Results for "Dee Dee McNeil"

Dee Dee McNeil

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Dee Dee McNeil's first published poetry was in the early 60's. She became a part of the legendary Motown Record Company on West Grand Blvd as a Contract Songwriter, (singing and playing piano)and is still receiving royalty money for tunes she penned on The Four Tops, Edwin Starr, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, David Ruffin, Kiki Dee and more. Later, she had hit records on Bob Marley's wife Rita (The Beauty of Gods Plan) and a big seller on Nancy Wilson, (There'll Always Be Forever). In 1970 she relocated to the Los Angeles area. In 1971 she recorded her original songs and poetry with the Watts Prophets group

Phil Perry Performs Despite Pacemaker Operation

June 4, 2013

Phil Perry performed Saturday, May 25th at the San Diego Jazz Festival with the Kim Waters band. It's questionable if anyone in the crowd had the faintest idea that Phil Perry had gone into the hospital just three days prior to the festival and had his heart Pacemaker replaced and a new one installed along with ...

Getting To Know Peggy Duquesnel

March 4, 2013

“Seems Like I Know You” EP due April 16th, first single features Lorber, Haslip and Braun Long Beach, CA (4 March 2013): Transitioning from straight-ahead jazz and inspirational music to showcase her skillset as a contemporary singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist Peggy Duquesnel got to know jazz fusion keyboard pioneer Jeff Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets) ...

Jazz Great Barbara Morrison To Be Honored in "A Benefit Evening of Jazz Legends For Barbara Morrison" at Local 47 Musicians Union in Hollywood, CA on September 11th

September 5, 2011

Music producers Stuart Elster and Richard Simon will present A Benefit Evening of Jazz Legends for Barbara Morrison, co-hosted by Helen Borgers, on-air talent for KJAZZ 88.1 FM and James Janisse, on-air talent for KCRW 89.9 FM for One Night Only on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at Local 47 Musicians Union; 817 Vine Street; Hollywood, CA ...

Remembering Abbey Lincoln: August 6, 1930 - August 14, 2010

August 15, 2010

I met Abbey Lincoln in the early 1970's in Watts and interviewed her for the Soul and Jazz Record Magazine in 1976. Here are some excerpts from that interview. You may not recognize the name “Aminada Moseka" but the moment you see those bright, brown eyes twinkling from beneathe a cluster of beaded braids; as soon ...

Mikan Zlatkovich: Come Together

by Dee Dee McNeil
April 15, 2010

Although The Beatles' “Come Together" is a commercially apropos title for keyboardist Mikan Zlatkovich's premier CD, it's his original compositions that are the highlights. “Four Plus One" is upbeat and very funky, with Zlatkovich employing a Yamaha ES90X keyboard to punch the rhythm while singing a repeatable melody hook with his busy right hand. The trio's ...

Babatunde Lea Quintet tributes Leon Thomas at Catalina Bar & Grill

by Dee Dee McNeil
March 20, 2010

Babatunde Lea QuintetTribute to Leon Thomas Catalina Bar & Grill Hollywood, California March 10, 2010 Four musicians quietly walked onto the Catalina Bar & Grill stage greeted by enthusiastic applause. But where was the bandleader? From the dressing room, Babatunde Lea sang to the packed room, with ...

Betty Bryant: No Regrets

by Dee Dee McNeil
February 5, 2010

Fondly referred to as the “Cool Miss B," Betty Bryant is a native of Kansas City who relocated to Los Angeles in 1955. One of a thimble full of stalwart female pianists and vocal stylists, Bryant packed the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood in November, 2009 to celebrate the release of her appropriately titled No Regrets ...

Alan Hewitt: Retroactive

by Dee Dee McNeil
January 14, 2010

The CD artwork to Alan Hewitt's Retroactive looks like a reproduction from the old TV series, Miami Vice. Hewitt is dressed in a white suit with V-neck T-shirt, shades and shoulder-length blond hair. As a pianist and smooth jazz keyboardist, he travels on a flashback journey in both his attire and music. Hewitt opens ...

Stanley Jordan at Catalina Jazz Club, Hollywood, CA

by Dee Dee McNeil
June 8, 2008

Stanley Jordan TrioCatalina Jazz ClubHollywood, CaliforniaMay 22, 2008 On this night Stanley Jordan mesmerized the audience with his unique, spellbinding guitar mastery. Using chords that were dissonant yet stunningly beautiful, he dangled the first tune's introduction before his audience like a hypnotist's pocket watch. We tried to guess what song was coming, our ...