Category Archives: Uncategorized

Dan Michaelson: First Light

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On December 8, 2017, “The State 51 Conspiracy” label released “First Light”, the second Dan Michaelson album. It was recorded in 2017, and was produced by Dan Michaelson.

Personnel:

  • Dan Michaelson – vocals, mixing
  • Arnulf Lindner – double bass, string arrangements
  • Yusuf Narcin – trombone
  • Guillem Calvo Martinez de Albéniz – violin, viola
  • Peter Fletsher – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Dan Michaelson.

  1. Careless
  2. Sand
  3. Someone Else’s Dream
  4. Stone
  5. Careless Reprise
  6. Old Kisses
  7. But I’ll Never Be Lost
  8. First Light
  9. Don’t Let It Pass

Benny Bailey: Big Brass

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In December 1960, “Candid” label released “Big Brass”, the second Benny Bailey album. It was recorded in November 1960, at “Nola Penthouse Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Benny Bailey – trumpet
  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Julius Watkins – French horn
  • Les Spann – guitar, flute
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Buddy Catlett – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums

Track listing:

  1. Hard Sock Dance – Quincy Jones
  2. Alison – Hale Smith
  3. Tipsy – Oliver Nelson
  4. Please Say Yes – Tom McIntosh
  5. A Kiss to Build a Dream On – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Oscar Hammerstein II
  6. Maud’s Mood – Benny Bailey

Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers: 1958 – Paris Olympia

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In December 1958, “Fontana” label released “1958 – Paris Olympia”, the fourth Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers live album. It was recorded November – December 1958, at “L’Olympia” in Paris, France.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
  • Lee Morgan – trumpet
  • Bobby Timmons – piano
  • Jymie Merritt – bass

Track listing:

All tracks by Benny Golson except where noted.

  1. Just by Myself
  2. I Remember Clifford
  3. Are You Real
  4. Moanin’ – Bobby Timmons
  5. Justice – Thelonious Monk
  6. Blues March
  7. Whisper Not

White Denim: 12

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On December 6, 2024, “Bella Union” label released “12”, the twelfth White Denim studio album.

Personnel:

  • James Petralli – lead vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Michael Hunter
  • Tameca Jones – vocals
  • Jessie Payo – vocals
  • Josh Block
  • Finom
  • Eric Slick
  • Jared Samuel
  • Cat Clemons 

Track listing:

  1. Light On
  2. Econolining
  3. Flash Bare Ass
  4. Cat City #2
  5. Look Good
  6. Second Dimension
  7. I Still Exist
  8. Your Future as God
  9. Swinging Door
  10. We Can Move Along
  11. Hand Out Giving
  12. Precious Child

Høst: På sterke vinger

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In December 1974, “ON Records” label released “På sterke vinger”, the debut Høst studio album. It was recorded in October 1974, at “Arctic Studios” in Trondheim, Norway, and was produced by Nils Bjarne Kvam.

Personnel:

  • Geir Jahren – vocals
  • Lasse Nilsen – guitar
  • Bernt Bodal – bass guitar
  • Knut Ragnar Lie – vocals, drums
  • Svein Rønning – vocals, guitar , clavinet , organ , strings , Mini-Moog , flute 
  • Nils Bjarne Kvam – technician, layout, design, photography
  • Rune Nordal – technician

Track listing:

All tracks by Svein Rønning , except where otherwise stated.

  1. Poor but Free
  2. Too Late to Regret
  3. Under the Cover of Darkness
  4. Satan’s Crust – Geir Jahren
  5. Where We Must – Geir Jahren
  6. Unity
  7. On Strong Wings

Franco Battiato: Pollution

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In December 1973, “Bla Bla” label released “Pollution”, the second Franco Battiato studio album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Franco Battiato.

Personnel:

  • Franco Battiato – vocals, VCS 3 synthesizer
  • Mario Ellepi – vocals, guitars, VCS 3 synthesizer
  • Ruby Cacciapaglia – piano, VCS 3 and VCS 2 synthesizer
  • Gianni Mocchetti – vocals, bass, VCS 3 synthesizer
  • Gianfranco D’Adda – drums

Track listing:

  1. Il silenzio del rumore
  2. 31 dicembre 1999 – Ore 9
  3. Areknames
  4. Beta
  5. Plancton
  6. Pollution
  7. Ti sei mai chiesto quale funzione hai?

