John Jacob
@jsj219.bsky.social
Musician, Engineer, and excellent driver.
It's the birthday (in 1923) of jazz piano legend Red Garland!
May 13, 2025 at 10:53 AM
It's the birthday (in 1923) of jazz piano legend Red Garland!
May 8th is the birthday (in 1910) of jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams who started her professional career at age 6 in order to support her family, and was playing with Duke Ellington by age 13.
May 8, 2025 at 12:47 AM
May 8th is the birthday (in 1910) of jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams who started her professional career at age 6 in order to support her family, and was playing with Duke Ellington by age 13.
can't spell Homeowner without Mower. That would just be. . .
Ho-e-n?
Ho-e-n?
May 6, 2025 at 7:12 AM
can't spell Homeowner without Mower. That would just be. . .
Ho-e-n?
Ho-e-n?
Have I become more progressive with age? I don't know, but the older i get, the more interested I am in the long-term well-being of the world; the less patience I have with being lied to; and the more experience I have in smelling the difference. And these days, "Conservative" stinks.
May 2, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Have I become more progressive with age? I don't know, but the older i get, the more interested I am in the long-term well-being of the world; the less patience I have with being lied to; and the more experience I have in smelling the difference. And these days, "Conservative" stinks.
Today is the birthday (in 1934) of pianist/singer Shirly Horn! She earned a degree in classical music from Howard University, an honorary doctorate in music from Berklee College of Music, and the highest award given by the National Endowment for the Arts.
May 1, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Today is the birthday (in 1934) of pianist/singer Shirly Horn! She earned a degree in classical music from Howard University, an honorary doctorate in music from Berklee College of Music, and the highest award given by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Today's the day in 1984 when we lost Red Garland, who was only 60 and still playing.
April 23, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Today's the day in 1984 when we lost Red Garland, who was only 60 and still playing.
Chocolate Easter Bunnies represent the concept of Religion perfectly: low-quality even by standards of junk-food; wrapped in shiny tin-foil, ultimately hollow.
April 20, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Chocolate Easter Bunnies represent the concept of Religion perfectly: low-quality even by standards of junk-food; wrapped in shiny tin-foil, ultimately hollow.
It's the birthday (in 1906) of Blues & Boogie pianist Little Brother Montgomery. Typical of self-taught musicians, Montgomery had a unique recognisable style, while tracing his pedigree directly to Jelly Roll Morton, one of the "founding fathers" of American piano art.
April 18, 2025 at 3:18 AM
It's the birthday (in 1906) of Blues & Boogie pianist Little Brother Montgomery. Typical of self-taught musicians, Montgomery had a unique recognisable style, while tracing his pedigree directly to Jelly Roll Morton, one of the "founding fathers" of American piano art.
Today we remember Johnnie Johnson, the Blues piano great who was Chuck Berry's sideman from the 50's into the 70's. He finally found recognition with a solo career as front-man in the early 90's with the help of Keith Richards, and was musically active until his passing in 2005.
April 13, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Today we remember Johnnie Johnson, the Blues piano great who was Chuck Berry's sideman from the 50's into the 70's. He finally found recognition with a solo career as front-man in the early 90's with the help of Keith Richards, and was musically active until his passing in 2005.
It's the birthday of Herbie Hancock, likely the greatest living jazz legend. I've been listening to Herbie since early childhood when my fav show was Fat Albert. Among his profound achievements is teaching us all the proper use of the Rhodes electric piano, one of which I am currently restoring.
April 12, 2025 at 12:50 AM
It's the birthday of Herbie Hancock, likely the greatest living jazz legend. I've been listening to Herbie since early childhood when my fav show was Fat Albert. Among his profound achievements is teaching us all the proper use of the Rhodes electric piano, one of which I am currently restoring.
Today is the birthday of Claude Bolling (1930 - 2020). Polished, inventive, fresh, and enjoyable entertaining music to be sure. Ultimately, however, not as emotionally impactful or powerful as the sort of music I am normally drawn to. Still, a highly noteworthy player.
April 10, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Today is the birthday of Claude Bolling (1930 - 2020). Polished, inventive, fresh, and enjoyable entertaining music to be sure. Ultimately, however, not as emotionally impactful or powerful as the sort of music I am normally drawn to. Still, a highly noteworthy player.
Today is the birthday of Rosco Gordon (1928 - 2002). He was influential in Memphis Blues, and had a distinctive swinging-backbeat style. Some associate it with the beginnings of reggae, but that seems unlikely to me. The roots of reggae lead in a different direction.
April 10, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Today is the birthday of Rosco Gordon (1928 - 2002). He was influential in Memphis Blues, and had a distinctive swinging-backbeat style. Some associate it with the beginnings of reggae, but that seems unlikely to me. The roots of reggae lead in a different direction.
.. maybe this idiot heard something about the "great" depression and thought, "if it was so Great in the 1930's then let's do that again. All of it."
April 6, 2025 at 12:38 PM
.. maybe this idiot heard something about the "great" depression and thought, "if it was so Great in the 1930's then let's do that again. All of it."
Today is the birthday of the incredible Dorothy Donegan. Not only a huge lively personality on stage and on screen, but a deadly serious pianist in both jazz and classical music, the former sometimes acting as cover for the latter. If you haven't yet listened to Donegan, do yourself the favour.
