In January 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Ghetto Music”, the debut Eddie Gale studio album. It was recorded in September 1968, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.
Personnel:
Eddie Gale – trumpet, thumb piano, steel drum, bird whistle
Russell Lyle – tenor saxophone, flute
Jo Ann Gale Stevens – vocals, guitar
James “Tokio” Reid, Judah Samuel – bass
Richard Hackett, Thomas Holman – drums
Elaine Beener – lead vocals
Sylvia Bibbs, Barbara Dove, Evelyn Goodwin, Art Jenkins, Fulumi Prince, Edward Walrond, Sondra Walston, Mildred Weston, Norman Wright – vocals
On December 19, 2025, Michael Timothy Abrahams died aged 82. He was musician (guitar), singer and song-writer, member of the band Wommett, founding member of Blodwyn Pig and Mick Abrahams Band, but was best known as the original guitarist for Jethro Tull 1967 – 1968). As leader he released 17 albums.
In December 1968, “MPS” label released “The Dizzy Gillespie Reunion Big Band”,a live album by Dizzy Gillespie. It was recorded in 1968, on “Berlin Jazz Festival” at “Berlin Philharmonic Hall” in Berlin, and was produced by Joachim-Ernst Berendt.
Personnel:
Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet
James Moody – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Chris Woods – alto saxophone
Paul Jeffrey – tenor saxophone
Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
Stu Hamer – trumpet
Jimmy Owens – trumpet
Victor Paz – trumpet
Dizzy Reece – trumpet
Curtis Fuller – trombone
Ted Kelly – trombone
Tom McIntosh – trombone
Mike Longo – piano
Paul West – double bass
Otis Finch – drums
Track listing:
Things to Come – Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller
One Bass Hit – Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller
Frisco – Mike Longo
Con Alma – Dizzy Gillespie
The Things Are Here – Dizzy Gillespie
Theme – Birks’ Works – Dizzy Gillespie, Barney Kessel
On November 18, 2013, “Delmark” label released “Live at the Avant Garde”, the eleventh Magic Sam (Samuel Gene Maghett) album. It was recorded in June 1968, at “The Avant Garde” in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was produced by Jim Charne and Robert G. Koester.
Personnel:
Magic Sam − vocals, guitar
Robert “Big Mojo” Elem – bass
Bob Richey – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Samuel Maghett (Magic Sam) except where noted
On November 1, 1968, “Apple” label released “Wonderwall Music”, the debut George Harrison studio album. It was recorded November 1967 – February 1968, at “EMI” and “De Lane Lea” in London, “His Master’s Voice” in Bombay, and was produced by George Harrison. The album was soundtrack to the 1968 film “Wonderwall”, directed by Joe Massot, it was the first solo album by a member of The Beatles, and the first album issued on the band’s Apple record label.
Personnel:
George Harrison – piano, mellotron, acoustic and electric guitars, tape loops, arrangements
Colin Manley – acoustic and electric guitars, steel guitar
Eric Clapton – electric guitar
John Barham – piano, flugelhorn, harmonium, orchestral arrangement
Tony Ashton – tack piano, organ, Mellotron, piano, harmonium
Tommy Reilly – harmonica
Big Jim Sullivan – bass
Philip Rogers – bass guitar
Roy Dyke – drums
Ringo Starr – drums
Aashish Khan – sarod
Mahapurush Misra – tabla, pakhavaj
Sharad Kumar – shehnai
Hanuman Jadev – shehnai
Shambhu Das – sitar
Indranil Bhattacharya – sitar
Shankar Ghosh – table
Chandrashekhar Naringrekar – surbahar
Shivkumar Sharma – santoor
S.R. Kenkare – bansuri
Vinayak Vora – tar shehnai
Rijram Desad – harmonium, tabla tarang
Track listing:
All tracks by George Harrison, except where noted.
