On April 20, 2012, Herbert Maurice William ‘Bert’ Weedon died aged 91. He was musician (guitar), whose style of playing was popular and influential during the 50s and 60s. Weedon was the first British guitarist to have a hit record in the “UK Singles Chart”, in 1959. His “Play in a Day” guitar guide influenced some of the biggest names in rock and roll such as Eric Clapton, Brian May, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Dave Davies, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page. For his “services to music”, in 2001, Weedon was awarded an OBE.
Tag Archives: 1959
Dizzy Reece: Star Bright
In March 1960, “Blue Note” label released “Star Bright”, the second Dizzy Reece album. It was recorded in November 1959, “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Dizzy Reece- trumpet
- Hank Mobley- tenor saxophone
- Wynton Kelly- piano
- Paul Chambers- bass
- Art Taylor- drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Dizzy Reece except where noted.
- The Rake
- I’ll Close My Eyes – Kaye, Reid
- Groovesville
- The Rebound
- I Wished on the Moon – Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger
- A Variation on Monk
John Coltrane: Giant Steps
On January 27, 1960, “Atlantic” label released “Giant Steps”, the fifth John Coltrane studio album. It was recorded May – December 1959, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegün.
Personnel:
- John Coltrane– tenor saxophone
- Tommy Flanagan– piano
- Wynton Kelly– piano
- Cedar Walton– piano
- Paul Chambers– bass
- Art Taylor– drums
- Jimmy Cobb– drums
- Tom Dowd – engineer
- Phil Iehle – engineer
- Marvin Israel– design
- Lee Friedlander– photography
- Nat Hentoff– liner notes
Track listing:
All tracks by John Coltrane.
- Giant Steps
- Cousin Mary
- Countdown
- Spiral
- Syeeda’s Song Flute
- Naima
- P.C.
Bill Haley & His Comets: Bill Haley’s Chicks
On January 5, 1959, “Decca” label released “Bill Haley’s Chicks”, the eight Bill Haley & His Comets album. It was recorded February – June, 1958, in New York City, and was produced by Milt Gabler.
Personnel:
- Bill Haley– vocals, rhythm guitar
- Franny Beecher– lead guitar
- Billy Williamson– vocal, steel guitar
- Johnny Grande– piano
- Al Rex– bass guitar
- Ralph Jones– drums
- Rudy Pompilli- tenor saxophone, clarinet
Track listing:
- Whoa Mabel! – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
- Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider – Eddie Leonard, Eddie Munson
- Eloise – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
- Dinah – Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Harry Akst
- Skinny Minnie – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
- Mary Mary Lou – Cayet Mangiaracina
- Sweet Sue, Just You – Will J. Harris, Victor Young
- B. Betty – Bill Haley, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, Catherine Cafra
- Charmaine – Erno Rapee, Lew Pollack
- Corrine, Corrina – Bo Chatmon, Mitchell Parish, Mayo Williams
- Marie – Irving Berlin
- Lean Jean – Stella Lee, Johnny Grande, Ralph Jones, Rudy Pompilli
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out
On December 14, 1959, “Columbia” label released “Time Out”, the 16th Dave Brubeck Quartet (The) album, and the 27th Dave Brubeck album overall. It was recorded June 25, July 1, and August 18, 1959, at “Columbia’s 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero. The album was certified Platinum in US by “RIAA”
Personnel:
- Dave Brubeck– piano
- Paul Desmond– alto saxophone
- Eugene Wright– bass
- Joe Morello– drums
- Fred Plaut– engineer
- Neil Fujita– cover artwork
- Seth Rothstein – project director
Track listing:
All tracks by Dave Brubeck, except where noted.
- Blue Rondo à la Turk
- Strange Meadow Lark
- Take Five – Paul Desmond
- Three to Get Ready
- Kathy’s Waltz
- Everybody’s Jumpin’
- Pick Up Sticks
Bill Haley And His Comets: Strictly Instrumental
On December 14, 1959, “Decca” label released “Strictly Instrumental”, the ninth Bill Haley & His Comets album. It was recorded June 1958 – September 1959, and was produced by Milt Gabler.
Personnel:
- Bill Haley– rhythm guitar
- Franny Beecher– lead guitar
- Billy Williamson– steel guitar
- Johnny Grande– piano
- Al Rex– bass guitar
- Al Pompilli- bass guitar
- Al Rappa- bass guitar
- Ralph Jones– drums
- Rudy Pompilli- tenor saxophone
Track listing:
- Joey’s Song- Joe Reisman
- Music! Music! Music!- Bernie Baum, Stephen Weiss
- Mack the Knife – Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Marc Blitzstein
- In a Little Spanish Town- Mabel Wayne, Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young
- Two Shadows – Johnny Grande, Billy Williamson
- Shaky – Franny Beecher, Billy Williamson
- Strictly Instrumental – Bennie Benjamin, Edgar Battle, Sol Marcus, Eddie Seiler
- Skokiaan- Tom Glazer, August Msarurgwa
- Puerto Rican Peddler – Johnny Brandon
- Drowsy Waters – Jack Ailau
- Chiquita Linda (Un Poquito de tu Amor) – Julio Gutierrez
- The Catwalk – Franny Beecher, Billy Williamson
Bo Diddley: Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger
In December 1960, “Checker Records” label released “Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger”, the fifth Bo Diddley studio album. It was recorded October 1959 – February 1960, and was produced by Leonard Chess, Phil Chess and Bo Diddley.
