On September 6th, in 1942, Dave Bargeron (top center)-Trombonist for the Rock-Jazz outfit Blood, Sweat & Tears, was born in Athol, Massachusetts. He’s a prolific trombonist that was a member of Clark Terry’s Big Band and Doc Severinsen’s band before joining BS&T in the early 70s. He also worked with Gil Evans, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, Pat Metheny, Billy Joel,
David Sanborn, Eric Clapton and a many more. The band had a hit with Spinning Wheel in the UK and the US. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy was another top 20 hit they’d enjoy. Both of these songs were recorded before Bargeron was a member of the band (1968 & 1969). He would tour with the band and play on LPs that followed their late 60s releases. He’s 76 today!
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On September 6th, in 1943, Pink Floyd’s co-founder, bassists, songwriter, and singer-Roger Waters (Bottom L) was born in Great Bookham, Surrey, England, UK. He founded the band with soon to leave member Syd Barrett. When Barrett left in the late 60s, Waters became the lead singer and lyricist by default.
It was a great default that led to a slew of music that was tight. In 1985, Water himself would leave Pink Floyd and embark on a solo career. He released several solo LPs that were very successful. He also wrote an opera called Ca Ira. Waters is extremely talented and has remained one of the most known members of the band Pink Floyd. He tours and plays The Wall & Darkside of the Moon. He's 71 today!
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On September 6th, in 1947, Soul, Blues, Rock male vocalist turned Disco Queen, Sylvester (Sylvester James) was born in Watts, Los Angeles, California. He started off in the choir at the Pentecostal Church. He outed his sexuality and was banished, but found a group of Blacks that embraced a gender plural counterculture. He moved to San Francisco in his early 20s and began singing with The Hot Band.
They had a Blues based sound with a bit of Tower for Power mixed with Cold Blood-Bay area multi-ethnic funk collectives. He left them when the disco craze geared up (mid 70s) and was under the productions of Harvey Fuqua. His music with Harvey is his best work. Deep house classics and sample thick mid-tempo songs are present during this run with Fuqua. He’d fizzle out after disco was destroyed. He passed away in in 1988, he was 41.
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On September 6th, in 1948, co-founder and guitarist for the Jazz-Funk outfit-Kool & the Gang-Claydes (Charles) Smith (front center below) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He learned Jazz guitar from his father and later in his late teens, he met up with the rest of the ‘Gang’ to form the band. They had a big pop hit with Celebration, but that’s lame.
Their stuff from the late 60s through the late 70s is very solid. It’s been sampled by the likes of Pete Rock, J Dilla, Jazzy Jeff, Premier, Showbiz-Diamond-Finesse, Q-Tip, and numerous others. He continued to tour with the band for decades appearing on all of their albums. He stopped performing in 2006 due to illness. He passed away the same year in Westfield, New Jersey. He was 57.
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‘…and when it’s Black on Black that makes it shhhhh, can’t survive in the Compton City…’ On September 6th, in 1969 Isaac Hayes hit the R&B and pop chart for the first time for his version of the standard song ‘Walk on By’ with the backup band being the Bar-Kays. Dionne Warwick sang this song initially and made it popular. Her version is very dry in comparison to Isaac’s.
There’s a soulful element in his version that resonates much deeper with the listener. Plus it’s real funky. It’s been sampled best by Dee Jays-Slip & Unknown out the Compton’s Most Wanted camp in my opinion. The looped the strings nicely, strings can be difficult to loop off vinyl. Other folks have sampled it as well, just about everybody to be real. It’s that dope, never gets old, timeless…
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On September 6th, in 1978 the female Emcee-model-actress Foxy Brown (Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand) was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. She started off with the Trackmasters who scooped her up after she won a talent contest at Park Slope. She did her version of Who Shot Ya over the same beat.
She got her big break on Toni Braxton’s You’re Making Me High, and followed these up with a verse on Case’s Touch Me Tease Me, then Jay-Z’s Aint no Nig, which solidified her position. She put out Ill NaNa her debut solo LP next, which did well. To be honest, I used to not really dig her stuff, but after hearing what’s out now, even the popular stuff back in the Golden Era was tight…She’s 40 today!
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On September 6th, in 2004, Jamiroquai (Jam Iroquai) lead and the face of the band-Jay Kay had his DL revoked for driving over 100 miles per hour, 105 to be exact, on the A9 in Perthshire, United Kingdom. He had to go court, and his legal team tried to argue that his speeding was justifiable due to the fact that he’s a star and very busy.
Of course that fell flat. He had to pay a healthy fine and couldn’t drive for six months. The Sheriff that clocked him at 105mph-Robert McCreadie said that Jay Kay’s driving was uncalled for, unwarranted…pause…dude writes some tight lyrics, and his band is dope, but damn, driving a 4 wheel drive at 105mph?...cues up Space Cowboy...
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On September 6th in 1925, Bluesman Jimmy Reed was born in Dunleith, Mississippi. We mentioned him on his going home day, August 29th. He was a great songwriter, singer, guitarist and band leader. He also influenced many Blues (Robert Cray) and Rock musicians that would cover some of his songs like Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.
On September 6th, in 1961, Pal Waaktaar Gmast AKA Paul Waaktaar -Savoy (R) the painter, guitarist, signer and songwriter for the 80s New Wave Norwegian Band A-Ha was born in Olso, Norway. He wrote the hit song Take On Me and it went to Number one in the US & UK. They were the first Norwegian band to do so. He's 57 today!
On September 6th, in 1967, Singer, songwriter, actress and producer Macy Gray (Natalie Renee McIntyre was born in Canton, Ohio. She has put out numerous solo LPs and worked with other artists like Bobby Brown, Black Eyed Peas, Velvet Revolver, Femi Kuti, D’Angelo, Common, Erykah Badu, Dallas Austin and many more. She also was featured in the film-Idlewild. She’s 52 today!
For more information on any musician or event reviewed in posts, or for additional information on The Wandering Eyes Blog overall, use the search bar and search the artist or event using keywords. It’s like a Google search for the site. A wide variety of information, covering several topics exists on this site going back to 2013 when it was created. PEACE