Monthly Archives: December 2020

Clifford Jordan: Cliff Craft

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In December 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Cliff Craft”, the fourth Clifford Jordan album. It was recorded in November 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  1. Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone
  2. Art Farmer – trumpet 
  3. Sonny Clark – piano
  4. George Tucker – bass
  5. Louis Hayes – drums

Track listing:

 All tracks by Cliff Jordan, except where noted.

  1. Laconia
  2. Soul-Lo Blues
  3. Cliff Craft
  4. Confirmation – Charlie Parker
  5. Sophisticated Lady – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
  6. Anthropology – Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker

Ralph MacDonald

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On December 18, 2011, Ralph Anthony MacDonald died aged 67. He was musician (percussion, steelpan), songwriter, arranger, record producer, and philanthropist. His best known compositions are “Where Is the Love”, a “Grammy Award” winner for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway duet), “Just the Two of Us” (recorded by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.), and “Mister Magic” (recorded by Grover Washington Jr.). MacDonald was member of the bands Desperadoes Steel Orchestra,  Steelband Panorama, and Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. He recorded with many famous musicians including David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, Bob James, Ashford and Simpson, and The Brothers Johnson. As a leader MacDonald released ten albums.

Jimmy Nolen

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On December 18, 1983, Jimmy Nolen died aged 49. He was musician (guitar), known for his distinctive “chicken scratch” guitar playing style. Nolan was member of the Jimmy Wilson band, Johnny Otis band, George “Harmonica” Smith backing band, in 1959 he formed his own band The Jimmy Nolan Band, but was best known as the lead guitarist in James Brown band form 1965 until his dead. In its survey of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” magazine “Mojo” ranks Nolen at number twelve.  

Stanley Cowell

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On December 17, 2020, Stanley Cowell died aged 79. He was musician (piano), co-founder of the “Strata-East Records” label, and professor at the “Music Department of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers”, the “State University of New Jersey”. He recorded with many famous jazz musicians including Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Richard Davis, Sonny Fortune, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, The Heath Brothers, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, Bobby Hutcherson, J. J. Johnson, Clifford Jordan, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Owens, Art Pepper, Buddy Terry, Charles Sullivan, Charles Toliver, Roland Kirk, Marion Brown, Harold Land, and Max Roach. As leader Cowell released 34 albums.

Luna Sea: Cross

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On December 18, 2019, “Universal” label released “Cross”, the tenth Luna Sea album. It was recorded in 2019, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite, Ryuichi, Sugizo, Inoran, J, and Shinya.

Personnel:

  • Ryuichi – vocals
  • Sugizo – guitar, violin
  • Inoran – guitar
  • J – bass
  • Shinya – drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Ryuichi, Sugizo, Inoran, J, and Shinya.

  1. Luca
  2. Philia
  3. Closer
  4. The Beyond
  5. You’re Knocking at My Door
  6. Sora no Uta – Higher and Higher
  7. Anagram
  8. Hisōbi 
  9. Pulse
  10. Seijyaku 
  11. So Tender

Nat Addrley: Branching Out

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In December 1958, “Riverside” label released “Branching Out”, the fourth Nat Adderley album. It was recorded in September 1958, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Nat Adderley – cornet
  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Harris – piano
  • Andy Simpkins – bass
  • Bill Dowdy – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Nat Adderley except where noted.

  1. Sister Caroline
  2. Well, You Needn’t – Thelonious Monk
  3. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
  4. I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  5. Branching Out – Harold Mabern
  6. I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I’m Loving You) – Raymond B. Egan, Roy Marsh, Thomas Pitts
  7. Warm Blue Stream – Sara Cassey, Dotty Wayne

Duke Jordan: Duke Jordan Trio and Quintet

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In December 1955, “Signal” label released “Duke Jordan Trio and Quintet”, the third Duke Jordan album. It was recorded in October – November 1955, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Don Schlitten.

Personnel:

  • Duke Jordan – piano
  • Eddie Bert – trombone 
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Percy Heath – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Jordan except where noted.

  1. Forecast
  2. Sultry Eve
  3. They Can’t Take That Away from Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  4. A Night in Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
  5. Summertime – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  6. Flight to Jordan
  7. Two Lovers
  8. Cu-Ba – Cecil Payne
  9. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  10. Scotch Blues

Big Joe Williams

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On December 17, 1982, Joseph Lee “Big Joe” Williams died aged 79. He was musician (guitar), singer, and songwriter, best known for his distinctive sound of his nine-string guitar. His songs “Baby Please Don’t Go”, “Crawlin’ King Snake” and “Peach Orchard Mama”, were covered by many artists. In October 1992, Williams was inducted into the “Blues Hall of Fame”. As a leader he released sixteen studio and one live album.

Miles Davis: Quiet Nights

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On December 16, 1963, “Columbia” label released “Quiet Nights”, the 36th Miles Davis album, and his fourth and final album collaboration with Gil Evans. It was recorded July – November 1962, April 1963, at “Columbia’s 30th Street Studios” in Manhattan, and was produced by Teo Macero and Irving Townsend.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • Gil Evans – arranger, conductor
  • Shorty Baker, Bernie Glow, Louis Mucci, Ernie Royal – trumpets
  • J.J. Johnson, Frank Rehak – trombones
  • Ray Alonge, Don Corrado, Julius Watkins – french horns
  • Bill Barber – tuba
  • Steve Lacy – soprano saxophone
  • George Coleman – tenor saxophone
  • Albert Block – flute
  • Ray Beckenstein, Jerome Richardson – woodwinds
  • Garvin Bushell, Bob Tricarico – bassoons
  • Janet Putnam – harp
  • Victor Feldman – piano
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Jimmy Cobb – drums
  • Frank Butler – drums
  • Willie Bobo – bongos
  • Elvin Jones – percussion
  • Fred Plaut – engineer
  • Dan Hunstein – photography

Track listing:

  1. Song No. 2 (a.k.a. Prenda Minha, Brazilian folk song) – Gil Evans, Miles Davis
  2. Once Upon a Summertime – Johnny Mercer, Michel Legrand
  3. Aos Pés da Cruz – Marino Pinto, José Gonçalves
  4. Song No. 1 (a.k.a. Adelita by Francisco Tárrega) – Gil Evans, Miles Davis
  5. Wait Till You See Her – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  6. Corcovado – Antônio Carlos Jobim
  7. Summer Night – Harry Warren, Al Dubin

Abbey Lincoln: That’s Him!

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In December 1957, “Riverside” label released “That’s Him!”, the second Abbey Lincoln album. It was recorded in October 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Bill Grauer and Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Abbey Lincoln – vocals
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano, bass
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Max Roach – drums

Track listing:

  1. Strong Man – Oscar Brown, Jr.
  2. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
  3. My Man – Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain
  4. Tender as a Rose – Phil Moore
  5. That’s Him – Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill
  6. I Must Have That Man! – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
  7. Porgy – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  8. When a Woman Loves a Man – Bernie Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Mercer
  9. Don’t Explain – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday