I've got " #Reasons" (hah, hah - and also, hah) to believe he's the singer with the best, "most melodic, hypnotic" (© The Roots) falsetto ever heard by human ear. Everyone who listened to any of the #EarthWindAndFire songs where he clearly shows his almost unreachable range and his unmatchable artistic virtuosity will have to agree with me on that point, so I fear no contradiction here. Ever since brother #MauriceWhite left this world in that goddamn, wretched 2016 we all remember with sadness and contempt, #PhilipBailey took it upon himself to carry on the heavy, important legacy of the band, sharing that remarkable, marvelous burden with his fellow band mates #VerdineWhite and #RalphJohnson. He did it and still does it with a grace, a joy and a love for music that not only are incredibly easy to perceive (they've always been such, he never really changed his wonderful attitude) but are also positively infectious - that's how you keep the " #Spirit" (...yup, another one) of a legendary group of musicians alive, well and thriving in spite of passing time. Not to mention that he's still doing all that at his age with the energy and the passion of a young man in his twenties. Amazing, to say the least. Happy #73rdbirthday, Philip Bailey! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Back in the days my introverted, daydreaming 7-year-old self had two great loves (they still are such, gladly the flame never waned): He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (here in Italy the wave of excitement for this franchise continued for a few years beyond its abrupt end in the US, that is, exacty until '88-'89) and, right after that, the #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles, in their colourful, smiling, jolly, friendly, rounded tv appearance that ultimately became their most popular incarnation, regardless of the several updated variants of the following decades. I loved them with all my heart, the four of them became like true brothers for me, who had always been a lonely kid. #Michelangelo was my favourite one because of his carefree, funny mood, the orange bandana and the nunchucks - that's what I later realized in a more rational hindsight, initially it was pure instinct, as it usually happens when you have to make a choice and, although you don't really know why you picked what you picked, you are SURE that thing is somehow meant for you. Little did I know (no internet back then, no import comics whatsoever - quite a hard life if you wanted to properly delve into your passions) my cheerful, half-shelled friends had much grittier, darker and more adult beginnings on the pages of the comics created by the two geniuses going by the names of #KevinEastman and #PeterLaird. Today marks the #40thanniversary of their editorial debut and, to my shame, I must admit I'm still a student, trying to fill in the gaps of my flawed knowledge of their original lore (hah... to think I considered myself a #TMNT expert, only to understand that I still have so much to learn and need as many refreshers). My 7-year-old self would likely give me an offended side eye, scolding me as if I were an unworthy heathen - I'm afraid I'd deserve all that. This post is my way of apologising to that kid gazing in awe at those four rad, green friends and also my humble tribute to those ninja brothers who changed my life. And if you think I might be crying right now while typing these words - well... you're awfully correct. Happy #40thbirthday, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Oh, this is an easy one - no need for introduction here, just the utmost appreciation and respect for the #GodfatherofSoul (I don't care if he doesn't want nobody to give him nothing, he'll get all this love regardless). Happy #91stbirthday to the embodiment of Funk, the one and only #JamesBrown! 👑🔥 #HappyBirthdayLegends
The Duke with the capital D... let's raise a toast for this absolute giant of jazz - today is his Day (with the capital D, of course). Happy heavenly #125thbirthday to the one and only, incomparable #DukeEllington! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Just a little reminder that, although "Incredible" - a collaboration with another legend, M-Beat - is and will always be one of the greatest, most irresistible jungle anthems of all time, #GeneralLevy is, to the UK reggae scene, much more than the "mere", iconic track (...do you remember "Ali G - The Movie"?) that gave him the deserved, worldwide popularity and the appreciation he still receives to this day. More life, Mi General! Happy, "wicked" #53rdbirthday, General Levy! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I've got the feeling that lately everybody's been overusing that same old acronym "G.O.A.T." without a clear understanding of what it REALLY means. "He's the GOAT", "She's the GOAT", GOAT here, GOAT there... it looks like nowadays everyone is the "Greatest Of All Time", but if everyone's the greatest, actually NO one is, at least not according to this logic. Do you want to see what a TRUE " #GreatestOfAllTime" looks like? There you go, the photo above. No female singer, no matter how good in her own way, was, is and likely will ever be able to beat the absolute, off-charts artistic superiority of #EllaFitzgerald, a woman who could literally do WHATEVER she wanted with her voice. Period. And, to all those who might disagree, sorry guys, I didn't write the rules of the game - SHE did, setting an almost unreachable standard for any other artist who came after her (only very few of them are quite close to that level, to the point that we might as well try and make comparisons... but the others have a LONG way to go). So, this one goes to the " #FirstLadyOfSong", or rather, in modern terms, THE original "G.O.A.T." - mrs. Ella Fitzgerald. Happy heavenly #107thbirthday, Ella! #HappyBirthdayLegends
"Life has many changes. Tomorrow it may rain, and it's supposed to be sunshine, 'cause it's summertime. But God's got a funny soul, he plays like Charlie Parker." "I've got a feeling that if it's so easy for you - the struggle and the initiative are not as strong as they are for a person who has to struggle and therefore has more to say." "In my music, I'm trying to play the truth of what I am." "My music is evidence of my souls will to live." - Charles Mingus - ——— ...Seeing the world the way #CharlesMingus did must be an enlightening experience. I guess that's one of the positive side effects of what they call "being a genius". Happy heavenly #102ndbirthday, mr. Mingus! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Just seeing this man brings a smile on my face. Listening to his incomparably smooth, velvety voice puts my soul at ease. Like I said more than once, true blessings in life are often shortlived, probably in order for us to appreciate them twice as much, especially as long as they're still around us. The existence and the supreme musicianship of #LutherVandross made no exception to this cruel, unwritten rule. A sensitive artist whose magnificent performances have always mirrored his natural grace, left untouched and undefeated in spite of his personal troubles. The formula "sorely missed" doesn't even remotely give the idea of how irreplaceable his presence and his charisma still are to this day. Luther Vandross was definitely one of a kind. And to that one I want to send my ideal token of gratitude today. Happy heavenly #73rdbirthday, mr. Vandross! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I bet you all know what day it is today... well, you can either wish #StephenMarley happy birthday AND - er - "properly celebrate" the #420 yearly event if herb is part of your daily routine or, if you're a non-smoker like me, still wish Stephen happy birthday and wholeheartedly sympathize with the messages #PeterTosh so strongly wanted to spread through his songs - that is, not only about legalization but also about human rights and equality for all mankind. Whatever your choice, happy #52ndbirthday Stephen Marley and happy #PeterToshDay! #HappyBirthdayLegends
