors of Landmark Records in 1985 that eventually passed to Muse Records in 1993. Over the course of his career he has won several Grammy Awards, including Best Album Notes and Best Historical Album; was given the Trustees Award for Lifetime Achievement, received an NEA Jazz Masters Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 in the field of jazz.
He continued to be responsible for extensive reissue compilations, including the Duke Ellington 24CD RCA Centennial set in 1999 and Riverside’s Keepnews Editions series. Orrin Keepnews, writer and record producer, passed away on March 1, 2015 in El Cerrito, California.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Norman Connors was born on March 1, 1947 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became interested in jazz as a child when he began to play drums and while in middle school once sat in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance. He continuing music studies took him to Temple University and Julliard.
His first recording was on Archie Shepp’s 1967 release, Magic of JuJu and then played with Pharoah Sanders for the next few years. In 1972 he signed with Cobblestone Records and released his first album as a leader. He went on to front some great jazz recordings with Carlos Garnett, Gary Bartz, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Herbie Hancock such as “Love From the Sun”.
By the mid 70s Norman’s focus leaned more towards R&B, scoring several U.S. hits with songs and love ballads featuring guest vocalists such as Michael Henderson, Jean Carn and Phyllis Hyman. He also produced recordings for various artists, including collaborations with Carn and Hyman and also Norman Brown, Al Johnson, and Marion Meadows.
Norman Connors is a drummer, composer, arranger and producer who has recorded for Buddah, Arista, Capitol, Motown and Shanachie record labels; worked with Howard Hewitt, Bobby Lyle, Ray Parker Jr., Peabo Bryson and Antoinette and has since ventured into disco and smooth jazz and urban crossover arenas.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Claire Daly was born on February 26, 1959. At the age of 12 she began playing the saxophone and was soon turned onto jazz by way of a live performance by the Buddy Rich Big Band. She went on to attend Berklee College Of Music and upon graduation she became a full-time professional musician.
In the late 70s and early 80s Claire played with various groups in the jazz and rock arenas, and her powerful tenor saxophone suited the latter perfectly. However, playing more jazz than rock, Daly switched to the baritone saxophone and has worked in New York City since the mid-80s.
>A seven-year association with the all-female big band, Diva, was followed with her working with People Like Us. Daly’s versatility moves between jazz, R&B and Latin, releasing two CDs as a leader for Koch Records and three on her own label DalyBread.
Her influences include Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Sonny Rollins and, on baritone, Serge Chaloff, Ronnie Cuber and Leo Parker. She has performed with Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Joe Williams, and Rosemary Clooney among many others, and her first CD Swing Low resides in the William Jefferson Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Claire Daly, a gifted improviser whose rich tone and emotional depth has earned her a place as a respected member of the baritone saxophone family, continues to lead her own jazz groups and to pass the gift of music on to the next generation.
Diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2023, baritone saxophonist and composer Claire Daly died at the residence of a friend in Longmont, Colorado, on October 22, 2024, at the age of 66.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dave Weckl: The Drummer Who Redefined Fusion
Born on January 8, 1960, in St. Charles, Missouri, Dave Weckl discovered his calling early. During his years at Francis Howell High School, he was already making heads turn behind the drum kit. His passion led him to the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, where he immersed himself in jazz studies and refined the technical prowess that would soon make him one of the most sought-after drummers in the world.
Conquering the Big Apple
Fresh out of college, Weckl plunged into New York City’s electric fusion scene—and the city immediately took notice. His combination of precision, power, and musicality quickly caught the attention of major artists. Before long, he was laying down grooves for an eclectic mix of superstars: Paul Simon, Madonna, George Benson, Michel Camilo, Robert Plant, and bassist Anthony Jackson. Each collaboration showcased a different facet of his versatility.
The Chick Corea Years
Weckl’s profile skyrocketed when he joined forces with keyboard legend Chick Corea in 1985. Over the next seven years, he became an integral voice in both Corea’s groundbreaking Elektric Band and the more intimate Akoustic Band. These weren’t just gigs—they were masterclasses in contemporary jazz fusion that cemented Weckl’s reputation as a drummer’s drummer.
During this prolific period, Weckl somehow found time to maintain a busy session schedule, appear with the star-studded GRP All-Star Big Band, and record four albums with the Manhattan Jazz Quintet. His calendar was a testament to both his work ethic and his universal appeal.
Finding His Own Voice
After departing from Corea’s band in the early 1990s, Weckl embarked on new adventures—recording and touring with the brilliant guitarist Mike Stern while simultaneously launching his solo career. Since 1990, he has released ten albums as a leader, seven of them featuring his own Dave Weckl Band, each one pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz and fusion.
Evolution and Education
Never content to rest on his laurels, Weckl has also shared his knowledge through a popular series of instructional videos that have influenced countless aspiring drummers. But perhaps his most dramatic transformation came around 1996, when his studies with the legendary teacher Freddie Gruber prompted a radical reimagining of both his playing style and drum setup—proof that even masters never stop learning.
Still Behind the Kit
Today, Dave Weckl continues to perform, record, and tour, bringing his distinctive blend of technical brilliance and musical sensitivity to audiences around the world. For anyone who loves the sound of perfectly executed rhythm married to genuine artistry, a Dave Weckl performance remains an essential experience.
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