Today is Wednesday, Dec. 15, the 350th day of 2004 with 16 to follow.

Today is Thursday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2004 with 316 to follow.

Today is Monday, Dec. 15, the 349th day of 2003 with 16 to follow.

Pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller was born this day in 1904 in New York City. He came out of the stride style of piano playing to enrich the jazz repertoire with both speed and delicacy. And he had a way of making sparkling gems out of the silliest popular son

Traditional jazz bass player Pops Foster was born this day in 1892 in McCall, La. He worked with the best in jazz throughout his career, including Fate Marable, Kid Ory, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Mezz Mezzrow and Earl Hines. Pops Foster died in 1969

Singer and pianist Shirley Horn was born this day in 1934 in Washington, D.C., which she still calls home. Her career gained recognition with endorsements in the early 1960s from Miles Davis, who insisted she open for his band at New York's Village Vangua

Today is April 15.

Tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons was born in Chicago this day in 1925, son of boogie-woogie piano pioneer Albert Ammons.

Jazz accordion master Art Van Damme was born this day in Norway, Mich., in 1920.