Tag Archives: Charles McCracken

Grover Washington Jr.: All The King’s Horses

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On July 1, 1972, “Kudu” label released “All the King’s Horses”, the second Grover Washington Jr. studio album. It was recorded May – June 1972, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Grover Washington Jr. – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Gene Bertoncini – guitar
  • Cornell Dupree – guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar
  • David Spinozza – guitar
  • Bob James – electric piano, harpsichord, arrangements, conductor
  • Richard Tee – organ
  • Gordon Edwards – bass
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Bernard Purdie – drums
  • Billy Cobham – drums
  • Airto Moreira – percussion
  • Ralph MacDonald – congas
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet, flugelhorn

Brass and Woodwind Section

  • George Marge – alto saxophone, flute, English horn, oboe, recorder
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Arthur Clarke – baritone saxophone, flute
  • Wayne Andre, Paul Faulise, Tony Studd – trombone
  • Jon Faddis, John Frosk, Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm, Snooky Young – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Ray Alonge, Donald Corrado, Fred Klein, Brooks Tillotson – French horn

String Section

  • Alexander Cores, Bernard Eichen, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, John Pintaualle, Irving Spice – violin
  • Richard Dickler, Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci – cello
  • Margaret Ross – harp

String Trio

  • David Nadien – violin
  • Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • George Ricci – cello
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Bob Ciano – design
  • Pete Turner – photography

Track listing:

  1. No Tears, in the End – Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
  2. All the King’s Horses – Aretha Franklin
  3. Where Is the Love – Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
  4. Body and Soul (Montage) – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green
  5. Lean on Me – Bill Withers
  6. Lover Man – Jimmy Davis, James Sherman, Ram Ramirez
  7. Love Song 1700 – Henry Purcell

George Benson: Good King Bad

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In June 1976, “CTI” label released “Good King Bad”, the thirteenth George Benson studio album. It was recorded July – October – December 1975, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • George Benson – vocals, guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar
  • Don Grolnick – clavinet
  • Bobby Lyle – keyboards
  • Roland Hanna – keyboards
  • Ronnie Foster – keyboards
  • Gary King – bass, rhythm arrangements
  • Andy Newmark – drums
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Dennis Davis – drums
  • Sue Evans – percussion
  • David Friedman – vibraphone
  • David Sanborn – alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
  • Frank Vicari – tenor saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone 
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Fred Wesley – trombone
  • Joe Farrell – flute
  • Romeo Penque – flute
  • David Tofani – flute
  • David Matthews – arrangements
  • Bob James – conductor
  • Max Ellen – violin
  • Paul Gershman – violin
  • Harry Glickman – violin
  • Emanuel Green – violin
  • Harold Kohon – violin
  • David Nadien – violin
  • John Pintavalle – violin
  • Max Pollikoff – violin
  • Harold Coletta – viola
  • Theodore Israel – viola
  • Charles McCracken – cello
  • Alan Shulman – cello
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Rene Schumacher – design
  • Pete Turner – cover and liner photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Theme from Good King Bad – David Matthews
  2. One Rock Don’t Make No Boulder – David Matthews
  3. Em – Philip Namanworth
  4. Cast Your Fate to the Wind – Vince Guaraldi
  5. Siberian Workout – David Matthews
  6. Shell of a Man – Eugene McDaniels

Roberta Flack: First Take

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On June 20, 1969, “Atlantic” label released “First Take”, the debut Roberta Flack studio album. It was recorded in February 1969, at “Atlantic” in New York City, and was produced by Joel Dorn. In 2020, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “First Take” at number 451 on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Roberta Flack – vocals, piano
  • Bucky Pizzarelli – guitars
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Ray Lucas – drums, percussion
  • Seldon Powell, Frank Wess – saxophone
  • Jimmy Nottingham, Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Benny Powell – trombone
  • Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff – violin
  • Alfred Brown, Selwart Clarke, Theodore Israel – viola
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci – cello
  • William S. Fischer – horn and string arrangements, string conducting
  • William Arlt – recording
  • Bob Liftin – remix
  • Stanislaw Zagorski – design
  • Ken Heinen – photography

Track listing:

  1. Compared to What – Gene McDaniels
  2. Angelitos Negros – Andrés Eloy Blanco, Manuel Álvarez Maciste
  3. Our Ages or Our Hearts – Robert Ayers, Donny Hathaway
  4. I Told Jesus – traditional, arranged by Roberta Flack
  5. Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye – Leonard Cohen
  6. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Ewan MacColl
  7. Tryin’ Times – Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson
  8. Ballad of the Sad Young Men – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf

