Ramsey Lewis was an American pianist and occasional composer working in the smooth jazz idiom. Lewis recorded over 80 albums, most of them featuring cover songs. He is known for such recordings as “The ‘In’ Crowd” (1965), “Wade in the Water” (1966), “Quinn the Eskimo (Mighty Quinn)” (1968), “Sun Goddess” (1974) and “Les Fleurs” (1983).
Tag Archives: United States
RIP Diane Noomin (1947 – 2022)
Diane Noomin was an American comics artist associated with the underground comics movement. She is best known for her character DiDi Glitz, who addresses transgressive social issues such as feminism, female masturbation, body image, and miscarriages.
Here she is in a Video West Zippy the Pinhead episode broadcast in 1980 starring Jim Turner as Zippy and Diane Noomin as DiDi Glitz.
Noomin was married to Bill Griffith, the man who created the character of Zippy.
RIP Peter Straub (1943 – 2022)
Peter Straub was an American novelist best known for horror and supernatural fiction novels such Julia (1975), Ghost Story (1979) and The Talisman (1984), which he co-wrote with Stephen King.
RIP Helen Grayco (1924 – 2022)
Helen Grayco was an American singer and actress famous for appearances with her husband Spike Jones.
She is known for interpreting “Lilly’s Lament” (1956) and appearing in A Night at the Opera (1935).
RIP Creed Taylor (1929 – 2022)
Creed Taylor was an American record producer and trumpeter known for two things. First, for bringing bossa nova to the United States and secondly, for his work in smooth jazz.
Prompted by Taylor’s death, I’ve been listening to “Bloop Bleep” (1965) by Gary McFarland and, to a lesser extent, to “Nautilus” (1974) by Bob James.
Taylor released Shock Music In Hi-Fi (1958) and Panic – Son Of Shock (1960) as The Creed Taylor Orchestra.
RIP Anne Heche (1969 – 2022)
Anne Heche was an American actress known for many films and television dramas.
I remember her for Wild Side (1995).
RIP Lamont Dozier (1941 – 2022)
Lamont Dozier was an American composer and record producer best known for being part of the Holland–Dozier–Holland team and for writing “Going Back to My Roots” (1977).
RIP Claes Oldenburg (1929 – 2022)
Claes Oldenburg was a Swedish-born American sculptor known for soft sculptures such as Giant Soft Drum Set in the first half of his career, and extra large artworks in the second half of his career.
RIP James Caan (1940 – 2022)
James Caan was an American actor known for such films as The Godfather (1972) and Dogville (2003).
RIP Margaret Keane (1927 – 2022)
Margaret Keane was an American artist known for her kitschy paintings of subjects with big eyes.
A resurgence of interest in Margaret Keane’s work followed the release of Tim Burton’s biopic Big Eyes (2014).