Tag Archives: 1961

Joe Gordon: Lookin’ Good

On October 30, 1961, “Contemporary” label released “Lookin’ Good!”, the second and final Joe Gordon album. It was recorded in July 1961, at “Contemporary Records Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Lester Koenig.

Personnel:

  • Joe Gordon – trumpet
  • Jimmy Woods – alto saxophone
  • Dick Whittington – piano
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Milt Turner – drums

 Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Gordon.

  1. Terra Firma Irma
  2. A Song for Richard
  3. Non-Viennese Waltz Blues
  4. You’re the Only Girl in the Next World for Me
  5. Co-Op Blues
  6. Mariana
  7. Heleen
  8. Diminishing

Lou Donaldson: A Man with a Horn

On October 19, 1999, “Blue Note” label released “A Man with a Horn”, the 16th Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded in September 1961 – June 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
  • Irvin Stokes – trumpet
  • Brother Jack McDuff – organ
  • Big John Patton – organ
  • Grant Green – guitar
  • Grant Green – guitar
  • Joe Dukes – drums
  • Ben Dixon – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Misty – Johnny Burke, Erroll Garner
  2. Hippity Hop
  3. Please – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin
  4. My Melancholy Baby – Ernie Burnett, George Norton
  5. The Man With The Horn – Eddie DeLange, Jack Jenney, Bonnie Lake
  6. Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) – Louis Guglielmi
  7. Prisoner of Love – Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskill, Leo Robin
  8. Soul Meetin’
  9. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish

Oliver Nelson: Main Stem

In October 1962, “Prestige” label released “Main Stem”, the eighth Oliver Nelson album. It was recorded in August 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Oliver Nelson – tenor saxophone
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • George Duvivier – bass
  • Charlie Persip – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas

Track listing:

All tracks by Oliver Nelson, except where noted.

  1. Main Stem – Duke Ellington
  2. J & B
  3. Ho!
  4. Latino
  5. Tipsy
  6. Tangerine – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger

Booker Little: Out Front

In October 1961, “Candid” label released “Out Front”, the fourth Booker Little album. It was recorded March – April 1961, at “Nola’s Penthouse Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Booker Little – trumpet
  • Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
  • Julian Priester – trombone
  • Don Friedman – piano
  • Art Davis – bass  
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Max Roach – drums, timpani, vibraphone

All tracks by Booker Little.

  1. We Speak
  2. Strength and Sanity
  3. Quiet Please
  4. Moods in Free Time
  5. Man of Words
  6. Hazy Hues
  7. A New Day

Reverend Gary Davis: A Little More Faith

In September 1961, “Bluesville” label released “A Little More Faith”, the fifth Reverend Gary Davis album. It was recorded in August 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Kenneth S. Goldstein.

Personnel:

  • Blind Gary Davis – vocals, guitar
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Kenneth S. Goldstein – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Gary Davis, except where noted.

  1. You Got to Move – traditional
  2. Crucifixion
  3. I’m Glad I’m in That Number
  4. There’s a Table Sittin’ in Heaven
  5. Motherless Children – traditional
  6. There’s a Bright Side Somewhere – traditional
  7. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
  8. You Better Mind
  9. A Little More Faith
  10. I’ll Fly Away – Albert E. Brumley
  11. God’s Gonna Separate – traditional
  12. When I Die I’ll Live Again

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Three Blind Mice

In August 1962, “United Artists Jazz” label released “Three Blind Mice”, album by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. It was recorded 1961 – 1962, at “Village Gate” in New York City and “Club Renaissance” in Hollywood, and was produced by Alan Douglas.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
  • Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Jymie Merritt – bass
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording


Track listing:

Three Blind Mice

  1. Three Blind Mice – Curtis Fuller
  2. Blue Moon – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  3. That Old Feeling – Lew Brown, Sammy Fain
  4. Plexis – Cedar Walton
  5. Up Jumped Spring – Freddie Hubbard
  6. When Lights Are Low – Benny Carter, Spencer Williams


