The Grim Reaper has been on a gleeful rampage these past months. Wielding his scythe with impunity he has been mowing down some of the best and the brightest artists around. Hopefully, his recent meeting with Ozzy Osbourne, who is also known as the prince of darkness can keep him immobile for a while. Take note, for a while.
It is often said that there is nothing certain in this life save for death and taxes. But then, if there is somebody who can put him in his place, it can only be Ozzy. Maybe Rocking Oz can bite off Grimmy’s head like he did with a rat on stage during one of his shows. Then maybe without his sight or hearing, there can be a respite from all the goodbyes.
Ozzy, the English musician who took rock to unheard of decibels, passed away last July 22. It was only a scant 17 days since he last performed on stage. The show billed as his “farewell” was named “Back to the Beginning” and featured the members of Black Sabbath. Ozzy fronted the band for many years and it was with it that he put aside his dream of becoming like The Beatles. Instead, as the music became louder and his vocals eerier, Black Sabbath became the metal band for the ages and Ozzy billed himself as the Prince of Darkness and the Godfather of Heavy Metal.
Born on Dec. 3, 1948, Ozzy was the son of factory workers who found his calling in music. His wild career was marked by fights, drug use, health issues and contentious relationships with his bandmates. On the other hand, despite unfavorable reviews, his music became a massive success with albums like Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage and others. Ozzy sold over 175 million albums both as Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. He left behind an estate valued at over 200 million dollars.
Chuck Mangione, a musician and composer from New York, also passed away last July 22 at the age of 84. Mangione accomplished a lot in his career. He toured extensively solo and with various jazz bands. He won Grammy Awards and recorded a number of critically acclaimed albums. He was also a voice actor on television for the animated series “King of the Hill.”
Mangione was best known though for bringing pop jazz to the hit charts with his Feel So Good. Not only that, it was a rare instrumental hit and he did it with the flugelhorn. Back then in 1978, a lot of listeners who loved the joyful, ecstatic sound of Feel So Good could not help but also ask, “What is a flugelhorn?”
Mangione started out as a trumpet player but fell in love with the flugelhorn while in music school. He later on used it in his composition Feel So Good, a risky choice as the instrument was used primarily in military bands. But as the results showed, it proved to be an excellent one. Feel So Good gave Mangione one of his Grammys and the tune is now considered one of the most recognizable melodies of all time.
Dame Cleo Laine, one of the greatest jazz singers of all time, passed away last July 24. She was known for her scatting prowess but also possessed a versatile voice that was both sweet and powerful. The daughter of a black Jamaican laborer and a farmer’s daughter who was disowned by family because of the interracial relationship, Laine rose up to great heights and died as a Dame Commander of the British Empire. Along with her husband jazz musician Sir John Dankworth, she was also an officer of the British Empire.
Laine toured extensively with many memorable performances in the US at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Australia, where she has a street named after her and other countries. She recorded a lot of albums, and worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles. She was also an actress. Among her memorable roles were The Witch in “Into The Woods,” Julie in “Showboat” and Desiree in “A Little Night Music.” She was 97 years old.
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