A duo comprising guitarist David Williams, and bassist James Jamerson II, the son of the legendary Motown bass player James Jamerson. The two built a reputation via their extensive session work before cutting their own LP Chanson, on Ariola Records.

Jamerson, a native of Detroit, distinguished himself playing behind Aretha Franklin,... [+] Read More

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The lead singer for Blood, Sweat & Tears' first four albums was born in Toronto in 1941. David Clayton-Thomas began his musical career at age 23 in the Shays. They became the Bossmen in 1965 and released "Brainwashed" in 1966. While singing in BS&T from 1968 to 1972, he began a solo career, releasing self-titled albums for Decca (1969), Columbia... [+] Read More

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Most Americans first heard of Lulu when she soared to the top of the charts with the pop ballad "To Sir with Love," the theme to the film of the same name, in 1967. Actually, the Scottish singer -- born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie -- had been a star in Britain since 1964, when she hit the Top Ten with a raucous version of "Shout." Lulu's... [+] Read More

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One of the premiere fusion groups, the Mahavishnu Orchestra was considered by most observers during its prime to be a rock band, but its sophisticated improvisations actually put its high-powered music between rock and jazz. Founder and leader John McLaughlin had recently played with Miles Davis and Tony Williams' Lifetime. The original lineup... [+] Read More

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Moe Koffman became famous for his 1957 hit recording of "Swinging Shepherd Blues," a catchy flute feature. Otherwise, throughout his career Koffman has been a popular soloist whose music ranges from cool-toned bop to jazz interpretations of more pop-ish material; his commercial successes have sometimes overshadowed his fine improvising talents.... [+] Read More

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Randy Bachman is a Canadian rock guitarist and singer. He was born in Winnipeg and was a member of Chad Allen & the Expressions, which evolved into the Guess Who, the most successful Canadian rock band of the 1960s. He left the Guess Who in July 1970, made a solo album, Axe, and then formed Brave Belt, which evolved by 1972 into Bachman-Turner... [+] Read More

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One of the finest fusion (as opposed to crossover) guitarists of the 1980s and '90s, Scott Henderson's explosive playing is often teamed up with electric bassist Gary Willis in their group Tribal Tech. Originally most influenced by rock, Henderson (who grew up in West Palm Beach, FL) played in local funk and rock bands. In 1980, he moved to Los... [+] Read More

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The son of lyricist Sammy Cahn, Steve Khan is best-known for his fusion records, but has proven on a few occasions that he can also play more straight-ahead. He originally played piano and drums, not starting on guitar until he was 20. After graduating from U.C.L.A. in 1969, Khan moved to New York and worked steadily in jazz, pop, and R&B... [+] Read More

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Organized by producer Bruce Fairbairn (of Loverboy and Prism), Strange Advance comprised Paul Iverson, Drew Arnott and Darryl Kromm. The group's debut album, Worlds Away, went gold in Canada thanks to the single "She Controls Me." Strange Advance's other albums include 2wo (1985), The Distance Between (1988) and Over 60 Minutes with Strange... [+] Read More

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It's hard to listen to the music of Tommy Bolin and not wonder what could've been if the exceptionally talented (and versatile) guitarist hadn't succumbed to a senseless drug overdose at the age of 25 -- just as his career appeared to be taking off. In a recording career that lasted only several years, Bolin not only touched upon several styles... [+] Read More

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