Moody Blues

The band, formed in 1964, originally featured Denny Laine as lead singer and Clint Warwick on bass guitar, Ray Thomas on Flute, and Graeme Edge on drums. In late 1966, Laine was replaced on lead guitar and vocals by Swindon-born Justin Hayward and Warwick was replaced on bass guitar and vocals by fellow Brummie, John Lodge. Both assumed the roles of main songwriters for the band and it was then that they were transformed from a mainly covers band to a unique combination of classical, symphonic, progressive and psychedelic rock.

Their debut album by the new line-up, ‘Days of Future Passed’, featured a full orchestra conducted by Peter Knight, subsequent recordings were performed entirely by band members on a wide variety of instruments - including the distinctive sounds of Mike Pinder on the mellotron. The album included the title song and "Nights In White Satin" which became a big hit single.

Between 1967 and 1972, the band released seven multi-million selling studio albums and performed worldwide sell-out tours. After a hiatus of five years, during which most of the members released solo and duo projects (most notably the album ‘Blue Jays’ and the single ‘Blue Guitar’ by Justin Hayward and John Lodge in 1975; the album ‘Songwriter’ and the single ‘One Lonely Room’ by Justin Hayward in 1977; the album ‘Natural Avenue’ by John Lodge in 1977; and Justin Hayward’s collaboration with Jeff Wayne on the 1978 concept album ‘The War of the Worlds’ and the singles taken from it, ‘Forever Autumn’ and ‘The Eve of the War’), the band reformed and released the album ‘Octave’ and the singles ‘Stepping in a Slide Zone’ and ‘Driftwood’. Keyboard player, Mike Pinder, left the band soon after recording of ‘Octave’ was complete and was replaced by Patrick Moraz, formerly of Yes. The band embarked on a world “comeback” tour that took the best part of a year, culminating in a show at Wembley in November 1979.

Their 1981 album, ‘Long Distance Voyager’ (the first with Patrick Moraz on keyboards), saw them back at the No. 1 spot. The videos accompanying their 1986 releases ‘Your Wildest Dreams’ and ‘The Other Side of Life’ (from the album ‘The Other Side of Life’) and 1988’s ‘I Know You’re Out There Somewhere’ (from the album ‘Sur la Mer’) introduced the band to a new generation and ensured that their popularity endured beyond their legions of loyal fans from their early days.

Following the departure of Moraz in 1990 and vocalist/flutist Ray Thomas in 2002, the remaining members of the second incarnation - Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge - have continued to tour and record with regular named keyboard players, including Bias Boshell and Paul Bliss, and recent flute accompaniment in the form of the established Norda Mullen.

There have followed a further seven studio albums, the most recent being ‘December’ in 2003, along with numerous tours, several popular live albums and DVDs, and contributions to film soundtracks. Find out more about them at: http://www.moodyblues.co.uk/

Research info gathered at: www.lastfm.com


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Syreeta Wright

Syreeta Wright (August 3, 1946 – July 6, 2004), who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a singer-songwriter active from the 1960s until her death. She is considered one of the most underrated R&B vocalists to emerge out of the 1970s Motown scene.

Born Syreeta Wright in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Syreeta was working in the ’60s as a Motown secretary when she was enlisted as a backup singer. Founder Berry Gordy later signed her to the label and she recorded a Brian Holland/Ashford & Simpson tune initially meant for Diana Ross, “I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel for You.”

Wright married Stevie Wonder on September 14, 1970, and although they were divorced just 18 months later, their professional collaboration as songwriters spawned a series of hits, including “If You Really Love Me,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” and The Spinners’ “It’s a Shame.”

She released her first Wonder-produced Motown album, the critically acclaimed "Syreeta", under MoWest label in 1972. Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta, which musically depicted their relationship from love/marriage to divorce/enduring friendship, was released in 1974. The titles peaked at No. 185 and No. 116, respectively, on the Billboard album chart. Her singles included “Spinnin’ and Spinnin’” and “Your Kiss Is Sweet.”

Her best showing on the chart came with 1980’s simply titled Syreeta, released on Motown’s Tamla imprint, which reached No. 73. The duet with Billy Preston, “With You I’m Born Again,” originally appeared on that year’s soundtrack to the Paramount movie Fast Break. The track reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in 1980.

