1000 Giants Of Black Music

[stepping razor]

CHORDS:
A 1952 R&B hit "Sh-Boom" (Cat Records) brought a flash of fame for the Chords (later The Chordcats) and their mumbling, near-scat singing.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

CHOSEN FEW:
A leading Jamaican vocal quartet who since 1970 (under producer Derrick Harriott) have enjoyed considerable success with reworkings of US soul hits.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN:
Arguably the world`s greatest jazz guitarist and certainly the first to use electric guitar. Discovered by John Hammond and played with Benny Goodman. Died of tuberculosis aged 23 in 1942.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

EUGENE CHURCH:
Popular R&B artist in the late `50s. His gravelly, intense voice was somewhat wasted on poppy material and trite cooing girl productions. His hit "Pretty Girls Everywhere" (Class, 1958) was subsequently much revived. Despite some recordings with Johnny Otis in the early sixties (King) he`s now faded from the scene.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

CIMARONS:
Five Jamaican musicians who have been described as the "backbone of British reggae" due to the amount of studio session work and stage back-up work they do here. Had a minor success with Jimmy Cliff`s "Struggling Man".

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

CLAUDINE CLARKE:
Her big pop hit of unbelievable triteness "Party Lights" (Chancellor, 1962) concealed an extraordinary voice which when highlighted on a slow ballad was amazingly soulful. Sadly Claudine recorded only a handful of discs.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

DEE CLARKE:
Starting off working in Chicago vocal groups, by 1958 Dee Clarke was hitting as a solo. His high, Clyde McPhatter-ish voice sang jolly little toe tappers like "Nobody But You", "Just Keep It Up" and the Bo Diddley-ish "Hey Little Girl". When Abner Records were absorbed by VeeJay his hits continued, the pretty ballad "Raindrops" selling a million in 1961. But by 1963 he`d seen his last hit (on Constellation) and attempted comebacks on Wand, Liberty and Warner Bros. haven`t succeeded.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

KENNY CLARKE:
One of jazz`s most influential drummers. By `35 he was playing in a number of top jazz units but it was his work in shifting rhythmic emphasis from bass drum to cymbal which makes him one of the fathers of Bebop. Recorded and toured prolifically, now with his own trio.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

TONY CLARKE:
Chicago soulster who in the `60s did raucous, gravel voice things ("A Woman, Love And A Man" and "Ain`t Love Good, Ain`t Love Proud") and pretty high voiced lilters ("The Entertainer") for Chess, before being killed in a shooting incident.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace

[stepping razor]

WILLIE CLARKE:
Miami based producer/writer. His work with Clarence Reid and Steve Alaimo in the `60s and `70s has resulted in hits for Betty Wright and others.

1000 GIANTS OF BLACK MUSIC - JUNE 1974: - PART FOUR
Black Music June 1974: - Vol. 1 / Issue 7

peace