Tag Archives: Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Swings Lightly

In December 1958, “Verve” label released “Ella Swings Lightly”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded in November 1958, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Granz. This album won Ella Fitzgerald the 1960 Grammy award for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald – vocal
  • Marty Paich’s Dek-Tette: Bud Shank – alto saxophone 
  • Bill Holman – tenor saxophone
  • Med Flory – baritone saxophone 
  • Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Bob Enevoldsen – valve trombone, tenor saxophone 
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Lou Levy  – piano
  • Joe Mondragon – bass 
  • Mel Lewis – drums 

Track listing:

  1. Little White Lies – Walter Donaldson
  2. You Hit the Spot – Mack Gordon, Harry Revel
  3. What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? – Jack Lawrence, Paul Francis Webster, Mary Lou Williams
  4. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
  5. As Long as I Live – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  6. Teardrops from My Eyes – Rudy Toombs
  7. Gotta Be This or That – Sunny Skylar
  8. Moonlight on the Ganges – Sherman Myers, Chester Wallace
  9. My Kinda Love – Louis Alter, Jo Trent
  10. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  11. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  12. You’re an Old Smoothie – Nacio Herb Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Richard A. Whiting
  13. Little Jazz – Roy Eldridge, Buster Harding
  14. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me – Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Peter Norman
  15. Knock Me a Kiss – Mike Jackson
  16. 720 in the Books – Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Leo Watson

Michael Brecker: Don’t Try This At Home

On September 5, 1988, “Impulse!” label released “Don’t Try This at Home”, the second Michael Brecker studio album. It was recorded in 1988, at “The Power Station” in New York City, and was produced by Don Grolnick. In 1989, the album won a “Grammy Award” for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo”.

Personnel:

  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, EWI
  • Don Grolnick – acoustic piano
  • Herbie Hancock – acoustic piano
  • Joey Calderazzo – acoustic piano
  • Judd Miller – synthesizer programming
  • Jim Beard – synthesizers, acoustic piano
  • Mike Stern – guitars 
  • Charlie Haden – acoustic bass
  • Jeff Andrews – fretless electric bass, electric bass
  • Jack DeJohnette – drums
  • Adam Nussbaum – drums
  • Peter Erskine – drums
  • Mark O’Connor – violin
  • James Farber – recording, mixing
  • Gary Solomon – engineer assistant
  • Karen Robben – engineer assistant
  • Greg Calbi – mastering 
  • Kathleen Covert – art direction. design
  • Mark Seliger – photography
  • George Varga – liner notes
  • Tom Gill – piano technician
  • Ricky Schultz – executive producer
  • Jerry Wortman – production assistant
  • Karen Kramer – production coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Itsbynne Reel – Michael Brecker, Don Grolnick
  2. Chime This – Don Grolnick
  3. Scriabin – Vince Mendoza
  4. Suspone – Mike Stern
  5. Don’t Try This at Home – Michael Brecker, Don Grolnick
  6. Everything Happens When You’re Gone – Michael Brecker
  7. Talking to Myself – Don Grolnick
  8. The Gentleman & Hizcaine – Jim Beard