April 6, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Today is the birthday of the incredible Dorothy Donegan. Not only a huge lively personality on stage and on screen, but a deadly serious pianist in both jazz and classical music, the former sometimes acting as cover for the latter. If you haven't yet listened to Donegan, do yourself the favour.
April 1 is also the birthday of jazz pianist Duke Jordan (1922 - 2006). The jazz standard "Jordu" penned by him is one that most players pick up somewhere along the journey.
April 1, 2025 at 12:05 AM
April 1 is also the birthday of jazz pianist Duke Jordan (1922 - 2006). The jazz standard "Jordu" penned by him is one that most players pick up somewhere along the journey.
April 1 is the birthday of boogie-woogie pianist Amos Milburn (1927 - 1980)!
March 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM
April 1 is the birthday of boogie-woogie pianist Amos Milburn (1927 - 1980)!
March 31 - it's the birthday of pianist Big Maceo Merriweather (1905 - 1953) who, like me, was an autodidact on piano. Unlike me, he was extremely influential in post-war music in spite of a tragically short career effectively ended by a stroke he suffered in 1946.
March 31, 2025 at 12:45 AM
March 31 - it's the birthday of pianist Big Maceo Merriweather (1905 - 1953) who, like me, was an autodidact on piano. Unlike me, he was extremely influential in post-war music in spite of a tragically short career effectively ended by a stroke he suffered in 1946.
March 27: Today we celebrate the birthday of Leroy Carr (1905 - 1935). Even for someone who worked for double his scant 30 years of life, Carr had a massive impact on Blues, Jazz, and popular music. And would you just look at the size of those hands? He could play like no one else.
March 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
March 27: Today we celebrate the birthday of Leroy Carr (1905 - 1935). Even for someone who worked for double his scant 30 years of life, Carr had a massive impact on Blues, Jazz, and popular music. And would you just look at the size of those hands? He could play like no one else.
Today we're remembering the passing of "Piano" Pete Johnson (1904 - 1967), the boogie-woogie pianist whose playing drove Big Joe Turner to invent Rock & Roll just to keep up. Pete's career was tragically cut short by accident and illness, but had a lasting impact on both Blues and popular music.
March 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Today we're remembering the passing of "Piano" Pete Johnson (1904 - 1967), the boogie-woogie pianist whose playing drove Big Joe Turner to invent Rock & Roll just to keep up. Pete's career was tragically cut short by accident and illness, but had a lasting impact on both Blues and popular music.
A Very Happy Birthday to Otis Spann (b. 1930), possibly the greatest Blues piano player of all time, appearing on thousands of Blues recordings with dozens of A-list acts. It was decades before I realised Spann was the one player on all those recordings I had been desperate to emulate.
March 20, 2025 at 11:39 PM
A Very Happy Birthday to Otis Spann (b. 1930), possibly the greatest Blues piano player of all time, appearing on thousands of Blues recordings with dozens of A-list acts. It was decades before I realised Spann was the one player on all those recordings I had been desperate to emulate.
Happy Birthday (20 March) to New Orleans Jazz great Harold Mabern (b. 1936). I particularly enjoy his bold, bluesy playing style and hang on every polyrhythmic lick.
March 20, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Happy Birthday (20 March) to New Orleans Jazz great Harold Mabern (b. 1936). I particularly enjoy his bold, bluesy playing style and hang on every polyrhythmic lick.
March 17: We celebrate the birthdays of Lovie Lee (1909), Nat King Cole (1919), and remember the passing of the legendary Sunnyland Slim aka Albert Luandrew in 1995.
March 17, 2025 at 12:14 AM
March 17: We celebrate the birthdays of Lovie Lee (1909), Nat King Cole (1919), and remember the passing of the legendary Sunnyland Slim aka Albert Luandrew in 1995.
Happy Birthday to Tommy Flannagan (16 Mar), who I personally regard as one of the most inspired and exciting improvisational solo players. I only learned recently he's the pianist on Coltrane's "Giant Steps" as well as playing with Art Blakey, Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis, and nearly everyone else.
March 16, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Happy Birthday to Tommy Flannagan (16 Mar), who I personally regard as one of the most inspired and exciting improvisational solo players. I only learned recently he's the pianist on Coltrane's "Giant Steps" as well as playing with Art Blakey, Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis, and nearly everyone else.
Happy Birthday (16 March) to Ernest Lane (1931-2012). Lane was personally taught boogie-woogie piano by the legendary Pinetop Perkins. Ike Turner was there, too, but must have missed the part about not being a shitbag. It's pretty basic - play piano and don't be a shitbag. Is my philosophy.
March 16, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Happy Birthday (16 March) to Ernest Lane (1931-2012). Lane was personally taught boogie-woogie piano by the legendary Pinetop Perkins. Ike Turner was there, too, but must have missed the part about not being a shitbag. It's pretty basic - play piano and don't be a shitbag. Is my philosophy.
Hugh Lawson's birthday is tomorrow, 12 March (b. 1935), but today (11 March) we remember his passing in 1997. He laboured alongside more well-known names including Charles Mingus and Harold Mabern. He was my age when he died of a condition I have been treated for.
March 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Hugh Lawson's birthday is tomorrow, 12 March (b. 1935), but today (11 March) we remember his passing in 1997. He laboured alongside more well-known names including Charles Mingus and Harold Mabern. He was my age when he died of a condition I have been treated for.