After the mayhem last month, things went a bit easier in November.
The Reggae Legend
The three most important figures in the history of reggae singers are Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff. The latter was the last survivor of that trio — and even of an extended list that might also include Gregory Isaacs, Bunny Wailer, Toots Hibbert, Prince Buster and Dennis Brown.
Born James Chambers in 1944 in Jamaica, Cliff was still in his teens when he began recording in Kingston, already showing the promise of that bright vocal style that blended the brisk rhythms of ska with the melodic feel of soul music. As Jamaican music moved from ska to rocksteady and then to reggae, Cliff was at the forefront, on the smoother, poppier end of reggae. That made him one of the first acts to bring reggae into the mainstream.
In 1964, Cliff was one of Jamaica’s representatives at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and in the following years he scored several hits in various parts of the world. His major breakthrough came with the 1972 film The Harder They Come, in which he starred as a rural boy drawn into Kingston’s underworld. The film’s soundtrack featured Cliff classics like You Can Get It If You Really Want, the gorgeous Many Rivers To Cross, and the title track. It became a reggae classic, and a global hit. He was not the first Jamaican to score international hits — Desmond Dekker had even topped the UK charts in 1969 — but Jimmy Cliff was reggae’s earliest international standard-bearer, before Bob Marley became a global icon.
The two steered their ships in the same ocean, but never really on intersecting currents. Cliff was an admirer of Marley’s songwriting and global influence. Marley, for his part, occasionally expressed frustration that the Jamaican music industry had initially invested more heavily in Cliff’s career than his.
Commercially savvy, Cliff pursued record deals that would gave him access to lucrative markets. He toured widely and recorded with artists across genres, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello and Kool & The Gang. His big 1983 hit, Reggae Night (co-written by LaToya Jackson) was clearly influenced by Kool & The Gang song. It was not his finest artistic hour. In 1985, Cliff contributed to the anti-apartheid record Sun City.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Cliff expanded his sound to incorporating genres like funk and later world-music influences. Cliff was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. To date, only one other reggae performer has been inducted. No need to say who.
The Stone Rose
It may be said that Gary “Mani” Mounfield, who died three days after his 63rd birthday, was one of British rock’s most influential bassists, helping to define both the Madchester sound with The Stone Roses and later the darker, brooding pulse of Primal Scream.
Mani’s fluid basslines were central to The Stone Roses’ sound on classics like She Bangs The Drums, Waterfall, I Am the Resurrection and Fools Gold. His stage presence — all swagger, pulling faces and joyous abandon — made him a fan favourite.
When The Stone Roses initially split in 1996, Mani joined Primal Scream, helping the band on a run of critically acclaimed albums, especially 2000’s XTRMNTR. Mani rejoined The Stone Roses for their much-publicised reunion in 2011. After the band’s second split, he continued performing selectively while keeping a relatively low profile.
As a pioneer of Brit Pop, Mani had strong opinions, particularly about fellow Mancunians Oasis. He described the Gallagher brothers’ music as limited and derivative (including, it must be said, of The Stone Roses). He suggested that Oasis “held Manchester back”, with their success overshadowing more inventive local bands.
As a lifelong Manchester United fan — his father was a chef at the club — he also mocked the Gallaghers’ more fair-weather support for local rivals Manchester City. Man Utd paid tribute to their great fan before a home game.
The Grateful Dead
Before she became a legendary singer with the Grateful Dead in the 1970s, Donna Jean Godchaux sang backing vocals on recordings at FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Her backing vocals are reported to have appeared uncredited on hits such as Percy Sledge’s When A Man Loves A Woman, Elvis Presley’s Suspicious Minds, Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, and Cher’s Dark Lady. Consume that info with caution.
Born Donna Jean Thatcher in Alabama, she married keyboardist Keith Godchaux in 1971. Both joined the Grateful Dead in the autumn of that year. Donna contributed vocals in the studio and on stage, and was also part of the band’s side project The Jerry Garcia Band, and also performed with her husband as Keith & Donna.
After leaving the Dead, Donna and Keith formed the Heart of Gold Band in 1980, but Keith died from injuries sustained in a car accident shortly after their first concert. Donna went on to form several bands and collaborated with various jam-band musicians. In 1994, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead.
The Other Jellyybean
As the drummer of The Time, Jellybean Johnson appeared in the film Purple Rain (the very tall fellow), and was part of Prince’s Minnesota scene. Along with fellow Time alumni Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, he later moved into production and songwriting. He also served as a sought-after session guitarist and drummer, often with Jam and Lewis.
Born Garry George Johnson (and not to be confused with fellow producer John “Jellybean” Benitez), Jellybean co-produced and played guitar on Janet Jackson’s Black Cat, the Grammy-nominated heavy rock single from 1990s Rhythm Nation 1814. Later he also produced the 1994 single What’ll I Do. He also worked with Alexander O’Neal, providing the guitar solo on the epic Innocent, and writing and producing the hit Criticize. Johnson also produced acts like Nona Hendryx, Cherelle, New Edition, Mint Condition, Karyn White, and others.
