Tag Archives: Billy Strayhorn

Oscar peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington

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In December 1952, “Clef Records” label released “Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington”, the sixth Oscar Peterson album. It was recorded in December 1952, and was produced by Norman Granz. This is the first of two Oscar Petersons Duke Ellington songbook albums (released in the 50’s as 10”).

Personnel:

  • Oscar Peterson – piano
  • Barney Kessel – guitar
  • Ray Brown – double bass
  • David Stone Martin – artwork
  • Norman Granz – liner notes, supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.

  1. John Hardy’s Wife – Mercer Ellington
  2. Sophisticated Lady – Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
  3. Things Ain’t What They Used to Be – Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons
  4. Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ – Lee Gaines, Billy Strayhorn
  5. In a Mellow Tone
  6. I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good) – Paul Francis Webster
  7. Prelude to a Kiss – Mack Gordon, Irving Mills
  8. Cotton Tail
  9. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
  10. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn
  11. Rockin’ in Rhythm – Irving Mills
  12. Never No Lament (Do Nothin’ Til You Hear from Me) – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell

Clark Terry: Duke With A Difference

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In October 1957, “Riverside” label released “Duke with a Difference”, the fourth Clark Terry album. It was recorded in September 1957, at “Reeves Sound” in New York City, and was produced by Orin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  1. Clark Terry – trumpet, arrangements
  2. Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone 
  3. Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone 
  4. Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman – trombone
  5. Tyree Glenn – trombone, vibraphone
  6. Billy Strayhorn – piano
  7. Luther Henderson – celeste
  8. Jimmy Woode – bass
  9. Sam Woodyard – drums
  10. Marian Bruce – vocals
  11. Mercer Ellington – arrangements
  12. Jack Higgins – engineer
  13. Jack Matthewes – engineer
  14. Paul Bacon – design
  15. Paul Weller – photography
  16. Orrin Keepnews – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington except where noted.

  1. C Jam Blues – Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington
  2. In a Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Manny Kurtz
  3. Cotton Tail
  4. Just Squeeze Me
  5. Mood Indigo – Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington
  6. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn
  7. In a Mellow Tone
  8. Come Sunday

Wes Montgomery: Wes Montgomery Trio

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In March 1960, “Riverside” label released “The Wes Montgomery Trio”, the debut Wes Montgomery studio album. It was recorded in October 1959, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Track listing:

  • Wes Montgomery – guitar
  • Melvin Rhyne – organ
  • Paul Parker – drums
  • Jack Higgins – engineer
  • Harris Lewine – design
  • Ken Braren – design
  • Paul Bacon – design

Track listing:

  1. ‘Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams
  2. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  3. The End of a Love Affair – Edward Redding
  4. Whisper Not – Benny Golson
  5. Ecaroh – Horace Silver
  6. Satin Doll – Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn
  7. Missile Blues – Wes Montgomery
  8. Too Late Now – Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner
  9. Jingles – Wes Montgomery

John Hicks: Piece for My Peace

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On August 8, 1995, “Landmark” label released “Piece for My Peace”, the 27th John Hicks album.

Personnel:

  • John Hicks – piano
  • Vincent Herring – tenor sax, alto sax
  • Bobby Watson – alto sax
  • Elise Wood – flute
  • Curtis Lundy – bass
  • Cecil Brooks III – drums
  • Annalee Valencia – art direction, design
  • Paul Anthony – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Faith – Bobby Watson
  2. Piece for My Peace – John Hicks
  3. Mood Swings – Cecil Brooks III
  4. Diane – Charles Mingus
  5. Mudd’s Mode – Mickey Bass
  6. Don’t Let It Go – Vincent Herring
  7. So in Love – Cole Porter
  8. I Should Care – Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston
  9. My Shining Hours – Harrold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  10. Star-Crossed Lovers – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn

Arthyr Blythe: Blythe Byte

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On July 24, 2001, “Savant” label released “Blythe Byte”, the 20th Arthur Blythe album. It was recorded in March 2001, and was produced by Cecil Brooks III.

Personnel:

  • Arthur Blythe – alto saxophone
  • John Hicks – piano
  • Dwayne Dolphin – bass
  • Cecil Brooks III – drums 

Track listing:

All tracks by Arthur Blythe except where noted.

  1. Hardly
  2. Besame Mucho – Consuelo Velázquez, Sunny Skylar
  3. Blue Monk – Thelonious Monk
  4. Light Blue – Thelonious Monk
  5. And One – Dwayne Dolphin
  6. My Little Brown Book – Billy Strayhorn
  7. Naima – John Coltrane
  8. Ruby, My Dear – Thelonious Monk
  9. Blythe Byte
  10. What a Friend We Have in Jesus – Joseph Scriven, Charles Crozat Converse

Phineas Newborn Jr.: A World of Piano

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In June 1962, “Contemporary” label released “A World of Piano!”, the eleventh Phineas Newborn Jr. album. It was recorded October – November 1961, at “Contemporary Records Studio” in Hollywood, and was produced by Lester Koenig.

