Twelve-time GRAMMY-winning composer, conductor, librettist, and jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter was born on August 25, 1933, in Newark, New Jersey. His parents were Joseph Wayne Shorter, a a welder for the Singer sewing machine company, and Louise Shorter, a seamstress with furriers. They also had … Read MoreWayne Shorter (1933-2023)
The Negro String Quartet was founded by Felix Weir in 1920 and remained active until 1933. The Quartet performed in musical programs at churches and community organizations in Harlem and at Columbia University. The Quartet was composed of Felix Weir and Arthur Boyd, first and … Read MoreNegro String Quartet (1920-1933)
Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF) is multi-genre band that spans across R&B, soul, jazz, disco, funk, rock, and Latin musical styles. Some of the band’s most prominent members included Maurice White, Phillip Bailey, Verdine White, Fred White, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, John Paris, Johnny Graham, … Read MoreEarth, Wind & Fire (1970-2013)
Mostly known as the “Father of the Stride Piano,” James Johnson transformed music during the Harlem Renaissance. With his form of composition and performance style, he altered ragtime into a more ambitious musical presentation which incorporated elements of early jazz. Over his lifetime, Johnson would record over 400 … Read MoreJames Price Johnson (1894-1955)
Leslie B. Rout, Jr. was a Latin American history professor, jazz musician, and author. Rout was born into poverty in Chicago, Illinois on February 26, 1935 to a former Army master sergeant Leslie B. Rout, Sr. His mother’s name is unknown. Rout earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history at Loyola University … Read MoreLeslie Brennan Rout, Jr. (1935-1987)