Donny Hathaway: Extension Of A Man

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On June 18, 1973, “Atco” label released “Extension of a Man”, the fourth and final Donny Hathaway studio album. It was recorded October – November 1972, at “A&R”, “Bell Sound”, “Regent Sound” and “Atlantic” in New York City, “Universal” in Chicago, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Donny Hathaway – lead vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, all pianos, Hammond organ, keyboards, bass, arrangements
  • Cornell Dupree – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Hugh McCracken – banjo, guitar
  • Willie Weeks, Russ Savakus, Stanley Clarke, Gordon Edwards – bass
  •  Grady Tate, Fred White, Rick Marotta, Ray Lucas – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Julien Barber, Noel DaCosta, Sanford Allen, Theodore Israel – violin
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Kermit Moore – cello
  • Gloria Agostini – harp 
  • David Newman – saxophone
  • Marvin Stamm, Joe Newman, Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Dominick Gravine, Garnett Brown, Paul Faulise, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd, Garnett Brown – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Don Butterfield – tuba
  • Phil Bodner – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Seldon Powell – clarinet, reeds, tenor saxophone
  • Vincent Abato – clarinet
  • Romeo Penque, William Slapin – reeds
  • Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins, Tony Miranda – French horn
  • Henry Schuman – oboe
  • Myrna Summers & The Interdenominational Singers – choir 
  • Cissy Houston, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell, Jimmy Douglass, Mario “Big M” Medious, Richard Wells, William “Mac” McCollum – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Donny Hathaway, except where noted.

  1. I Love the Lord; He Heard My Cry (Parts I & II)
  2. Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard
  3. Flying Easy
  4. Valdez in the Country
  5. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know – Al Kooper
  6. Come Little Children
  7. Love, Love, Love – J.R. Bailey, Ken Williams
  8. The Slums
  9. Magdalena – Danny O’Keefe
  10. I Know It’s You – Leon Ware
  11. Lord Help Me – Joe Greene, Billy Preston

Oliver Nelson: Afro/American Sketches

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In February 1962, “Prestige” label released “Afro/American Sketches”, the ninth Oliver Nelson album. It was recorded September – November 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Personnel:

  • Oliver Nelson – arranger, alto and tenor saxophone, liner notes
  • Eric Dixon – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Bob Ashton – tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
  • Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute
  • Joe Newman, Clyde Reasinger, Jerry Kail, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder – trumpet
  • Billy Byers, Paul Faulise, Urbie Green, Britt Woodman, Melba Liston – trombone
  • Ray Alonge, Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins – French horn
  • Don Butterfield – tuba
  • Peter Makas, Charles McCracken – violoncello
  • Patti Bown – piano
  • Art Davis – bass
  • Ed Shaughnessy – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas, bongos
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording, lacquer cut
  • Edmond Edwards – supervision

Track listing:

All tracks by Oliver Nelson.

  1. Message
  2. Jungleaire
  3. Emancipation Blues
  4. There’s a Yearnin’
  5. Going Up North
  6. Disillusioned
  7. Freedom Dance

Steve Kuhn & Gary McFarland: The October Suite

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In January 1967, “Impulse!” label released “The October Suite”, album by Steve Kuhn and Gary McFarland (twelve Gary McFarland album). It was recorded October – November 1966, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Gary McFarland – arranger, conductor
  • Steve Kuhn – piano
  • Isadore Cohen, Matthew Raimondi – violin
  • Al Brown – viola
  • Charles McCracken – cello
  • Don Ashworth, Joe Firrantello (aka Joe Farrell), Irving Horowitz, Gerald Sanfino – woodwinds
  • Corky Hale – harp
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Marty Morell – drums
  • Phile Ramone – engineer
  • Sam Feldman – lacquer cut
  • Robert Flynn – cover design
  • Joe Lebow – liner design
  • Charles Stewart – cover photography
  • Jack Bradley – liner photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Gary McFarland.

  1. Remember When
  2. St. Tropez Shuffle
  3. One I Could Have Loved
  4. Traffic Patterns
  5. Childhood Dreams
  6. Open Highway

Spyro Gyro: Catching the Sun

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In February 1980, “MCA” label released “Catching the Sun”, the third Spyro Gyra studio album. It was recorded in 1979, at “Secret Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Jay Beckenstein and Richard Calandra.