Syreeta recorded her last studio album, The Spell, in 1983. The album was produced by Jermaine Jackson. During this time, Syreeta boasted a résumé that included work with Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Leon Ware and Donald Byrd, among others.

After “The Spell,” she kept a relatively low profile. She appeared as guest vocalist on albums by artists such as Kirk Whalum (1989) and Nelson Rangell (1992). In 1994, she re-emerged to tour with the Jesus Christ Superstar cast featuring Ted Neeley as Jesus and Carl Anderson as Judas. She played the role of Mary Magdalene. She also recorded with Michael Bolton. Syreeta spent a lot of time in the United Kingdom in the last 15 years. She recorded some songs released in the UK as part of a series of compilations on the Motorcity label. The songs also appeared on a Japanese only CD called With You I’m Born Again.

She died on July 6, 2004 of congestive heart failure, which she acquired as a side effect of chemotherapy and radiation treatments she was receiving for an ongoing bout with breast cancer. She was 57 years old. Find out more at: www.soulwalking.co.uk/syreeta.html

Research info gathered at: www.lastfm.com


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Louis Prima

Born on December 7, 1910 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Louis Prima was a trumpeter, band leader, singer, composer, and sometime film star. He was the son of Italian immigrant parents Angelina and Anthony Prima and was educated at Jesuit High School, and studied the violin for several years under Hemmersback, before switching to the trumpet. At the tender age of 17, Louis was inspired by such jazz greats as Louis Armstrong and King Oliver.

In the early 30s he worked with Red Nichols, before forming his own seven-piece group called 'New Orleans Gang', with its signature tune, 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans'. They recorded more than 70 titles in New York for various labels from 1934-39, some of which made the US Hit Parade.

He was composing songs by then, and one of them, 'Sing, Sing, Sing', when developed by Benny Goodman, became a smash hit for the 'King Of Swing', and remains a Swing Era classic. Through the years, Prima wrote and co-wrote many other songs, including 'Robin Hood', which was a success for Les Brown in 1945. Also in 1945, Prima had engagements at Frank Dailey's Terrace Room in Newark New Jersey. He also wrote the 1947 Jo Stafford hit, 'A Sunday Kind Of Love'.

In 1948, Prima began working with the poker-faced 16 year old singer Dorthy Keely Smith daughter of Fannie and Jesse Smith, she was born in Norfolk, VA. After having a hit in 1950 with their joint composition 'Oh, Babe!', they were married on July 13, 1953 and had two daughters,Toni Elizabeth and Luanne Frances. Keely was his fourth wife.

During the next decade they were one of the hottest nightclub acts in the USA, and became known as 'The Wildest Show In Las Vegas'. Prima's inspired clowning and zany vocals delivered in a fractured Italian dialect, coupled with Smith's cool image and classy singing, were anchored by tenor saxophonist Sam Butera and his group, the Witnesses. Even if the music was aimed at older listeners, it shared a great deal of the spirit of early rock & roll.

In 1956, Prima inked a new deal with Capitol, marking the most celebrated and influential period of his recording career. His first album for the label was 1956's The Wildest!, which successfully translated the high energy of his live act into a studio recording; it featured many of his best-known latter-day songs, including the "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" medley, "Jump, Jive an' Wail," "Buona Sera," "Oh Marie," and the jive-talking duet "The Lip." Over the next few years, Capitol issued six more Prima albums. In 1958 he and Smith won a Grammy for their hit version of "That Old Black Magic." In 1959, they appeared in the film Hey Boy! Hey Girl!, which featured their renditions of the title song, "Lazy River," and "Banana Split for My Baby," among others.