The Siegel–Schwall Band: 953 West

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In December 1973, “Wooden Nickel” label released “953 West”, the seventh Siegel–Schwall Band (The) album. It was recorded at in August 1973, at “Paragon Recording Studios” in Chicago, and was produced by Barry Mraz, Corky Siegel, Jim Schwall, Rollo Radford and Shelly Plotkin.

Personnel:

  • Corky Siegel – vocals, piano, harmonica
  • Jim Schwall – vocals, guitar
  • Rollo Radford – vocals, bass
  • Shelly Plotkin – drums, percussion
  • Barry Mraz – engineer
  • Bill Traut – supervision
  • Eddie Balchowsky – cover art, poem

Track listing:

  1. I’d Like to Spend Some Time Alone with You Tonight My Friend – Corky Siegel
  2. Traitor from Decatur – Patrick Garvey
  3. Good Woman – Shelly Plotkin
  4. Just Another Song About the Country Sung by a City Boy – Danny Glicken, Corky Siegel
  5. When I’ve Been Drinkin’ – Big Bill Broonzy, with additional lyrics by Jim Schwall
  6. Old Time Shimmy – Rollo Radford
  7. Off to Denver – Corky Siegel
  8. I Think It Was the Wine – Jim Schwall
  9. Reed Zone (Psychiatric Institution Blues) – Corky Siegel
  10. Blow Out the Candle – Jim Schwall

Gene Ammons: Got My Own

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In December 1972, “Prestige” label released “Got My Own”, the 35th Gene Ammons album. It was recorded October – November 1972, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Ozzie Cadena.

Personnel:

  • Gene Ammons – tenor saxophone
  • Ernie Hayes – organ
  • Hank Jones – electric piano
  • Sonny Phillips – piano, organ
  • Joe Beck, Maynard Parker – guitar
  • Ron Carter – bass, electric bass
  • Billy Cobham, Idris Muhammad, Mickey Roker – drums
  • Ed Bogas – arranger
  • Unidentified strings
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Lady Sings the Blues – Billie Holiday, Herbie Nichols
  2. God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog, Jr.
  3. Strange Fruit – Abel Meeropol
  4. Fine and Mellow – Billie Holiday
  5. Play Me – Neil Diamond
  6. Ben – Don Black, Walter Scharf
  7. The Shack Out Back – Gene Ammons

Steve Cropper

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On December 3, 2025, Steven Lee Cropper died aged 84. He was musician, songwriter, record producer and actor, known as “The Colonel”. He was the guitarist of the “Stax Records” house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He was also member of the Blues Brothers Band, and recorded and performed with many other artists including Alabama, Jimmy Barnes, William Bell, Barbi Benton, Big Star, Stephen Bishop, Frank Black, Bobby and the Midnites, Booker T. & MG.’s, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Burnette, Brian Cadd, Cate Brothers, Chicago, David Clayton Thomas, A. J. Croce, Patti Dahlstrom, Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Yvonne Elliman, Jose Feliziano, Eddie Floyd, Peter Frampton, Richie Furay, Art Garfunkel, Cyndi Grecco, Levon Helm, Chris Hillman, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Etta James, Wynonna Judd, Albert King, B.B. King, Al Kooper, John Lennon, Ann Margret, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Craig Morgan, Aaron Neville, Wayne Newton, Harry Nilsson, John Oates, Nigel Olsson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Wilson Pickett, Michel Polnareff, John Prine, Otis Redding, Bruce Roberts, Leon Russell, Sanford & Townsend, Leo Sayer, Poncho Sanchez, Guy Sebastian, Neil Sedaka, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Broderick Smith, The Soul Children, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staple, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Carla Thomas, Mickey Thomas, Wendy Waldman, Tower of Power, The Manhattan Transfer, Dale Watson and Jerry Lynn Williams. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him 36th on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists”. Cropper won two “Grammy Awards”, and as leader or co-leader Cropper released 13 albums.