News & Updates — Charles Stepney

"Master" Henry Gibson / Aug 9, 1942 - Dec 18, 2002

"Master" Henry Gibson / Aug 9, 1942 - Dec 18, 2002

Drawing: Steve Kraków aka Plastic Crimewave. If anyone is going to give the late, great Ralph MacDonald a run for his money as "most recorded percussionist of all time" it could very well be "Master" Henry Gibson (or so he claims, anyway). A Chicago native, he honed his chops in the streets and studios of the Windy City. He cut hundreds of sessions, including some early jazz dates with the likes of Sonny Stitt and Ahmad Jamal. He joined Odell Brown & the Organ-izers, recording for the Chess subsidiary Cadet. He was the featured percussionist on Donny Hathaway's hit "The Ghetto"...

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Terry Callier / May 24, 1945 - Oct 27, 2012

Terry Callier / May 24, 1945 - Oct 27, 2012

Happy birthday to one of Chicago's greatest! Terry Callier was an amazing singer/songwriter and guitarist, his sound & style were equal parts folkie, soul and jazz. Callier grew up with Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance and Jerry Butler and sang in doo-wop groups and played piano. In '62 he signed to Chess and released his first record while still in high school. While in college he got heavily into John Coltrane and took his songs to the folk coffeehouses. He recorded the classic The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier for Prestige Records and had his songs covered by others from...

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Charles Stepney / March 26, 1931 - May 17, 1976

Charles Stepney / March 26, 1931 - May 17, 1976

A fine vibraphonist (and pianist) and a visionary producer, conductor and arranger, Charles Stepney was the psychedelic soul man over at Chess Records and their subsidiary Cadet Concept. Producer of classics by Ramsey Lewis, Minnie Ripperton, The Howlin' Wolf Album, Muddy Waters (Electric Mud), Terry Callier, Marlena Shaw, The Dells, The Emotions, Phil Upchurch and more, he was co-founder of Rotary Connection and Earth, Wind & Fire (although due to his contract with Chess could not always be listed in the credits). As a sideman he performed on many Chess songs, as well as played on albums by Eddie Harris,...

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