Tag Archives: 1954

Frank Sinatra: Swing Easy

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On August 2, 1954, “Capitol” label released “Swing Easy!”, the eighth Frank Sinatra studio album. It was recorded in April 1954, at “Capitol” in Hollywood, and was produced by Voyle Gilmore. It was released in 10” vinyl format.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra – vocals
  • Nelson Riddle – arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
  2. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter) – Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young
  3. Sunday – Chester Conn, Benny Krueger, Ned Miller, Jule Styne
  4. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams – Harry Barris, Ted Koehler, Billy Moll
  5. Taking a Chance on Love – Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, John Latouche
  6. Jeepers Creepers – Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer
  7. Get Happy – Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen
  8. All of Me – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons

June Christy: Something Cool

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On August 2, 1954, “Capitol” label released “Something Cool”, the debut June Christy album. It was recorded August 1953 – March 1954, and was produced by Lee Gillette. The album was released in 10” vinyl format.

Personnel:

  • June Christy — vocals
  • Pete Rugolo — arranger, conductor
  • Gus Bivona, Harry Klee, Bud Shank — flute, alto flute, alto saxophone
  • Bob Cooper, Ted Nash — flute, tenor saxophone
  • Skeets Herfurt, Willie Schwartz — alto saxophone
  • Fred Falensby, Jimmy Giuffre — tenor saxophone
  • Chuck Gentry, Bob Gordon, John Rotella — baritone saxophone
  • Frank Beach, Conte Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Ray Linn, Ollie Mitchell, Uan Rasey, Shorty Rogers, Ray Triscari, Jimmy Zito — trumpet
  • Harry Betts, Milt Bernhart, Nick Dimaio, Bob Fitzpatrick, Herbie Harper, Tommy Pederson, Dick Reynolds, Frank Rosolino — trombone
  • Dick Noel, George Roberts — bass trombone
  • Vincent DeRosa, John Graas — French horn
  • Paul Sarmento, Phil Stephens — tuba
  • Buddy Collette, Paul Horn — reeds
  • Joe Castro, Geoff Clarkson, Russ Freeman, Paul Smith, Claude Williamson — piano
  • Barney Kessel, Jack Marshall, Tony Rizzi, Howard Roberts — guitar
  • Harry Babasin, Joe Comfort, Joe Mondragon — bass
  • Larry Bunker, Frank Carlson, Shelly Manne, Alvin Stoller — drums

Track listing:

  1. Something Cool – Billy Barnes
  2. It Could Happen to You – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  3. Lonely House – Kurt Weill, Langston Hughes
  4. Midnight Sun – Lionel Hampton, Sonny Burke, Johnny Mercer
  5. I’ll Take Romance – Ben Oakland, Oscar Hammerstein II
  6. A Stranger Called the Blues – Mel Torme, Robert Wells
  7. I Should Care – Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl

Duke Ellington: Dance To The Duke!

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In November 1954, “Capitol” label released “Dance to the Duke!”, the eleventh Duke Ellington album. It was recorded 1953 in “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, 1954, in San Francisco and Chicago.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington – piano
  • Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Rick Henderson – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Gerald Wilson  
  • Quentin Jackson, George Jean, Juan Tizol, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • John Sanders – valve trombone
  • Wendell Marshall, Oscar Pettiford – bass
  • Butch Ballard, Dave Black – drums
  • Ralph Collier – congas
  • Frank Rollo – bongos

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington except where noted.

  1. C Jam Blues
  2. Orson – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
  3. Caravan – Juan Tizol
  4. Kinda Dukish
  5. Bakiff
  6. Frivolous Banta – Rick Henderson
  7. Things Ain’t What They Used To Be – Mercer Ellington
  8. Montevideo

Duke Ellington: Ellington Showcase

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In June 1955, “Capitol” label released “Ellington Showcase”, album by Duke Ellington. It was recorded April – December 1953 at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles and “Universal Studios” in Chicago, January – June 1954 at “Capitol Studios” in New York, and May 1955.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington – piano, electric piano
  • Billy Strayhorn – piano
  • Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Rick Henderson – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Quentin Jackson, George Jean, Juan Tizol, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • John Sanders – valve trombone
  • Wendell Marshall, Jimmy Woode – bass
  • Butch Ballard, Dave Black – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.

  1. Blossom – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
  2. Big Drag
  3. Don’t Ever Say Goodbye
  4. Falling Like a Raindrop
  5. Gonna Tan Your Hide – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
  6. Harlem Air Shaft
  7. La Virgen De La Macarena – Bernardo Bautista Monterde
  8. Clarinet Melodrama – Jimmy Hamilton
  9. Theme For Trambean – Jimmy Hamilton
  10. Serious Serenade

Frank Sinatra: In The Wee Small Hours

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On April 25, 1955, “Capitol” label released “In the Wee Small Hours”, the ninth Frank Sinatra studio album. It was recorded March 1954 – February 1955, at “KHJ” in Hollywood, and was produced by Voyle Gilmore.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra – vocals
  • Nelson Riddle – arrangements, conductor
  • John Palladino – engineer

