Latest news with #drummer
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Famous drummer was killed in private jet crash after posting photo of himself at CONTROLS
A famous drummer has died in a private jet crash that killed at least two people hours after he shared a photo of himself at its controls. Daniel Williams, formerly of hugely-popular Christian metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, filmed himself boarding the Cessna 550 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey late Wednesday night. The drummer, 39, also shared pictures of him at the controls of the small aircraft, said that he was the 'co-pilot now'. It's unclear if he was joking. An eerie final post showed him at the plane's controls with the caption: 'Here we gooooo' The plane, with a tail number of N666DS, took off from Teterboro Airport in on Wednesday at 11.15pm ET, tracking data reveals. It stopped for fuel in Wichita, Kansas before continuing on to California, where the Cessna ultimately crashed in a quiet military neighborhood in San Diego, close to its intended final destination of Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Williams, 39, lived in San Diego, the intended destination of the jet. He left The Devil Wears Prada - a hugely popular Christian metalcore band in 2016 - and became a software engineer. He shared a snap to his Instagram stories as he boarded the plane in the Garden State late Wednesday night. Williams told his followers that he was flying with music agent and pilot Dave Shapiro, who, according to aircraft registration records, had just purchased the eight-seater plane in July last year. On Wednesday, investigators confirmed both people on board the plane died. Eight people were injured, although investigators haven't said if they were on the ground. Shapiro's friend Ryan Bruce, a music producer, paid tribute to the pair, telling Daily Mail: 'Dave changed mine and a lot of other people's lives and the community he built and the network of bands he has worked with and supported will never forget him. 'Daniel left us a lot of music to remember him by and he was a super sweet guy.' This picture appears to have been taken before the jet departed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday at 11.15pm. It is unclear if Williams got off the plane in Wichita or continued onwards to San Diego Bruce also remembered the pair on his Instagram. He shared a photo of of Williams and his friend Shapiro with the captions 'Rest easy' and heart emojis. Music executive Terrance Coughlin paid tribute to Williams and Shapiro on X. He wrote: 'Rest in Peace Dave Shapiro, Daniel Williams, and everyone on that flight. Some of my very first shows were booked through Dave. 'I had a handful of shows with Daniel, always a pleasure to see him play. Gone way too soon.' Tony Cappocchi, a music agent, paid tribute to Shapiro, telling Daily Mail: 'Dave was a great friend of ours.' A spokesperson for Sound Talent Group confirmed in a statement to Daily Mail that three of its employees were on the plane. 'We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today's tragedy,' the statement read. 'Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.' It is unclear at this time which Sound Talent Group employees were on the plane. The Cessna then flew to Colonel James Jabara Airport, landing there at 1:49am CT. It refueled and took off again at 2:36am CT. The plane had been due to arrive at San Diego's Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport just before 4am PT, but never made it to its final destination. The plane crashed just before 4am into the US military's largest housing neighborhood. Officials say that everyone on board the luxurious plane is feared to have died in the ensuing fireball. At least 10 houses were burned or hit by debris that spread over a wide area, and cars on both sides of a street went up in flames. A family of five was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and another person was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained while climbing out of a window trying to flee. Two others were treated for minor injuries at the scene. San Diego officials haven't released details about the plane but did confirm the flight had come in from the Midwest. Flight tracking site FlightAware lists a Cessna Citation II jet scheduled to arrive at the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive airport in San Diego at 3.47am from the small Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas. Officials at the Kansas airport said it made a fueling stop in Wichita. The flight originated Wednesday night in Teterboro, New Jersey. The airport in Teterboro is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Manhattan and is used by the rich and famous to fly in and out of New York City on private jets. In the San Diego neighborhood, the smell of jet fuel lingered in the air hours after the crash while authorities worked to extinguish one stubborn car fire. First responders described a frightening scene in the aftermath of the crash. 