- published: 20 Feb 2009
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Wesley Johnson aka Wess (August 13, 1945 - September 21, 2009) was an American-born Italian singer perhaps mostly known for representing Italy along with Dori Ghezzi in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 in Stockholm, Sweden, placing 3rd. He formed a successful duo with Ghezzi achieving some big hits in Italy, such as "Voglio stare con te", "Come stai? Con chi sei?" and "Un corpo e un'anima". Originally from North Carolina, Wess moved to Italy in the 1960s in pursuit of a musical career. Wess died in New York during his US tour when a breathing crisis led to his death.
Wess also played bass guitar in the funk-soul band Wess & The Airedales in the mid 60's to early 70's.
Frank Wess (born January 4, 1922 in Kansas City) is an American jazz musician who has played saxophone (both alto and tenor) and flute.
He began with classical music and played in Oklahoma. He later switched to jazz on moving to Washington, D. C. and by nineteen was working in the Big Bands. His career was interrupted during World War II although he did play with a military band in the period. On returning from service he joined Billy Eckstine's orchestra.
He returned to DC a few years after this and received a degree in flute at the city's Modern School Of Music. From 1953 he joined Count Basie's band, playing flute and tenor sax. He reverted to alto sax in the late '50s, and left Basie's band in 1964. From 1959 to 1964 he won Down Beat's critic poll for flute.
He was a member of Clark Terry's big band from 1967 into the '70s and played in the New York Jazz Quartet (with Roland Hanna). Since then he has done a variety of TV shows and telethons. In the '80s and '90s, he worked with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter, Billy Taylor, Harry Edison, Mel Tormé, Ernestine Anderson, Louie Bellson, John Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Dick Hyman, Byron Stripling, Jane Jarvis, Frank Vignola and was a featured member of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra.
William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. His mother first taught him piano and he started performing in his teens. Dropping out of school, he learned to operate lights for vaudeville and improvised to accompany silent films at a local theater in his town of Red Bank, New Jersey. By 16, he increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues. In 1924, he went to Harlem, where his performing career expanded; he toured with groups to the major jazz cities of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1929 he joined Bennie Moten's band in Kansas City, and played with them for years, until Moten's death in 1935.
That year Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, and others. Many notable musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, the guitarist Freddie Green, trumpeters Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison and singers Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams. Basie's theme songs were "One O'Clock Jump," developed in 1935 in the early days of his band, and "April In Paris".
Frank was a contractor, who got up every morning.
Skinn'n cats and fix'n cars, his day was far from boring.
Souped up Ford, V-8 289, running down those punks was always on his mind.
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
Ford was wired for nitro. Canister sat in the back.
Ten inch slicks, ratchet shift, smoke, rubber layed in his tracks.
Frank didn't like us, just wanted to have some fun.
So we played our music, and he put us on the run.
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
Frank started the beast. Smoke spewed from the trunk.
Oil sprayed from the hood, that can of nitro junk.
The car swelled then exploded, flying across the street.
Frank slowly stepped out, staggering to his feet.
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?
So our story ends, with the psycho contractor guy.
Moral of the story is "if Franks around, turn the music down, or you better
learn how to run fast." Frank was a contractor. Is he after you?