About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
November 11, 1927 ~ Jazz, blues pianist, singer, songwriter Mose Allison born in Tippo, Mississippi, USA ~ Influenced Jimi Hendrix, JJ Cale, the Yardbirds, the Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, Pete Townshend, Georgie Fame, John Evans. Covered by the Who (Young Man Blues), John Mayall (Parchman Farm), Leon Russell (I'm Smashed), Bonnie Raitt (Everybody's Cryin' Mercy), the Clash (Look Here), Herman Brood (Going To The City). Worked with Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Van Morrison, Ben Sidran, Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Addison Farmer, Frank Isola, Henry Grimes, Paul Motian, Bill Crow, Osie Johnson, Jimmy Knepper, Pepper Adams, Bob Cranshaw, Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Phil Upchurch, Eric Gale, Jack Bruce, Billy Cobham, Steve Masakowski, Randy Brecker, Alec Dankworth, Pee Wee Ellis, Russell Malone, Jay Bellerose, and Roy Babbington ~ Allison passed away in 2016
November 11, 1925 ~ Jazz, pop pianist, singer, composer Bruno Martino born in Rome, Italy ~ Active since the early 1950s, playing the jazz nightclubs with Enrico Simonetti and Piero Piccioni. Worked with the RAI Orchestra for the Italian TV network RAI. As a bandleader and composer perhaps best known for his 1960 hit Estate, which would become a standard covered by the likes of João Gilberto, Chet Baker, Toots Thielemans, Shirley Horn, and John Pizzarelli. Also known for Dracula Cha Cha, which he originally composed for the 1959 horror-comedy film Tempi Duri Per I Vampiri, which would also be included in the films Italian Graffiti and Two Weeks In Another Town and inspire the title of Kim Newman's 1998 novel Dracula Cha Cha Cha set in late 1950's Italy ~ Martino passed away in 2000November 11, 1925 ~ Jazz trumpeter Irvin Stokes born in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA ~ Worked with Charlie Singleton, Tiny Bradshaw, Duke Ellington, Mercer Ellington, Erskine Hawkins, Buddy Johnson, Andy Kirk, Jimmie Lunceford, Austin Powell, Bobby Donaldson, the Savoy Sultans, Lou Donaldson, Panama Francis, George Kelly, Illinois Jacquet, Oliver Jackson, Count Basie, Spanky Davis, and the Statesmen Of Jazz
November 11, 1923 ~ Jazz trumpeter Willie Cook born in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, USA ~ Started on the violin, switching to trumpet in his teens. First gained serious attention backing King Perry in the 1930s. Worked with Jay McShann in the 1940s, succeeding Charlie Parker. Also well known as a member of Duke Ellington's orchestra, serving as lead trumpeter for about a decade starting in 1951 including on the acclaimed 1953 set The 1953 Pasadena Concert. Cook has also recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Tormé, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Billy Taylor, Paul Gonsalves, Sarah Vaughan, and Ernie Wilkins. Cook relocated to Sweden in the early 1980s ~ Cook passed away in 2000November 11, 1918 ~ Jazz singer Louise Tobin, full name Mary Louise Tobin, born in Aubrey, Texas, USA ~ Sang with Bobby Hackett, Will Bradley, Jack Jenney, and Benny Goodman, notably present on the latter's I Didn't Know What Time it Was and There'll Be Some Changes Made. Married to bandleader Harry James from 1935 through 1943, with whom she has two sons ~ Tobin passed away in 2022
November 11, 1917 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Julien-François Zbinden born in Rolle, Switzerland ~ Active since the late 1930s. Composed over a hundred works including stage works, concertante works, chamber and vocal works. Best known for his symphonies, collected on the 2007 Orchestral Works album as performed by various artists. Also closely associated with Radio Suisse Romande, initially working as a recording manager, promoted to the head of the music department in 1956 ~ Zbinden passed away in 2021
November 11, 1917 ~ Ellerton Oswald White, commonly known as jazz pianist Sonny White, born in Panama City, Panama ~ Worked with Jesse Stone, Willie Bryant, Sidney Bechet, Teddy Hill, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke, Frankie Newton, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, Benny Carter, Big Joe Turner, Lena Horne, Dexter Gordon, Hot Lips Page, Harvey Davis, Wilbur de Paris, Eddie Barefield, and Jonah Jones ~ White passed away in 1971
November 11, 1913 ~ Bandleader, saxophonist, clarinetist, pianist Ivy Benson born in Holbeck, UK ~ Enjoyed popularity throughout the 1940s leading an all-female jazz, swing band. The band would become the resident BBC Radio house band by 1943 and is also well known for entertaining the Allied troops during and shortly after World War II ~ Benson passed away in 1993
November 11, 1912 ~ Harold Stevens Hopper, commonly known as singer, songwriter, film composer, screenwriter Hal Hopper, born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA ~ Original member of vocal group the Pied Pipers, including appearing in the 1938 film Alexander's Ragtime Band. Hopper would go on to compose themes tunes for several TV shows such as Judge Roy Bean, Colt 45, 26 Men, Circus Boy, and Bearcats ~ Hopper passed away in 1970
November 11, 1887 ~ Gilliam Barmon Grayson, commonly known as old-time fiddler, singer GB Grayson, born in Ashe County, North Carolina, USA ~ Influential early country musician known for a handful of important recordings in the mid to late 1920s, often in partnership with Henry Whitter. Best remembered for recordings such as Going Down The Lee Highway, Rose Connally, Ommie Wise and Train 45. In later years songs written, co-written, adapted or first recorded by Grayson would be covered by the Kingston Trio (Tom Dooley), the Rolling Stones (Handsome Molly), and Ralph Stanley (Little Maggie) ~ Grayson passed away in 1930November 11, 1883 ~ Conductor Ernest Ansermet, full name Ernest Alexandre Ansermet, born in Vevey, Switzerland ~ One of the first in the field of classical music to take jazz seriously. Founded the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande in 1918, with whom he toured extensively in Europe and America. Well known for recording Igor Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra in 1930, with Stravinsky himself at the keys ~ Ansermet passed away in 1969