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Billy Bang (1947-2011): An Appreciation
By S. Victor Aaron The jazz world suffered a significant loss Monday with the passing of violinist Billy Bang. Reportedly afflicted with lung cancer, Bang, born William Vincent Walker, was 63 years old. Given his stage name from friends as a youth, a name taken from a cartoon character, Bang's life was anything but comical. He ...
Bob "Sir Bob-O" Washington, 1922-2011
In Kirkland, WA, on March 20th, 2011, one day shy of his 89th birthday, Bob Washington—"Sir Bob-O"—left this world to join the very large Jazz ensemble in a better place, joining his friends and heroes, “Satchmo," “Duke," “Count," “Hamp," “Pres," “Bird," and many others after a brave, lengthy battle with heart and lung ailments. Known and ...
Jazz Violinist Billy Bang Dies
American jazz violinist Billy Bang has died at the age of 63. The musician passed away on Monday (11, Apr 2011) after reportedly battling lung cancer, according to publication Jazz Times. Born William Walker in Alabama, the star embarked on a career in music after serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He went ...
Jazz violinist Billy Bang dead at 63
One of Rochester's favorite musicians, jazz violinist Billy Bang, has died at the age of 63. Over the past decade Bang appeared many times in Rochester, including a collaboration with Garth Fagan Dance. A favorite at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, Bang was scheduled to play on the first day of the 2011 festival (running ...
A Celebration of Ron Hudson
Monday, April 11—Jazz Alley 2033 6th Avenue, Seattle Time: 7:00pm (Program starts at 7:30pm) Vocalist and author Katy Bourne published a nice piece on Ron Hudson that we'd like to share: The Seattle jazz community lost a dear friend with the recent death of photographer Ron Hudson. For over three decades, Ron photographed some of the ...
R.I.P. Pinetop Perkins
JULY 7, 1913-MARCH 21, 2011 Legendary bluesman Pinetop Perkins passed away yesterday at his home in Austin, TX. He was 97 years old. A highly influential piano man, Perkins played with luminaries like Earl Hooker and Sam Philips before spending more than a decade playing with Muddy Waters. In 1980, he left to form The Legendary ...
Singer's Sister Killed in Crossfire
Patrice Thimes, the sister of St. Louis jazz singer Denise Thimes, was shot and killed Thursday night in St. Louis. Police reports say that Thimes was driving through the intersection of Page Ave. and North Euclid at 9:55 p.m. when she was hit by a stray bullet from a gun battle between two groups of young ...
R.I.P. Melvin Sparks
ACID JAZZ GREAT PASSES AWAY AT 64 Legendary Soul/Jazz/Funk guitarist Melvin Sparks died yesterday due to complications from diabetes. He was 64 years old. Sparks was noted for his pioneering Acid Jazz guitar style in the 60s and 70s, influencing generations of musicians in his wake, including Galactic, The Greyboy Allstars, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Derek ...
Melvin Sparks - R.I.P.
Guitarist Melvin Sparks, a soul-jazz legend and acid-jazz pioneer, died yesterday at his Mt. Vernon, New York, home from heart failure. He would have turned 65 next week. Reports indicate he died from complications associated with diabetes. Sparks made his name in the late '60s and early '70s as a soulful guitarist—or “gittar" player, as he ...
Melvin Sparks (1946-2011)
Melvin Sparks, a much-in-demand soul-jazz guitarist who recorded with virtually all of the great organists of the late '60s and '70s and pioneered a sound that borrowed from Grant Green and Sly Stone, died on March 13 . He was 64. Sparks was at his best playing a muscular, groovy rhythm guitar behind organists like Leon ...
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