" #Illmatic" by #Nas - or "The Street Gospel according to #NasirJones". Yup, I said it: Illmatic is basically the Holy Bible of hip hop culture, or at least the closest thing to the idea of it. It's a pure, unadulterated distillate of life experience, symbolized by the photo of the 10th and 41st crossroad in Long Island on which the face - and, to an extent, the soul - of kid Nasir is eternally superimposed and exuding from every word of every verse of every track of this album. Nas' storytelling still is, to this day, one of the most powerful displays of both superb, poetic lyricism and sincere, narration without a trace of futile jokes or meaningless verbosity. Every single bar is perfectly on point, every single image on the musical tapestry so skillfully and vividly painted by Nas gradually comes alive in our mind as we listen - a magic that keeps happening whenever we put this record on, because that's how true, timeless classics work. The overall cohesive feeling of raw, relatable realism mixed with a not-so-subtle, intimate melancholy is further underlined by the wise choice of samples (props to the producing team - #QTip, #DJPremiere, #LES, #PeteRock, #LargeProfessor): Gap Band's "Yearning For Your Love" (" #LifesABitch"), Ahmad Jamal's "I Love Music" (" #TheWorldIsYours"), Reuben Wilson's "We're In Love" (" #MemoryLane"), Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" (" #ItAintHardToTell"), just to name the most recognizable ones. A particular mood - at the same time warm like an old friend's hug and violent like a punch in the gut - that sticks to your very essence for a while after the end of the last track and takes quite a while to let go of it. The two Anniversary Editions of these last two decades have added some extra sauce to the already rich main course, but, all in all, nothing can beat the original 1994 tracklist. #30years today of absolute excellence. What a debut. Those five mics on the review from #TheSource were more than deserved. Happy #30thanniversary, Illmatic, and congrats on this remarkable achievement, Nas! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Which side are you on? The Winstons' "Amen" break or #ClydeStubblefield's " #FunkyDrummer" break? If you ask me, I just can't pick one and discard the other - not only are those two the most sampled (and, probably, the grooviest) excerpts of all time (with the "Amen" break being in first place), but also are two fundamental pillars that defined the sound of what came after the golden age of #funk - needless to say, #hiphop, trip hop, jungle, drum'n'bass, you name it. It can't be helped, Stubblefield's clean, metronomic drumming style is long engraved in the DNA of every music fan. At this point, the fact that he wasn't actually credited as the co-writer - alongside, of course, #JamesBrown - of the very track that made him eternally famous is almost a negligible detail (albeit an expectably frustrating one - he admittedly wasn't too happy about it): his name and his musicianship have literally turned into an indelible sonic footprint that has irreversibly influenced more than 50 years of music history. To think I'm slightly late in wishing a happy birthday to a man who has been the embodiment of perfect timing... such a disheartening irony. Belated (April 18th) happy heavenly #81stbirthday, Clyde Stubblefield aka the ORIGINAL Funky Drummer! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I sincerely hope Reggie kept the key of his old, legendary crib, his trusty Dollar Box and a free corner of the floor in his living room for his cousin to sleep on (I hope and bet you all DO know what I'm referring to). He already is a living legend without anything else to prove after more than three decades of exceptional career, but if he still owns those things I'm pretty sure he can be considered worthy of the status of "god among men". 😆 Jokes aside, #Redman has always been a real one. This and, of course, his blazing bars are the main reasons why, to this day, he keeps being unanimously regarded as one of the most credible and appreciated rappers in hip hop history. Also, not less importantly, one of the funniest. Happy #54thbirthday, #FunkDoctorSpock! #HappyBirthdayLegends
You might probably expect from me a long, magniloquent caption, properly celebrating the artistic virtues of this man like I'm supposed to do. Well - surprise - I'm just gonna write this: THANK YOU. Thank you for being the founding father and the (luckily) living embodiment of a musical genre - and, by extension, of a whole culture - that, in 50 years, has changed the world in such a pervasive way and on so many levels that just the very thought of it is almost mind boggling. A son of New York with his strong roots in Kingston, Jamaica, where he was born. Truly a match made in heaven. Thank you for giving us #hiphop, mr. Clive Campbell. A simple "Thank you", yet filled with the maximum amount of love and appreciation I can pour into it. Happy #69thbirthday, #DJKoolHerc! 👑 #HappyBirthdayLegends
Just a little late to the party, but I guess it's not really a problem - the burning, bright flame of the original #Fireman NEVER wanes, so every moment is the right moment to celebrate him, even more so around the time of his Earthstrong. More fyah, more blessings, more life to the great #Capleton! Belated happy #57thbirthday, #KingShango! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Gifted men are often the most tormented ones. The legendary #AlGreen makes no exception to this unwritten rule. His talent has been out of doubt since the start of his career, the top quality of his velvety, mesmerising voice is a matter of fact. Yet he's always been torn between the fallibility of human nature (and its usually deplorable consequences) and a constant eagerness for mercy and salvation of the soul. Today mr. Green turns 78. If we wanted to play a silly, little game, we might as well remember how critical 1978 was for him. It was a huge moment of transition, immediately preceding a profound, cathartic change of pace in both his body of work and his personal life. 1978 was the year of his 13th album, " #TruthNTime", quite a meaningful, revealing title, considering that, from that record on and for a whole decade, he started focusing on gospel music and religious themes. So much water has flown under the bridge ever since, mr. Green has long dealt with his inner demons and his less virtuous side and I guess he can now see himself as a complete man, a better, stronger version of himself finally at peace with his existence - an achievement as important as his whole discography, if you ask me. Happy #78thbirthday, Reverend Green. May you enjoy another delightful trip around the sun. #HappyBirthdayLegends
Herbie has seen it all, from Miles to drum'n'bass, going through funk, fusion, electro and several other genres in between, each one explored and reinvented with his unique touch and with a class and a vision no one else has. He's played with the greatest ones around and not only them, being at the same time a legend himself and one of the most curious, versatile and humble musicians still active and in excellent shape. His age and status pose no limitation to his art. As long as he's able to gracefully caress the keys of his piano and sync his hands with his musical imagination, there's nothing he can't do. You can't expect anything less from a real genius - the living proof of mankind's ability to dignify and elevate itself through the power of music. Happy #84thbirthday, mr. #HerbieHancock... you're just " #GettinToTheGoodPart", sir! #HappyBirthdayLegends
The original, core lineup of #TheWailers - I mean, from the Leslie Kong / Dodd's Studio One / Lee Perry's Upsetters era until "Burnin'" (1973) - was some kind of Holy Trinity of Reggae. Without falling in the trap of an unfair and inappropriate comparison, I'll just remember what it's known to everyone who loved #BobMarley, #PeterTosh and #BunnyLivingston aka #BunnyWailer: together they were an absolutely perfect unity of sound and vocal harmonies where the result was much greater than the sum of the parts. Today we celebrate with gratitude and eternal appreciation one third of that blessed trio, mr. #NevilleORileyLivingston OM OJ. Happy heavenly #77thbirthday, Bunny Wailer! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I concur. No such thing as " #JustAFriend", especially when THAT friend is not a mere one-among-many but the absolutely legendary #BizMarkie, one of the funniest and most outlandish rappers hip hop has ever known and, most of all, one of the kindest and humblest human beings on this planet, as unanimously reminded by all those who had the luck to know him on a deeper level beyond his exquisite artistic side. Man, how I miss him. We all do, I guess, which makes sense since we all have been, to an extent, his "long distance friends", united on a global scale by his fabulous music and his fantastic beatboxing. Happy heavenly #60thbirthday, Biz Markie! #HappyBirthdayLegends
As an ironically tragic counterbalance of forces, the rarest, purest and more precious form of beauty can rise and grow from the hardest struggles in life more often than not, nourished by the darkest sadness and watered with the bitterest tears. #BillieHoliday was a splendid soul trapped inside the earthly cage of human misery and wickedness. Music was the only chance for her spirit to try and escape her private and public hell and her touching, breathtaking performances are still able to give us a glimpse of that lifelong torment. The burden of the pain she felt has gone with her. However, the divine harmony she left didn't and surely never will. Happy heavenly #109thbirthday, #LadyDay. #HappyBirthdayLegends
Marcus Miller? Nah. Jaco Pastorius? ...Sì, come no. Stanley Clarke? Eh, buonanotte. Mark King? Manco per il popparuolo. Flea? Boh? Bootsy Collins? Ma per piacere. Verdine White? Non pervenuto. Paul McCartney? Lontano anni luce. Sting, Louis Johnson, Bermard Edwards, Ron Carter, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Larry Graham e tutti gli altri? Non sono nessuno. Per i veri cultori della grande musica c'è solo lui, l'unico e solo #NicolaFasani, meglio noto ed apprezzato come #Faso, l'eccellentissimo bassista del simpatico ed ormai longevo complessino #ElioELeStorieTese. Vai, Faso! Continua a slappare quelle corde con tecnica sopraffina ed irriverente simpatia, volando alto sopra l'Olimpo degli Dei del Basso (hah hah, "alto"... "basso"... che ridere) anche nel giorno del tuo genetliaco. Buon 59ºcompleanno, Faso! #59thbirthday #HappyBirthdayLegends (* anzi, #Icilefiruguaitnat).
