Shel Talmy RIP

Shel Talmy, who has died aged 87, was one of the top UK based record producers of the sixties who guided the early careers of artists such as the Kinks, the Who and David Bowie. Born in Chicago he moved early on to LA where he graduated from the same high school as Jerry Leiber, Herb Alpert, Michael Jackson and Phil Spector. As part of the 'Wrecking Crew' he worked on records produced by the likes of Gary Paxton, Rene Hall and Bumps Blackwell. But it was only when he relocated to the UK in 1962 that his production career took off. Signed to Decca as an independent record producer he was responsible for 'Charmaine' by the Bachelors and under-appreciated singles by Wayne Gibson (whose recording of 'Beachcomber' I picked up only yesterday) and girl group the Orchids among many others. In 1964 he began producing records by the Kinks, beginning with their first 45 'Long Tall Sally' and all their early hits including 'You Really Got Me' right up to 'Waterloo Sunset' in 1967. He also produced the Brunswick hits by The Who, including 'I Can't Explain' and 'My Generation', early records by David Bowie when he was known as Davy Jones, the Easybeats, Manfred Mann, Roy Harper and Pentangle. Other sixties productions included records by the Zephyrs, the Dennisons, the Fortunes, Johnny B Great, Amen Corner, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, Houston Wells and the Nashville Teens. He formed his own short-lived record label Planet with Arthur Howes whose early releases included several by the Creation. He worked on a wide variety of albums including ones by Tim Buckley and Lee Hazlewood and remained in demand in the seventies, with production deals with the Bell and Charisma labels. By this time he was more focused on book publishing and film making but in 1977 he produced a record by the Damned. He returned to the US in 1979 but continued to produce records on occasion.

Farewell to Offbeat magazine

I was sorry to read recently that the New Orleans music magazine Offbeat is to close down at the end of the year. I suppose it's another nail in the coffin of print publications but it's a shame, as Offbeat has been a reliable source of news and listings about New Orleans music ever since I first visited the city 35 years ago. Back then, there was another music magazine called Wavelength that also covered the types of music that interested me, including New Orleans rhythm and blues, zydeco, rock and roll and gospel. It was where writers like Jeff Hannusch, who wrote 'I Hear You Knockin: The Sound of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues', first made their mark. That magazine never made any money and lasted for just 11 years, closing down in 1991, but it was a must-read publication and one I subscribed to for a couple of years. Offbeat, which was founded by Jan Ramsey in 1987, has lasted somewhat longer but its life has also come to an end - unless a buyer is found. When I was in New Orleans last month one of the first things I did was seek out copies of Offbeat, which used to be available in any number of bars and shops in the French Quarter. I couldn't find one, as it turned out that it is now on line only, except during Jazzfest. I found copies of Where Y'at and Gambit, both of which include music listings for the Big Easy and are excellent in their own way, but the absence of Offbeat leaves a big hole. Sad to see another New Orleans institution die, after the Palm Court Jazz Cafe earlier in the year and a couple of other music outlets in Frenchmen Street.

Quincy Jones and others RIP

Quincy Jones, who has died aged 91, has rightly received plaudits from many within the world of music. As a producer, composer, arranger and conductor he is best known for his work with Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, and for his jazz productions and film scores. But in a career that spanned over 70 years what stands out to me is his work with Ray Charles, who he met when he was just 14, and Lesley Gore, whose Mercury recordings he produced from 1963 to 1966. Quincy toured with the Lionel Hampton band in 1953 and went on to work with Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and many other jazz stars of the fifties and sixties. His 'Soul Bossa Nova', released in 1962, went on to be featured in the Austin Powers movies, and his number one smash with Lesley Gore's 'It's My Party' began a run of hits with her for Mercury. He produced hits for Ray Charles, including 'One Mint Julep', and wrote the score for 'In The Heat Of The Night', which includes Ray Charles' haunting title theme, and many other soundtracks, including 'The Italian Job' and 'In Cold Blood'. His production credits included a gospel album with Little Richard, and albums by Billy Eckstine, Billy Preston, Aretha Franklin and the Brothers Johnson. He achieved his greatest success as producer of the Michael Jackson albums 'Off The Wall, 'Thriller' and 'Bad'.

Best known as a singer of easy listening pop material Jack Jones, who died recently aged 86, recorded dozens of albums in a career which began in 1959. His early hits included 'Lollipops and Roses', 'Wives and Lovers' and 'Dear Heart' but he showed that he could rock it up a bit with records such as George Jones's 'The Race Is On' and 'Love Bug'.

Another recent death is that of rockabilly artist Bill 'Peg Pants' Beach, aged 92. He recorded for King in the late fifties - his best known song being 'Peg Pants' - and toured Europe during the 1980s rockabilly revival. Also folk and blues singer and activist Barbara Dane, aged 97. She was interviewed by Garth Cartwright for The Guardian shortly before her death and the article, and subsequent obituary, is well worth seeking out.