Tag Archives: 1956

Elvis Presley: Elvis

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On October 19, 1956, “RCA Victor” label released “Elvis” (also known as Elvis Presley No. 2), the second Elvis Presley studio album. It was recorded January – September 1956, at “RCA Studio 1” in New York City, “Radio Recorders Studio 1” in Hollywood, and was produced by Steve Sholes.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Presley – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
  • Scotty Moore – electric guitar
  • Shorty Long – piano
  • Gordon Stoker – piano
  • Bill Black – double bass
  • D. J. Fontana – drums
  • The Jordanaires – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Rip It Up – Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco
  2. Love Me – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  3. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again – Gene Sullivan, Wiley Walker
  4. Long Tall Sally – Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman
  5. First in Line – Aaron Schroeder, Ben Weisman
  6. Paralyzed – Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley
  7. So Glad You’re Mine – Arthur Crudup
  8. Old Shep – Red Foley
  9. Ready Teddy – Robert Blackwell, John Marascalo
  10. Any Place in Paradise – Joe Thomas
  11. How’s the World Treating You – Chet Atkins, Boudleaux Bryant
  12. How Do You Think I Feel – Webb Pierce, Wayne Walker

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: Ella and Louis

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In October 1956, “Verve” label released “Ella and Louis”, a studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet. It was recorded in August 1956, at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
  • Louis Armstrong– vocals, trumpet
  • Oscar Peterson– piano
  • Herb Ellis– guitar
  • Ray Brown– bass
  • Buddy Rich– drums
  • Val Valentin – engineer
  • Phil Stern – photography

Track listing:

  1. Can’t We Be Friends? – Paul James, Kay Swift
  2. Isn’t This a Lovely Day? – Irving Berlin
  3. Moonlight in Vermont – John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf
  4. They Can’t Take That Away from Me – Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
  5. Under a Blanket of Blue – Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes
  6. Tenderly – Walter Gross, Jack Lawrence
  7. A Foggy Day – Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
  8. Stars Fell on Alabama – Mitchell Parish, Frank Perkins
  9. Cheek to Cheek – Irving Berlin
  10. The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
  11. April in Paris – Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg

Roland Kirk: Triple Threat

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In July 1957, “King” label released “Triple Threat”, the debut Roland Kirk album. It was recorded in November 1956 in New York City.

Personnel:

  • Roland Kirk – tenor saxophone, manzello, flute, stritch
  • James Madison – piano
  • Carl Pruitt – bass
  • Henry Duncan – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Roland Kirk except where noted.

  1. Roland’s Theme
  2. Slow Groove
  3. Stormy Weather – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  4. The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
  5. A La Carte
  6. Easy Living – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin
  7. Triple Threat

Jackie McLean: Lights Out!

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In June 1956, “Prestige” label released “Lights Out!”, the second Jackie Mclean album. It was recorded in 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Donald Byrd- trumpet
  • Elmo Hope- piano
  • Doug Watkins- bass
  • Art Taylor- drums

Track listing:

  1. Lights Out – Jackie McLean
  2. Up – Jackie McLean
  3. Lorraine – Donald Byrd
  4. A Foggy Day – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  5. Kerplunk – Donald Byrd
  6. Inding – Jackie McLean

Joe Turner: The Boss Of The Blues

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In June 1956, “Atlantic” label released “The Boss of the Blues”, the fourth Big Joe Turner album. It was recorded in 1956 and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Big Joe Turner– vocals
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • Pete Johnson– piano
  • Walter Page– double bass
  • Cliff Leeman– drums
  • Pete Brown– alto saxophone
  • Seldon Powell– tenor saxophone
  • Frank Wess– tenor saxophone
  • Joe Newman– trumpet
  • Jimmy Nottingham– trumpet
  • Lawrence Brown– trombone
  • Ernie Wilkins– arrangements
  • Len Frank – engineer
  • Bob Defrin – art direction, design
  • Marvin Israel – artwork
  • Curtice Taylor – hand coloring
  • Nesuhi Ertegun– supervision
  • Jerry Wexler– supervision
  • Whitney Balliett– liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Pete Johnson and Big Joe Turner, except where noted.

  1. Cherry Red
  2. Roll ‘Em Pete
  3. I Want a Little Girl – Murray Mencher, Billy Moll
  4. Low Down Dog – Big Joe Turner
  5. Wee Baby Blues
  6. You’re Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?) – Walter Donaldson
  7. How Long Blues – traditional
  8. Morning Glories – traditional
  9. Louis Blues – W. C. Handy
  10. Piney Brown Blues

 

Chet Baker & Art Pepper: Playboys

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On December 2, 1956, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Playboys”, album by Chet Baker and Art Pepper. It was recorded in October 1956, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker— trumpet
  • Art Pepper— alto saxophone
  • Phil Urso— tenor saxophone
  • Carl Perkins— piano
  • Curtis Counce— bass
  • Larance Marable— drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Heath except where noted.