The dreadlocks and the beard might have turned silver, but the cat still knows how to nimbly and skillfully move his "paws" on the strings of his guitar or the bow on his cello. Greatness knows no age limit. Two bands can celebrate his birthday today - #InnerCircle, which he was a member of for a few years, and, of course, #ThirdWorld, the group he co-founded with his fellow Inner Circle band mate, the late Michael "Ibo" Cooper, and thanks to which he rose to the deserved worldwide popularity. ...Needless to say, we can gladly join the Earthstrong party. Happy #74thbirthday, #StephenCatCoore OD! #HappyBirthdayLegends
The "Bird" ("Tori" in Japanese) Watching, aka the many faces of the #GodofManga. ... These three dots above are actually supposed to sound like the disheartening silence of those whose mixed emotions are in such an overwhelming, inexpressible turmoil that they are eventually unable to utter any meaningful word, since nothing conveyed by human language could remotely and precisely explain what they truly feel inside. That's the same, exact silence I can hear in the back of my mind today, the first birthday of #AkiraToriyama sensei without him. It's baffling. It's bittersweet - where the amount of "sweet" is nothing more than an almost negligible 5%. It's still as heartbreaking as it was on March 8th, when we all read the news (the wound is still too fresh and deep not to burn like hell. I honestly don't know how long it's gonna take to heal, although I believe it never completely will). I took a look at the post I dedicated to Toriyama last year on the same occasion. As it always happens to me when I think about the older ones I hold dear, every time I have to wish them happy birthday my heart is at the same time filled with joy and painful anxiety, the latter growing stronger the more years fly by. "How is it going to feel when one of the artists I've looked up to all my life won't be here any longer?", I kept wondering while I was writing. Now I have my answer, like anyone else in this world. And, like anyone else in this world, I wish I didn't get to know it, at least not this soon. Well, I guess that when it comes to the ones you love and admire, it's ALWAYS too soon. Even "Gods" can die. However, some of them have a place to stay - either King Kai's tiny planet or wherever people will look for them, as long as they remember their name and continue to enjoy their work. #Dragonball, #DrSlump, #SandLand, #Kajika, #Nekomajin, #Jaco, #GoGoAckman, #ChronoTrigger, #TobalNo1, #BlueDragon... Akira Toriyama is always there for us to see him, hiding somewhere in plain sight, concealing his gentle smile behind his many (robot) faces and his fantastic sense of humour. A relieving thought indeed. Happy heavenly #69thbirthday, Toriyama-sensei! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I'm pretty sure I've watched at least the 80% of his filmography, mostly from his golden era 80s-to-early-2000s - some of his movies still highly exhilarating after several rewatches and more than two to four decades since their theatrical release - and a couple of his full-length stand up shows, ' #Delirious" obviously being the Holy Grail of his unapologetically " #Raw" and ferociously hilarious style of comedy. If you ask me, I might as well admit I indeed worship #EddieMurphy. If you know me, you remember how deeply I love " #ComingToAmerica" and, even more, " #TradingPlaces", to the point that the latter has seriously become my personal, effective key to understanding the different facts of life (simply put, you can ALWAYS find something that can trigger a quote or the remembrance of a whole scene from that movie, just like an old teaching... impressive, to say the least). Also, I usually keep top class comedians such as mr. Murphy in the highest regard possible, because they succeed in the hardest task a single person can undertake: make hundreds of thousands of other people laugh till they can hardly breathe. Whether he was on stage, on tv (God bless his legendary #SNL skits, I gladly I posted a couple of them on my page in the past few years) or on the big screen, Eddie Murphy has always been able to do it effortlessly, especially when he was in his prime, with all the unhinged energy of his younger years. As of today, I can't wait to watch the fourth chapter of the " #BeverlyHillsCop" saga, titled " #AxelF", with the old gang of cops, Rosewood and Taggart, reunited after thirty years. Nostalgia factor aside, it's always a pleasure to see a true King of Comedy like him doing what he's best at and what he was born for. Happy #63rdbirthday, Eddie! #HappyBirthdayLegends
One of the greatest losses for reggae music, gone at 28 when he was about to reach the highest point in his career. Nothing lasts forever, but blessings like the talent and the voice he had (Silk was a definition, not just a mere moniker) are, sadly, more likely to be taken away from us much sooner than other mundane things, probably as a reminder that those are but temporary gifts that need to be enjoyed and appreciated with greater intensity, for as long as we can. #GarnettSilk's legacy, however, is meant to stay, for many more years to come, for everyone to remember what kind of phenomenal artist he was. Happy heavenly #58thbirthday, Garnett Silk! #HappyBirthdayLegends
You know my philosophy. With all the due respect to all those who yesterday wished to pay a tribute to the one and only, legendary #MarvinGaye on the 40th anniversary of his untimely, tragic passing (don't you forget it, being shot to death by his own father was one of the cruelest ways he could ever meet his fate), I can't understand what good is it, for all of us who've never stopped loving him and appreciating his unique, God-given musicianship, to remember the heartbreaking moment we lost his talent and his magic, silky, soothing voice (adding more sadness to the natural bitterness of existence) when, thanks to the almost perfect overlapping of his birthday and his death-day, we can instead wait 24 hours and then celebrate with greater conviction and affection the moment his essence joined mankind, his life as a whole, the refined, cheerful yet "trouble(d) man" he became and all the following years he spent here on Earth, composing and/or performing a fantabulous streak of "modern classics", delighting our ears and our spirits and deservedly becoming one of the Kings of Soul and R&B - if not THE only, true King. Sorry, long, complexly articulated sentence, but I tried to do my best to sum up in one single caption what mr. Gaye means to me (consider this, the image you see on slide 4 is one of the "sacred" posters I had in my room - when I had a room and a house to live in 😔 - and it's been hung on a wall, untouched and well preserved, for more than two decades... just saying). His 85th birthday is just one more reason to show my sincere gratefulness for everything he did - and STILL does, every time I listen to his songs. Happy heavenly #85thbirthday, Marvin! