Tag Archives: 1961

Bill Evans Trio: Explorations

In March 1961, “Riverside” label released “Explorations”, the seventh Bill Evans album. It was recorded on February 2, 1961, in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews. “Explorations” won the Billboard Jazz Critics Best Piano LP poll for 1961.

Personnel:

  • Bill Evans- piano
  • Scott LaFaro- bass
  • Paul Motian– drums
  • Bill Stoddard – engineer
  • Shigeo Miyamoto – mastering

Track listing:

  1. Israel – John Carisi
  2. Haunted Heart – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
  3. Beautiful Love” (take 2) – Wayne King, Egbert Van Alstyne, Victor Young, Haven Gillespie
  4. Elsa – Earl Zindars
  5. Nardis – Miles Davis
  6. How Deep Is the Ocean? – Irving Berlin
  7. I Wish I Knew – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
  8. Sweet and Lovely – Gus Arnheim, Jules LeMare, Harry Tobias

Ike Quebec: Blue & Sentimental

In June 1969, “Blue Note” label released “Blue & Sentimental”, the fifth Ike Quebec  album. It was recorded in December 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Ike Quebec- tenor saxophone, piano
  • Grant Green- guitar
  • Sonny Clark- piano
  • Paul Chambers, Sam Jones – bass
  • Louis Hayes, Philly Joe Jones – drums

Track listing:

  1. Blue and Sentimental – Count Basie, Mack David, Jerry Livingston
  2. Minor Impulse – Ike Quebec
  3. Don’t Take Your Love from Me – Henry Nemo
  4. Blues for Charlie – Grant Green
  5. Like – Ike Quebec
  6. Count Every Star – Bruno Coquatrix, Sammy Gallop

The Temptations: Meet The Temptations

On March 20, 1964, “Gordy” label released “Meet the Temptations”, the debut Temptations album for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was recorded 1961-January 1964, and was produced by Berry Gordy, Andre Williams, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, and Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Eddie Kendricks – vocals
  • Paul Williams – vocals
  • Melvin Franklin – vocals
  • Otis Williams – vocals
  • Elbridge “Al” Bryant – vocals
  • Davis “David” Ruffin – vocals
  • Eddie Holland – backing vocals
  • Brian Holland – backing vocals
  • Berry Gordy – executive producer
  • Smokey Robinson – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. The Way You Do the Things You Do – Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers
  2. I Want a Love I Can See – Smokey Robinson
  3. (You’re My) Dream Come True – Berry Gordy, Jr.
  4. Paradise – Berry Gordy
  5. May I Have This Dance – Janie Bradford, Norman Whitfield
  6. Isn’t She Pretty – Berry Gordy, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams
  7. Just Let Me Know – Berry Gordy
  8. Your Wonderful Love – Berry Gordy
  9. The Further You Look, the Less You See – Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield
  10. Check Yourself – Elbridge Bryant, David English, Berry Gordy, Otis Williams
  11. Slow Down Heart – Smokey Robinson
  12. Farewell My Love – Berry Gordy

Freddie King

On December 28, 1976, Freddie King died aged 42. He was musician (guitar) and singer, with music roots were from Chicago and Texas blues, often mentioned as one of “the Three Kings” of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King. Freddie King was one of the first bluesmen to have a multi-racial backing band at live performances. His biggest successes were singles “Have You Ever Loved a Woman” (1960) and “Hide Away” (1961).King inspired many famous musicians including Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia,Peter Green, Dickey Betts and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  In 2012 Freddie King was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.

Reprise Label

RR

On February 13, 1961, Frank Sinatra launched his own record label “Reprise Records”. Sinatra’s main management principle was to allow each artist full creative freedom and bigger ownership of their work; including publishing rights. Some of the artists that recorded for “Reprise Records” were Jimi Hendrix Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys and Randy Newman.