On December 15, 1943, Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller died aged 39. He was musician (piano, organ, violin), singer, and a comedic entertainer, a pioneer in creating the sound of the modern jazz piano. As composer he copyrighted over 400 songs, some of them with his collaborator Andy Razaf. Waller’s compositions “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’” were inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”, In 1970 he was inducted in the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”, in 1989 into the “Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame”, in 1993 he was posthumously awarded “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”, in 2005 he was inducted into the “Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame”, and in 2008 into the “Gennett Records Walk of Fame”.
Tag Archives: Andy Razaf
B. B. King: Let the Good Times Roll:The Music of Louis Jordan
On October 5, 1999, “MCA” label released “Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan”, the thirty seventh B. B. King studio album. It was recorded in 1999, at “Cello Recording” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Stewart Levine.
Personnel:
- B.B. King – lead vocals, lead guitar
- Russell Malone – rhythm guitar
- Dr. John – piano, additional vocals
- Neil Larsen – Hammond organ, piano
- John Heard – bass guitar
- Earl Palmer – drums
- Lenny Castro – percussion
- Hank Crawford – alto saxophone
- David “Fathead” Newman – tenor saxophone
- Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
Track listing:
- Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens – Joan Whitney Kramer, Alex Kramer
- Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby – Billy Austin, Louis Jordan
- Beware, Brother, Beware – Dick Adams, Morry Lasco, Fleecie Moore
- Somebody Done Changed the Lock on My Door – Casey Bill Weldon , Will Weldon
- Ain’t That Just Like a Woman (They’ll Do It Every Time) – Claude Demetrius, Fleecie Moore
- Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Vaughn Horton, Denver Darling, Milt Gabler
- Buzz Me – Danny Baxter, Fleecie Moore
- Early in the Mornin’ – Joe Josea, B.B. King, traditional
- I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town – Andy Razaf, Will Weldon
- Jack, You’re Dead
- Knock Me a Kiss
- Let the Good Times Roll
- Caldonia
- It’s a Great, Great Pleasure
- Rusty Dusty Blues
- Sure Had a Wonderful Time Last Night
- Saturday Night Fish Fry
- Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
Chet Atkins: Hi-Fi In Focus
In October 1957, “RCA Victor” label released “Hi-Fi in Focus”, the eighth Chet Atkins studio album.
Personnel:
- Chet Atkins – vocals, guitar
- Jacob Deschin – liner notes
- M. Baunach – photography
Track listing:
- El Cumbanchero – Rafael Hernández
- Ain’t Misbehavin” – Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
- Shadow Waltz – Al Dubin, Harry Warren
- Anna (El Negro Zumbón) – Roman Vatro, Franco Giordano
- Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
- Portuguese Washerwoman – Roger Lucchesi, André Popp
- Tiger Rag – Harry DaCosta, Eddie Edwards, Nick LaRocca
- Walk, Don’t Run – Johnny Smith
- Tara’s Theme – David, Max Steiner
- Johnson Rag – Guy Hall, Henry Kleinkauf, Jack Lawrence
- Lullaby of the Leaves – Bernice Petkere, Joe Young
- Bouree – Bach
- Avorada – traditional
Ella Fitzgerald: Classy Pair
In June 1979, “Pablo” label released “Classy Pair”, the 50th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded in February 1979 and was produced by Norman Granz.
