Monthly Archives: January 2017

Birthday Tributes

Today is the anniversary of Mozart’s birth but celebrating this musical genius’ life and works means taking the path well trodden.

As we’ve already done that once this week, well you really wouldn’t expect us to neglect Django Reinhardt would you?, we’re going to celebrate the other musicians whose birthdays tend to be neglected in favour of Mozart’s.

1806 – Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, Spanish composer and educator
1823 – Édouard Lalo, French violinist and composer
1869 – Will Marion Cook, American violinist and composer
1885 – Jerome Kern, American composer and songwriter
1895 – Joseph Rosenstock, Polish-American conductor and manager
1895 – Harry Ruby, American composer and screenwriter
1918 – Skitch Henderson, American pianist, composer, and conductor
1918 – Elmore James, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1919 – Ross Bagdasarian Sr., American singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and actor
1920 – Helmut Zacharias, German violinist and composer
1926 – Fritz Spiegl, Austrian flute player and journalist
1930 – Bobby “Blue” Bland, American blues singer-songwriter
1937 – Fred Åkerström, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
1937 – Buddy Emmons, American pedal steel guitarist
1942 – Maki Asakawa, Japanese singer-songwriter and producer
1942 – Kate Wolf, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1944 – Nick Mason, English drummer, songwriter, and producer
1947 – Björn Afzelius, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
1951 – Brian Downey, Irish drummer and songwriter
1951 – Seth Justman, American keyboard player and songwriter
1952 – G.E. Smith, American guitarist and songwriter
1957 – Janick Gers, English guitarist and songwriter
1961 – Margo Timmins, Canadian singer-songwriter
1962 – Roberto Paci Dalò, Italian director and composer
1964 – Patrick van Deurzen, Dutch composer and academic
1968 – Mike Patton, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
1969 – Michael Kulas, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer
1987 – Katy Rose, American singer-songwriter and producer

27 - birhday tributes

Burns Night

Tonight is Burns Night; a celebration of the poet Robert Burns on the anniversary of his birth.

Now, as Burns was a poet rather than a musician, you may be wondering why we’re even mentioning it; especially as bagpipes tend to be the instrument of choice for the event. However, having piped in the haggis, enjoyed the supper, and imbibed liberal quantities of the good stuff dancing frequently ensues. Dancing is, naturally, accompanied by music and that music is often provided by fiddlers and guitarists. Any excuse for a good time, eh?

Some hae meat an canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit

25 - Burns Night