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Just a simple, obvious yet fundamental reminder, y'all: you can't spell Gil Scott-Heron without HERO. Because, well, that's actually what he was and has always been for thousands of people around the world. He deeply touched us all with his amazing, thought-provoking poetry blended with his mind-blowing music - harmony and rebellion working together side by side, powerful messages distilled into timeless songs, art in its purest form and eagerness for social justice merging into one, like "Pieces Of A Man" united to reveal the beautiful, multifaceted jigsaw image of a complex yet simple human being, who has always lent his loud, elegant, intelligent voice to the unheard ones and to those who never truly had it in the first place. Like a real heron, he's flown over mankind's few achievements and countless tragedies, he's told us the often bitter truth of what he saw from that distant, objective point of view and has described the bright horizon he hoped to see, always with his words as his wings and nothing else. I'm sure he's still soaring in the endless sky of Legends, with the same grace he would effortlessly show here on Earth. Happy heavenly #75thbirthday, #GilScottHeron! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I'm sure that one day science will prove in detail a truth we can only empirically ascertain: the funk is indeed the elixir of youth. There's no other way to explain the fact that #DerrickMcKenzie - 60 years old just yesterday and the member of #Jamiroquai with the longest stint in the band after, of course, Jay Kay - not only basically looks the same as he did on the photo sets for " #TheReturnOfTheSpaceCowboy" or " #TravelingWithoutMoving" (respectively THIRTY and twenty-eight years ago), but also keeps beating his drum kit as vigorously and precisely, possibly with a much greater baggage of experience in studio and on stage that allows him to sound effortlessly tighter and sharper as time goes by; not to mention his side activity as a skilled deejay and producer, which adds more life to his music while music itself adds more life to his blessed existence. What a joy to know that he's currently working on Jamiroquai's new album with Jay and his other band mates - the gigs from the last few months must have provided new artistic inspiration and creative momentum, and I can't wait to listen to what the guys have in store. In the meantime, belated (yesterday, March 27th) happy #60thbirthday to the funk-tastic mr. McKenzie! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Four decades of #RunDMC... who would've thought back then, you might say. Well, the elements of their greatness were all there, on their namesake debut album that today turns 40 (released on March 27th, 1984, produced by Russell Simmons and Larry Smith). A greatness that was unequivocally meant to stay as a staple of the hip hop culture. Tracks like " #ItsLikeThat", " #SuckerMCs" or " #RockBox" weren't just songs, they were true manifestos of the trio's raw energy, gritty, unpolished style and peculiar way of conceiving this new, groundbreaking genre, literally writing its rules for everybody to follow. We're definitely not talking about this record in 2024, considering a classic in its own right, BY CHANCE. "It's like that. And that's the way it is". Period. Happy #40thanniversary, Run DMC! #HappyBirthdayLegends
March is probably the month with the highest concentration of legendary birthdays - just posted in the Stories my b-day wishes for Yoshitaka Amano, Teddy Pendergrass and Fatlip of The Pharcyde, all born on this same day, and, if you're curious, you can take a look at my last posts to see how many other artists have received a proper shout out from me in the last couple of weeks - and this one makes no exception, especially because it marks a special anniversary (like I often say, the mysterious fascination of round numbers): the absolutely unique #DianaRoss turns 80 today. A remarkable age reached with the same incomparable grace that has always been a trademark feature of her natural attitude as an outstanding performer and as a lovely human being. She deservedly belongs to that rare category of gifted, blessed ones for whom passing time is not a burden but the beautiful acknowledgement of a full, meaningful existence that has left a mark in the heart of thousands of people around the world. I'm sure she knows it and I couldn't be happier for her. Happy #80thbirthday, Diana Ross! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Aretha owned everything. She owned the songs she performed, whether they were covers or originals, instantly turning them into HER OWN classics with HER unique, trademark flavour that would literally wipe out the slightest chance of any possible past, present or future comparison with other renditions by other singers. She owned music history, being thus remembered as #TheQueenofSoul, probably the greatest female singer known to man. She owned her listeners' minds and emotions, effortlessly capturing them with the magic of her divine voice, while pouring her whole heart into the microphone or behind the piano. She still unquestionably owns all that, even now, after a few years from the sad moment she left this world. Her memory and her legacy live on, and it couldn't be otherwise. If #ArethaFranklin isn't the definition of an eternal legend, I don't know what else is. Happy heavenly #82ndbirthday, Queen Aretha! #HappyBirthdayLegends
This man ages as finely as the Merlot wine that's part of one of his monikers, #VinnyMerlot - so do his classy productions and the timeless beats he's provided since 1987 to the legendary trio he's part / "plug" of, needless to say, the magnificent #DeLaSoul. #DJMaseo aka #Plug3 aka #PAPasemasterMase aka "the one they call Baby Huey" (cit.), a creative master of turntables and a true pillar of hip hop culture. Even if today weren't his birthday, it's always a pleasure to show him love and appreciation for everything he's done so far. Happy #54thbirthday, Mase! #HappyBirthdayLegends
#StuartZender's birthday was on March 18th. (Not so) incredibly, his new trip around the sun slipped under my radar as Walter Becker's one did a few weeks ago (ironically, it seems that the more I'm a fan of someone, the more it's easier for me to forget about these people when instead I should celebrate them - my brain definitely works in mysterious, inefficient ways). However, exactly as I did for mr. Becker, I can redeem myself once again posting another heartfelt Belated Special that will immediately, symbolically bridge the days-long gap between today and mr. Zender's birthday, so that I can also feel less guilty than I actually do. Jokes aside, a few reasons why Stuart Zender would deserve to be celebrated more often than once, at least by me: 1. He's the former bassist of #Jamiroquai, my all-time favourite band, and his bass lines are literally carved in my mind; 2. He's one hell of a slick, funky bass player in his own right, one of the best of his generation and, last but not least, one of my personal favourites in my, let's say, top 5 or 10; 3. He's my favourite musicians' favourite session man, an endorsement worth ten or more Grammy Awards; 4. He's one of the coolest, most stylish and most laid back cats around; 5. As a fellow baldie, he keeps showing a confidence I can only dream of in a million years. Whether you agree with one, all or none of the above points, let me wish a super belated (but absolutely sincere) happy #50thbirthday (you see? A round number means one more valid reason to make this post) to the legendary Stuart Zender - may the groove be with him for many more years to come! #HappyBirthdayLegends
