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Trumpeter and composer Rod McGaha has a sound that translates through many dialects in the tradition of Black American Music. Nicknamed the Preacherman, he has a vocal and roots-driven timbre on the instrument as distinct as his choice of notes.
The sensibilities in McGaha s sound can be traced to fellow Midwest trumpet heroes such as Miles Davis, Lester Bowie and Clark Terry. Growing up in Chicago, McGaha developed musically on local bandstands and abroad with explorers like Von Freeman and Steve Coleman, along with rhythm-and-blues singer-songwriter Gene Chandler. When Clark Terry heard a 21-year-old McGaha perform, he took note and invited the young trumpeter to an invitational band workshop that mentored and trained promising musicians. As an alum of both the Ellington and Basie bands, Terry taught McGaha a sound that was swinging and conversational.
Yesterday, NPR celebrated the 50-year anniversary of our first on-air original show. For five decades, NPR and our member stations have shared the responsibility and privilege to serve the ind
17: Mike Mainieri
This native New Yorker made his debut as a professional musician aged 14, playing the vibes in a small combo led by legendary jazz bandleader Paul Whiteman before joining drummer Buddy Rich’s band, where he stayed between 1956 and 1963. After that, Mainieri began a solo career, playing in a decidedly hard bop vein, but by the late 60s, he was experimenting with jazz-rock while pioneering an electric-powered instrument called a synth-vibe. In 1979, he formed the popular all-star fusion band Steps, which later morphed into the long-running Steps Ahead and is still going strong today. A flexible musician, Manieri’s credits range from jazz guitarist
Marvin Gaye s hit record What s Going On encapsulates the political turmoil of 1971 while also inspiring hope for change.
Today, NPR celebrates the 50-year anniversary of our first on-air original show. For five decades, NPR and our member stations have shared the responsibility and privilege to serve the individual listener and promote their personal growth. To honor our time spent together, we turned back the clock and reflected on the impeccable sounds of our genesis year. From the timeless expression of social unrest in Marvin Gaye s What s Going On to the transportive, community building experience of John Denver s Take Me Home, Country Roads, 1971 s wide-spanning sonic achievements are featured below.
NPR s 50 Favorite Songs Of 1971 capeandislands.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from capeandislands.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.