Tag Archives: Andy Razaf

Charles Mingus: Mingus Plays Piano

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In July 1964, “Impulse!” label released “Mingus Plays Piano”, the 22nd Charles Mingus album. It was recorded in July 1963, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Charles Mingus – vocals, piano
  • Bob Simpson – engineer
  • Victor Kalin – cover painting
  • Hollis King – art direction, design
  • Joe Lebow – liner design
  • Bob Thiele – photography
  • Lee Tanner – photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles Mingus.

  1. Myself When I Am Real
  2. I Can’t Get Started – Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin
  3. Body and Soul – Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour
  4. Roland Kirk’s Message
  5. Memories of You – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
  6. She’s Just Miss Popular Hybrid
  7. Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk
  8. Meditations for Moses
  9. Old Portrait
  10. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – George Bassman, Ned Washington
  11. Compositional Theme Story: Medleys, Anthems and Folklore

Nina Simone: The Amazing Nina Simone

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In July 1959, “Colpix” label released “The Amazing Nina Simone”, the second Nina Simone studio album. It was recorded in April 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Hecky Krasnow.

Personnel:

  • Nina Simone – vocals, piano
  • Bob Mersey – arrangement, conductor
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Blue Prelude – lyrics by Gordon Jenkins, music by Joe Bishop
  2. Children Go Where I Send You – Nina Simone, traditional
  3. Tomorrow (We Will Meet Once More) – Jerry Silverman, Stephen Gale
  4. Stompin’ at the Savoy – lyrics by Andy Razaf, music by Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Edgar Sampson
  5. It Might as Well Be Spring – lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, music by Richard Rodgers
  6. You’ve Been Gone Too Long – Brother John Sellers
  7. That’s Him Over There – lyrics by Marilyn Keith, music by Lew Spence
  8. Chilly Winds Don’t Blow – William Lovelock, Hecky Krasnow
  9. Theme from Middle of the Night – lyrics by Paddy Shayefsky, music by George Bassman
  10. Can’t Get Out of This Mood – lyrics by Frank Loeser, music by Jimmy McHugh
  11. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  12. Solitaire – lyrics by Carl Nutter, Renee Borek, music by King Guion

Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap: Elemental

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On June 13, 2025, “Mack Avenue” label released “Elemental”, studio album by Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap. It was recorded in February 2025, at “Sear Sound” in New York City, and was produced by Dee Dee Bridgewater and Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski.

Personnel:

  • Dee Dee Bridgewater – vocals
  • Bill Charlap – piano
  • Timothy J. Zick – recording, mixing

Track listing:

  1. Beginning to See the Light – Lou Reed
  2. Mood Indigo – Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard, Irving Mills
  3. Honeysuckle Rose – Thomas “Fats” Waller, Andy Razaf
  4. Here’s That Rainy Day – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  5. Love for Sale – Cole Porter
  6. S. Wonderful – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  7. In the Still of the Night – Cole Porter
  8. Caravan – Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington

Sidney Bechet: The Fabulous Sidney Bechet

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In May 1958, “Blue Note” label released “The Fabulous Sidney Bechet”, album by Sidney Bechet. It was recorded November 1951 – August 1953.

Personnel:

  • Sidney Bechet – soprano saxophone
  • Buddy Weed – piano
  • Don Kirkpatrick – piano
  • Jonah Jones – trumpet
  • Sidney De Paris – trumpet
  • Jimmy Archey – trombone
  • George “Pops” Forster – bass
  • Walter Page – bass
  • Johnny Blowers – drums
  • Manzie Johnson – drums

Track listing:

  1. Original Dixieland One-Step – Nick La Rocca
  2. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me – Arthur N, Swanstone, Carey Morgan, Charles R. McCarron
  3. That a Plenty – Lew Pollack
  4. Ballin’ The Jack – Chris Smith, Jim Burris
  5. Avalon – Buddy G. De Sylva, Vincent Rose
  6. Rose of Rio Grande – Edgar Leslie, Harry Warren, Ross Gorman
  7. Black and Blue – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller, Harry Brooks
  8. Sweet Georgia Brown – Maceo Pinkard
  9. All of Me – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons
  10. Ding Dong Daddy – Phil Baxter

Stanley Turrentine: Blue Hour

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In March 1961, “Blue Note” label released “Blue Hour”, album by Stanley Turrentine and The Three Sounds (the second Stanley Turrentine album overall). It was recorded June – December 1969, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Harris – piano
  • Andrew Simpkins – bass
  • Bill Dowdy – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography

Track listing:

  1. I Want a Little Girl – Murray Mencher, Billy Moll
  2. Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You – Andy Razaf, Don Redman
  3. Blue Riff – Gene Harris
  4. Since I Fell for You – Buddy Johnson
  5. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell

Stan Kenton And His Orchestra: Road Show

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In February 1960, “Capitol” label released “Road Show”, live album by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra. It was recorded in October 1959, at “Elliot Hall” in Purdue University, Lafayette, In, and was produced by Lee Gillette, John Palladino and Bill Wagner.

