Leonard Cohen (1934-2016), aged 82, Canadian singer, songwriter, poet, novelist. What a year for music departures, starting with David Bowie back in January, and then Prince and an Eagle - now Leonard Cohen leaves the scene at 82, after - like Bowie - just releasing a late great album "You Want It Darker". I must admit I do not know it yet, but my friend Martin has raved. It will be an essential.
For me, Cohen is always associated with that late Sixties era, those songs like "So Long Marianne", "Suzanne". "The Sisters of Mercy" etc during that hippie era, and his mournful soundtrack for Altman's McCABE & MRS MILLER in 1971. He of course had that great late renaissance in his Seventies as his work was discovered all over again and his tours were extremely popular. His muse Marianne died some months ago and it was reported Cohen told her he would be following her shortly ... "Dance Me To The End of Love" indeed.
Mose Allison (1927-2016), aged 89. Another music legend departs. Mose was a deeply loved jazz and blues pianist, singer and songwriter, from the Mississippi Delta, a white man who had the blues, I first discovered him as a teenager, with this EP of 6 of his recordings, songs like "Please don't talk about me when I'm Gone", "I don't worry about a thing", "I love the life I live", "The Seventh Son", "Parchman Farm". "Young Man's Blues". His live recordings capture him perfectly too.
He was increasingly popular and influential in his old age, doing an annual 3 week residency in London each year, and influencing and being covered by the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Pete Townshend. He was a social critic before Dylan, and a satirist before Randy Newman. We love Mose.
Robert Vaughn (1932-2016), aged 83. Prolific American actor, if never quite front-rank. He was the last survivor of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, which we loved back in 1960. He co-starred again with Steve McQueen in BULLITT, and other credits included THE TOWERING INFERNO and even a stint on British TV's CORONATION STREET a few years ago, and he made that credible too. He was of course one of THE MEN FROM U.N.C.L.E. for years in the 1960s,and also star of the long running BBC series HUSTLE, and was a very stylish guy.
Raoul Coutard (1924-2016), aged 92. Legendary French cinematographer who lensed many New Wave classics, including Godard's BREATHLESS, PIERROT LE FOU, UN FEMME EST UNE FEMME, Demy's LOLA, Truffaut's JULES ET JIM etc, He and Henri Decae and Nestor Almendros must have shot all the French classics of the 60s onwards.
Sir Jimmy Young (1921-2016), aged 95. Another veteran BBC broadcaster departs at a great age. One has to salute his achievements and longevity as one of the longest broadcasting disk jockeys
For me, Cohen is always associated with that late Sixties era, those songs like "So Long Marianne", "Suzanne". "The Sisters of Mercy" etc during that hippie era, and his mournful soundtrack for Altman's McCABE & MRS MILLER in 1971. He of course had that great late renaissance in his Seventies as his work was discovered all over again and his tours were extremely popular. His muse Marianne died some months ago and it was reported Cohen told her he would be following her shortly ... "Dance Me To The End of Love" indeed.
He was increasingly popular and influential in his old age, doing an annual 3 week residency in London each year, and influencing and being covered by the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Pete Townshend. He was a social critic before Dylan, and a satirist before Randy Newman. We love Mose.
Robert Vaughn (1932-2016), aged 83. Prolific American actor, if never quite front-rank. He was the last survivor of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, which we loved back in 1960. He co-starred again with Steve McQueen in BULLITT, and other credits included THE TOWERING INFERNO and even a stint on British TV's CORONATION STREET a few years ago, and he made that credible too. He was of course one of THE MEN FROM U.N.C.L.E. for years in the 1960s,and also star of the long running BBC series HUSTLE, and was a very stylish guy.
Raoul Coutard (1924-2016), aged 92. Legendary French cinematographer who lensed many New Wave classics, including Godard's BREATHLESS, PIERROT LE FOU, UN FEMME EST UNE FEMME, Demy's LOLA, Truffaut's JULES ET JIM etc, He and Henri Decae and Nestor Almendros must have shot all the French classics of the 60s onwards.
Sir Jimmy Young (1921-2016), aged 95. Another veteran BBC broadcaster departs at a great age. One has to salute his achievements and longevity as one of the longest broadcasting disk jockeys
Didn't know about Mose or Jimmy Young. Mose was a very undervalued talent. Jimmy must have died when I was in Spain.
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