Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Born John Norman Mapp on March 31, 1928 and raised in Queens, New York. He started his music career as a singer with the U.S. Army band during World War II while stationed in Europe. Receiving his honorable discharge, he returned home to continue singing in New York City.
After an evening of performing, Dinah Washington went uptown to a Harlem night club to hear Norman sing at his debut. Impressed by his performance she adopted him as her protégé, encouraged him to continue singing and writing songs, and helped him start his career as a soloist and big-band musician.
As a composer, Mapp’s songs include Jazz Ain’t Nothin’ but Soul, I Worry ‘Bout You, Mr. Ugly, In the Night, Free Spirits, and Foul Play. His songs have been performed by Count Basie, Betty Carter, Marvin Gaye, Gigi Gryce, Peggy Lee, and Arthur Prysock.
Vocalist and composer Norman Mapp, who never regretted making music his career…because it brought him a wealth of experience, passed away in 1988.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Mharlyn Merritt was born on March 30, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of bassist Jymie Merritt. A vocalist rooted in jazz, R&B and classic soul, she has collaborated with her brother Michael on a recording titled Alone Together. She has paid tribute to cabaret with her Jukebox Reveries: Love Songs from the American Songbook as well as experimenting with other genres of music.
A novelist and poet with a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Mharlyn is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Jazz Performance and an Interdisciplinary Arts Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
Her band Messenger, she has opened fr Hugh Masekela, Eddie Palmieri, and Richard Beltzer among others. She has graced numerous sessions as a background vocalist at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Having lived in New York and London vocalist Mharlyn Merritt currently resides in Philadelphia and continues to write, perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Maria Katindig-Dykes was born in the Philippines on March 21, 1955 into a renowned musical family to legendary jazz pianist, Romy Katindig. In the family music business since the age of 16, she has performed a wide variety of musical styles, but her true passion is for jazz and bossa nova.
During the Seventies, she performed in a pop-rock ensemble called Circus Band, who represented the Philippines at the Tokyo Music Festival in the 1970s. Maria went on to play Silahis International Playboy Jazz Club and was the featured vocalist for 3 years at the Top of the Hilton, both in Manila.
A move to Honolulu, Hawaii where she met her future husband, jazz pianist, arranger and composer, Jimmie Dykes, and together they formed Pacifica, a jazz ensemble that became a very popular music attraction performing in the clubs in the Pacific arena.
Riverside in Southern California was her next stop for the artist with performances at many of the regional universities, at Mario’s Place, and the Silver Screen Jazz Club at the Hyatt on Sunset in Hollywood, alongside internationally renowned jazz artists Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel.
In 2005, diagnosed with cancer, she successfully waged a battle that left her happily performing today with No More Blues! It is a pleasant undertaking featuring eleven covers of pop and jazz standards. Among the best are “Favela” and “In Walked Bud”.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Patrick John Halcox, born March 18, 1930 in Chelsea, London, was originally offered a band spot earlier but elected to continue his studies as a research chemist. Ken Colyer was invited to fill the vacancy in 1953, which became known as the Ken Colyer Jazz Band, playing in a New Orleans style with Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan and Monty Sunshine.
The band effectively parted company with Colyer in 1954 after a dispute about its musical direction. Halcox took Colyer’s place, in what then become Barber’s group and as the original six-piece band eventually grew to eleven members, he remained present. Although primarily the trumpet player, he had a fine singing voice and led the band’s various renditions of Ice Cream, one of their most popular standards. He also played piano on the Lonnie Donegan recording of Digging My Potatoes.
The Pat Halcox Allstars did make a recording of their own during a Chris Barber Band summer break, now re-released as a Lake Records CD. Trumpeter and vocalist Pat Halcox announced his retirement from the Chris Barber Band at the age of 78, effective in 2008 and passed away on February 4, 2013 at the age of 82.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Ray Ellington was born Henry Pitts Brown on March 17, 1916 at 155 Kennington Road, Kennington, London, England, the youngest of four children. His father, a Black music-hall comedian, and entertainer, his mother a Russian Jew. When his father died when he was four years old, he was brought up as an Orthodox Jew and attended the South London Jewish School before entering show business at the age of twelve, when he appeared in an acting role on the London stage.
His first break came in 1937 when he replaced Joe Daniels in Harry Roy and His Orchestra as the band’s drummer. His vocal talents were put to good use too, from the time of his first session when he recorded Swing for Sale. Ellington was called up in 1940, joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a physical training instructor where he served throughout the war. He played in various service bands including RAF Blue Eagles.
After demobilisation, Ellington resumed his career, fronting his own group, playing at The Bag O’Nails club. Early in 1947, he rejoined the Harry Roy band for a few months. The Ray Ellington Quartet was formed in the same year, specializing in jazz, while experimenting with many other genres. His musical style was heavily influenced by the comedic jump blues of Louis Jordan. His band was one of the first in the UK to feature the stripped-back guitar/bass/drums/piano format that became the basis of rock and roll, as well as being one of the first groups in Britain to prominently feature the electric and amplified guitar of Lauderic Caton. The other members of his quartet were pianist Dick Katz and bassist Coleridge Goode until 1955 when the players changed.
Vocalist, drummer and bandleader Ray Ellington passed away from cancer on February 27, 1985.
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