Charli Persip (drums) - 1929 :: Happy birthday to drummer Charli Persip! Born in Morristown, New Jersey as Charles Lawrence Persip, and formerly known as Charlie Persip, he changed his name to Charli Persip in the early 1980s. After playing with Tadd Dameron in 1953, Persip toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie's big and small bands between 1953 and 1958.[1] He then joined Harry "Sweets" Edison's quintet and later the Harry James Orchestra before forming his own group, the Jazz Statesmen, with Roland Alexander, Freddie Hubbard, and Ron Carter in 1960. Around this time, Persip also recorded with several other formidable jazz musicians, including Lee Morgan, Dinah Washington, Melba Liston, Kenny Dorham, Zoot Sims, Red Garland, Gil Evans, Don Ellis, Eric Dolphy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Gene Ammons. Persip was also the drummer on the legendary "Eternal Triangle" recording, Sonny Side Up (Verve Records), featuring Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. From 1960 to 1973 he toured as a drummer and conductor with Billy Eckstine. Along with his performing activities, Persip has earned a reputation as an educator. Since 1974, he has been instructor of drums and music for Jazzmobile, Inc. in New York. He is currently (2008) Associate Professor at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan. Persip also currently leads Supersound, his jazz big band that was started in the mid-1980s as Superband. Supersound’s first album was recorded on the Stash label, and was titled Charli Persip and Superband. The group’s second album, Superband 11, and third album, No Dummies Allowed, were recorded on the Soul Note label. Their fourth album is Intrinsic Evolution.
Erskine Hawkins (trumpet) - 1914-1993 :: was an American trumpet player and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel".He is most remembered for composing the jazz standard "Tuxedo Junction" (1939) with saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson. The song became a popular hit during World War II, rising to #7 nationally (version by the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra) and to #1 nationally (version by the Glenn Miller Orchestra). Vocalists who were featured with Erskine's orchestra include Ida James, Delores Brown and Della Reese. Hawkins was trumpeter and band leader in a long standing engagement at the lobby bar and show nightclub at The Concord Resort Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, New York. from 1967 to 1989. In 1978, Erskine Hawkins became one of the first five artists inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. In 1989, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.Hawkins was a contemporary of another Birmingham jazz musician, Sun Ra.
Joanne Brackeen (piano) - 1938 :: Many happy returns to pianist Joanne Brackeen! Her career began in the late 1950s while working with names like Dexter Gordon, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Charles Lloyd, but in 1969 it began to "take off" as she became the first woman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and can be heard on Blakey's album Catalyst along with trumpeter Bill Hardman and saxophonist Carlos Garnett. From 1972-1974 she worked with saxophonists Joe Henderson, Joe Farrell, and Sonny Red, as well as mouth organist Toots Thielemans. She played with Joe Henderson (1972-75) and Stan Getz (1975-1977) before leading her own trio and quartet. Brackeen established herself as a cutting edge pianist and composer through her appearances around the world, and her solo performances also cemented her reputation as one of the most innovative and dynamic of pianists. Her trios featured such noted players as Clint Houston, Eddie Gomez, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.
Sharing the love with all the jazzlings celebrating a birthday today! Make sure to have a very special day! And make the year ahead as awesome as you'd like it to be!
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