#john levy

Bob said that art is a process of getting people ready for something else, so that they appreciate the cosmic situation they’re in ... And that the best thing that could happen as a result of art would be that everyone would gasp when they see a butterfly.

He said that recently in art there has been a cult of the personality of the artist, but that it is time for that to be over and that everyone (artists, poets) should just do their work like scientists, work -- and be a part of a working community, getting strength from a tradition and contributing to that tradition. He said that when you read about scientists’ lives you don’t get the same stories of depressions and ego problems that you get when you read about artists’ lives and he thinks it’s because artists have been too concerned with questions of ego instead of simply the work and being able to do the work and being committed to doing it steadily.

Day 696 • Tendrils of melancholy memory in the evening atmosphere

The Ghost of Love (2011), dir. John Levy

738 Days of Movies

John Levy (bass) - 1912 - 2012 :: was an African-American jazz double-bassist and businessman.

Levy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1944, he left his family home in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to New York City, New York, where he played bass for such renowned jazz musicians as Ben Webster, Errol Garner, Milt Jackson, and Billie Holiday. In 1949, he became the bassist in the original George Shearing Quintet, where he also acted as Shearing's road manager. In 1951, Levy opened John Levy Enterprises, Inc., becoming the first African-American personal manager in the pop or jazz music field. By the 1960s, Levy's client roster included Shearing, Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Williams, Shirley Horn, and Ramsey Lewis.

In 1997, Levy was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame, and in 2006 he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Nick LaRocca (cornet) - 1889-1961 :: Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca was an early jazz cornetist and trumpeter and the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. He is the composer of one of the most recorded jazz classics of all-time, "Tiger Rag". He was part of what is generally regarded as the first recorded jazz band, a band which recorded and released the first jazz recording, "Livery Stable Blues" in 1917.

From around 1910 through 1916 he was a regular member of Papa Jack Laine's bands. While not considered as one of the most virtuosic or creative of the Laine players, he was well regarded for playing a solid lead with a strong lip which allowed him to play long parades without let up or to play several gigs in a row on the same day.

In 1916 he was chosen as a last-minute replacement for Frank Christian in Johnny Stein's band to play a job up in Chicago, Illinois. This band became the famous Original Dixieland Jass Band, making the first commercially issued jazz recordings in New York City in 1917. These recordings were hits and made the band into celebrities.

Soon other New Orleans musicians began following the O.D.J.B.'s path, arriving in New York to play jazz.

LaRocca led this band on tours of England and the United States into the early 1920s, when he suffered a nervous breakdown. He returned to New Orleans and retired from music, going into the construction and contracting business.

Luther 'Guitar Jr.' Johnson - 1939 :: Bornday greetings to Guitar Jr Johnson. Luther is an American Chicago blues singer and guitarist.

Johnson moved to Chicago with his family in 1955. During the 1960s, he performed with Magic Sam. He also performed in Muddy Waters's band from 1972 to 1980. In 1980, four of his songs were included on an anthology by Alligator Records.

Johnson moved to the East Coast and began fronting his own band, the Magic Rockers. His "Walkin' The Dog," was recorded live at the Montreux Festival's Blues Night. Johnson won a Grammy Award in 1985 for Best Traditional Blues Album for his part in Blues Explosion. Johnson released a number of albums for Telarc Records, which included Slammin’ on the West Side (1996), Got to Find a Way (1998), and Talkin' About Soul (2001).

Johnson appeared on three albums by The Nighthawks. He now lives in New Hampshire.

Birthday greetings to all you April 11th Jazzlings. Have yourselves a great day and remember to take the year ahead as your opportunity to crreate the best life you can for yourself!

Thanks to AAJ & JBC for the guidance

Respect to the YouTube Massive for the uploads

High fives blog followers, thanks for the follow

and thanks to You for passin' thru'

Walk tall.

Speak low,

Go placidly

Geo

19 things they don't want you to know about photography.