Tag Archives: 1956

Dinah Washington: Swingin’ Miss D

In September 1957, “EmArcy” label released “The Swingin’ Miss D”, the sixth Dinah Washington studio album. It was recorded in December 1956, and was produced by Bob Shad.

Personnel:

  • Dinah Washington – vocals

Quincy Jones and His Orchestra

  • Quincy Jones – conductor, arrangements
  • Ernie Wilkins – arrangements
  • Benny Golson – arrangements
  • Anthony Ortega – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Jerome Richardson – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Lucky Thompson – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Don Elliott – trumpet, mellophonium, vibraphone, bongos; xylophone
  • Jimmy Maxwell – trumpet
  • Doc Severinsen – trumpet
  • Charlie Shavers – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Bernie Glow – trumpet
  • Nick Travis – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Joe Wilder – trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland – trombone
  • Urbie Green – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Tommy Mitchell – bass trombone
  • Hal McKusick – flute, alto saxophone
  • Danny Bank – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
  • Clarence “Sleepy” Anderson – piano, celeste
  • Barry Galbraith – guitar
  • Milt Hinton – double bass
  • Osie Johnson – drums
  • Jimmy Crawford – drums
  • Murray Garrett, Gene Howard – photography
  • John S. Wilson – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. They Didn’t Believe Me – Jerome Kern, Herbert Reynolds
  2. You’re Crying – Leonard Feather, Quincy Jones
  3. Makin’ Whoopee – Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
  4. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye – Cole Porter
  5. But Not for Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  6. Caravan – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol
  7. Perdido – Ervin Drake, H. J. Lengsfelder, Tizol
  8. Never Let Me Go – Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
  9. Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby? – Billy Austin, Louis Jordan
  10. I’ll Close My Eyes – Buddy Kaye, Billy Reid
  11. Somebody Loves Me – Buddy DeSylva, George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald

Thelonious Monk: The Unique Thelonious Monk

In August 1956, “Riverside” label released “The Unique Thelonious Monk”, the tenth Thelonious Monk album. It was recorded March – April 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Orrin Keepnwews.

Personnel:

  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • Oscar Pettiford – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Gene Gogerty – design
  • Orrin Keepnews – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Liza (All the Clouds’ll Roll Away) – George & Ira Gershwin, Gus Kahn
  2. Memories of You – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
  3. Honeysuckle Rose – Fats Waller, Andy Razaf
  4. Darn That Dream – Eddie DeLange, James Van Heusen
  5. Tea for Two – Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar
  6. You Are Too Beautiful – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  7. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages

Dave Brubeck: Brubeck Plays Brubeck

On July 16, 1956, “Columbia” label released “Brubeck Plays Brubeck”, the 18th Dave Brubeck album. It was recorded in April 1956, at Dave Brubeck’s House in Oakland, and was produced by George Avakian.

Personnel:

  • Dave Brubeck – piano
  • S. Neil Fujita – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Dave Brubeck.

  1. Swing Bells
  2. Walkin’ Line
  3. In Your Own Sweet Way
  4. Two-Part Contention
  5. Weep No More
  6. The Duke
  7. When I Was Young
  8. One Moment Worth Years
  9. The Waltz

Sonny Rollins: Rollins Plays For Bird

In July 1957, “Prestige” label released “Rollins Plays for Bird”, the seventh Sonny Rollins album. It was recorded in October 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Wade Legge – piano
  • George Morrow – bass
  • Max Roach – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes
  • Bob Weinstock – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Sonny Rollins, except where noted.

  1. Bird Medley: I Remember You/My Melancholy Baby/Old Folks/They Can’t Take That Away From Me/Just Friends/My Little Suede Shoes/Star Eyes – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger/Ernie Burnett, George A. Norton/Dedette Lee Hill, Willard Robison/George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin/John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis/Charlie Parker/Gene DePaul, Don Raye
  2. Kids Know
  3. I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face – Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Hank Mobley: Mobley’s 2nd Message

In May 1957, “Prestige” label released “Mobley’s 2nd Message”, the fourth Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in July 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Walter Bishop – piano
  • Doug Watkins – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • David Cheppa – lacquer cut
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes
  • Bob Weinstock – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Hank Mobley, except where noted.

  1. These Are the Things I Love – Harold Barlow, Lew Harris
  2. Message from the Border
  3. Xlento
  4. The Latest
  5. I Should Care – Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston
  6. Crazeology – Benny Harris

Tadd Dameron: Fontainebleau

In April 1956, “Prestige” label released “Fontainebleau”, the sixth Tadd Dameron album. It was recorded in March 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Personnel:

  • Tadd Dameron – piano
  •  Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone
  • Joe Alexander – tenor saxophone
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Henry Coker – trombone
  • John Simmons – bass
  • Shadow Wilson – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording

All tracks by Tadd Dameron.

