mick laBriola

Boniface Ferdinand Leonard “Buddy” DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014 Camden, NJ) was an American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and 1970s.

Frank Grillo (born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo; (February 16th or December 3, 1909 – April 15, 1984) known professionally as Machito (previously as Macho), was a Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music. He was raised in Havana with his sister, singer Graciela.

In New York City, Machito formed the Afro-Cubans in 1940, and with Mario Bauzá as musical director, brought together Cuban rhythms and big band arrangements in one group. He made numerous recordings from the 1940s to the 1980s, many with Graciela as singer. Machito changed to a smaller ensemble format in 1975, touring Europe extensively. He brought his son and daughter into the band, and received a Grammy Award in 1983, one year before he died.

Machito’s music had an effect on the careers of many musicians who played in the Afro-Cubans over the years, and on those who were attracted to Latin jazz after hearing him. George Shearing, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Cab Calloway and Stan Kentoncredited Machito as an influence. An intersection in East Harlem is named “Machito Square” in his honor.

Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include “Fever” (recorded by Little Willie John), “Great Balls of Fire” and “Breathless” (recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis), “Don’t Be Cruel“, “All Shook Up“, and “Return to Sender” (with Winfield Scott; recorded by Elvis Presley), and “Handy Man” (recorded by Jimmy Jones).

Carlos Paredes ComSE ; 16 February 1925 – 23 July 2004) was a virtuoso Portuguese guitar player and composer. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of Portuguese guitar of all-time.

Born in Coimbra, Portugal, in a family with a long tradition of guitar playing, he was taught to play the Portuguese guitar by his father, Artur Paredes. He composed numerous soundtracks for cinema and theatre, such as the soundtrack for the Portuguese film Os Verdes Anos (1963), which contains his famous piece “Canção Verde Anos”. He released several recordings as a solo artist and performed in numerous countries worldwide.

Besides his music career, Paredes also worked in the public service for most of his life. In 1958, during Portugal’s dictatorial Estado Novo regime, he was imprisoned for 18 months for joining the Portuguese Communist Party, at the time an illegal organization.

James “Kokomo” Arnold (February 15, 1896 or 1901 – November 8, 1968 Lovejoys Station, GA) was an American blues musician. A left-handed slide guitarist, his intense style of playing and rapid-fire vocal delivery set him apart from his contemporaries. He got his nickname in 1934 after releasing “Old Original Kokomo Blues” for Decca Records, a cover version of Scrapper Blackwell‘s blues song about the city of Kokomo, Indiana.

Alistair Ian Campbell (born 15 February 1959) is an English singer and songwriter who was lead singer and co-founder of the British reggae band UB40.

UB40 sold more than 70 million records worldwide and toured for 30 years with the original line-up of the band. In 2008 Campbell and keyboard-player Mickey Virtue left UB40 due to a dispute with band management and teamed up in a new band. In August 2014, Campbell announced he had reunited with former UB40 bandmate Astro, who also left due to management disputes and the musical direction of the band. Campbell then formed a new UB40 featuring the three bandmates.