When The Time reunited — first as Morris Day & The Time, later as The Original 7ven — Johnson returned as guitarist, continuing to tour and record with his former bandmates. In the 2010s and 2020s he also released solo material.
The Cardboard Box Resident
English singer and songwriter Richard Darbyshire, who has died at 65, made his name with the trio Living In A Box, which had a good run in the late 1980s. Before that, he was in Manchester group Zu Zu Sharks, who had a minor European hit with Love Tumbles Down.
In 1985 he teamed up with Marcus Vere and Tich Critchlow to form Living In A Box. Their debut single, also titled Living In A Box, reached #5 in the UK and gave the band their only US Top 20 entry. Their follow-up album, Gatecrashing, produced two further UK Top 10 singles, the ballad Room In Your Heart and the dance track Blow The House Down, featuring Queen’s Brian May on guitar.
Darbyshire left the band in 1990 and issued his solo album How Many Angels in 1994. It yielded no big hits, though 1993’s This I Swear deserved much better than UK #50. He wrote or co-wrote songs for artists such as Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Rush, Level 42 and Mónica Naranjo, and later taught songwriting workshops in London.
The Dancing Twins
They were born twins, worked together for a lifetime, lived together for much of the lives, and in the end they chose to die together by assisted suicide, at the age of 89. You can’t really be closer than that.
Alice and Ellen Kessler — known as Die Kessler-Zwillinge in their native Germany, and internationally as The Kessler Twins — escaped East Germany with their parents in 1950, and soon launched their long career, first in Munich and then in France.
From 1955-60 they performed at the Lido in Paris, becoming one of the cabaret’s major attractions. Their popularity brought them to French television, where they appeared with stars such as Gilbert Bécaud and Charles Aznavour. They represented Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n, finishing in 8th place.
In Italy, where they were known as Le Gemelle Kessler, they became household names through regular appearances on RAI variety shows. Their trademark look — platinum blonde hair, long legs, synchronised choreography — became an instantly recognisable brand across Europe. In 1975 they posed nude in Italy’s Playboy (another star who died this month, Ornella Vanoni, also posed for Italy’s Playboy, in 1977).
In the late 1950s and 1960s they released several schlager records, and were also having hits in Italy. The twins also worked in film, appearing in German, French and Italian productions. They remained active into their eighties, with a strong fanbase in Germany and Italy especially.
The Bandleader
Although he had been ill for a while, the death at 59 of Cleto Escobedo III, bandleader and saxophonist for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, came as a shock.
Escobedo had led the houseband, Cleto and the Cletones, since the show’s inception in 2003. He and Kimmel had been close childhood friends, ever since Jimmy’s family moved to Las Vegas when he was 11. After Escobedo’s death, Kimmel opened his show with an emotional tribute, saying: “It’s just not fair. He was the nicest, most humble, kind and always funny person.”
Escobedo had a vibrant career before joining Kimmel. He toured with acts like Paula Abdul and Marc Anthony and released a jazz fusion album in 1995. Escobedo also co-wrote the Jimmy Kimmel Live! theme song.
As always, this post is reproduced in illustrated PDF format in the package, which also includes my personal playlist of the featured tracks. PW in comments.
Dave Burgess, 90, rhythm guitarist and leader of The Champs, on Oct. 19
The Champs – Tequila (1958)
Young Bleed, 51, rapper, on Nov. 1
Young Bleed feat. C-Loc & Master P – Keep It Real (1998)
Archie Fisher, 86, Scottish folk singer and songwriter, on Nov. 1
Ray Drummond, 78, jazz bassist, on Nov. 1
Pharoah Sanders – You’ve Got To Have Freedom (1980, on bass)
Donna Jean Godchaux, 78, singer with the Grateful Dead (1971-79), on Nov. 2
Keith & Donna – Sweet Baby (1975, also as co-writer)
Grateful Dead – Sunrise (1977, also as co-writer)
Grateful Dead – From The Heart Of Me (1978)
Joseph Byrd, 87, musician (The United States of America), songwriter, composer, on Nov. 2
The United States of America – The Garden Of Earthly Delights (1968, also as co-writer)
John Wesley Ryles, 74, country singer and songwriter, on Nov. 2
John Wesley Ryles – Kay (1968)
Lô Borges, 73, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist, on Nov. 2
Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges – O Trem Azul (1972)
Jim Self, 82, jazz and classical tubist, composer, on Nov. 2
Jim Self – Wichita Lineman (2005)
Victor Conte, 75, funk bassist (Tower of Power), money launderer, on Nov. 3
