I.M. Johnny Otis (1921-12-28 > 2012-01-17). More on Mr. Otis via http://uzine.posterous.com/iannis-johnny-otis-veliotes and see also:
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=2073
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=797
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=318
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=453
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=641
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=729
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=849
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=878
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=8754
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=8882

"Hits And Misses - Muhammad Ali And The Ultimate Sound Of Fistfighting" (Trikont US 0314, 2003) was reviewed in [uzine] 03.17 … Mr. Cassius Marcellus Clay aka Muhammad Ali was one of thé greatest men of the 20th Century. All praise!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali
http://trikont.de/musik/hits-and-misses-muhammad-ali-and-the-ultimate-sound-of-fistfighting/
http://trikont.de/shop/black-radical-music/hits-and-misses-muhammad-ali-and-the-ultimate-sound-of-fistfighting/

Before Delia Derbyshire, there was Daphne Oram … one of thé pioneers at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Today, her Oramics machine is - mutatis mutandis - available as an iPhone app, while the (long lost) actual machine has become an important piece at the (London) Science Museum, where a special exhibition is still open until 2012-12-01.
http://daphneoram.org/
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/829198
http://www.stalk.net/paradigm/pd21.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Oram
http://blog.soundseller.eu/tag/daphne-oram/
http://www.nervoussquirrel.com/oramics.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2669735.stm
http://www.modern-love.co.uk/artists/daphne-oram
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/tag/daphne-oram/
http://soundandmusic.org/projects/oramics-iphone-app
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9671950.stm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr08/articles/radiophonic.htm#6
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/oramics.aspx
http://sparksinelectricaljelly.blogspot.com/2011/10/daphne-oram-at-science-museum.html
http://www.thewire.co.uk/themire/2011/03/the-wire-salon-reading-list-the-sounds-of-new-atlantis-daphne-oram-radiophonics-and-the-drawn-sound-technique-2

Hard to find info on Dave Hamilton on the web that isn't already on Ace's site - or picked from the booklets to their releases ...
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=8719
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7331
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=4653
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=4747
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=1033
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=1012

Brian Auger on French tv in 1968, and Les DeMerle in the same year, off his "Spectrum" lp (just reissued on Get On Down). Wonder who was the first to see a jazz adaptation in this song. And to boot: two more Beatles covers, from France, off 2006's "La France Et Les Beatles Vol. 2" v/a cd on Magic (who have an impractical site). And see also: http://uzine.posterous.com/a-dauner-in-the-life

Hats off to brother Ray Charles (1930-2004), y'all! I was - once again - blown away by Mr. Charles' genius ànd life story on the occasion of seeing "Ray Charles America" (Alexis Spraic 2010). Still, I'm in two minds about Mr. Charles' cover version of John Lennon's "Imagine" … which was recorded for a tv commercial about a French bank, incidentally.
http://raycharles.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Charles
http://www.nichill.tv/projects/raycharlesamerica/
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/artikel/44220110
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19764/
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19765/
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19767/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2003/jan/09/artsfeatures.popandrock
http://www.hollanddoc.nl/kijk-luister/documentaire/r/ray-charles---het-genie.html
http://www.humo.be/tws/tv-tips/22417/het-uur-van-de-wolf-ray-charles-america.html
http://www.discogs.com/Ray-Charles-The-Definitive-Ray-Charles/release/2046938
http://books.google.com/books/about/Brother_Ray.html?id=YI9CR9R9vq8C
http://www.musicmelon.co.uk/gallery.asp?collectionid=6#
http://www.ritzwrites.com/books.html
http://www.slate.com/id/2108507/

It's … the very underrated and all too oft' forgotten soul champ & charming regular guy Lee Dorsey (1924-1986)! As produced & accompanied by Allen Toussaint, mostly, on the occasion of the release of Charly's "Soul Mine The Greatest Hits & More 1960-1978" 2cd (SNAX628CD, 2011) which reprises the "Am I That Easy To Forget?" 2lp (Charly R&B CDX21, 1987) on disc one, adding a new 29 track compilation on disc two. Indeed, Charly / Snapper have been revving up a classy New Orleans reissue programme this year with similar releases by the Meters and Allen Toussaint related productions, and there's been equally cool budget Red Bird & Shangri-Las releases. Secretly, I'm hoping they'll reissue those two Swamp Dogg lp's too (CRB 1026 & 1045), with extras …

Almost forgot to publish this after I'd announced that I'd post some more on Leiber & Stoller & Spark records, but now with the sad news of Mr Leiber's parting ... here's a reminder of some of Leiber & Stoller's brilliant producing & songwriting skills, and of that exquisite autobiography by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller with David Ritz: "Hound dog - the Leiber & Stoller autobiography" (Simon & Schuster 2009-06, ISBN 9781416559382). At the publisher's site, you can browse the book ... may I suggest reading Randy Poe's appendix, where he argues (convincingly) that L&S practically invented rock 'n' roll? (And keep an eye out for more on their magic partnership - it's like Tex Avery making music - with the Coasters in a future post.)
http://www.leiberstoller.com/
http://spoonercentral.com/RS/Brill.html
http://uzine.posterous.com/tag/brillbuilding
http://www.spectropop.com/hleiberstoller.html
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Leiber+%26+Stoller
http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=xktk2zpqhy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Leiber_and_Mike_Stoller
http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/jerry_leiber.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/books/review/Windolf-t.html
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_with_mike_stoller.shtml
http://www.audioholicmedia.com/music-history-101/leiber-and-stoller/
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=747
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=421
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7333
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content.php?page_id=59&release=7485
http://www.ccmusic.com/item.cfm?itemid=MWS101014
http://www.ccmusic.com/item.cfm?itemid=CCM20012
http://www.covermesongs.com/2011/08/a-tribute-to-prolific-pop-songwriter-jerry-leiber.html