Tag Archives: Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Duke Ellington: …And His Mother Called Him Bill

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In May 1968, “Bluebird/RCA” label released “…And His Mother Called Him Bill”, the    58th Duke Ellington album. It was recorded August – November 1967, at “Coast Recorders” in San Francisco, “RCA Victor” in New York City, and was produced by Steve Backer and Brad McCuen. In 1968, it won the “Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album”.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington – piano
  • Mercer Ellington – trumpet
  • Cat Anderson – trumpet
  • Herbie Jones – trumpet
  • Cootie Williams – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – flugelhorn
  • Lawrence Brown – trombone
  • Buster Cooper – trombone
  • Chuck Connors – bass trombone
  • John Sanders – valve trombone
  • Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
  • Russell Procope – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
  • Aaron Bell – double bass
  • Jeff Castleman – double bass
  • Steve Little – drums
  • Sam Woodyard – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Billy Strayhorn, except where noted.

  1. Snibor
  2. Boo-Dah
  3. Blood Count
  4. U.M.M.G.
  5. Charpoy
  6. After All
  7. The Intimacy of the Blues
  8. Raincheck
  9. Day Dream – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington
  10. Rock Skippin’ at the Blue Note
  11. All Day Long
  12. Lotus Blossom

Randy Brecker And Michael Brecker: Some Skunk Funk

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In November 2005, “Telarc” label released “Some Skunk Funk”, album by Randy Brecker and Michael Brecker. It was recorded in November, 2003, at the “Forum” in Leverkusen, Germany and was produced by Joachim Becker and Lucas Schmid. In 2006, “Some Skunk Funk” won “Grammy Award” for “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo” (Michael Brecker) and “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album”.

Personnel:

  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
  • Harold Rosenstein – alto saxophone
  • Heiner Wiberny – alto saxophone
  • Olivier Peters – tenor saxophone
  • Rolf Römer – tenor saxophone
  • Jens Neufang – baritone saxophone
  • Rob Bruynen – trumpet
  • Andy Haderer – trumpet
  • Rick Kiefer – trumpet
  • John Marshall – trumpet
  • Klaus Osterloh – trumpet
  • David Horler – trombone
  • Bernt Laukamp – trombone
  • Ludwig Nuss – trombone
  • Mattis Cederberg – bass trombone
  • Jim Beard – piano, synthesizer
  • Koji Paul Shigihara – guitar
  • Will Lee – bass guitar
  • Peter Erskine – drums
  • Marcio Doctor – percussion
  • WDR Big Band
  • Vince Mendoza – conductor, arranger
  • Peter Brandt – engineer
  • Klaus Genuit – mixing
  • Knut Schötteldreier – design
  • Ines Kaiser – photography

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Randy Brecker except where noted.

  1. Some Skunk Funk
  2. Sponge
  3. Shanghigh
  4. Wayne Out
  5. And Then She Wept
  6. Strap Hangin’ – Michael Brecker
  7. Let It Go
  8. Freefall
  9. Levitate
  10. Song for Barry – Michael Brecker

Miles Davis: Bitches Brew

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Bitches_brew

On March 30, 1970, “Columbia” label released “Bitches Brew”,  the 38th Miles Davis album. It was recorded August 19–21, 1969, at “30th Street Studio” in New York, and was produced by Teo Macero. In 1971, the album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album”.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone
  • Bennie Maupin – bass clarinet
  • Joe Zawinul – electric piano
  • Chick Corea – electric piano
  • John McLaughlin – electric guitar
  • Dave Holland – bass
  • Harvey Brooks – electric bass
  • Lenny White – drum set
  • Jack DeJohnette – drum set
  • Don Alias – congas
  • Juma Santos (credited as Jim Riley) – shaker, congas

Track listing

  1. Pharoah’s Dance – Joe Zawinul
  2. Bitches Brew – Miles Davis
  3. Spanish Key – Miles Davis
  4. John McLaughlin – Miles Davis
  5. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down – Miles Davis
  6. Sanctuary – Wayne Shorter