Personnel:

  • Jay Beckenstein – soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, Fender Rhodes, percussion
  • Tom Schuman – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, synthesizers programming, effects
  • Jeremy Wall – synthesizers, synthesizer programming, percussion, effects, horn arrangements, assistant producer
  • Hiram Bullock – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Chet Catallo – electric guitar
  • John Tropea – acoustic and electric rhythm guitar
  • Will Lee – bass
  • Jim Kurzdorfer – bass guitar
  • Eli Konikoff – drums
  • Gerardo Velez – percussion, bongos
  • Richard Calandra – tambourine, percussion
  • Dave Samuels – marimba, vibraphone, steel drums
  • Rubens Bassini – congas, percussion
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Barry Rogers – trombone
  • Tom Malone – trombone
  • Bob Malache – tenor saxophone
  • Steve Nathan – clavinet, synthesizer programming
  • Jeremy Wall – string arrangements, conductor
  • Harry Lookofsky – concertmaster
  • Charles McCracken, Jesse Levy, Alan Shulman – cello
  • Peter Dimitriades, Lewis Eley, Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, Harry Lookofsky, David Nadien, Matthew Raimondim Richard Sortomme – violin
  • Michael Barry – engineer
  • Jack Malken – engineer
  • Jason Corsaro – assistant engineer
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Peter Corriston – art direction, design
  • David Heffernan – illustration

Track listing:

  1. Catching the Sun – Jay Beckenstein
  2. Cockatoo – Jay Beckenstein, Tom Schuman, Jeremy Wall, Chet Catallo, Jim Kurzdorfer, Eli Konikoff
  3. Autumn of Our Love – Jeremy Wall
  4. Laser Material – Tom Schuman
  5. Percolator – Jay Beckenstein
  6. Philly – Jim Kurzdorfer
  7. Lovin’ You/Lovin’ You (for Christine) – Chet Catallo
  8. Here Again – Jay Beckenstein
  9. Safari – Jeremy Wall

Janis Ian: Aftertones

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In July 1976, “CBS” label released “Aftertones”, the eight Janis Ian album. It was recorded in 1976, at “Record Plant” in New York City, and was produced by Brooks Arthur.

Personnel:

  • Janis Ian – vocals, piano, guitar, arranger, conductor
  • Jeff Layton – guitar
  • Bucky Pizzerella – guitar
  • Al Gorgoni – guitar
  • Larry Harlow – piano
  • Stu Woods – bass
  • Richard Davis – bass
  • Barry Lazarowitz – drums, percussion
  • Arthur Jenkins – congas
  • Artie Kaplan – bass clarinet, contractor
  • George Young – tenor saxophone
  • Artie Kaplan – baritone saxophone
  • Larry Spencer, Pete Nater, Bobby Fortunato, Ernie Royal, Joe Shepley – trumpet
  • Wayne Andre, Lewis Kahn, Tom Malone, Mickey Gravine – trombone
  • Gonzalo Fernandez – flute
  • Phil Bodner – oboe, alto flute, English horn 
  • Romeo Pengue – oboe, flute, English horn, piccolo flute
  • Bruce Rogers, Charles McCracken, Jesse Levy, Kermit Moore, Max Hollander – cello
  • Gene Orloff – violin
  • Ezra Kliger – violin
  • Manny Vardi – viola
  • David Sackson, Manni Vardi, Eugenie Dengel, George Browne, Selward Clarke – viola
  • Phoebe Snow – solo vocal
  • Brooks Arthur, Claire Bay, Odetta, V. Martin Fink – vocals
  • Claire Bay – 2nd vocals
  • Larry Harlow – arranger
  • Mike Gibson – arranger, conductor
  • Jerry Ragavoy – arranger, conductor
  • Ron Frangipane – arranger, conductor
  • Brooks Arthur – engineer
  • David L’Heureux – design
  • Peter Cunningham – photography
  • Herb Gart – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Janis Ian.