L'altro giorno, a proposito di Pino Daniele, sottolineavo con piacere quanto l'essere suo connazionale sia una delle poche cose che mi renda ancora fiero di essere italiano. Beh, da palermitano e siciliano quale sono, con #FrancoBattiato, a parità di affetto ed ammirazione per Pino, il legame geografico tra corregionali è ovviamente ancora più profondo. Anche lui ha fatto parte di un'epoca della musica italiana che non c'è più, a livello (ahimè) materiale e culturale, e che non credo potrà mai ripetersi, almeno non con le stesse caratteristiche e con la stessa pionieristica creatività - al netto del fatto che comunque Battiato era un caso unico e straordinario nel panorama discografico nostrano perché avanti, TROPPO avanti, persino per lo sperimentalismo elettronico più avanguardista di fine anni 70 / primi anni 80, e forse per qualsiasi altro genere si sia suonato qui in Italia. Poesia, letteratura, filosofia, mescolanze di stili musicali diversi da ogni parte del mondo, una visione arguta, mistica, personalissima del mestiere dell'artista e di quel grande, decadente, tragicomico spettacolo senza trama né pubblico che, in fondo, è la vita: Battiato era pura arte, e come l'arte, pur ponendo una sfida intellettuale al suo pubblico, non era strettamente necessario comprenderlo con la ragione per intuirne in pieno la genialità, lasciando così alle emozioni il sublime compito di apprezzare liberamente la bellezza delle sue canzoni. Buon 79º compleanno, Franco, al di là del tempo e dello spazio. #HappyBirthdayLegends
No female artist has ever been as ferociously graceful and gracefully ferocious as Queen #ChakaKhan. Yup, some nitpickers might argue that she's not exactly the greatest of all time (sure, Aretha and Ella are still up there on top, but she's definitely half step away from them, which means she's deservedly among the three or at least five greatest female singers ever existed), but in terms of pure performance and style, she's a unique powerhouse like no other. Her loud, sometimes sweet, sometimes roaring voice with that incredibly wide range of tones, colours and nuances (an astounding three / three and a half octaves) has always been stunning, flabbergasting, awe-inspiring, just like her dazzling beauty - her inner grace on and off stage, her charming, infectious smile and her trademark, fluffy burgundy mane never fail to sprinkle some extra magic on her perfect recipe. Today she's 71 years young. What a blessing to know that she still has that fire inside and that she's still ready to take that mic and sing her heart out (if I remember correctly, I've recently seen the announcement of a few gigs in US and UK in the next weeks / months and I couldn't be happier for her - and more envious of all those who will have the chance to see her live, dammit). Happy #71stbirthday, Chaka! May this new year of your life be filled with joy and peace! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I can't exactly tell what kind of bizarre, pleasant psychological short circuit his music has always triggered in my brain - maybe a seires of particular sound waves that resonate with me, an overall mood I feel close to, some false memories or even a combination of the three, you name it - but one thing's for sure: when #GeorgeBenson plays his guitar and sings (for the record, I get the same exact feeling with Al Jarreau too, that's why for me the two are strongly intertwined in an almost mystical way I can't explain) I feel immediately trasported in a safe, extremely nostalgic corner of my first years of life (class 1982 here), or rather in a time and space where I didn't even exist, as if I had been there, as if I had known his songs way before I actually listened to them for the first time. Crazy, huh? Well, I've had this absurd feeling ever since I was a kid, obsessively listening to the radio whenever I could and discovering all by myself mr. Benson's absolute greatness. This must mean two things: either a) I've been nuts for as far as I can remember (which is likely) or b) George Benson's music WAS MEANT to stay by my side for the rest of my life, as a gift from heaven. Considering that, in 42 years on this wicked planet, songs like " #Breezin'", " #OnBroadway", " #GiveMeTheNight", " #WeekendInLA", " #DinorahDinorah", " #TheWorldIsAGhetto", " #ValdezInTheCountry" and his countless other, elegant renditions of classics by other great musicinans still can make me feel at home, I'm inclined to pick the second option. Happy #81stbirthday, King George, and thanks again for your magic! #HappyBirthdayLegends
'Tis the day of the Original #Upsetter, the #DiscoDevil, the #SuperApe, the #JamaicanET, the day of the Grand Wizard of Sound Effects, the Mad Scientist of the Recording Studio, the day of the #GodfatherofDub. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have witnessed (at least as we've known them) the first artistic steps of legends such as Bob Marley and The Wailers, Max Romeo or Junior Murvin. He literally gave a distinctive shape to a good part of modern #reggae, to the point that after him there was no turning back. A true genius with a colourful, childlike soul. A unique artist and an enlightened, innovative, appreciated producer. This and much more was and will always be #LeeScratchPerry. Happy heavenly 88thbirthday, King! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Non ci girerò molto intorno, e sono convinto di non essere il solo a pensarla così: #PinoDaniele è una delle, ahimè, non molte ragioni per cui ancora posso dire di esser fiero di essere italiano e dunque suo compatriota - sebbene sia, allo stesso tempo, anche la principale ragione per cui un po' mi dispiace di essere in grado di comprendere, al massimo e nel migliore dei casi, poco meno di un quarto del meraviglioso dialetto napoletano, vero e proprio "strumento musicale extra" delle sue canzoni e una delle chiavi fondamentali della sua poesia (da palermitano e persona del sud posso riconoscere parecchie similitudini fonetiche tra la mia parlata e quella partenopea, ma purtroppo non vado oltre le semplici assonanze e ciò che il sentimento mi consente di intuire - per tutto il resto, come soleva dire il buon Neffa, "se non capisci le parole, puoi sentire il funk" e, senza dubbio, Pino, col suo linguaggio universale fatto di funk, jazz, blues e groove, si faceva comprendere perfettamente). La sua musica era ed è tuttora senza tempo, per quanto abbia decisamente subito diversi cambiamenti stilistici e sonori nel corso degli anni (è l'evoluzione di un artista, com'è giusto che sia). La sua grandezza, immediatamente riconosciuta dal grande pubblico, è stata sempre ampiamente confermata dai leggendari colleghi italiani ed internazionali di cui si è sempre circondato. Un genio così manca tanto nel panorama contemporaneo, sebbene, c'è da rallegrarsi, la "nuova onda napoletana" degli ultimi anni stia regalando epigoni di indubbio valore. Però, senza offesa per nessuno, di Pino Daniele ce ne è stato e ce ne sarà sempre uno solo, quello che ci ha regalato dischi e canzoni immortali che continuano a far ballare, a far sorridere, a commuovere e a mettere la pelle d'oca a chi li ascolta. Non so voi, io torno a riascoltare tutto " #NeroAMetà" per l'ennesima volta. Poi magari ci aggiungo " #VaiMo' ", " #BellaMbriana" o qualcos'altro, a seconda dell'umore. "Ma la musica musica / è tutto quel che ho". Non ho mai sentito questi due versi vicini a me come adesso. Buon 69º compleanno (ed onomastico), Pino. Ciao, guagliù. #HappyBirthdayLegends #PinoDanieleDay
