Cecil James (Big Jay) McNeely (born on April 29, 1927 in Los Angeles, California), is an American rhythm and blues tenor saxophonist. April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D)  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ...

McNeely is known for his intense playing and his energetic and acrobatic stage performances. For example, at a 1949 concert in the old Wrigley Field baseball stadium in Los Angeles he played while walking through the stands and then while crawling from home plate to first base on his back. At a performance at the Apollo Theater in New York City in 1999, at the age of 72, he jumped onto the stage from the audience and later, wearing fluorescent gloves, played a fluorescent saxophone while break dancing under ultraviolet light. In the early 1950s his ability to whip teenagers into a frenzy was so disturbing to civic authorities in Los Angeles that he was banned from playing in most of Los Angeles county. A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D)  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Apollo Theater marquee, c. ... New York, NY redirects here. ... A breakdancer performing a one-handed freeze (also known as a pike) in the streets of Paris. ... UV redirects here. ... // Recovering from World War I and its aftermath, the economic miracle emerged in West Germany and Italy. ...

He was foremost among honking saxophonists – that is, saxophonists who played solos featuring squealing in the highest register while performing acrobatic and dance moves. He did not invent this style, but became its most famous practitioner. His performances were widely copied by early white rock and rollers. His most successful record, though, was a slow blues, "There is Something on Your Mind," with a vocal by Little Sonny Warner. Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Haywood (Little Sonny) Warner (born in 1930) is an American blues singer. ...

McNeely was inspired by Illinois Jacquet and by his teacher, Jack McVea. In 1947 he visited Johnny Otis's Barrelhouse Club in Los Angeles and was impressed by the energetic showmanship displayed by the performers there. Shortly after he performed on Otis's "Barrelhouse Stomp." Ralph Bass, A&R man for Savoy records promptly signed McNeely to a contract. Bass suggested the stage name Big Jay McNeely because Cecil McNeely was not considered to be a memorable or hip name. His first hit was "The Deacon's Hop" in 1949, which was followed by another hit, "Wild Wig." McNeely remained popular through the 1950s, but in the 1960s honking saxophone fell out of favour and McNeely quit the music business in 1971 to become a postman. However, he left the post office in 1983 and returned to touring and recording (for his own label). Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 31, 1922 - July 22, 2004) was a jazz tenor saxophonist most famous for his solo on Flying Home. He is better known simply as Illinois Jacquet. ... Jack McVea (1914–2000) was an American Swing, blues, and rhythm and blues woodwind player; he played clarinet and tenor and baritone saxophone. ... Johnny Otis Johnny Otis (born Ioannis (Yannis) Veliotes on December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California) is an American blues and rhythm and blues pianist, vibraphonist, drummer, singer, bandleader, and impresario. ... // Recovering from World War I and its aftermath, the economic miracle emerged in West Germany and Italy. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

External links:

• Here is a photo of Big Jay in action:
• http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/bigjaymcneely.txt

• http://www.soul-patrol.com/randbfoundation/jay.htm

Big Jay's official MySpace page

• http://www.myspace.com/bigjaymcneely