Toni's Musical News

Musical News - Yusef Lateef

World famous jazz musician Yusef Lateef has passed away this past Monday (December 23, 2013), at his home in Massachusetts, at the age of 93.

Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston) was an impressive tenor saxophonist, flutist, oboist, and bassoonist. He earned a master’s in music education from the Manhattan School of Music and was a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he earned a doctorate in education. He took the name Yusef Lateef after converting to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Mr. Lateef played bebop with Dizzy Gillespie in 1949.

His compositions have been played by symphony orchestras in the U.S. and in Germany. He won a Grammy in 1987 for “Yusef Lateef’s Little Symphony,” on which he played every instrument.

In 2010, Yusef was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, the U.S.’s highest jazz honor.

Listen to the incomparable Yusef Lateef, may he rest in peace!

Yusef Lateef [1920 – 2013]

Musical News - George Duke

I was devastated to hear that San Rafael native George Duke, keyboard pioneer, composer, singer, musical director, and producer, passed away yesterday at the age of 67.

Duke earned a Bachelor’s in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory, and a Master’s from San Francisco State University. He also briefly taught Jazz and American Culture at Merritt Junior College.

He was one of the innovators of jazz fusion, but dabbled in many genres, encompassing R&B, funk, pop, alternative rock, and cross-over jazz. Duke’s more famous collaborations with other artists of note include Jean-Luc Ponty, Cannonball Adderley, his cousin Dianne Reeves, Frank Zappa, Deniece Williams, Jeffrey Osborne, George Clinton, Anita Baker, Regina Belle, and Rachelle Ferrell, and of course the infamous Clarke-Duke Project with Stanley Clarke.

In 2011, Duke toured with David Sanborn and Marcus Miller across the United States, with more than 20 sold out shows. Duke was inducted into The Soul Music Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012.

Listen to one of my favorites from the incomparable George Duke from the year 1992, “No Rhyme No Reason,” a fitting tribute for an extraordinarily talented man.

George Duke [1946 – 2013]

© 08/06/2013

Musical News - Bobby "Blue" Bland

Robert Calvin Bland (known as Bobby "Blue" Bland by millions of fans) passed on to the next phase on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at his home in Memphis, of a long term illness. Mr. Bland was 83.

Although his music was a combination of gospel, R&B, and the blues, he was an imitator of Frank Sinatra and was sometimes referred to as the "Sinatra of the Blues".

I was not a huge fan of this particular genre, but in my youth local soul stations played all of our music, so I was exposed to Bobby at a young age, and I can still hear his distinctive voice in my head.

Through the 1950s, Bobby toured with Junior Parker and was a driver for B.B. King. In the 1960s, Bobby released “Turn on Your Love Light,” which became a standard.

Over the course of his long career, Bobby had 23 hits on the Billboard charts, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.

Bobby is probably still writing songs, playing his harmonica, and belting the blues, wherever he may be.

Robert Calvin Bobby "Blue” Bland [1930 – 2013]

Musical News - Marvin Junior of The Dells

Marvin Junior of the Dells succumbed to kidney failure after a long illness at his home in Harvey, Illinois on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.

The Dells were formed in high school in 1952 as the El-Rays, and had their first hit as the Dells in 1956 in “Oh What a Night”, led by Marvin Junior and Johnny Funches. Most of us do not really recall the original of this song, but remember only the re-release in the 1960s. (Remember where it says, “We re-dedicate this song to you”?) “Oh What a Night” is ranked #260 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The group disbanded in 1958 following a near-fatal car crash, but re-formed in 1960. They went on to score such hits as “Always Together,” “Stay in My Corner,” and “The Love We Had Stays on My Mind” (my favorites). They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

In 1991 The Dells recorded a composition titled "A Heart Is a House for Love" for the soundtrack of The Five Heartbeats (another of my favorites). This song reached number thirteen on the Billboard R&B chart, making them only one of two groups to have hit singles in each of five decades. The Dells continued performing until 2012 when illnesses forced retirement of two of its members.

I remember trying to hit those l-o-n-g notes, and sometimes I even succeeded! The Dells have a fond place in my heart.

R.I.P. Marvin Junior [1936 – 2013]

© 05/30/2013

Musical News - Clarence Burke Jr. of The Five Stairsteps

For those of you who may recall the Five Stairsteps (later the Five Stairsteps & Cubie), it will come as sad news to you that the leader of the “First Family of Soul,” Clarence Burke Jr., has passed away on May 26, 2013 at the age of 62, of undisclosed causes.

Back in the mid-'60s, the Stairsteps were known for such songs as “You Waited Too Long” and “World of Fantasy,” and in 1970 for “O-o-h Child.” In 1980, the group had another hit under the name of the Invisible Man's Band entitled “All Night Thing,” written and produced by Clarence Jr.

“O-o-h Child” was listed on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The group got its start after winning first place at a talent show in Chicago (their home town), where they were introduced by a family friend to Curtis Mayfield. The multi-talented family members were known as well for their writing and producing skills, working with artists such as the O'Jays, the Whispers, George Howard, and a litany of others.

It is always a sobering occasion to learn of the death of one of the stars of our musical world. Party on, Clarence Jr.

Clarence Burke Jr. [1949 – 2013]

Musical News - Chris Kelly of Kris Kross

Sadly, Chris Kelly “Mac Daddy” of the duo Kris Kross, known for wearing their clothes backward in the ‘90s, has passed away at the age of 35. A drug overdose is suspected.

Kris Kross had a mega hit in 1992 entitled “Jump” which is probably still rocking the dance floors in the clubs today. “Jump” was no. 1 on the Billboard chart for eight weeks, no small feat. They followed “Jump” with “Warm It Up,” for which they won a Best New Artist award.

Chris Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith were discovered at the age of 13 by Jermaine Dupri, when he was himself only 18.

Kris Kross made a cameo appearance in Ted Demme's 1993 film Who's the Man?, starring Ed Lover and Doctor Dré of Yo! MTV Raps. The duo also made video appearances with TLC and Run DMC, and appeared in A Different World and In Living Color. They reunited for So So Def's 20th Anniversary concert in February of 2013.

This marks a tragic end to a once promising young life.

Chris “Kris Kross” Kelly [1978 – 2013]

Musical News - Bobby Smith of The Spinners

On Saturday, March 16, 2013, Bobby Smith, the principal lead singer of the Spinners, passed away at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer in November of 2012, and succumbed due to complications of pneumonia.

Mr. Smith was one of the original Detroit Spinners, formed while the group members were still in high school in approximately 1960. The group’s first hit was “That’s What Girls Are Made For” (1961), on which Smith sang lead. Other notable hits lead by Smith include “I’ll Be Around” and “Could it Be I’m Falling in Love?”.

Mr. Smith performed on the Soul Train cruise in February, despite being weak from his cancer treatments. His funeral services are scheduled for Monday, in Detroit.

Henry Fambrough and G C Cameron are now the last remaining original members of the group. Fambrough is still performing with a new line-up of Spinners.

Monday, June 27, 2016