In October 1968, “Bell” label released “Take a Picture”, the only Margo Guryan studio album. It was recorded in 1968, in New York, and was produced by John Hill, John Simon and David Rosner.
Personnel:
Margo Guryan – vocal, arrangements
John Hill – guitar
Paul Griffin – keyboards
Kirk Hamilton – bass, flute
Buddy Saltzman – drums
Phil Bodner – oboe
Fred Catero, Glen Kolotkin, Lou Waxman, Roy Segal – engineer
In October 1968, “Atlantic” label released “Aretha In Paris”, the second live Aretha Franklin album. It was recorded in May 1968, in Paris, France, and was produced by Jerry Wexler.
Personnel:
Aretha Franklin – vocals, piano
Jerry Weaver – guitar
Gary Illingworth – piano
Rodderick Hicks – bass
George Davidson – drums
Donald “Buck” Waldon – tenor saxophone
Charlie Gabriel – tenor saxophone
Miller Brisker – tenor saxophone
David Squire – baritone saxophone
Russell Conway – trumpet
Ron Jackson – trumpet
Donald Townes – trumpet
Little John Wilson – trumpet
Rene Pitts – trombone
Carolyn Franklin – backing vocals
Charnessa Jones – backing vocals
Wyline Ivey – backing vocals
Track listing:
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream – Aretha Franklin, Teddy White
Soul Serenade – Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley
Night Life – Willie Nelson, Walt Breeland, Paul Buskirk
Baby, I Love You – Jimmy Holiday, Ronnie Shannon
Groovin’ – Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jerry Wexler
Come Back Baby – Ray Charles
Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business) – Aretha Franklin, Teddy White
(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone – Aretha Franklin, Teddy White
I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) – Ronnie Shannon
On October 3, 1968, “Capitol” label released “Mama Tried”, the seventh Merle Haggard and the Strangers studio album. It was recorded February – March, 1968, ay “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ken Nelson. In 1999, the album title song won the “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”.
Personnel:
Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar
The Strangers:
Roy Nichols – guitar
Norman Hamlet – steel guitar
George French – piano
Jerry Ward – bass
Eddie Burris – drums
Lewis Talley – guitar
Tommy Collins – guitar
Billy Mize – guitar
Glen Campbell – guitar
James Burton – guitar
Bonnie Owens – harmony vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Merle Haggard, except where noted.
Mama Tried
Green, Green Grass of Home – Curly Putman
Little Ole Wine Drinker Me – Dick Jennings, Hank Mills
In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) – Dolly Parton
On July 22, 2025, Charles Frank Mangione died aged 84. He was musician (flugelhorn, trumpet, piano) and composer, came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey’s band in the 1960s. With his brother Gap, he led the Mangione Brothers Sextet/Quintet, later was member of the band The National Gallery, from 1968 – 1972 was director of the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, formed quartet with Gerry Niewood, in the late 70’s he lead ensemble with Chris Vadala, Grant Geissman, Charles Meeks and James Bradley Jr. As leader he released 29th albums.
In July 1958, “MPS” label released “Alto Summit”, the 22nd Lee Konitz album. It was recorded in June 1968, at “MPS Tonstudio” in Villingen, Black Forest, Germany, and was produced by Joachim E. Berendt.
Personnel:
Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
Pony Poindexter – alto saxophone
Phil Woods – alto saxophone
Leo Wright – alto saxophone
Steve Kuhn – piano
Palle Danielsson – bass
Jon Christensen – drums
Track listing:
Native Land – Curtis Amy
Ballad Medley: Skylark/Blue and Sentimental/Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You/Body and Soul – Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer/Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, Mack David/Andy Razaf, Don Redman/Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton
Prompt – Benny Bailey
The Perils of Poda – Phil Woods
Good Booty – Pony Poindexter
Lee O’s Blues – Leo Wright, Lee Konitz
Lee’s Tribute to Bach and Bird – Johann Sebastian Bach/Charlie Parker