Robert Taylor, 74, guitarist of New Zealand rock band Dragon, songwriter, on Nov. 4
Dragon – April Sun In Cuba (1977, on lead guitar and backing vocals)
Gilson Lavis, 74, drummer of Squeeze, on Nov. 5
Squeeze – Up The Junction (1979)
Squeeze – Is That Love? (1981)
Steve Whitaker, 62, drummer of Christian metal band Barren Cross, on Nov. 6
Chris Bradley, bassist and co-founder of UK metal band Savage, on Nov. 6
Savage – Let It Loose (1983, also as writer)
Pono, 49, Polish rapper, on Nov. 6
John Shillito, c.87, British jazz musician, on Nov. 6
Christoph Spendel, 70, German jazz pianist, composer and producer, on Nov. 7
Göran Ringbom, 81, Swedish musician, on Nov. 9
Richard Darbyshire, 65, singer of English pop band Living In A Box, songwriter, on Nov. 10
Living In A Box – Living In A Box (1987)
Living In A Box – Room In Your Heart (1989, also as co-writer)
Richard Darbyshire – This I Swear (1993, also as co-writer)
Tim Ellis, 67, bluegrass banjo player, on Nov. 10
Robert Skrolsvik, 65, singer with Norwegian a cappella group Bjelleklang, on Nov. 10
Cleto Escobedo III, 59, musician and bandleader on Jimmy Kimmel Live, on Nov. 11
Cleto Escobedo – If You Had A Clue (1995)
Carmen Moreno, 99, German-born Polish jazz singer, on Nov. 11
Sei Miguel, 64, Portuguese jazz musician and composer, on Nov. 11
Guido Di Leone, 61, Italian jazz guitarist, on Nov. 11
J.D. King, 74, member of punk band The Coachmen, artist, announced Nov. 13
Fosforito, 93, Spanish flamenco singer, on Nov. 13
Encarnita Polo, 86, Spanish pop singer, suspected killing, on Nov. 14
Encarnita Polo – Paco, Paco, Paco (1968)
Todd Snider, 59, American singer-songwriter, on Nov. 14
Todd Snider – Trouble (1994, also as writer)
Plinio Córdoba, 90, Colombian jazz drummer, on Nov. 15
Hilly Michaels, 77, rock drummer and singer, announced Nov. 15
Sparks – I Like Girls (1976, on drums)
Jean-Max Rivière, 88, French singer-songwriter, on Nov. 15
Sara Jordan Powell, 87, gospel singer, on Nov. 16
Sara Jordan Powell – Touch Somebody’s Life (1972)
Maxon Margiela, 21, rapper, on Nov. 16
Alice & Ellen Kessler, 89, German singers and actresses (Kessler Twins), on Nov. 17
Alice & Ellen Kessler – Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (1959)
Le Gemelle Kessler – Da-da-um-pa (1961)
Jards Macalé, 82, Brazilian singer-songwriter, on Nov. 17
Walt Aldridge, 70, lead singer, songwriter with country band The Shooters, on Nov. 19
The Shooters – Borderline (1988, also as writer)
André Geraissati, 74, Brazilian acoustic guitarist and composer, on Nov. 19
Gerti Möller, 95, German schlager and chanson singer, on Nov. 19
Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, 63, bassist of The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, announced Nov. 20
The Stone Roses – This Is The One (1989)
The Stone Roses – Ten Storey Love Song (1994)
Primal Scream – Burning Wheel (1997)
Jellybean Johnson, 69, soul/funk guitarist, drummer, songwriter, producer, on Nov. 21
The Time – The Bird (1984, as member on drums)
Alexander O’Neal – Criticize (1987, as writer, producer and on guitar)
Janet Jackson – Black Cat (198, as co-producer and on guitar)
Jean Guidoni, 74, French singer and songwriter, on Nov. 21
Ornella Vanoni, 91, Italian singer and actress, on Nov. 21
Ornella Vanoni – Senza Fine (1961)
Ornella Vanoni – La Voglia Di Sognare (1974)
René Karst, 59, Dutch singer, on Nov. 21
Dadou Pasquet, 72, Haitian soul singer-songwriter, guitarist, on Nov. 22
Ian Lees, bassist of Australian rock band Moving Pictures, on Nov. 23
Moving Pictures – What About Me (1982)
Joe Colborn, 70, radio DJ and comedy singer (Eddie & JoBo), on Nov. 24
Jimmy Cliff, 81, Jamaican Hall reggae singer-songwriter, on Nov. 24
Jimmy Cliff – My Lucky Day (1963)
Jimmy Cliff – Vietnam (1968)
Jimmy Cliff – You Can Get It If You Really Want (1970)
Jimmy Cliff – Roots Woman (1983)
Jan Kling, 85, Swedish jazz and session musician, on Nov. 24
ABBA – Fernando (1976, on flute)
Albert Kassabi, 63, Tunisian-born French singer, on Nov. 25
Alessandro Tomei, c.53, Italian jazz and session saxophonist, announced Nov. 26
Maria de la Rosa, 22, Latin music singer, shot on Nov. 26
Vasco Martins, c.69, Cape Verdean new age musician and composer, on Nov. 27
Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie, 73, guitarist of Australian rock band Skyhooks, On Nov. 29
Skyhooks – All My Friends Are Getting Married (1975)
Leslie Fish, 72, folk musician, on Nov. 29
Chubby Tavares, 80, singer with soul band Tavares, on Nov. 29
Tavares – The Mighty Power of Love (1976)
Warren Williams, 85, Australian rock & roll singer, on Nov. 30
Dag Spantell, 75, Norwegian singer, on Nov. 30
Judy Cheeks, 71, soul and dance singer, announced Nov. 30
Judy Cheeks – Mellow Lovin’ (1978)
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