BLACK MUSIC GIANT PASSES - ALEXANDRES VELIOTES - R.I.P.

DJZigZag sez he often finds himself saying to those who raise the question;

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BLACK

TO BE A NEW WORLD AFRICAN MUSICIAN"

and then he sites; MOSE ALLISON, HENRY YOUNG, PANCHO SANCHEZ, JOHNNY RAY, STEVE CROPPER, ART PEPPER, DAVID SANBORN, MICHAEL FRANKS and a brother who passed away this Tuesday past (January 17th, 2012) -

JOHNNY OTIS was a king of RHYTHM 'N' BLUES ! !

JOHNNY OTIS was a man who will not be replaced.

JOHNNY OTIS WAS BLACK MUSIC ! !

LONG LIVE A WAGRadio HERO . . .

ALEXANDRES "JOHNNY OTIS" VELIOTIS ! !

WAGRadio Management

WINTER RIVER but WARM & COZY WAGRadio's STUDIO "B" with A NEW EAST END SOUTH. MUSIC TOUR SHOW 'BOUT TO PODCAST - DEDICATED TO EAST END's RUSSELL MAR

Thinking about it the other day, DJZigZag realized that some of the 45's that are being heard on the EAST END SOUTHERN MUSIC TOUR (IS FUN) programs were probably bought at

Russell Mar's HEART AND SOUL Record Shop

on Commercial Drive at 1st Avenue in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

It was so easy to walk up to the store from Britannia High School during lunch and ask Gloria, Russell's right hand, and who some would call the 'boss of the boss', what the latest Rhythm 'n' Blues or Soul '45' was.

Heart and Soul Record Shop was the first New World African Music record store in British Columbia. It could have been the first in Western Canada.

I'll have to ask Alberta's Tommy Chong if he thinks that's true.

For all we know, Heart & Soul could have been the first record store in our country to dedicate itself to selling Black Music exclusively.

I, and you, dear reader, will have to set ourselves the task of finding out if that is the case.

Russell Mar was a pioneer. He quietly gave we who love 'our music' - our music !

Russell Mar . 6/21/1940 - 12/19/2010

The new EAST END SOUTHERN MUSIC TOUR (IS FUN) # SIX, dedicated to Russ, will be comin' your way in the next coupla' days.

DJZigZag

aka

Bill Reiter

photo: Ms. Marnie Coulter

KING OF ROCK AND SOUL - SOLOMON BURKE - R.I.P. - 1936 to 2010 - One of the EAST END's BIGGEST STARS OF NEW WORLD AFRICAN MUSIC ! !

SOLOMON BURKE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AND DIED AT THE AMSTERDAM AIRPORT TODAY . . . . [Oct. 9, 2010]

In 1945, as a child, Solomon Burke preached at his own church - SOLOMON'S TEMPLE -

It was there in Philadelphia, for ten years, that the "Wonder Boy Preacher" learned the joy that his mighty voice could bring to New World African Music loving people.

All of us here at WAGRadio mourn the passing of The King of Rock and Soul

Mr. Solomon Burke

WAGRadio Management

ALL OF US AT WAGRadio MOURN THE LOSS OF A MUSICAL HERO - "ONE OF THE BEST MCs OF ALL TIME" - GURU DIES AT 43 YEARS OF AGE.

Our brother GURU known for his intellectual and jazz-based themes, beautifully monotone bass voice and hip-hop worldliness, has died after battling cancer.

SOLAR, Guru's producer, posted a statement on the website of DJ PREMIER that the world has lost "one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all time".

All of us at WAGRadio bow our heads and think of the joy we received from the music of this wonderful brother.

R.I.P.

Miss A

Sweet Daddy Fonk

DJZigZag

and all

WAGRadio Management and staff

R.I.P. MICHAEL

DJZigZag

Sunny S.D.F. Wong

Miss A.

and everyone at 

WAGRadio

LOUIS PRIMA with SAM BUTERA and THE WITNESSES - "HEY MARIE"

Sad to note that saxophonist MR. SAM BUTERA (right hand man to New Orleans' LOUIS PRIMA) has passed at age 81 (June 3rd, Las Vegas, Nevada USA).  What joy these two fun-loving musicians gave us.  From the perspective of my youth - Louis' wife Keely Smith, Sam and Louis were East End Vancouver, Canada favourites.  This was helped by the East Side being not only the bastion of Black music appreciation but also the Italian-Canadian cultural & communal centre on the West Coast.

This film clip shows Louis with SAM BUTERA & THE WITNESSES at their show-band R&B honkin' sax comedic best.

DJZigZag

DOUG PARKER - Pianist, Arranger, Band Leader passes in Vancouver, Canada

One of North America's top musicians and a wonderful man, Doug Parker passed December 6th of this year. Big Band leader Harry James said Mr. Parker was "the best piano player I ever had". DJZigZag of WAGRadio's flagship program "Groovin' Blue" worked with this very talented man at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. where Doug was called upon to compose, arrange and conduct for most of the music-variety, comedy and C&W programs in the 1960's and '70's. DJZZ remembered: "What a beautiful guy and as a bonus, an East-Ender who went to Britannia High School. He was that kinda musician who always had a smile and a warm, carefree attitude". ZigZagZ sez he thinks it comes from Doug having spent a lot of time "on the road" where so much could, if you let it, get you down. In the liner notes of the Harry James L.P. "Harry James In Hi-Fi" (according to www.jazzstreetvancouver.ca) Mr. James gives a lauditory big-up to Doug Parker.
A North American Jazz giant is no longer with us.