Track listing:

  1. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning – Bob Hilliard, David Mann
  2. Most Indigo – Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  3. Glad to Be Unhappy – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  4. I Get Along Without You Very Well – Hoagy Carmichael
  5. Deep in a Dream – Eddie DeLange, Jimmy Van Hausen
  6. I See You Face Before Me – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
  7. Can’t We Be Friends – Paul James, Kay Swift
  8. When Your Lover Has Gone – Einar Aaron Swan
  9. What Is This Thing Called Love? – Cole Porter
  10. Last Night When We Were Young – Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg
  11. I’ll Be Around – Alec Wilder
  12. Ill Wind – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  13. It Never Entered My Mind – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  14. Dancing on the Celling – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  15. I’ll Never Be the Same – Gus Kahn, Matty Malneck, Frank Signorelli
  16. This Love of Mine – Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra

Dave Brubeck Quartet: Brubeck Time

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On February 14, 1955, “Columbia” label released “Brubeck Time”, album by Dave Brubeck Quartet (the 16th Dave Brubeck album overall). It was recorded October – November 1954, at “Columbia 30the Street” in New York City , and was produced by George Avakian.

Personnel:

  • Dave Brubeck – piano
  • Paul Desmond – alto sax
  • Bob Bates – double bass
  • Joe Dodge – drums
  • Howard Fritzson – art direction
  • Randall Martin – design
  • John Jackson – production assistant

Track listing:

  1. Audrey – Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond
  2. Jeepers Creepers – Johnny Mercer, Harry Warren
  3. Pennies From Heaven – Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston
  4. Why Do I Love You? – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
  5. Stompin’ for Mili – Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond
  6. Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  7. A Fine Romance – Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields
  8. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? – Edgar Yipsel Harburg, Jay Gorney

Lennie Tristano: Same

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In February 1956, “Atlantic” label released the self-titled, eight Lennie Tristano album. It was recorded 1954 – 1955, at Tristano’s home studio in New York, “The Sing-Song Room”, Confucius Restaurant in New York. The “Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings” included the album in its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.

Personnel:

  • Lennie Tristano – piano
  • Peter Ind – bass
  • Gene Ramey – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Jeff Morton – drums
  • Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
  • Jay Maisel – artwork
  • Barry Ulanov – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Lennie Tristano, except where noted.

  1. Line Up
  2. Requiem
  3. Turkish Mambo
  4. East Thirty-Second
  5. These Foolish Things – Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
  6. You Go to My Head – J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
  7. If I Had You – Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly, Ted Shapiro
  8. I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You – Bing Crosby, Ned Washington, Victor Young
  9. All the Things You Are – Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern

Buddy DeFranco And The Oscar Peterson Trio: Buddy DeFranco And Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin

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In December 1954, “Clef” label released “Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin”, album by Buddy DeFranco and the Oscar Peterson Trio. It was recorded in December 1954, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Buddy DeFranco – clarinet
  • Oscar Peterson – piano
  • Herb Ellis – guitar
  • Ray Brown – double bass
  • Bobby White – drums

Track listing:

All lyrics by Ira Gershwin, all music by George Gershwin, except where noted.

  1. I Wants to Stay Here – lyrics by DuBose Heyward
  2. I Was Doing All Right
  3. ‘S Wonderful
  4. Bess, You Is My Woman Now – DuBose Heyward
  5. Strike Up the Band
  6. They Can’t Take That Away from Me
  7. The Man I Love
  8. I Got Rhythm
  9. Someone to Watch over Me
  10. It Ain’t Necessarily So

Erroll Garner: Contrasts

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In December 1954, “EmArcy” label released “Contrasts”, the 16th Erroll Garner album. It was recorded in July 1954, at “Universal Recording Studio” in Chicago.

Personnel:

  • Erroll Garner – piano
  • Wyatt Ruther – double bass
  • Fats Heard – drums
  • Candido Camero – percussion, congas

Track listing:

  1. You Are My Sunshine – Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell
  2. I’ve Got the World on a String – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  3. 7-11 Jump – Erroll Garner
  4. Part Time Blues – Erroll Garner
  5. Rosalie – Cole Porter
  6. In a Mellow Tone – Duke Ellington, Milt Gabler
  7. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  8. (All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings – Jean Marie Blanvillain, Henri Herpin, Harold Rome
  9. There’s a Small Hotel – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  10. Misty – Erroll Garner
  11. I’ve Got to Be a Rug Cutter – Duke Ellington

J.J. Johnson: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Vol. 2

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In November 1954, “Blue Note” label released “The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 2”, the tenth J. J. Johnson album. It was recorded in September 1954, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion, and was released as 10” LP.

Personnel:

  • J. J. Johnson – trombone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • Kenny Clarke – drums
  • Sabu Martinez – congas
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by J. J. Johnson, except where noted.

  1. Jay
  2. Time After Time – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
  3. Old Devil Moon – E.Y. Harburg, Burton Lane
  4. Too Marvelous for Words – Johnny Mercer, Richard A. Whiting
  5. It’s You or No One – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
  6. Coffee Pot