Personnel:
- Bo Diddley (Ellas McDaniel) – lead vocals, lead guitar
- Peggy Jones – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Lafayette Leake, Otis Spann, Billy Stewart– piano
- Jerome Green – maracas, backing vocals
- Willie Dixon, Bobby Baskerville – bass
- Jesse James Johnson – electric bass
- Billy Downing, Clifton James – drums
- Gene Barge– tenor saxophone
- Johnny Carter, Harvey Fuqua, Lily “Bee Bee” Jamieson, Gloria Morgan, Nate Nelson – backing vocals
- Vartan – art direction
Track listing:
All tracks by Ellas McDaniel, except where noted.
- Gunslinger
- Ride on Josephine
- Doing the Craw-Daddy
- Cadillac
- Somewhere
- Cheyenne
- Sixteen Tons – Merle Travis, arranged byEllas McDaniel
- Whoa Mule (Shine)
- No More Lovin’
- Diddling
Cliff Richard: Cliff Sings
In November 1959, “EMI Columbia” label released “Cliff Sings”, the second Cliff Richard album. It was recorded in September 1959, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Norrie Paramor. The album was released in mono format.
Personnel:
- Cliff Richard– lead vocals
- Hank Marvin– lead guitar
- Bruce Welch- rhythm guitar
- Jet Harris– bass guitar
- Tony Meehan– drums
- Malcolm Addey – engineer
Track listing:
- Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins
- The Snake and the Bookworm – Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
- I Gotta Know – Matt Williams, Paul Evans
- Here Comes Summer – Jerry Keller
- I’ll String Along With You – Al Dubin, Harry Warren
- Embraceable You – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
- As Time Goes By – Herman Hupfeld
- The Touch of Your Lips – Ray Noble
- Twenty Flight Rock – Ned Fairchild, Eddie Cochran
- Pointed Toe Shoes – Carl Perkins
- Mean Woman Blues – Claude Demetrius
- I’m Walkin’ – Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew
- I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do) – Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert
- Little Things Mean a Lot – Carl Stutz, Edith Lindeman
- Somewhere Along the Way – Sammy Gallop, Kurt Adams
- That’s My Desire – Helmy Kresa, Carroll Loveday
Chuck Berry: Chuck Berry Is on Top
In July 1959, “Chess” label released “Chuck Berry Is on Top”, the third Chuck Berry studio album. It was recorded 1955–1959, in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Leonard Chess and Phil Chess.
Personnel:
- Chuck Berry– vocals, guitars
- Bo Diddley– electric guitar
- Johnnie Johnson, Lafayette Leake– piano
- Willie Dixon– double bass
- George Smith – bass
- Fred Below, Ebbie Hardy, Jaspar Thomas – drums
- Jerome Green – maracas
- The Moonglows– backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Chuck Berry.
- Almost Grown
- Carol
- Maybellene
- Sweet Little Rock & Roller
- Anthony Boy
- Johnny B. Goode
- Little Queenie
- Jo Jo Gunne
- Roll Over Beethoven
- Around and Around
- Hey Pedro
- Blues for Hawaiians
Cliff Richard: Cliff
In April 1959, “Columbia” label released “Cliff”, the debut Cliff Richard (and his band the Drifters, later known as the Shadows) album. It was recorded 9 – 10 February 1959, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Norrie Paramor.
Personnel:
- Cliff Richard– lead vocals
- Hank Marvin– lead guitar
- Bruce Welch- rhythm guitar
- Jet Harris– bass guitar
- Tony Meehan– drums
- Mike Sammes Singers– backing vocals
- Malcolm Addey – engineer
Track listing:
- Apron Strings – George David Weiss, Aaron Schroeder
- My Babe – Willie Dixon
- Down the Line – Roy Orbison
- I Got a Feeling – Baker Knight
- Jet Black – Jet Harris
- Baby I Don’t Care – Leiber, Stoller
- Donna – Ritchie Valens
- Move It – Ian Samwell
- Ready Teddy – John Marascalco, Robert Blackwell
- Too Much – Lee Rosenberg, Bernard Weinman
- Don’t Bug Me Baby – Leon Luallen, Johnny Bragg
- Driftin’ – Hank Marvin
- That’ll Be the Day – Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison
- Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent
- Danny – Ben Weisman, Fred Wise
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On – Dave “Curly” Williams
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