There are bands where one member is the perfect creative counterpart of another, in a level of sublime artistic balance eagerly pursued yet seldom reached by most. If Mark King is, for #Level42, the embodiment of sheer funk power coming from his ringing tone of voice and from the hectic, precise slapping of the strings of his bass, #MikeLindup is the keeper of the band's most harmonic soul, writer of fresh, joyful, delicate, sometimes melancholic melodies he gracefully plays on his keyboard and sings with his wide vocal range and his peculiar falsetto. Literally a match made in heaven. Mike Lindup is a genius, whether he performs with his band mates or on his solo productions. You can listen to his songs and NEVER get tired of them, since they have something catchy, almost mesmerising in them, that sense of supreme beauty only great, timeless music can provide. Do you think I could ever forget about his birthday? NO WAY! Happy #65thbirthday, mr. Lindup! #HappyBirthdayLegends
I'm at a point in life when little, apparently simple things (yet FULL of meaning, especially to me) are enough to put a smile on my face and give my restless mind at least 5 - 10 minutes of that long forgotten peace it needs so badly. The very thought that #QuincyJones today turns 91 and that he's still - GLORIOUSLY - with us is one of them, to the point that I probably am much happier for HIS own birthday than he actually is (and if you think this makes me a weird person, you don't even remotely know HOW proudly weird I am...). Happy #91stbirthday, mr. Jones - enjoy this new trip around the sun! #HappyBirthdayLegends
#AlJarreau's songs usually work like a charm where antidepressants fail. Not only is his music a form of absolute beauty you can perceive from your ears to your brain with the utmost pleasure, but, even more important, it's also a true balm for a wounded soul - which easily explains why I'm an avid listener of his albums: as hard as this life may slap you in the face, there's (almost) no pain that can't be partially or fully soothed by his voice. Happy heavenly #84thbirthday, "my old friend" (only in spirit... better than nothing, I guess). #HappyBirthdayLegends
The great Winston Rodney, better known and appreciated for more than five decades as #BurningSpear... Yesterday, March 1st, was his birthday, today he receives my humble tribute, for what it's worth. Still young at heart, still energetic, still roaring his songs from the soul. What an artist. What a human being. The definition of living legend. Belated happy #79thbirthday, Burning Spear! Much blessings! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Ok, there's no sugarcoating it: I forgot about #WalterBecker's birthday. It's on February 20th, but during the last week I've been (and still am, actually) particularly caught up in a certain series of technical issues I'm currently trying to fix - it's a miracle I managed to keep track of a good number of other birthdays and, at least, found some spare moments to post the b-day Stories (by the way, this is your friendly reminder to check them out from time to time if you want, I moved the whole Happy Birthday Legends section there since January). However, today is February 29th, the "non-day" par excellence, a bizarre time pocket created to put a patch on human's inability to precisely measure time in the past eras. So, ideally, what happens today "sort of" exists and doesn't exist at the same time, a la Schrodinger's cat. Simply put, if I wish mr. Becker happy birthday today, within this month but in this "extra time bonus", I might as well say that, indeed, I DID it (this post remains, after all) but the 9-day-delay is somehow automatically engulfed in this time glitch (so is this lame, half-assed excuse) and will disappear with it when the day is over. I'm not sure of it, but I've got the feeling that this is the kind of grotesque loophole that would've tickled Walter Becker's taste for everything absurd. Please, accept this shameful raving as my birthday gift. Super belated happy heavenly #74hbirthday, mr. Becker! #HappyBirthdayLegends #SteelyDan
The first thing that hit me most right after the first couple of times I listened to this album was the absolute, delightfully claustrophobic internal coherence of the musical atmosphere - all tracks showing some distinctive, recurrent patterns of chords and rhythm (there's also a main theme, intro to penultimate track), as if to paint a whole, solid, peculiar mood portrait with big, recognizable strokes on the emotional canvas of the listeners; all songs "kinda" sounding very similar in a way yet they're completely different at the same time, the same feeling you get when you listen to the whole Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" in one sitting (or, for that matter, to any other record - whether it's a concept album or not - with a precise stylistic identity). It's something that stayed with me ever since and that still immediately comes to my mind when I think about this exquisite #hiphop masterpiece. Then came the lyrics and all the rest (yup, " #ActTooLoveOfMyLife" never fails to make me shed some tears, the combo " #TheNextMovement" /" #StepIntoTheRealm" / " #TheSpark" / " #Dynamite" is one of the dopest rap suites ever recorded and " #TheReturnToInnocenceLost" - poetry and spoken word by the magnificent #UrsulaRucker - is as beautiful as it is unsettling and heart-wrenching). Only a few years later did I realize that the very title of #TheRoots' fourth studio album is the actual manifesto of how life goes, whether you like it or not. In my book, these simple words of wisdom are worth some extra value points. Today (slightly yesterday here in Italy) this hip hop milestone turned 25 (it was released on February 23rd, 1999). Funny how time flies when you're making history. Belated happy #25thanniversary, " #ThingsFallApart" and congrats to #Questlove, #BlackThought and to the rest of the band (both those in physical and spiritual form)! #HappyBirthdayLegends @theroots
The cheerful man, the fine , multifaceted jazz guitarist, the creator of timeless classic masterpieces during these last four decades while being an avid music lover himself, one of the artists that defined the sound of the #acidjazz genre and gracefully evolved it beyond its natural boundaries... I could go on forever and I'd still find it hard to fully describe him. To those who truly know me, it's no mystery that #JeanPaulMaunick is one of my quintessential musical staples, an artist who has blown my mind since I was in my early teens and whom I still profoundly admire. Wishing him the happiest of birthdays is the least I could do to repay him for the countless hours of bliss, spent listening to his main band, #Incognito (alas, I never had the chance to buy any #CitrusSun or #Str4ta record, but, thankfully, we live in the age of music streaming...). Such great memories. I owe you more than one, #Bluey. Happy #67thbirthday, mr. Maunick! #HappyBirthdayLegends
