Two more Beatles anniversaries today: “Love Me Do” hit number one in 1964 …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xuMwfUqJJM

… four years before the Beatles started work on their only double album. Perhaps that work was so hard that they couldn’t think of a more original title than: “The Beatles.” You may know it better, however, as “the White Album”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3RYvO2X0Oo

Birthdays today start with Benny Goodman, who asks us to …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCsAI6nnecw

Guitarist Lenny Davidson, one of the Dave Clark 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln7_1TsVyvs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-zeCyTw7QM

Drummer Nicky “Topper” Headon of The Clash:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4dL0lv72oM

Since we’ve already mentioned one woodwind player, we should mention another — today is the anniversary of the death of saxophonist Paul Desmond, who collaborated with Dave Brubeck on this classic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o