  1. Aftertones
  2. I Would Like to Dance
  3. Love Is Blind
  4. Roses
  5. Belle of the Blues
  6. Goodbye to Morning
  7. Boy, I really Tied One on
  8. This Must be Wrong
  9. Don’t Cry, Old Man
  10. Hymn

Bette Midler: Songs for the New Depression

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On January 8, 1976, “Atlantic” label released “Songs for the New Depression”, the third Bette Midler studio album. It was recorded 1972 – 1976, at “Secret Sound Studio” New York, N.Y., “Electric Lady” and “Media Sound Studios” in New York, N.Y., “Atlantic Recording Studios” in New York, N.Y., and was produced by Bette Midler, Joel Dorn, Ahmet Ertegün, Arif Mardin, Mark “Moogy” Klingman, and Jack Malken.

Personnel:

  • Bette Midler – lead and backing vocals, assistant engineer
  • Glaswegians Orchestra – arranged and conducted by Arif Mardin
  • Moogy Klingman – piano, electric piano, RMI Computer keyboard, Mini Korg synthesizer, harmonica, arranger and conductor
  • Ralph Schuckett – acoustic piano, clavinet, organ, Sound City piano, harmonium, string ensemble, arranger, conductor
  • Bob Dylan – vocals 
  • Dick Hyman – piano
  • David Spinozza – guitar
  • Jerry Friedman – guitar
  • Todd Rundgren – guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Webster – slide guitar 
  • Rick Derringer – pedal steel guitar
  • Eric Weissberg – banjo, mandolin
  • Don Brooks – harmonica
  • Sivuca – accordion
  • Dominic Cortese – accordion
  • Boris Matusewitch – concertina
  • John Siegler – bass guitar 
  • Milt Hinton – acoustic bass, bass guitar
  • John Miller – acoustic bass
  • Teddy Sommer – drums, percussion
  • Mark Rosengarden – drums, percussion
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • John Wilcox – drums 
  • Barbara Burton – percussion
  • Angel Allende – percussion
  • Jack Malken – additional percussion
  • Norman Pride – conga
  • Randy Brecker – horns, trumpet solo
  • Michael Brecker – horns
  • Barry Rogers – horns
  • Mel Davis – trumpet
  • William Siapin – flute
  • John Lissauer – saxophone, chimes, arranger, conductor
  • David Nadien – strings
  • Barry Finclair – strings
  • Raul Poliakin – strings
  • Tony Posk – strings
  • Gene Orloff – strings
  • Harry Lookofsky – strings
  • Charles McCracken – strings
  • Jessy Levy – strings
  • Harry Lookofsky – violin
  • Matthew Raimondi – violin
  • Emanuel Green – violin
  • Kenny Kosek – fiddle
  • Luther Vandross – arranger, backing vocals
  • Dianne Sumler – backing vocals
  • David Lasley – backing vocals
  • Erin Dickins – backing vocals
  • Annie Sutton – backing vocals
  • Donny Beard – backing vocals
  • Charlotte Crossley – backing vocals
  • Leata Galloway – backing vocals
  • Ben Harney – backing vocals
  • Rhetta Hughes – backing vocals
  • Thomas Moore – backing vocals
  • Ula Hedwig – backing vocals
  • Sharon Redd – backing vocals
  • Ramona Stubblefield – backing vocals
  • Clifford Townsend – backing vocals
  • Revelation – backing vocals
  • Rosie – backing vocals
  • Gotham – backing vocals
  • Arif Mardin – arranger, conductor, backing vocals, remix
  • Marty Nelson – vocal arranger
  • Jack Malken – recording, remix engineer
  • Lew Hahn – recording, remix engineer
  • Jan Rathbun – engineer
  • Gerry Block – engineer assistant
  • Dave Wittman – engineer assistant
  • Richard Amsel – inner sleeve illustration
  • Michaele Vollbracht – shopping bag
  • Kenn Duncan – poster photography
  • Deborah Turbville – photography

Track listing:

  1. Strangers in the Night – Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder
  2. I Don’t Want the Night to End – Phoebe Snow
  3. Mr. Rockefeller – Jerry Blatt, Bette Midler
  4. Old Cape Cod – Claire Rothrock, Allan Jeffrey, Milton Yakus
  5. Buckets of Rain – Bob Dylan
  6. Love Says It’s Waiting – Nick Holmes
  7. Shiver Me Timbers / Samedi et Vendredi – Tom Waits, Bette Midler, Moogy Klingman
  8. No Jestering – Carlton Malcolm
  9. Tragedy – Gerald Nelson, Fred Burch
  10. Marahuana – Arthur Jonston, Sam Coslow
  11. Let Me Just Follow Behind – Moogy Klingman