An undisputed genius in his own right, the closest thing we have to a spiritual successor to Prince and the embodiment of the concept of "quality over quantity", if you know what I mean (hint: his whole discography). Like the other great ones of his generation, today he enters the fifth decade of his life. May this new era of his existence be creative (like one would expect from him), fruitful, successful as he deserves and, most of all, happy on a personal level. Happy #50thbirthday, #DAngelo! #HappyBirthdayLegends
#JDilla - the musicality of a jazz artist playing #hiphop music (or vice versa, in his mind his creative process has always followed these two mutually intertwined directions), the attitude of a top-tier beatmaker, the vision of an enlightened producer. Dilla undoubtedly changed hip hop as much as he changed the life of his listeners. He's probably one of the last great innovators of this genre - at least it seems like no one has even remotely reached his level yet, let alone surpassed it. And this year he would've turned 50 - one more reason to have him here on my page. Happy heavenly #50thbirthday, mr. Yancey! #HappyBirthdayLegends
From a rational point of view, art as a whole mostly works the same way as the patterns of the Rorschach test - everyone reads, sees and hears in it what they want to read, see and hear. However, it never ceases to amaze me how sometimes certain artists are able to convey, through time, space and the cross-dimension between life and death, special messages only YOU can perceive at a given moment, when you need them the most. With me and Bob it's always been like that. He's always been by my side through the few highs and the countless lows of my life and I've always lent my ears to his words, trusting that he would never let me down. The same thing happened this morning. As I always do every February 6th, I started the day blasting a random selection of #BobMarley's songs from the speaker of my old phone, not only as a due tribute in this day of celebration, but also somehow hoping to receive the usual blessing from him. And the blessing eventually showed up in all its wisdom, when I less expected it: "The stone that the builder refuse / will always be the head cornerstone [...] The things people refuse / are the things they should use". Hadn't listened to "Corner Stone" in ages. Those verses hit me like a "holy" truck - and, yup, not only did I not feel any pain (cit.), but, on the contrary, I felt profound relief. Lately I've been struggling with my self-confidence more than ever and in this last couple of months, also due to my being a sheltered homeless with many different problems, I've truly felt like an undesirable piece of crap, "refused" by society and, even worse, by myself. I don't think I'm actually worth anything, but the idea that somehow, someday, even I might see myself as the "head cornerstone" of my own existence, finally realizing that it does have a meaning and living according to my inner value that no one can downplay nor question... well, this just warmed my heart in a way you can't imagine. That's what I mean when I say that Bob Marley has been, is and will always be my mentor and friend and I'll always be grateful for everything he did and the legacy he left. Happy heavenly #79thbirthday, Bob. #OneLove. #HappyBirthdayLegends
The #CrownPrinceofReggae surely deserves a place of honour at my humble table. Let's raise an ideal toast to celebrate him and his timeless legacy. Many blessings and happy heavenly #67thbirthday to the legendary #DennisBrown! #HappyBirthdayLegends #LionOrder
Seeing #PhilCollins' face, enjoying his sardonic expression, acknowledging that he's still with us (although not exactly in tip top shape) and celebrating the day of his birth like he deserves is basically good for my mental health and my awful mood. That's why this one stays here on my page. May he still keep us company for many more years, possibly in an, at least, slightly better health condition than he is now (I know it's highly unlikely, but, contrarily to my natural disposition, I feel like leaving a little room for hope). Phil is THE man. May my virtual hug reach him, even though he'll never know me. Happy #73rdbirthday, mr. Collins! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Keep the Dream alive. Happy heavenly #95thbirthday to the honourable Dr. #MartinLutherKing Jr. Happy #MLKDay to all those who (still) believe in peace and justice for all mankind, in spite of everything. #HappyBirthdayLegends #MartinLutherKingDay #MLKDay2024
Here's one of the few HBL posts that will stay on my page, this time because, well - #DonaldFagen & #SteelyDan, I guess I don't need to say more. Happy #76thbirthday to this #MajorDude and to his trademark poker face (at least, the only trait we seem to have in common when we appear in a photo). Thanks again, mr. Fagen, for your magnificent, mind-blowing music. #HappyBirthdayLegends
The " #HappyBirthdayLegends!" series ends here, at least as you've regularly seen it since March 2023. It was a good run, definitely much shorter than my previous foray into the "birthday wishes" topic (my old "The Land Of Belated Happy Birthdays" hashtag from two or three years ago is still up and running, you can freely check it out) but, probably, less chaotic, a bit more organic and better thought out, even though I realized too late that, alas, some important names that deserved to be celebrated guiltily slipped under my radar (I won't reveal them, it would seriously put me to shame). My intention has always been the same, back then and now: not only were these posts meant to give my favourite artists their flowers on the day of their birth, but also to indirectly speak of myself, of my tastes, of my personal pantheon of (guess what) "legends" and so on. Most of all, it was a way to fill the absolute lack of content coming from the sad emptiness of my life. Take away all the HBL stuff I published this year and my 2023 can be summed up in no more than a disheartening handful of miscellaneous posts. However, although I surely think it's the right moment to close this chapter, I'm not totally quitting it. I'm just changing the format and reducing my commitment. Starting from January 1st, the next, less frequent HBL posts will exclusively be published as IG Stories, more or less like the ones you've watched so far, just slightly simplified. I'll keep on my page the bday wishes I really consider emotionally meaningful for me or those I feel like spending a few more words about. For people who only watch my Stories without checking out my posts (actually the majority of my "audience"), this won't be much of a change. For those who do the opposite - well, you need to start tapping on my avatar more often from now on. Will I lose likes or followers doing so? Sure as hell, but who cares? I never did this for likes (an average 4-5 likes per post is basically close to zero, so why bother?) and my rare, new (and most faithful) followers are usually bots - they come and they go. That's all for now. More changes will be announced in the next days. Over and out.
