Tag Archives: Blue Mitchell

Lou Donaldson: Everything I Play Is Funky

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In June 1970, “Blue Note” label released “Everything I Play is Funky”, the 33rd Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded August 1969 – January 1970, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – voice, alto and baritone saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell, Eddie Williams – trumpet
  • Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland – Hammond organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Jimmy Lewis – Fender bass
  • Idris Muhammad – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Bob Venosa/ Havona – design
  • Charles Keddie – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Everything I Do Goth Be Funky (From Now On) – Allen Toussaint
  2. Hamp’s Hump – Paul Hampton
  3. Over the Rainbow – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
  4. Donkey Walk
  5. West Indian Daddy
  6. Minor Bash

Jackie McLean & Tina Brooks: Street Singer

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On June 6, 1980, “Blue Note (Japanese)” label released “Street Singer”, album by Jackie McLean & Tina Brooks. It was recorded in September 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Tina Brooks – tenor saxophone
  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Kenny Drew – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording

Track listing:

  1. Melonae’s Dance – Jackie McLean
  2. Appointment in Ghana – Jackie McLean
  3. Medina – Tina Brooks
  4. Isle of Java – Tina Brooks
  5. Street Singer – Tina Brooks
  6. A Ballad for Doll – Jackie McLean

Al Foster

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On May 28, 2025, Aloysius Tyrone Foster aka Al Foster, died aged 82. He was musician (drums), recorded and performed with Blue Mitchell, Illinois Jacquet, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Barron, Joe Henderson, Joanne Brackeen, Cedar Walton, Larry Willis, Steve Kuhn, Tommy Flanagan, Chris Potter, George Adams, Richie Beirach, Peter Bernstein, Walter Bishop Jr, Donald Byrn, Eli Degibri, Eliane Elias, Eric Le Lann, Red Garland, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Haden, Sadik Hakim, Jimmy Heath, Duke Jordan, Shirley Horn, Bobby Hutcherson, Sam Jones, Yusef Lateef, Andy LaVerne, Abbey Lincoln, Fred Lipsius, Larry Willis, George Mraz, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Lovano, Frank Morgan, Johnny Lytle, Hugh Masakela, Ronnie Mathews, Tete Montoliu, Sam Morrison, Bud Shank, Reggie Workman, Peter Zak, Cecil Payne, Dave Liebman and Art Pepper. As leader, Foster released eighth albums.

Blue Mitchell: African Violet

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On March 13, 1978, “Impulse!” label released “African Violet”, the 27th Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in 1977, at “The Burbank Studios” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Herman Riley, Harold Land – tenor saxophone
  • Sonny Burke – electric piano, piano
  • McKinley Jackson, Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
  • Lee Ritenour – electric guitar, guitar
  • Scott Edwards – bass, electric bass
  • Chuck Domanico – electric bass, bass
  • James Gadson, Harold Mason – drums
  • Paulinho Da Costa – congas
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – congas, percussion
  • Bob Zimmitti – marimba, percussion
  • Julia Tillman, Luther Waters, Maxine Waters Willard, Oren Waters – vocals
  • The Sid Sharp Strings

Track listing:

  1. Mississippi Jump – Larry Nash
  2. Ojos de Rojo – Cedar Walton
  3. Sand Castles – Dana Kaproff
  4. African Violet – Steve Hulse
  5. As – Stevie Wonder
  6. Square Business – Cedar Walton
  7. Forget – Don Sebesky

Blue Mitchell: The Last Tango=Blues

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On March 7, 1973, “Mainstream” label released “The Last Tango = Blues”, the 20th Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in 1972, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bob Shad.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Jackie Kelso, Bill Perkins – flute, tenor saxophone
  • David Angel – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Steve Kravitz – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
  • Herman Riley – tenor saxophone
  • David T. Walker – guitar
  • Charles Kynard – organ
  • Darrell Clayborn, Chuck Rainey – electric bass
  • Raymond Pounds – drums
  • King Errisson, Paul Humphrey, Chino Valdes – percussion
  • Dick Fritz – arrangements

Track listing:

  1. Soul Turn Around – Walter Bishop, Jr.
  2. Killing Me Softly With His Song – Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel
  3. The Message – Patrick Patterson, Steve Scipio
  4. Steal the Feel – Richard Fritz
  5. Last Tango in Paris – Gato Barbieri
  6. One for Russ – Alf Clausen
  7. Peace – Horace Silver
  8. P.T. Blues – Blue Mitchell

