#arrangers

Benny Carter at Midpoint

I wish I knew Benny Carter as well as many other friends of mine, but after I had sent him a copy of Mosaic's Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions (in which his entire output with the big band he led for Capitol was released for the first time) he called me and expressed his appreciation to have all this neglected recordings all in one package. Night Lights sends us a wonderful reminiscence of this brilliant improvisor and arranger, who broke all sorts of barriers throughout his 95 years.

-Scott Wenzel

The Middle Finger #1

by Roho

Ronald Marvell Thomas was a Memphis (Tennessee) music legend born into a family of Memphis music legends. The son of Rufus Thomas ("Walkin' the Dog"), and brother of Carla Thomas (the "Queen of Memphis Soul"), Marvelle began his studio career at 17, as a keyboardist and sessions musician. He was Stax Records' first piano man, where he played with Wilson Pickett and Booker T. Jones. He later played sessions at Muscle Shoals with Clarence Carter, Eddie Hinton and Denise LaSalle. While his father and sister were turning out the hits at Stax, Marvell became a key behind-the-scenes figure as a sessions player, producer, arranger, and music director to such greats as Johnnie Taylor, The Staples Singers, Etta James, Albert King, Mavis Staples, Isaac Hayes, and Peabo Bryson, to name a few. He is best remembered among his peers as a pioneer of "The Memphis Sound".

Photo Credit (top and center): Rick Diamond/Getty Images