Personnel:

  • Stan Kenton – piano, conductor
  • June Christy – vocals
  • The Four Freshmen (Ken Albers, Don Barbour, Ross Barbour, Bob Flanigan) – vocal group 
  • Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
  • Ronnie Rubin, Bill Trujillo – tenor saxophone
  • Marvin Holladay, Jack Nimitz – baritone saxophone
  • Bud Brisbois, Rolf Ericson, Bill Mathieu, Roger Middleton, Dalton Smith – trumpet
  • Kent Larsen, Archie LeCoque, Don Sebesky – trombone
  • Jim Amlotte, Bob Knight – bass trombone
  • Joe Castro – piano
  • Pete Chivily – bass
  • Jimmy Campbell – drums
  • Mike Pacheco – Cuban drums

Track listing:

  1. Artistry in Rhythm – Stan Kenton
  2. Stompin’ at the Savoy – Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Andy Razaf
  3. My Old Flame – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
  4. The Big Chase – Marty Paich
  5. I Want to Be Happy – Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar
  6. It’s a Most Unusual Day – Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson
  7. Midnight Sun – Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Mercer
  8. Kissing Bug – Billy Strayhorn, Rex Stewart, Joya Sherrill
  9. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  10. How High the Moon – Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
  11. Day In, Day Out – Rube Bloom, Johnny Mercer
  12. Angel Eyes – Matt Dennis, Earl Brent
  13. I’m Always Chasing Rainbows – Harry Carroll, Joseph McCarthy
  14. Paper Doll – Johnny S. Black
  15. Them There Eyes – Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey
  16. Love for Sale – Cole Porter
  17. September Song – Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson
  18. Walkin’ Shoes – Gerry Mulligan
  19. The Peanut Vendor – Moisés Simons
  20. Artistry in Rhythm – Stan Kenton

Lee Konitz: Tranquility

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In November 1957, “Verve” label released “Tranquility”, album by Lee Konitz’s Quartet (14th Lee Konitz album overall). It was recorded in October 1957, in New York City.

Personnel:

  • Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
  • Billy Bauer – guitar
  • Henry Grimes – bass
  • Dave Bailey – drums

Track listing:

  1. Stephanie – Lee Konitz
  2. Memories of You – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
  3. People Will Say We’re in Love – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
  4. When You’re Smiling – Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin, Larry Shay
  5. Sunday – Chester Conn, Benny Krueger, Ned Miller, Jule Styne
  6. Lennie Bird – Lennie Tristano
  7. The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
  8. Jonquil – Werner Bauer

Roy Eldridge: Swingin’ On The Town

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In August 1960, “Verve” label released “Swingin’ on the Town”, the 18th Roy Eldridge album. It was recorded in June 1960, in New York City, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Roy Eldridge – trumpet
  • Ronnie Ball – piano
  • Benny Moten – bass
  • Eddie Locke – drums

Track listing:

  1. Bossa Nova – Roy Eldridge
  2. The Way You Look Tonight – Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields
  3. Sweet Sue, Just You – Victor Young, Will J. Harris
  4. I’ve Got a Crush on You – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  5. When I Grow Too Old to Dream – Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein II
  6. Crème de Menthe – Erroll Garner
  7. Honeysuckle Rose – Fats Waller, Andy Razaf
  8. All the Things You Are – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
  9. Easy Living – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin
  10. But Not for Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  11. Song of the Islands – Charles E. King
  12. Misty – Eroll Garner, Johnny Burke

Lee Konitz: Alto Summit

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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:

  1. Native Land – Curtis Amy
  2. 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
  3. Prompt – Benny Bailey
  4. The Perils of Poda – Phil Woods
  5. Good Booty – Pony Poindexter
  6. Lee O’s Blues – Leo Wright, Lee Konitz
  7. Lee’s Tribute to Bach and Bird – Johann Sebastian Bach/Charlie Parker

Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue

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In May 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Midnight Blue”, the 17th Kenny Burrell album. It was recorded in January 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion, Michael Cuscuna and Tom Vasatka.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
  • Major Holley – bass 
  • Bill English – drums 
  • Ray Barretto – conga 
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer, remastering
  • Gordon Jee – creative director
  • Eric Bernhardi – design
  • Reid Miles – design, typography
  • Francis Wolff – photography, cover photography
  • Leonard Feather – original liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Kenny Burrell, except where noted.

  1. Chitlins con Carne
  2. Mule – Kenny Burrell, Major Holley Jr.
  3. Soul Lament
  4. Midnight Blue
  5. Wavy Gravy
  6. Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You – Andy Razaf, Don Redman
  7. Saturday Night Blues