'I can't quite put words to describe what the scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,' San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said. Chunks of metal from the aircraft littered the street, but no discernible body of the plane could be seen. Half a dozen fully charred cars sat on the street, and tree limbs, melted trash cans, glass and pieces of white and blue metal were scattered around. At the end of the block, black smoke billowed as a car continued to smolder while water mixed with jet fuel flowed down the street. More than 50 police officers responded to the scene within minutes and began evacuating homes. At least 100 residents were displaced to an evacuation center at a nearby elementary school. Police officers were rescuing multiple animals, including three husky puppies that were rolled away from the crash scene in a wagon. A few blocks away, families stood in their pajamas in a parking lot waiting for word of when they could return to their homes. The neighborhood is made up of single-family homes and townhomes. Montgomery-Gibbs airport is about 2 miles away. San Diego Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy said it was very foggy at the time the private plane crashed. 'You could barely see in front of you,' he said. Officials were looking into whether the plane clipped a power line before crashing into the neighborhood. The Federal Aviation Administration said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. In October 2021, a twin-engine plane plowed into a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a UPS delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. It was preparing to land at the airport. In December 2008, a US Marine Corps fighter jet slammed into a house in San Diego's University City neighborhood, causing an explosion that killed four people inside. The Marine Corps blamed the crash on mechanical failure and human error.
The Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald
Louis Moholo-Moholo, legendary drummer, dies aged 85
Internationally acclaimed drummer Tebogo Louis Moholo-Moholo died on Friday morning after a long illness. He was 85. ' Bra Louis', as he was affectionately referred to, was born on March 10 1940 in Langa in Cape Town. 'He is considered as one of the most important jazz drummers in South Africa, known for his contribution in furthering and developing the form of free jazz. He is respected throughout the world through his time in exile in London and through playing with the iconic jazz group The Blue Notes,' the family said in a statement. It said Bra Louis was more than a pioneering musician — he was also a mentor. 'As a drummer, composer and fearless voice for artistic freedom, Louis inspired generations through his groundbreaking contributions to South African and global jazz. 'From the townships of Cape Town to the stages of London and beyond, his rhythms spoke of resistance, liberation and the boundless power of creativity. He was the last surviving member of The Blue Notes, a group that courageously took their music into exile during apartheid, and became a beacon for cultural expression and solidarity through jazz.' The family said his artistry and spirit were not just heard, but felt deeply across the world. 'We are grateful for the love and support that has already begun to pour in from across the globe.' The family said details regarding funeral arrangements will be shared in due course. TimesLIVE
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Al Foster, Virtuoso Jazz Drummer to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, Dies at 82
Al Foster, 1988 () Al Foster, the jazz drummer who played in bands led by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, among others, has died. Foster's daughter Kierra Foster-Ba shared the news on Instagram and his longtime partner, Bonnie Rose Steinberg, told NPR that he died 'from a serious illness.' He was 82. Born in 1943 in Richmond, Virginia, Aloysius Tyrone Foster grew up in Harlem, the second oldest of five siblings. His first musical idol was bebop drummer Max Roach, whose 1955 recording of 'Cherokee' inspired a 12-year-old Foster to begin practicing every day on the drum kit his father had previously gifted him. The budding musician got his first experience working as a studio musician on Blue Mitchell's 1964 album The Thing to Do, which also featured a young Chick Corea. Foster's big break, however, arrived a few years later, when Miles Davis saw him perform at a jazz club on New York's Upper West Side and recruited the drummer to join his band. Foster toured with Davis until the latter's temporary retirement in 1975, and his work can be heard on live albums such as In Concert, Agharta, and Dark Magus. He also played on the Davis several studio