  1. Fontainebleau
  2. Delirium
  3. The Scene Is Clean
  4. Flossie Lou
  5. Bula-Beige

Dorothy Ashby: The Jazz Harpist

On March 21, 1957, “Regent” label released “The Jazz Harpist”, the debut Dorothy Ashby studio album. It was recorded in August 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Ozzie Cadena.

Personnel:

  • Dorothy Ashby – harp
  • Frank Wess – flute
  • Eddie Jones – bass 
  • Wendell Marshall – bass
  • Ed Thigpen – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Ozzie Cadena – supervisor

Track listing:

All tracks by Dorothy Ashby, except as noted.

  1. Thou Swell – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  2. Stella by Starlight – Ned Washington, Victor Young
  3. Dancing on the Ceiling – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  4. Aeolian Groove
  5. Quietude
  6. Spicy
  7. Lamentation

Frank Sinatra: Songs For Swingin’ Lovers

On March 5, 1956, “Capitol” label released “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!”, the tenth Frank Sinatra studio album. It was recorded October 1955 – January 1956, at “Capitol Studio A” in Hollywood, and was produced by Voyle Gilmore.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra – vocal
  • Bill Miller – piano
  • George Van Eps – guitar
  • Mahlon Clark, Justin Gordon, Champ Webb, Robert Lawson – saxophone
  • Ted Nash, Babe Russin, Justin Gordon, James Williamson – tenor saxophone
  • Mort Friedman – baritone saxophone
  • Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Sherock, Zeke Zarchy, Johnny Best, Mickey Mangano, Mannie Klein, Harry Edison – trumpet
  • Joe Howard, Milt Bernhart, Dick Noel, Paul Tanner, Jimmy Priddy, Juan Tizol – trombone
  • George Roberts – bass trombone
  • Willie Schwartz, Harry Klee – alto clarinet
  • Nathan Ross, Alex Murray, Henry Hill, Alex Beller, Walter Edelstein, Victor Bay, Paul Nero, Harold Dicterow, David Frisina, Mischa Russell, Felix Slatkin, Paul Shure, Marshall Sosson, Dan Lube, Harry Bluestone, Emo Neufeld, Samuel Cytron, Robert Gross, Alex Murray – violin
  • Maxine Johnson, Milton Thomas, Alvin Dinkin, David Sterkin, Paul Robyn – viola
  • Eleanor Slatkin, Ennio Bolognini, Ray Kramer, Edgar Lustgarten, Cy Bernard – cello
  • Kathryn Julye – harp
  • Joe Comfort – bass
  • Alvin Stoller – drums
  • Irving Cottler – drums
  • Frank Flynn – percussion
  • Clark Yocum, Allan Davies, Charles Schrouder, Lee Gotch – vocals
  • Nelson Riddle – arrangements
  • John Palladino – engineer

Track listing:

  1. You Make Me Feel So Young – Josef Myrow, Mack Gordon
  2. It Happened in Monterey – Mabel Wayne, Billy Rose
  3. You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me – Harry Warren, Al Dubin
  4. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me – Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Pierre Norman
  5. Too Marvelous for Words – Richard Whiting, Johnny Mercer
  6. Old Devil Moon – Burton Lane, E. Y. Harburg
  7. Pennies from Heaven – Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke
  8. Love Is Here to Stay – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  9. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Cole Porter
  10. I Thought About You – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer
  11. We’ll Be Together Again – Carl T. Fischer, Frankie Laine
  12. Makin’ Whoopee – Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
  13. Swingin’ Down the Lane – Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
  14. Anything Goes – Cole Porter
  15. How About You – Frankie Lane, Ralph Freed

Sonny Rollins: Tour De Force

In March 1958, “Prestige” label released “Tour de Force”, the eight Sonny Rollins album. It was recorded in December 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Drew – piano
  • George Morrow – bass
  • Max Roach – drums
  • Earl Coleman – vocals
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes
  • Bob Weinstock – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Sonny Rollins, except where noted.

  1. Ee-Ah
  2. B. Quick
  3. Two Different Worlds – Al Frisch, Sid Wayne
  4. B. Swift
  5. My Ideal – Newell Chase, Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting

Chet Baker: Chet Baker & Crew

In February 1957, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Chet Baker & Crew”, the 15th Chet Baker album. It was recorded in July 1956, at “Forum Theater” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker – vocal, trumpet
  • Phil Urso – tenor saxophone
  • Bobby Timmons – piano
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Peter Littmann – drums
  • Bill Loughborough – chromatic timpani 
  • William Claxton – photography
  • Woody Woodward – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. To Mickey’s Memory – Harvey Leonard
  2. Slightly Above Moderate – Bob Zieff
  3. Halema – Phil Urso
  4. Revelation – Gerry Mulligan
  5. Something For Liza – Al Cohn
  6. Lucius Lu – Phil Urso
  7. Worryin’ the Life Out of Me – Miff Mole, Bob Russell, Frank Signorelli
  8. Medium Rock – Bob Zieff