Personnel:
- Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
The Count Basie Orchestra
- Count Basie– piano
- Ray Brown– trumpet
- Sonny Cohn– trumpet
- Pete Minger– trumpet
- Nolan Andrew Smith– trumpet
- Bill Hughes– trombone
- Mel Wanzo– trombone
- Dennis Wilson– trombone
- Mitchell “Booty” Wood– trombone
- Bobby Plater– alto saxophone
- Danny Turner– alto saxophone
- Eric Dixon– tenor saxophone
- Kenny Hing– tenor saxophone
- Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
- Freddie Green– guitar
- John Clayton– double bass
- Butch Miles– drums
- Benny Carter– arranger, conductor
Track listing:
- Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
- My Kind of Trouble is You – Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort II
- Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul
- Organ Grinder’s Swing – Will Hudson, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
- Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
- I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – George Bassman, Ned Washington
- Ain’t Misbehavin – Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
- Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ – Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines, Billy Strayhorn
- Sweet Lorraine – Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish
Oscar Peterson: With Respect To Nat
In December 1965, “Limelight” label released “With Respect to Nat”, Oscar Peterson tribute album to Nat King Cole, who had died earlier that year. It was recorded October – November 1965, and was produced by Jack Tracy.
Personnel:
- Oscar Peterson— vocals, piano
- Herb Ellis, Barry Galbraith— guitar
- Hank Jones— piano
- Ray Brown, Richard Davis— double bass
- Mel Lewis— drums
- Phil Woods— alto saxophone
- Wayne Andre, Jimmy Cleveland, J. Johnson— trombone
- Tony Studd — bass trombone
- Seldon Powell— alto flute, tenor flute
- Jerome Richardson— bass flute, tenor flute
- John Frosk, Joe Newman— trumpet
- Ernie Royal, Danny Stiles — trumpet, flugelhorn
- Manny Albam— arrangements, conductor
Track listing:
- When My Sugar Walks Down the Street – Gene Austin, Jimmy McHugh, Irving Mills
- It’s Only a Paper Moon – Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Billy Rose
- Walkin’ My Baby Back Home – Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk
- Sweet Lorraine – Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish
- Unforgettable – Irving Gordon
- Little Girl – Francis Henry, Matt Hyde
- Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You – Andy Razaf, Don Redman
- Orange Colored Sky – Milton DeLugg, William Stein
- Straighten Up and Fly Right – Nat King Cole, Irving Mills
- Calypso Blues – Clifford Carmen, Cole, Don George
- What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry? – Walter Donaldson, Abe Lyman
- Easy Listening Blues – Nadine Robinson
Bill Haley And His Comets: Rockin’ The Oldies
On August 12, 1957, “Decca” label released “Rockin’ the Oldies”, the fifth Bill Haley and His Comets album. It was recorded March – April, 1957, in New York, and was produced by Milt Gabler.
Personnel:
- Bill Haley– vocals, rhythm guitar
- Franny Beecher– lead guitar
- Billy Williamson– steel guitar
- Johnny Grande– piano
- Al Rex– double bass
- Ralph Jones– drums
- Frankie Scott- tenor saxophone
Track listing:
- The Dipsy Doodle – Larry Clinton
- You Can’t Stop Me from Dreaming – Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin
- Apple Blossom Time- Albert Von Tilzer, Neville Fleeson
- Moon Over Miami- Joe Burke, Edgar Leslie
- Is It True What They Say About Dixie?
- Carolina in the Morning- Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
- Miss You- Charles Tobias, Henry Tobias, Harry Tobias
- Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone- Sam H. Stept, Sidney Clare
- Ain’t Misbehavin’- Harry Brooks, Fats Waller, Andy Razaf
- One Sweet Letter from You – Harry Warren, Lew Brown, Sidney Clare
- I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter- Joe Young, Fred E. Ahlert
- Somebody Else is Taking My Place – Dick Howard, Bob Ellsworth, Russ Morgan
Ella Fitzgerald: Hello, Dolly
In July 1964, “Verve” label released “Hello, Dolly!”, the 40th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded March – April 1964, in New York City and London, and was produced by Norman Granz.
