Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Albert Laurence Di Meola was born July 22, 1954 in Jersey City, New Jersey and grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey where he got his education through high school. When he was eight years old, he was inspired by Elvis Presley and the Ventures to start playing guitar. His teacher directed him toward jazz standards.
Attending Berklee College of Music in the early 1970s, by nineteen he was hired by Chick Corea to replace Bill Connors in the pioneering jazz fusion band Return to Forever with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. He recorded three albums with the band, all of which cracked the Top 40 U.S. Billboard pop albums chart. After the group disbanded in 1976, Al set out on a solo recording career demonstrating his mastery of jazz fusion, flamenco, and Mediterranean music.
His debut solo album Land of the Midnight Sun in 1976 led to his follow-up His 1977 sophomore album Elegant Gypsy that went gold. His early albums were influential among rock and jazz guitarists. He went on to explore Latin music within jazz fusion, the electronic side of jazz, and along with Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck composed the Miami Vice theme.
Throughout his career he explored his acoustic side, world music and modern Latin styles in addition to jazz and rediscovering his love of the electric guitar in 2006, In 2018, Di Meola was awarded an honorary doctorate of music from his alma mater, Berklee College of Music.
Guitarist Al Di Meola, who cites his jazz influences as guitarists George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Clarence White and Doc Watson, continues to push the envelope with his music.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Chuck Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 21, 1947. He began guitar lessons at the age of 14 and by 1963, he was teaching guitar and playing in a band.
At the age of 19, he began studies with Dennis Sandole, who was notable for his association with John Coltrane, James Moody, Michael Brecker, Pat Martino and Jim Hall.
In 1969, Anderson was offered the staff guitar job at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The Latin was a popular venue before gambling came to Atlantic City. During that period, he accompanied and performed with Bobby Darin, Billy Eckstine, and Peggy Lee, playing fourteen shows a week.
By 1973 Chuck had returned to jazz and formed the Chuck Anderson Trio with Al Stauffer on bass and Ray Deeley on drums. Four years later, he was the staff guitar job at Valley Forge Music Fair in Devon, Pennsylvania.
During the years leading up to the Eighties he worked with Nancy Wilson, Michel LeGrand, and Anthony Newley. In the years that followed, he concentrated on teaching, composing, and session work.
He has written a column, The Art and Science of Jazz, for the web magazine All About Jazz. Guitarist, educator, composer, and author Chuck Anderson continues his career in music.
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Three Wishes
When Tiny Grimes responded to Pannica’s inquiry, he only had a single wish:
- “I don’t need but one: security. Pay my rent, my automobile. The rest would take care of itself. Just give me a telephone, so I can get to my gigs.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Morty Corb was born Mortimer Gerald Corb on April 10, 1917 in San Antonio, Texas. He played four years with Bob Crosby’s television program, Morty also worked extensifly as a studio session musician in studios, appearing on some 300 recordings. He worked in Disneyland bands after moving to California in 1947.
Particularly interested in scary, haunted house stuff, in 1973 Morty developed the “Hallowed Haunting Grounds”, a trick or treating evening with a special flair for theatrical effects that made his homemade shenanigan impressive even to the Tinsel Town crowd.
His name has been mentioned alongside Wrecking Crew studio bassist Carol Kaye, he curbed his session availability as the rock and roll era progressed or perhaps regressed. The bassist instead went to work at Disneyland, playing in the attraction’s bands but also mingling with special effects folk.
Corb’s long career began in 1946 and lasted until his death. He performed and recorded with Pete Fountain, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Pearl Bailey, Louis Armstrong, Claude Thornhill, Kid Ory, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Pete Kelly, Barney Kessel, Claire Austin, George Van Eps, Eartha Kitt, Mel Lewis, Earl Grant, Red Nichols, Wild Bill Davison, Muggsy Spanier, Plas Johnson, Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson, Jonah Jones, and Billy May among numerous others.
Double bassist Morty Corb, whose only album as a leader recorded in Los Angeles, California was his 1957 Strictly From Dixie featuring His Dixie All Stars, passed away on January 13, 1996 Las Vegas, Nevada..
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bernard “Bunny” Brunel was born in Nice, France on March 2, 1950 and took up the electric and acoustic bass when he was fifteen. A self taught musician, he did attend for a time a classical conservatory to learn the basic technique of playing with the bow on the bass.
Brunel is a founding member of the jazz fusion band CAB along with Dennis Chambers, and Tony MacAlpine. Since their formation in 2000, they have released four studio albums and two live albums. Their second album, CAB 2, received a nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards. Other musicians who have been members of CAB include Patrice Rushen, Virgil Donati, David Hirschfelder, and Brian Auger.
Bassist Bunny Brunel, who has played with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter, and who has recorded ten albums as a leader, is involved in musical instrument design, film and television scoring, continues to perform and record.
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