Three Blind Mice, Vol. 1

  1. Three Blind Mice – Curtis Fuller
  2. Blue Moon – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  3. That Old Feeling – Lew Brown, Sammy Fain
  4. Plexis – Cedar Walton
  5. Up Jumped Spring – Freddie Hubbard
  6. Up Jumped Spring (alternate take) – Freddie Hubbard
  7. When Lights Are Low – Benny Carter, Spencer Williams
  8. Children of the Night – Wayne Shorter

Three Blind Mice, Vol. 2

  1. It’s Only a Paper Moon – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, Billy Rose
  2. Mosaic – Cedar Walton
  3. Ping Pong – Wayne Shorter
  4. The Promised Land – Cedar Walton
  5. Arabia – Curtis Fuller

Reverend Gary Davis: Say No To The Devil

In August 1962, “Bluesville” label released “Say No to the Devil”, the sixth Reverend Gary Davis album. It was recorded in 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Kenneth S. Goldstein.

Personnel:

  • Blind Gary Davis – vocals, guitar, 12 string guitar, harmonica
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Kenneth S. Goldstein – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Gary Davis, except where noted.

  1. Say No to the Devil
  2. Time Is Drawing Near
  3. Hold on to God’s Unchanging Hand – traditional
  4. Bad Company Brought Me Here
  5. I Decided to Go Down
  6. Lord, I Looked Down the Road
  7. Little Bitty Baby – traditional
  8. No One Can Do Me Like Jesus
  9. Lost Boy in the Wilderness
  10. Tryin’ to Get to Heaven in Due Time

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Buhaina’s Delight

In July 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Buhaina’s Delight”, the 19th Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers album. It was recorded November – December 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
  • Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Jymie Merritt – bass
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording, lacquer cut
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Backstage Sally – Wayne Shorter
  2. Contemplation – Wayne Shorter
  3. Bu’s Delight – Curtis Fuller
  4. Reincarnation Blues – Wayne Shorter
  5. Shaky Jake – Cedar Walton
  6. Moon River – Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer

Mal Waldron: The Quest

In July 1962, “New Jazz” label released “The Quest”, the 15th Mal Waldron album. It was recorded in June 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Mal Waldron – piano
  • Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Booker Ervin – tenor saxophone
  • Ron Carter – cello
  • Joe Benjamin – double bass
  • Charlie Persip – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Mal Waldron.

  1. Status Seeking
  2. Duquility
  3. Thirteen
  4. We Diddit
  5. Warm Canto
  6. Warp and Woof
  7. Fire Waltz

Johnny Hodges: Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra

In June 1962, “Verve” label released “Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra”, the 22nd Johnny Hodges album. It was recorded in December 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
  • Billy Strayhorn – arrangements, conductor
  • Russell Procope – alto saxophone, reeds, clarinet
  • Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, reeds
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone, reeds
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, reeds, bass clarinet
  • Bill Berry – trumpet
  • Cat Anderson – trumpet
  • Ed Mullens – trumpet
  • Shorty Baker – trumpet
  • Howard McGhee – trumpet
  • Lawrence Brown – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Chuck Connors – bass trombone
  • Jimmy Jones – piano
  • Aaron Bell – bass
  • Sam Woodyard – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Stanley Dance – liner notes
  • Charles Stewart – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Get Around Much Any More – Bob Russell, Duke Ellington
  2. I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good – Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
  3. Gal from Joe’s – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  4. Your Love has Faded – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington
  5. I’m Just a Lucky So and So – Duke Ellington, Mack David
  6. Jeep’s Blues – Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges
  7. Day Dream – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, John Latouche
  8. Juice-A-Plenty – Johnny Hodges
  9. Azure – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  10. Tailor Made – Ed Mullins, Johnny Hodges
  11. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish