News & Updates — Celebrate Icons

Happy birthday to the underrated microtonal composer and reedsman Joe Maneri. In 1963 he recorded a demo of 12-tone music with ethnic influence and a sort-of free jazz for Atlantic Records that didn't see release until 1998 (Paniots Nine, released on John Zorn's Tzadik label, and later used in the movie American Splendor), which would've placed him in the avant-garde of jazz had it seen the light of day at the time. Instead, nothing much happened for Maneri, outside of Boston, until his son Mat encouraged him to be more active in the 1990s. He made several records in the...

A pioneering guitarist and violinist (and a popular singer) in blues and jazz, Lonnie Johnson came from a musical family in New Orleans and learned to play several instruments. He toured the UK for two years and returned home to find that nearly his entire family, save his brother, were killed by the flu epidemic of 1918. The two brothers worked the riverboat scene and Lonnie married blues musician Mary Johnson. In the '20s he recorded several sides for Okeh and toured with Bessie Smith. In 1927 he recorded with Louis Armstrong and with Duke Ellington the following year. His...

Curtis Ousley aka King Curtis, the versatile saxophonist/songwriter/arranger/producer, is a huge figure in '60s R&B. From Fort Worth TX, he was schoolmates with fellow saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He played early with Lionel Hampton and cut sessions with The Coasters, Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Nat Adderley, LaVern Baker and others. In '65 he had his biggest hit "Memphis Soul Stew" and became musical director for Aretha Franklin. Later he recorded with John Lennon. His life was cut short in tragic fashion when he was stabbed to death on the steps to his apartment. (In the picture above you can see Jimi...

James D. Yancey aka Jay Dee aka J Dilla is one of a long lineage of Detroit musical geniuses. Both a producer and a rapper, he started Slum Village in '96, produced The Pharcyde, worked with Common, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Janet Jackson, The Roots and many others, including producing, beatmaking, rapping and remixing. His partnership with Madlib produced the classic Champion Sound album. He is an indie rap icon, more popular in death than ever. (Not sure who did the very cool profile above, but respect!) My personal favorite is his collage-album Donuts, here:

Happy born day to reggae's most enduring superstar and the global face of "third world" music, Robert Nesta Marley! Bob and the gang at the Santa Barbara County Bowl, 1979: Positive Vibration 00:00:00 Wake Up and Live 00:06:31 I Shot the Sheriff 00:11:49 Ambush in the Night 00:16:22 Concrete Jungle 00:20:15 Running Away >  00:25:13 Crazy Baldhead 00:28:55 Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) 00:33:22 The Heathen 00:36:46 Ride Natty Ride 00:41:19 Africa Unite 00:45:30 One Drop 00:50:00 Exodus 00:54:04 So Much Things to Say  01:00:14 Zimbabwe 01:03:44 Jamming 01:07:47 Is This Love? 01:12:46 Kinky Reggae 01:16:05 Stir It Up...