Tag Archives: 1959

Red Rodney: Red Rodney Returns

In May 1959, “Argo” label released “Red Rodney Returns”, the third Red Rodney album. It was recorded in February 1959, at “Reco Art Studios” in Philadelphia, PA, and was produced by Dave Usher.

Personnel:

  • Red Rodney – trumpet
  • Billy Root – tenor saxophone
  • Danny Kent – piano
  • Jay Cave – double bass
  • Frank Young – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Danny Kent except where noted.

  1. Shaw ‘Nuff – Ray Brown, Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie
  2. Red, Hot and Blue
  3. I Remember You – Victor Schertzinger, Johnny Mercer
  4. 5709
  5. Whirlwind
  6. Jordu – Duke Jordan
  7. Shelley
  8. Two by Two – Jay Cave

Jimmy Smith: Home Cookin’

In April 1961, “Blue Note” label released “Home Cookin’”, the 17th Jimmy Smith album. It was recorded July 1958 – June 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, NJ, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith – organ
  • Percy France – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Donald Bailey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes

Track tracks by Jimmy Smith except where noted.

  1. See See Rider – Ma Rainey
  2. Sugar Hill – Kenny Burrell
  3. I Got a Woman – Ray Charles, Renald Richard
  4. Messin’ Around
  5. Gracie
  6. Come on Baby – Kenny Burrell
  7. Motorin’ Along – Jimmy McGriff

Curtis Fuller: Blues-ette

In February 1960, “Savoy” label released “Blues-ette”, the twelve Curtis Fuller album. It was recorded in May 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Ozzie Cadena.

Personnel:

  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Jimmy Garrison – bass
  • Al Harewood – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Curtis Fuller except where noted.

  1. Five Spot After Dark – Benny Golson
  2. Undecided – Sydney Robin, Charlie Shavers
  3. Blues-ette
  4. Minor Vamp – Benny Golson
  5. Love Your Spell Is Everywhere – Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis
  6. Twelve-Inch

Kenny Dorham: Quiet Kenny

In February 1960, “New Jazz Label” released “Quiet Kenny”, the ninth Kenny Dorham album. It was recorded in November 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums

Track listing:

  1. Lotus Blossom – Kenny Dorham
  2. My Ideal – Newell Chase, Robin, Whiting
  3. Blue Friday – Kenny Dorham
  4. Alone Together – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
  5. Blue Spring Shuffle – Kenny Dorham
  6. I Had the Craziest Dream – Gordon, Warren
  7. Old Folks – Dedette Lee Hill, Willard Robison

Roy Orbison: Lonely and Blue

In January 1961, “Monument Records” label released “Lonely and Blue”, the second Roy Orbison studio album. It was recorded September 1959, March, August, and September 1960, at “RCA Victor Studios” in Nashville, and was produced by Fred Foster.

Personnel:

  • Roy Orbison – vocal, guitar
  • Bill Porter – engineer
  • Kevin Boutote – mastering
  • Tommy Strong – technician
  • Boudleaux Bryant – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Only the Lonely – Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
  2. Bye Bye Love – Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
  3. Cry – Churchill Kohlman
  4. Blue Avenue – Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
  5. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson
  6. Come Back to Me (My Love) – Roy Orbison,, Joe Melson
  7. Blue Angel – Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
  8. Raindrops – Joe Melson
  9. (I’d Be) A Legend in My Time – Don Gibson
  10. I’m Hurtin’ – Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
  11. Twenty-two Days – Gene Pitney
  12. I’ll Say It’s My Fault – Roy Orbison, Fred Foster

Willie Dixon: Willie’s Blues

In December 1959, “Prestige Bluesville” label released “Willie’s Blues” the debut is Willie Dixon album. It was recorded in December 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Willie Dixon – vocals, double bass
  • Memphis Slim – piano
  • Gus Johnson – drums
  • Wally Richardson – guitar
  • Al Ashby – tenor saxophone
  • Harold Ashby – tenor saxophone
  • Esmond Edwards – supervisor
  • Dale Wright – liner notes

Track listing:

  • All tracks by Willie Dixon, except where noted.
  • Nervous
  • Good Understanding
  • That’s My Baby
  • Slim’s Thing – Memphis Slim
  • That’s All I Want Baby
  • Don’t You Tell Nobody
  • Youth to You
  • Sittin’ and Cryin’ the Blues
  • Built for Comfort
  • I Got a Razor
  • Go Easy – Memphis Slim
  • Move Me

Philly Joe Jones: Showcase

In December 1959, “Riverside” label released “Showcase”, the third Philly Joe Jones album. It was recorded in November 1959, in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Philly Joe Jones – drums, piano 
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet 
  • Julian Priester – trombone 
  • Bill Barron – tenor saxophone 
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone 
  • Dolo Coker, Sonny Clark – piano
  • Jimmy Garrison – bass 

Track listing:

All tracks by Philly Joe Jones except where noted.

  1. Battery Blues – Julian Priester
  2. Minor Mode – Bill Barron
  3. Gwen
  4. Joe’s Debut
  5. Gone – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  6. Joe’s Delight
  7. Julia – Julian Priester
  8. I’ll Never Be The Same – Gus Kahn, Matty Malneck, Frank Signorelli
  9. Interpretation – Bill Barron

Hank Mobley: Peckin’ Time

In December 1959, “Blue Note” label released “Peckin’ Time”, the 13th Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in February 1959, at “Van gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Lee Morgan – trumpet
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Charlie Persip – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Hank Mobley except where noted.

  1. High and Flighty
  2. Speak Low – Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
  3. Peckin’ Time
  4. Stretchin’ Out
  5. Git-Go Blues

Jimmy Nolen

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.  

Dinah Washington

On December 14, 1963, Ruth Lee Jones aka Dinah Washington died aged 39. She was musician (piano) and singer, known as the “the most popular black female recording artist of the ’50s”, and “Queen of the Blues”. Her music was mixture of R&B, and traditional pop, but she was primarily a Jazz singer. She performed and recorded with Fats Waller, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry, Cannonball Adderley, Ben Webster, Lionel Hampton, and Nat King Cole. In 1986, Washington was inducted in the “Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame”, and in 1993 was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. In 1959, she won “Grammy Award” for “Best Rhythm & Blues Performance”. As a leader Washington released 17 albums.