While Prima and Smith boasted terrific chemistry on stage, their infidelity-riddled marriage was floundering by the close of the '50s. In 1961, Prima switched from Capitol to Dot Records. Smith divorced him later that year, scuttling the act and largely negating the deals. Without Smith, he was never again as popular or prolific on record, but he continued to perform in Las Vegas with his band, and toured successfully as well. He spent much of the late '60s playing Vegas casinos and lounges. In the early '70s he and Butera returned home to New Orleans, where they made a steadier living playing in the French Quarter for the tourist crowd. In late 1975, Prima underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, and fell into a coma; although he survived for nearly three more years, he never regained consciousness, and died on August 24, 1978. Find out more about his life and music at http://www.louisprima.com/

Research info gathered at: www.allmusic.com


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Shirley Ellis

Shirley Ellis (born Shirley Marie Elliston, circa 1941, The Bronx, New York) is a soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian origin, and is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty", which reached the top ten in 1963, "The Name Game", which peaked at number four R&B and number three pop in 1965, and "The Clapping Song", which reached number 16 R&B, but also represented the end of the creative line for the trend.

By 1954 she had written two songs which were recorded by The Chords. Ellis was originally in the group, The Metronomes, and she went on to marry the lead singer, Alphonso Elliston. All her solo hits were written by her and her manager, producer, and songwriting partner Lincoln Chase.

Ellis had recording contracts with the Kapp Records subsidiary, Congress, and later Columbia and Bell Records, but retired from the music industry in 1968.

Cover versions of her hits have been recorded by Madeline Bell, The Belle Stars, Laura Branigan, Aaron Carter, Gary Glitter, Ricardo Ray, Pia Zadora, and Gladys Knight and the Pips (a version of "The Nitty Gritty", produced by Norman Whitfield).

In addition, her song "Soul Time" was sampled by the U.K. band, The Go! Team for their single "Bottle Rocket". Find out more about her musical career at http://keepkey.yochanan.net/shriley1.htm

Research info gathered at: www.wikipedia.org


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Van Morrison

George Ivan Morrison OBE (generally known as Van Morrison) (born August 31, 1945) is a Grammy Award-winning Irish singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who has been a professional musician since the late 1950s. He plays a variety of instruments, including the guitar, harmonica, keyboards, drums, and saxophone. Featuring his characteristic growl — a unique mix of folk, blues, Irish, scat, and Celtic influences — Morrison is widely considered one of the most unusual and influential vocalists in the history of rock and roll.

Known as “Van the Man” by his fans, Morrison first rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Northern Irish band Them, penning their seminal 1964 hit “Gloria”. A few years later, Morrison left the band for a successful solo career.

Morrison has pursued an idiosyncratic musical path. Much of his music is tightly structured around the conventions of American soul and R&B, such as the popular singles “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Moondance”, “Domino” and “Wild Night”. An equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz, and stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as his classic album Astral Weeks and lesser known works such as Veedon Fleece and Common One. The two strains together are sometimes referred to as “Celtic Soul”.

Morrison’s career, spanning some five decades, has influenced many popular musical artists. In 1993 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2000, Morrison ranked #25 on American cable music channel VH1’s list of its 100 greatest artists of rock and roll, and in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Van Morrison 42nd on their list of The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Paste Magazine ranked him 20th in their list of 100 Greatest Living Songwriters in 2006 and Q Magazine ranked him 22nd on their list of 100 Greatest Singers in April 2007. Find out more about this Irish legend at http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/

Research info gathered at: www.last.fm


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Dizzy Gillespie

John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, and composer. Gillespie, with Charlie Parker, was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz.

In addition to featuring in these epochal moments in jazz, he was instrumental in founding Afro-Cuban jazz. Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and gifted improviser. In addition to his instrumental skills, Dizzy’s beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing, his bent horn and pouched cheeks, and his light-hearted personality endeared many to what was regarded as threatening and frightening music.

In his playing, Gillespie built on the “saxophonic” style of Roy Eldridge and the harmonic complexity of Charlie Parker and then went far beyond Bird. That is, unlike his great contemporary, Dizzy made a point of enthusiastically teaching future generations (such as Miles Davis at the time) about the convolutions of bop. His memorable trademarks were distending his cheeks while playing (unlike most trumpet players, who are trained not to do this — “Gillespie’s pouch” is purportedly a term used by the medical community for cheek distention) and a trumpet whose bell was bent at a 45 degree angle rather than a traditional straight trumpet. This was originally the result of accidental damage, but the constriction caused by the bending altered the tone of the instrument, and Gillespie liked the effect. Find out more about this legendary jazz artist's life at: www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1965/The_heart_of_jazz_Dizzy_Gillespie

Research info gathered at: http://www.lastfm.com/


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