Personnel:

  • Phineas Newborn Jr. – piano
  • Paul Chambers, Sam Jones – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones, Louis Hayes – drums

Track listing:

  1. Cheryl – Charlie Parker
  2. Manteca – Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller, Chano Pozo
  3. Lush Life – Billy Strayhorn
  4. Daahoud – Clifford Brown
  5. Oleo – Sonny Rollins
  6. Juicy Lucy – Horace Silver
  7. For Carl – Leroy Vinnegar
  8. Cabu – Roland Alexander

Duke Ellington: Such Sweet Thunder

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In April 1957, “Columbia” label released “Such Sweet Thunder”, album by Duke Ellington. It was recorded August 1956 – March 1957, and was produced by Irving Townsend. The album is a twelve-part suite based on the work of William Shakespeare.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington – piano
  • Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor saxophone
  • Russell Procope – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Harry Carney – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
  • Cat Anderson – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Ray Nance – trumpet
  • Willie Cook – trumpet
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • John Sanders – trombone
  • Britt Woodman – trombone
  • Jimmy Woode – bass
  • Sam Woodyard – drums
  • Billy Strayhorn – orchestration
  • Howard Fritzson – art direction
  • Randall Martin – design
  • Don Hunstein – photography
  • Irving Townsend – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, except where noted.

  1. Such Sweet Thunder – Cleo
  2. Sonnet for Caesar
  3. Sonnet to Hank Cinq
  4. Lady Mac
  5. Sonnet in Search of a Moor
  6. The Telecasters
  7. Up and Down, Up and Down (I Will Lead Them Up and Down) – Puck
  8. Sonnet for Sister Kate
  9. The Star-Crossed Lovers
  10. Madness in Great Ones – Hamlet
  11. Half the Fun
  12. Circle of Fourths

John Coltrane: Lush Life

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In March 1961, “Prestige” label released “Lush Life”, album by John Coltrane. It was assembled from previously unreleased tracks from three recording sessions at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey in May and August 1957, and January 1958, produced by Bob Weinstock.

Personnel:

  • John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Red Garland – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Earl May – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Louis Hayes – drums
  • Albert Heath – drums

Track listing:

  1. Like Someone in Love – Jimmy Van Heusen
  2. I Love You – Cole Porter
  3. Trane’s Slow Blues – John Coltrane
  4. Lush Life – Billy Strayhorn
  5. I Hear a Rhapsody – Jack Baker, George Fragos, Dick Gasparre

Dave Burrell: Margy Pargy

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On March 9, 2005, “Splasc” label released “Margy Pargy”, the 24th Dave Burrell album. It was recorded in 2004, and was produced by Peppo Spagnoli.

Personnel:

  • Dave Burrell – piano
  • Giuseppe Emmanuele – engineer
  • Luigi Naro – graphic design
  • Luciano Rossetti – photography
  • Pete Kercher, Giacomo Pellicciotti – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Dave Burrell, except where noted.

  1. I Only Have Eyes for You – Harry Warren, Al Dubin
  2. Expansion
  3. DB Blues
  4. Prelude to Crucifado
  5. Crucifado
  6. Margy Pargy
  7. Lush Life – Billy Strayhorn
  8. My Foolish Heart – Victor Young
  9. So in Love – Cole Porter

Clifford Jordan: Masters from Different Worlds

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On March 1, 1994, “Mapleshade” label released “Masters from Different Worlds”, the 32nd Clifford Jordan album. It was recorded in December 1989, at “Mapleshade Studios” in Upper Marlboro, MD, and was produced by Fred Kaplan and Pierre Sprey.

Personnel:

  • Clifford Jordan – soprano and tenor saxophone
  • Ran Blake – piano
  • Julian Priester – trombone
  • Windmill Saxophone Quartet:
  • Jesse Meman – alto saxophone
  • Tom Monroe, Ken Plant – tenor saxophone
  • Clayton Englar – baritone saxophone
  • Steve Williams – drums
  • Alfredo Mojica – congas
  • Claudia Polley – vocals
  • Daniel Vong – art direction
  • Michael Wilderman – photography

Track listing:

  1. Something to Live For – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
  2. A Touch of Evil – Ran Blake
  3. Arline – Ran Blake
  4. Laura – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
  5. Short Life of Barbara Monk – Ran Blake
  6. Vanguard – Ran Blake
  7. Julia – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  8. Wives and Lovers – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  9. Doug’s Prelude – Clifford Jordan
  10. Mood Indigo – Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard, Irving Mills