1000 Giants Of Black Music

[stepping razor]

MILES DAVIS:
The passionate, eloquent and aggressive trumpet of Miles has been winning jazz polls since the `40s. His directing of postwar jazz into areas of angry black commitment has made Miles--with his numerous live performances and his hundreds of recordings (on Columbia, Prestige and Bluenote)--one of the loudest voices in the demand for acceptance for black music on its own terms.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

TYRONE DAVIS:
After the obligatory years of obscure records, Chicago soulster Tyrone smashed to the top in 1968 with the classic "Can I Change My Mind". His Bitter-sweet vocal style (stylistic similarities to Bobby Bland) has maintained his popularity through hits like "Is It Something That You`ve Got", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", "You Keep Me Holding On" and "I Had It All The Time"--all on Dakar Records.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

WALTER DAVIS:
Blues singer/pianist who was one of the mainstays of RCA`s Bluebird "race" series in the `30s. His plaintive stylings had a massive audience up until the war.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

WILD BILL DAVISON:
Giant of the Chicago jazz scene of the `20s and one of its most colourful personalities. His cornet blew up a storm for several decades.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

BOBBY DAY:
From writing and originally recording one of the classic `50s dance songs, "Little Bitty Pretty One", in 1957, Bobby went on to score with hits like "Rockin` Robin"/"Over And Over" and "The Bluebird The Buzzard And The Oriole" (both 1958) as well as singing in the popular group the Hollywood Flames.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

DEAN & JEAN:
Boy/girl duo who had big pop hits in 63-64 ("Tra La La La Suzy" and "Hey Jean Hey Dean", both on Rust) but fell from grace with their half-soul, half-pop approach.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

DESMOND DEKKER:
Real name Dacres, and a Jamaican singer/songwriter of great originality. With early hits like "Honour Your Mother And Father", "Get Up Adinah", "King Of The Ska", "Jezebel" for producer Leslie Kong, Desmond replaced solo Ska heroes like Jimmy Cliff and Derrick Morgan as the leading JA singer. His rise to fame continued with "007", "Israelites" and "It Mek" and he became the hero of the reggae/skinhead cult among Britain`s working class youth in the late `60s. Sadly, he became a victim of the anti-skinhead backlash and his distinctive talent has been largely ignored by critics.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

DELFONICS:
One of the pioneer groups in the development of "sweet soul". With the sensuous falsetto of William Hart and songs written by Hart and the fast-developing producer/arranger/songwriter Thom Bell, 1968-70 saw a string of hits for the Philadelphia-based team, including million sellers like "La La Means I Love You" and "Didn`t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)". Despite Thom Bell`s departure, hits have kept the group a big soul name in the `70s.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

DELLS:
Marvin Junior, Johnny Carter, Verne Allison, Mickey McGill and Chuck Barksdale grew up in Chicago and by 1951 had formed a vocal group, the El Rays who recorded, acapella, for Checker in 1953. But it was with a backing, a new label Vee Jay and a new name, the Dells that they smashed with "Oh What A Night". Their ultraslick harmony kept them busy for the next decade, and they worked with Dinah Washington and Ray Charles and played the top night spots. But it was in the late 60s that their blend of emotional, rough-edged baritone and stratospheric falsetto and the productions/
arrangements of Bobby Miller and Charles Stepney brought "Stay In My Corner", "Always Together" (1968) and a new `soul` version of "Oh What A Night" (1969) into the charts. The `70s see the Dells, now produced by Don Davis, as big as ever with numbers like "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation". They recently combined on an album with the Dramatics.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace

[stepping razor]

DELTA RHYTHM BOYS:
Early vocal group in the mould of the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers who, with a mixture of barbershop harmony and genuine R&B feeling gained a black audience before settling in the `50s for a middle-of-the-road, white one.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JULY 1974: - PART FIVE
Black Music July 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 8

peace