LPs On the Corner and Big Fun (1974). The extended jazz-funk jam 'Mr. Foster,' recorded during the On the Corner sessions, was named in his honor. Saxophonist Sonny Rollins had previously fired Foster from his band after their first gig together in 1968, but would bring him on tour in Europe a decade later, and even claimed that 'Harlem Boys,' from his 1979 album Don't Ask, was inspired by the two musicians' similar upbringings. Throughout the late '70s and '80s, Foster also backed up pianists Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver. In 1978, he became one of four members in the Milestones Jazzstars—a label-made supergroup that also featured Rollins, Tyner, and bassist Ron Carter—and in 1985, both he and Carter lent their talents to saxophone virtuoso Joe Henderson's The State of the Tenor, Vols. 1 & 2. Foster continued composing and performing until just months before his death, holding a longstanding residency at the Upper West Side club Smoke and sharing his last album, Reflections, in 2022. In 1989's Miles: The Autobiography, co-written with Quincy Troupe, Davis wrote that 'Al could set shit up for everybody else to play off and then he could keep the groove going forever…for what I wanted in a drummer, Al Foster had it all.' Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shreveport drummer Hoffman returning as a member of Primus
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — John Hoffman is proof that you can go home again. The Shreveport drummer is returning home now as the drummer for the legendary rock band Primus. Shreveport drummer prepares for dream audition Formed in 1984, Primus has long been a staple of the rock scene. Famous for songs like 'My Name Is Mud' and 'Jerry Was a Racecar Driver,' Primus found their own niche and multiple Grammy Award nominations to go with it. It was hard at times, but not metal and clearly not grunge. Bassist/vocalist Les Claypool described the band's music as 'psychedelic polka.' The band was so unique that, for a time, its genre title was simply 'Primus.' In October 2024, Primus drummer Tim 'Herb' Alexander abruptly left the band, stating he 'lost his passion for playing,' according to Stereogum. The band began searching for a new drummer with a national search via YouTube submissions. Over 6,200 drummers auditioned. Those auditionees were whittled down to two: Gergo Borlai and Shreveport's John Hoffman, with Hoffman getting the nod. More Entertainment news Hoffman is primarily known in the Shreveport music scene for his over 10-year stint as the drummer for local band Dirtfoot. Now, he returns as the drummer for one of the most influential bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s, being cited as an influence for bands like Korn, the Deftones, and Incubus. Hoffman already got a taste of life on the road with Primus, opening for A Perfect Circle since April 24. That tour concludes on June 7. The band then starts their first headlining tour with Hoffman on the drum kit on July 5, with a return home on July 29 at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Al Foster, Master of the Jazz Drums, Is Dead at 82
Al Foster, a drummer who worked with some of the most illustrious names in jazz across a career spanning more than six decades, leaving his distinctive stamp on important recordings by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson and many others, died on Wednesday at his apartment in Manhattan. He was 82. His daughter Kierra Foster-Ba announced the death on social media but did not specify a cause. Mr. Foster came up emulating great bebop percussionists like Max Roach, but his most high-profile early gig came with Mr. Davis, who hired him in 1972, when he was refining an aggressive, funk-informed sound. Mr. Foster's springy backbeats firmly anchored the band's sprawling psychedelic jams. In 'Miles: The Autobiography,' written with Quincy Troupe and published in 1989, Mr. Davis praised Mr. Foster's ability to 'keep the groove going forever.' Mr. Foster also excelled in a more conventional jazz mode, lending an alert, conversational swing to bands led by the saxophonists Mr. Henderson and Mr. Rollins and the pianists Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Tommy Flanagan. 'What he was doing was reminiscent of some of the great drummers of our period,' Mr. Rollins said of Mr. Foster in a phone interview, citing foundational figures like Art Blakey and Max Roach. 'He always had that feeling about him, those great feelings of those people. And that's why I could never be disappointed playing with Al Foster. He was always playing something which I related to.' Mr. Foster often framed his long career as a fulfillment of his early ambitions. 'I've been so blessed because I've played with everybody I fell in love with when I was a young teenager,' he told the website of Jazz Forum, a club in Tarrytown, N.Y. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