  1. For Minors Only
  2. Minor-Yours – Art Pepper
  3. Resonant Emotions
  4. Tynan Tyme – Art Pepper
  5. Picture of Heath
  6. For Miles and Miles
  7. T.A.

Johnny Cash: Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous

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On November 13, 1958, “Sun” label released “Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous”, the second Johnny Cash studio album. It was recorded April  1956 – July 1958, and was produced by Sam Phillips and Jack Clement.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Cash — vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Luther Perkins- guitar
  • Marshall Grant- bass

Track listing:

All tracks by Johnny Cash, except where noted.

  1. Ballad of a Teenage Queen – Jack Clement
  2. There You Go
  3. I Walk the Line
  4. Don’t Make Me Go
  5. Guess Things Happen That Way – Jack Clement
  6. Train of Love
  7. The Ways of a Woman in Love – Bill Justis, Charlie Rich
  8. Next in Line
  9. You’re the Nearest Thing to Heaven – Jim Atkins, Johnny Cash, Hoyt Johnson
  10. I Can’t Help It – Hank Williams
  11. Home of the Blues – Johnny Cash, Douglas Glenn Tubb, Little McAlpin
  12. Big River

Bill Haley And His Comets: Rock ‘n’ Roll Stage Show

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On August 13, 1956, “Decca” label released “Rock ‘n Roll Stage Show”, the fourth Bill Haley and His Comets album. It was recorded in March 1956, in New York City, and was produced by Milt Gabler.

Personnel:

  • Bill Haley– vocal, rhythm guitar
  • Franny Beecher– vocal, lead guitar
  • Billy Williamson– vocal, steel guitar
  • Johnny Grande– piano, accordion
  • Al Rex– vocal, double bass
  • Ralph Jones– drums
  • Rudy Pompilli- tenor saxophone

Track listing:

  1. Calling All Comets – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rudy Pompilli
  2. Rockin’ Thru the Rye – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
  3. A Rockin’ Little Tune – Johnny Grande, Billy Williamson
  4. Hide and Seek – Paul Winley, Ethel Byrd
  5. Hey Then, There Now – Rudy Pompilli, Ralph Jones
  6. Goofin’ Around – Franny Beecher, Johnny Grande
  7. Hook, Line and Sinker – Bill Haley, Edward A. Khoury, Ronnie Bonner
  8. Rudy’s Rock – Bill Haley, Rudy Pompilli
  9. Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Milt Gabler, Denver Darling, Vaughn Horton
  10. Blue Comet Blues – Franny Beecher, Al Rex
  11. Hot Dog Buddy Buddy – Bill Haley
  12. Tonight’s the Night – Bill Haley, Catherine Cafra

Elvis Presley: Same

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On March 23, 1956, “RCA Victor” label released the self-titled, debut Elvis Presley album. It was recorded July 1954 – January 1956, at “”RCA Victor Studios” in Nashville, Tennessee, “RCA Victor Studios” in New York City, “Sun Studio” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Sam Phillips (Sun recordings) and Steve Sholes (RCA recordings). “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album cover at number 40, on its list of the “100 Greatest Album Covers”. The album was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Presley– vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
  • Scotty Moore– electric guitar
  • Chet Atkins– acoustic guitar
  • Floyd Cramer– piano
  • Shorty Long– piano
  • Bill Black– bass
  • J. Fontana– drums
  • Doug Poindexter– percussion, guitar
  • Johnny Bernero – drums
  • Gordon Stoker– backing vocals
  • Ben Speer– backing vocals
  • Brock Speer– backing vocals

 Track listing:

  1. Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins
  2. I’m Counting On You – Don Robertson
  3. I Got a Woman – Ray Charles, Renald Richard
  4. One Sided Love Affair – Bill Campbell
  5. I Love You Because – Leon Payne
  6. Just Because – Bob Shelton, Joe Shelton, Sydney Robin
  7. Tutti Frutti – Dorothy LaBostrie, Richard Wayne Penniman
  8. Tryin’ to Get You – Rose Marie McCoy, Charles Singleton
  9. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) – Howard Biggs, Joe Thomas
  10. I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) – Jimmy Wakely
  11. Blue Moon – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  12. Money Honey – Jesse Stone

 

Miles Davis: Round About Midnight

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On March 4, 1957, “Columbia” label released “’Round About Midnight”, the 28th Miles Davis album. It was recorded October 26, 1955, June 5 – September 10, 1956, at “Columbia Studios” in New York City, and was produced by George Avakian.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • John Coltrane– tenor saxophone
  • Red Garland– piano
  • Paul Chambers– double bass
  • Philly Joe Jones– drums
  • George Avakian– liner notes
  • Frank Laico – engineer
  • Teo Macero– mastering
  • Aram Avakian, Don Hunstein, Dennis Stock– photography

Track listing:

  1. Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk, Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams
  2. Ah-Leu-Cha – Charlie Parker
  3. All of You – Cole Porter
  4. Bye Bye Blackbird – Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson
  5. Tadd’s Delight – Tadd Dameron
  6. Dear Old Stockholm – traditional, arranged by Stan Getz