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Francisco Aguabella Afro-Cuban Percussionist Dies
Source:
Michael Ricci
Aguabella, a sacred drummer of the Santeria religion, left Cuba in the 1950s. He performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Palmieri, Carlos Santana and the Doors.
Francisco Aguabella plays the conga drums in Hollywood. He was the master of masters," says Danilo Lozano, an ethnomusicology professor and former bandmate.
Francisco Aguabella, an Afro-Cuban percussionist considered a master sacred drummer who also had a wide-ranging career in jazz and salsa, has died. He was 84.
Aguabella ...
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Flora Thornton, L.A. Philanthropist and Arts Patron, Dies at 96
Source:
Michael Ricci
The USC School of Music bears her name. Among her many activities, she was a member of the LA Opera board and helped establish its young artist program.
Flora Thornton donated to many Los Angeles institutions but was best known for her contributions to the citys musical culture. (Los Angeles Times / February 19, 1997) Flora Laney Thornton, a longtime Los Angeles philanthropist and patron of the arts who was the namesake of USC's School of Music, has died. She ...
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Walter Sear, an Audio Engineer with a Passion for Analog, Dies
Source:
Michael Ricci
Walter Sear, an audio engineer whose steadfast devotion to pre-digital recording technology led him to maintain a studio with vintage, analog equipment, a risk that paid off in recent years as musicians like Norah Jones, Wilco and Wynton Marsalis flocked there for its rich natural sound.
Sear died on April 29 in Manhattan. He was 80 and lived on the Upper West Side. The cause was complications of a subdural hematoma, or bleeding from the brain, after he injured himself ...
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Max Palevsky: Computer Magnate and Philanthropist Dies
Source:
Michael Ricci
A founder of Intel, the billionaire donated lavishly to political causes and the arts. He was a key backer of L.A.'s first black mayor, Tom Bradley.
Billionaire Max Palevsky donated lavishly to politics and the arts as well as to other eclectic pursuits. In certain well-connected circles, Max Palevsky was known as the billionaire patron of Los Angeles' first black mayor, Tom Bradley. But his portfolio resembled a conglomerate's. A baron of the early computer industry, he helped found the ...
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In Memoriam William Lubtchansky: French Cinematographer
Source:
All About Jazz
It is with a sense of personal loss that I convey word, published in Libration, of the death, at the age of seventy-two, of William Lubtchansky, the French cinematographer who was a crucial participant in many of the greatest French films--indeed, many of the greatest films in the world--in the last forty years.
I met him only once, in 2001, when he granted me an interview that turned into a long and amicable talk at his home in Paris (concluding ...
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Rob McConnell (1935-2010)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Rob McConnell, a revered Canadian bandleader, valve trombonist, arranger and composer whose swinging versions of standards raised him to near cult status among his many global fans, died May 1st in Toronto. He was 75.
In an age when many big bands are viewed today as uneven relics, McConnell's crisp arrangements and straight-shooter stage presence helped him build a significant following. Part of McConnell's success was his ability to stand still and deliver what fans wanted. By clinging to a ...
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Lynn Redgrave Dies at 67 After Breast Cancer Battle
Source:
Michael Ricci
Actress Lynn Redgrave died Sunday night at her Connecticut home with her three children and other friends present, her rep tells the Associated Press. The younger sister of Vanessa Redgrave had battled breast cancer for years after finding a lump in 2002. “She lived, loved and worked harder than ever before," her children said in a statement. “The endless memories she created as a mother, grandmother, writer, actor and friend will sustain us for the rest of our lives." The ...
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Rob McConnell: 1935-2010
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Another significant Canadian contributor to jazz is gone. Barely more than a week after Gene Lees died comes news that Rob McConnell lost his long struggle with cancer yesterday in a Toronto hospital. A valve trombonist, arranger, composer and leader, McConnell made his Boss Brass one of the significant big bands of the latter part of the twentieth century and into the first decade of this one.
Here he is with the Boss Brass on a visit to the US ...
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