Blue Mitchell: Summer Soft

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On February 22, 1978, “Impulse!” label released “Summer Soft”, the 28th and the final Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in 1977, at “ABC Recording Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Eddie Harris, Harold Land, Herman Riley – tenor saxophone
  • Cedar Walton – piano, electric piano
  • Bobby Lyle – electric piano, piano
  • Richard Tee – keyboard 
  • Michael Boddicker – synthesizer 
  • Mike Dosco, Lee Ritenour – guitar
  • Scott Edwards – bass
  • James Gadson – drums
  • Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
  • Julia Tillman Waters, Luther Waters, Maxine Waters Willard, Oren Waters – vocals

Track listing:

  1. Try Not to Forget – Cedar Walton
  2. Summer Soft – Stevie Wonder
  3. A Day at the Mint – Blue Mitchell
  4. Love Has Made Me a Dreamer – Mike Dosco, Esmond Edwards
  5. Evergreen – Barbra Streisand, Paul Williams
  6. 30 Degrees to the Wind – Cedar Walton, Susan Brickell
  7. Funkthesizer – Eddie Harris

Blue Mitchell: Blue Soul

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In December 1959, “Riverside” label released “Blue Soul”, the fourth Blue Mitchell studio album. It was recorded in September 1959, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Jimmy Heath – tenor saxophone
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Sam Jones – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums

Track listing:

 All tracks by Blue Mitchell, except where noted.

  1. Minor Vamp – Benny Golson
  2. The Head
  3. The Way You Look Tonight – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
  4. Park Avenue Petite – Benny Golson
  5. Top Shelf – Jimmy Heath
  6. Waverly Street – Jimmy Heath
  7. Blue Soul
  8. Polka Dots and Moonbeams – Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen
  9. Nica’s Dream – Horace Silver

Blue Mitchell: Boss Horn

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In November 1967, “Blue Note” label released “Boss Horn”, the 13th Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in November 1966, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Jerry Dodgion – flute, alto saxophone
  • Junior Cook – tenor saxophone
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Julian Priester – trombone
  • Chick Corea – piano 
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Gene Taylor – bass
  • Mickey Roker – drums
  • Duke Pearson – arrangements

Track listing:

  1. Millie – Duke Pearson
  2. O Mama Enit – Blue Mitchell
  3. I Should Care – Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston
  4. Rigor Mortez – Dave Burns
  5. Tones for Joan’s Bones – Chick Corea
  6. Straight Up and Down – Chick Corea

Sam Jones: Something In Common

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On September 13, 1977, “Muse” label released “Something in Common” the eighth Sam Jones album. It was recorded April 1974 – September 1977, at “C.I. Recording Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Cedar Walton and Bob Porter.

Personnel:

  • Sam Jones – bass
  • Bob Berg – tenor saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Slide Hampton – trombone
  • Cedar Walton – keyboards, piano
  • Louis Hayes – drums
  • Billy Higgins – drums
  • Thomas Hampson – engineer
  • Chuck Irwin – engineer
  • Gene Paul – mastering
  • Page Simon – design
  • Tom Copi – photography
  • Todd Barkan – liner notes
  • Dan Mueller – production coordination

Track listing:

All tracks by Cedar Walton, except where noted.

  1. Seven Minds – Sam Jones
  2. Bolivia
  3. Something in Common
  4. Every Man Is a King – Slide Hampton
  5. For All We Know – J. Fred Coots, Sam M. Lewis
  6. Blue Silver – Blue Mitchell
  7. Shoulders
  8. One for Amos – Sam Jones
  9. You Are the Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder

Horace Silver: Silver’s Serenade

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In August 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Silver’s Serenade”, the twelve Horace Silver album. It was recorded in May 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Horace Silver – piano
  • Junior Cook – tenor saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Gene Taylor – bass
  • Roy Brooks – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer, lacquer cut
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Joel Dorn – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Horace Silver.

  1. Silver’s Serenade
  2. Let’s Get to the Nitty Gritty
  3. Sweet Sweetie Dee
  4. The Dragon Lady
  5. Nineteen Bars