John Blair (musician)
John Franklin Ellington Blair (born November 8, 1943 in Toledo (Ohio) , † June 3, 2006 in New York City ) was an American jazz violinist and singer.
Blair was the oldest of nine children; his mother was a classical pianist. He grew up in California and began learning the violin as a child. After graduating with honors from Lincoln High School in San Diego in 1961 , he studied for two years at the Eastman School of Music , before doing his military service in the US Air Force, where he played in an orchestra. In the 1970s he put the funk and soul jazz influenced albums Mystical Soul (1971, with Bob James ) and Southern Love (1976); the track Sometimes a Man was popular on jazz radio stations. In 1977 the CTI album We Belong Together followed , on which u. a. Contributed by Hiram Bullock , Sue Evans , Steve Gadd, and Ray Mantilla . In the 1970s he also helped develop a musical instrument called the Vitar , an acoustic combination of violin and guitar. In the field of jazz, Blair, who died of heart failure in early June 2006, took part in eleven recording sessions between 1966 and 1977.
Web links
- John Blair at Allmusic (English)
- John Blair at Discogs (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Blair, John |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Blair, John Franklin Ellington (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz violinist and singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 8, 1943 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Toledo (Ohio) |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 3, 2006 |
| Place of death | New York City |