Those who've followed for long enough already know that every time I just hint at this mad lad I feel like I'm talking about a dear older brother I've never met or a long time friend I haven't hit up for quite a while. That's why publicly wishing him happy birthday always seems to me like some sort of "family affair" (I guess he'd love the Sly Stone reference). #Jamiroquai's music has a special meaning for me and it's one of the last few things that somehow still give me a sense of direction in a personal life that has gone completely astray - or rather, that is "drifting along" (I guess he'd definitely love THIS reference as well), although not exactly in a positive, relaxed way. Where has all the time flown, I wonder. 30 years of Jamiroquai and yet my love for this band is as immaculate and sincere as it was when I was 11. Some things never change, I presume, especially when they're a fundamental part of your life, without which it wouldn't be the same. But I digress. The birthday boy here deserves a full-blown party, not a tear-jerking melodrama. So be it. PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR, PARTY PEOPLE! It's the Funky Mad Hatter's day today and it's time to DANCE. Happy #54thbirthday, #JayKay! Have a blast, King, and thanks for everything! #HappyBirthdayLegends
There's a peculiar beauty in a restless mind, one you can't see with your eyes but can only perceive with both your intellect and your intuition. After all these years, she still retains that beauty, untouched, unconcealed, shining bright from the inside to the outside, as she gracefully tiptoes between carefully weighed words and powerful melodies. The soul of a poetess, the heart of a rocker. Happy #77thbirthday to the incomparable #PattiSmith! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Slightly belated happy heavenly birthday (both on December 29th and, alas, both gone but not forgotten) to the amazing #BernardCribbins (95 y.o. - I'm pretty sure all those who watched the second 2023 XMas Special Episode of #DoctorWho, "Wild Blue Yonder", marking his last, short yet glorious performance, must have shed a little tear while bidding him a silent, respectful farewell) and to the drummer - or, as he was friendly and correctly called, the " #HumanMetronome", quite a self-explanatory moniker - of the legendary band #DEVO, mr. #AlanMyers (69 y.o.). #HappyBirthdayLegends
Belated (all three on December 28th) happy birthday to the amazing #NichelleNichols - and to one of my favourite members of the Star Fleet, her equally gorgeous Lieutenant #Uhura (91 y.o.; sadly a heavenly birthday for her, since her soul reached the stars in 2022), to the fantastic actor who's also the embodiment of elegance and coolness, mr. #DenzelWashington (69 y.o.), and to - well - the artist who probably deserves to be in a series of posts called "Happy Birthday, Legends" more than anyone else for a (hah) much more "obvious" reason than his sheer, unquestionable musical talent, mr. #JohnLegend (45 y.o.). #HappyBirthdayLegends
Belated (December 27th) happy #84thbirthday to the great #JohnAmos and slightly belated (December 28th) happy heavenly #61stbirthday to the legendary French jazz pianist #MichelPetrucciani. #HappyBirthdayLegends
Let's raise a toast to #TheSmiling Man who created the heroes of our dreams and fueled our dreams of being the heroes of our own story. Thanks to his limitless imagination and unique vision he was able to let us see the #MARVEL-ous universe in his mind and made us all #TrueBelievers. Stan really was "The Man". There can only be love for him and gratitude for the precious gift he gave to the world. Happy heavenly #101stbirthday to the amazing #StanLee! #Excelsior! #HappyBirthdayLegends
🎉 Celebrating the Visionaries 🎉 Today, we honor the birthdays of two stalwarts of Indian industry, Dhirubhai Ambani and Ratan Tata. Their journeys inspire us at Aadinath Technosoft to innovate, lead and dream bigger. Dhirubhai Ambani, the epitome of a visionary, taught us that dreams, no matter how big, can come true with perseverance and a can-do spirit. Ratan Tata, a beacon of ethical leadership, showed us the power of kindness in the corporate world. As we celebrate their legendary lives, we're reminded of the impact one individual can have on the nation's progress. Here’s to the paths they paved and the legacies they continue to build. Happy Birthday to the pillars of Indian industry! #aadinathtechnosoft #HappyBirthdayLegends #VisionaryLeaders #IndianBusinessIcons #CorporateTrailblazers #InnovationInspiration #EthicalEnterprising #LeadershipGoals #BusinessMagnates #IndustryPioneers #TechInnovation #ratantata #dhirubhaiambani
As cool as his jazz, always and forever. Slightly belated (December 23rd) happy heavenly #94thbirthday to one of the most refined and elegant artists in music history, mr. #ChetBaker. #HappyBirthdayLegends
"Got any problem, motherf***er?" "...N-no, sir, just wanted to wish you a happy birthday..." "Well, you're one day late then, son of a b**ch. You betta apologize to me properly." "Oh... S-sorry, I mean..." "...Nah, kid, I'm just pulling your leg. Thanks, now get the f**k outta my face." "Er... also, I don't have a present with me. At least, just let me buy you something nice, sir..." "Aw... Jesus Christ. Actually, I'm the one who's got a lil' gift for you. You know what it is?" "No... what is - BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! "...You talk too much, motherf***er. It's the thought that counts." [Written by Quentin Tarantino... or maybe not...] Jokes aside, who doesn't love this man? Belated (December 21st) happy #75thbirthday to #SamuelLJackson! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Happy heavenly birthday (both born on December 21st and, sadly, both no longer on this Earth) to an absolute musical genius (of Sicilian descent - please, allow me to add a bit of personal pride to this sidenote), the phenomenal #FrankZappa (83 y.o.), and to one of the most prominent female artists of soul music, a singer that has remained relevant and creative until her last years, the great #BettyWright (70 y.o. - you can listen to a snippet of Wright's "Clean Up Woman" in the relative Story). #HappyBirthdayLegends
Belated (December 19th) happy heavenly #99thbirthday to the immensely talented and iconic #CicelyTyson and happy heavenly 62ndbirthday to a legend of the #UKsoul music and one of the four Kings (the other three being Omar, Don-E and Junior Giscombe) of the all-star soul ensemble #TheBritishCollective, the great #NoelMcKoy. #HappyBirthdayLegends
Slightly belated (December 19th) happy #80thbirthday to one of the most influential African musicians alive, commonly referred to as the Father of the so called " #EthioJazz", the Ethiopian vibraphonist and percussionist #MulatuAstatke! #HappyBirthdayLegends
When I feel sad, depressed, overwhelmed by the troubles, the worries and the darkness of my life, when " #IveHadEnough" of all that, he's there to cheer me up and comfort me with the kindness of his words. The (extremely rare) times I'm in a good mood, he's there as well - " #LetsGroove", he says, and makes sure my feeble positivity lasts as much as possible. When I need to elevate my " #Spirit", he never fails to uplift it with his songs. Brother #MauriceWhite left the physical plane seven years ago now (and God only knows how bittersweet it is for me to listen to #EarthWindandFire's albums knowing he's not with us anymore) but, amazingly, his presence is more tangible than ever - surely thanks to modern technology, that has given us the means to infinitely multiply the timeless power of his music, but also because, simple as that, the joy, the beauty, the harmony within his voice are the heavenly gifts this wicked world desperately needs. He was, is and will always be a " #ShiningStar". Happy heavenly #82ndbirthday, Brother Maurice, and thank you for everything! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Hey, HEY!... Since when have these posts become so crowded? I can't even pick a song for the occasion! This reminds me of a certain "Land" I used to dwell in a few years ago (* wink wink * - only my long-time followers will get this reference 😉)... Jokes aside, let's bring MORE birthday cake to the party. Belated (December 17th) happy heavenly birthday to the legendary drummer of The Wailers, #CarltonBarrett (73 y.o.); also, slightly belated (December 18th) happy birthday to #StevenSpielberg (77 y.o.), #AngieStone (62 y.o.), #GeneralSteele of Smif-N-Wessun and #RahDigga (both 49 y.o.)! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Happy #80thbirthday to the "old pirate" of rock, #KeithRichards, and happy heavenly #53rdbirthday to the great #DMX. (* You can listen to a little snippet of #RollingStones' "Gimme Shelter" in the relative Story.) #HappyBirthdayLegends
Happy heavenly #84thbirthday to the great #EddieKendricks (or Kendrick, his actual surname - pick the one you like)! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Belated (December 16th) happy 55thbirthday to the silky-voiced, enchanting #LalahHathaway! #HappyBirthdayLegends
Happy #74thbirthday to #BillyGibbons of #ZZTop! #HappyBirthdayLegends