Born Oct 1, 1953 in the Islington part of London, Britain, John Hegley experienced a small number of different careers before finding his phoning like a poet, performer, musician, and writer. Both a clerk and a nurse before embracing the infinitely even more exciting globe of ‘literate pop celebrity,’ Hegley …

Led by highlife vocalist Prince Nico Mbarga, Rocafil Jazz was among Nigeria’s most influential sets of the ’70s and early ’80s. Their recording, Sweet Mother, offering the ten-minute, midtempo name track, remains among the biggest-selling recordings in African background. Relating to Nigerian literary critic Chikwenya Ogunyemi, “‘Nice Mother'” is even …

Bandleader Francis Bay was created Frans Bayetz in Rijkevorsel, Belgium in 1914. He started playing the clarinet at age group seven, and within a couple of years had been gigging with regional orchestras. After getting first award honors in 1930 for clarinet efficiency on the Conservatoire of Malines, Bay added …