Personnel:
- Ella Fitzgerald- vocals
- Hank Jones – piano
- Zoot Sims- tenor saxophone
- Frank DeVol- arrangements, conductor
- Henri René- arrangements
- Johnnie Spence– conductor
Track listing:
- Hello Dolly! – Jerry Herman
- People – Bob Merrill, Jule Styne
- Can’t Buy Me Love – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- The Sweetest Sounds – Richard Rodgers
- Miss Otis Regrets – Cole Porter
- My Man – Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain
- How High the Moon – Nancy Hamilton, Morgan Lewis
- Volare – Franco Migliacci, Domenico Modugno, Mitchell Parish
- The Thrill is Gone – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
- Memories of You – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
- Lullaby of the Leaves – Bernice Petkere, Joe Young
- Pete Kelly’s Blues – Sammy Cahn, Ray Heindorf
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Miles Davis: Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet
In April 1956, “Prestige” label released “Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet”, the ninth Miles Davis album. It was recorded on November 16, 1955, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Weinstock.
Personnel:
- Miles Davis– trumpet
- John Coltrane– tenor saxophone
- Red Garland– piano
- Paul Chambers– bass
- Philly Joe Jones– drums
Track listing:
- Just Squeeze Me – Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines
- There Is No Greater Love – Isham Jones, Marty Symes
- How Am I to Know? – Dorothy Parker, Jack King
- S’posin’ – Paul Denniker, Andy Razaf
- The Theme – Miles Davis
- Stablemates – Benny Golson
Jimmy Witherspoon: The Blues Is Now
In November 1967, “Verve” label released “The Blues Is Now”, the twenty-eight Jimmy Witherspoon album. It was recorded on June 1, 1967, and was produced by Ken Druker and Lew Futterman.
Personnel:
- Jimmy Witherspoon- vocals
- Melvin Sparks- guitar
- Jack McDuff- organ, arrangements
- Jymie Merritt- bass guitar
- Ray Appleton- drums
- Leo Johnson, Danny Turner – alto and tenor saxophone, flute
- Val Valentin– engineer
- Bob Irwin, Jayme Pieruzzi– mastering
- Hollis King- art direction
- Nancy Reiner- cover art
- Acy Lehman- design
- Raymond Ross- photography
- Ken Druker- executive producer
Track listing:
- Sweet Slumber – Lucky Millinder, Al J. Neiburg, Henri Woode
- I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town – Andy Razaf, Will Weldon
- Past Forty Blues – Robert Lee Roach, Jimmy Witherspoon
- K. Blues – Saunders King
- Late One Evening – Jimmy Witherspoon
- Part Time Woman – Jimmy Witherspoon
- Good Rocking Tonight – Roy Brown
- I Won’t Tell a Soul (I Love You) – Hughie Clark, Ross Parker
- My Baby’s Quit Me – Doc Pomus
- My Money’s Long This Morning, Baby – David Parker
Ella Fitzgerald And Count Basie: Ella And Basie!
In September 1963, “Verve” label released “Ella and Basie!”, studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie and his orchestra. It was recorded in July 1963, at “A&R Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Norman Ganz.
Personnel:
- Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
- The Count Basie Orchestra:
- Count Basie– piano
- Sonny Cohn, Al Aarons, Joe Newman, Don Rader– trumpet
- Eric Dixon– flute, tenor saxophone
- Frank Foster, Frank Wess– flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
- Freddie Green– guitar
- Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell– trombone
- Flip Ricard– trombone, trumpet
- Marshal Royal– clarinet, alto saxophone
- Buddy Catlett– double bass
- Sonny Payne– drums
- Quincy Jones– arranger
- Val Valentin – recording
- Jay Thompson – cover photography
Track listing:
- Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
- Deed I Do – Walter Hirsch, Fred Rose
- Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall – Doris Fisher, Allan Roberts
- Them There Eyes – Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey
- Dream a Little Dream of Me – Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt
- Tea for Two – Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
- Satin Doll – Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn
- I’m Beginning to See the Light – Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James
- Shiny Stockings – Frank Foster, Ella Fitzgerald
- This Is My Last Affair – Haven Johnson
- Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Harry Brooks, Razaf, Waller
- On the Sunny Side of the Street – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
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