Tag: Remembering

Remembering Donald Byrd

Cover of "Places & Spaces"
Cover of Places & Spaces

On our recent trip to Spain, we were sitting in a small tapas bar in the Born area of Barcelona.  We were enjoying some great food, and some excellent wine, when a song came on that made us both go, “Who in the heck is that”.  We asked our server who it was and he went to find out for us.  Turns out that it was Donald Byrd, who, unfortunately, passed away on February 4, 2013 at he age of 80.  Having just discovered him (where was he hiding), I was quite saddened by this news,  A great trumpet player, his career spanned 7 decades and included, besides his solo work, stints and recordings with a who’s who of the jazz and blues world.  John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins and Herbie Hancock may ring a few bells with you.

He recorded over 40 albums on his own and many more as a sideman.  An outstanding career.  The song I have chosen in memorial, is the one we heard in Barcelona, “Falling (like dominoes)” of his Places and Spaces album, which was recorded in 1975.

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Remembering Raylene Rankin

RayleneRankin4

Back in our slightly younger days back in the town of Martensville, Saskatchewan, this song used to get a big rise out of the semi, mostly and hardly inebriates at town functions.  Sadly, Raylene Rankin passed away on September 30th after a battle with cancer.  Thanks for the memories Raylene.

 

Remembering Stuart Swanlund

Southern rockers Marshall Tucker Band in concert
Southern rockers Marshall Tucker Band in concert (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

August 4, 2012 saw the passing of guitar player Stuart Swanlund.  He was 54.  Stuart played guitar with the Marshall Tucker Band from 1983 until his passing.  The band’s heyday was the 1970’s, but he was a great addition to the later version of the band. Here is the band playing Walk Outside The Line.

Remembering Johnnie Bassett

2006 Great Lakes Folk Festival
2006 Great Lakes Folk Festival (Photo credit: CedarBendDrive)

Blues great Johnnie Bassett died on August 4, 2012 at the age of 76.  He was a much in demand electric blues guitarist and a singer-songwriter.  In addition to his session work, he toured with such notables as Tina Turner and Little Willie John.  In session, he played with the Miracles and others.  Here is one of his own compositions played live with the band, Hideaway.

Party My Blues Away