Tag Archives: Dizzy Gillespie

Phineas Newborn Jr.: Phineas Rainbow

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In February 1957, “RCA Victor” label released “Phineas’ Rainbow”, the second Phineas Newborn Jr. studio album. It was recorded in October 1956 in New York City.

Personnel:

  • Phineas Newborn Jr. – piano
  • Calvin Newborn – guitar
  • George Joyner – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums
  • Bill Coss – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Phineas Newborn Jr. except where noted.

  1. Overtime
  2. Angel Eyes – Earl Brent, Matt Dennis
  3. Come to Baby, Do! – Inez James, Sidney Miller
  4. Stairway to the Stars – Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli
  5. Land’s End – Harold Land
  6. Clarisse
  7. She (She Means Everything to Me) – George Shearing
  8. Tin Tin Deo – Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo
  9. Autumn in New York – Vernon Duke
  10. What Is This Thing Called Love? – Cole Porter

Melvin Ragin

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On October 24, 2018, Melvin M. Ragin aka Wah Wah Watson died aged 67. He was musician (guitar), famous for his unique skills with wah-wah pedal. He was member of The Funk Brothers, the studio band for “Motown Records”, recorded and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams, Thelma Houston, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Michael Jackson, Maxwell, The Beach Boys, George Benson, Bobbi Humphrey, Janet Jackson, Yung Berg, Blondie, Norman Whitfield, The Undisputed Truth, Donald Byrd, Labelle, Love Unlimited, Cher, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gloria Gaynor, The Temptations (his guitar work on “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”), Pointer Sisters, Martha Reeves, Rose Royce, Bob Scaggs and Herbie Hancock. As leader, Wah Wah Watson released one solo album (Elementary, 1976).

Lou Donaldson: Lou Takes Off

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In July 1958, “Blue Note” label released “Lou Takes Off”, the seventh Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded in December 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, NJ, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Sonny Clark – piano
  • Jamil Nasser – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson except where noted.

  1. Sputnik
  2. Dewey Square – Charlie Parker
  3. Strollin’ In
  4. Groovin’ High – Dizzy Gillespie

Red Rodney: Red Rodney Returns

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In May 1959, “Argo” label released “Red Rodney Returns”, the third Red Rodney album. It was recorded in February 1959, at “Reco Art Studios” in Philadelphia, PA, and was produced by Dave Usher.

Personnel:

  • Red Rodney – trumpet
  • Billy Root – tenor saxophone
  • Danny Kent – piano
  • Jay Cave – double bass
  • Frank Young – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Danny Kent except where noted.

  1. Shaw ‘Nuff – Ray Brown, Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie
  2. Red, Hot and Blue
  3. I Remember You – Victor Schertzinger, Johnny Mercer
  4. 5709
  5. Whirlwind
  6. Jordu – Duke Jordan
  7. Shelley
  8. Two by Two – Jay Cave

Johnny Griffin: Johnny Griffin Sextet

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In May 1958, “Riverside” label released “Johnny Griffin Sextet”, the fifth Johnny Griffin album. It was recorded in February 1958, in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Griffin — tenor saxophone
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Kenny Drew — piano
  • Wilbur Ware — bass
  • Philly Joe Jones — drums

Track listing:

  1. Stix’ Trix – Wilbur Campbell
  2. What’s New? – Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart
  3. Woody ‘n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie
  4. Johnny G.G. – John Hines
  5. Catharsis – Johnny Griffin

Charles McPherson: Manhattan Nocturne

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On April 5, 1998, “Arabesque” label released “Manhattan Nocturne”, the 20th  Charles McPherson album. It was recorded in April 1997, at “EastSide Sound” in New York City” and was produced by Charles McPherson and Daniel Criss.

Personnel:

  • Charles McPherson – alto saxophone
  • Mulgrew Miller – piano
  • Ray Drummond – double bass
  • Victor Lewis – drums
  • Bobby Sanabria – percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles McPherson except where noted

  1. Evidence – Thelonious Monk
  2. You’re My Thrill – Jay Gorney, Sidney Clare
  3. Morning Dance
  4. Primal Urge
  5. Blue ‘n’ Boogie – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
  6. How Deep Is the Ocean? – Irving Berlin
  7. Manhattan Nocturne
  8. Fire Dance

Buddy Rich: The Driver

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On April 4, 1960, “EmaRcy” label released “The Driver”, the 16th Buddy Rich album. It was recorded in 1960 and was produced by Jack Tracy.

Personnel:

  • Buddy Rich – vocals, drums
  • Dave McKenna – piano
  • Earl May – double bass
  • Mike Mainieri – vibraphone
  • Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
  • Willie Dennis – trombone
  • Irwin “Marky” Markowitz – trumpet
  • Ernie Wilkins – arranger

Track listing:

  1. Brainwashed – Buddy Rich, Ernie Wilkins
  2. A Swinging Serenade – Ernie Wilkins
  3. Big Leg Mary – Buddy Rich, Ernie Wilkins
  4. Straight, No Chaser – Thelonious Monk
  5. Bloody Mary – Ernie Wilkins
  6. A Night in Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
  7. Miss Bessie’s Cookin’ – Ernie Wilkins

Electric Bebop Band: Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band:

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On February 25, 1993, “JMT” label released “Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band”, the debut Electric Bebop Band album. It was recorded in April 1992, at “Power Station” in New York City, and was produced by Stefan F. Winter.

Personnel:

  • Paul Motian – drums
  • Joshua Redman – tenor saxophone
  • Brad Schoeppach – electric guitar
  • Kurt Rosenwinkel – electric guitar
  • Stomu Takeishi – electric bass
  • Thomas Schmid – mastering

Track listing:

  1. Shaw-Nuff – Ray Brown, Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie
  2. I Waited for You – Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie
  3. Dance of the Infidels – Bud Powell
  4. Darn That Dream – Jimmy Van Heusen, Eddie DeLange
  5. Hot House – Tadd Dameron
  6. Dizzy Atmosphere – Dizzy Gillespie
  7. Scrapple from the Apple – Charlie Parker
  8. Scrapple from the Apple – Charlie Parker
  9. Monk’s Dream – Thelonious Monk
  10. 52nd Street Theme – Thelonious Monk

The Three Sounds: Introducing The 3 Sounds

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In February 1959, “Blue Note” label released “Introducing the 3 Sounds”, the debut Three Sounds (The) studio album. It was recorded in September 1958, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Gene Harris – piano, celeste 
  • Andrew Simpkins – bass 
  • Bill Dowdy – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Gene Harris, except where noted.

  1. Tenderly – Walter Gross, Jack Lawrence
  2. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  3. Both Sides
  4. Blue Bells
  5. It’s Nice
  6. Goin’ Home – traditional
  7. Woody ‘n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie
  8. ‘O Sole Mio – Giovanni Capurro, Eduardo di Capua

Junior Mance

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On January 16, 2021, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. aka Junior Mance died aged 92. He was musician (piano) and composer, one of the main figures of the Hard bop jazz scene. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names of jazz, blues and soul music including Gene Amons, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Stitt, Dinah Washington, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Nat Adderley, Joe Gordon, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Ernie Andrews, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey, Cliford Brown, Benny Carter, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cleveland, Arnett Cobb, Red Holloway, Jose James, Ray Crawford, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie Jefferson, Aretha Franklin, Etta Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Irene Kral, Jay Leonhart, Les McCann, Paul Gonsalves, Howard McGhee, The Metronomes, Virgil Gonsalves, James Moody, Wild Bill Moore, Barbara Morrison, Sandy Mosse, Leo Parker, Ken Peplowski, Billie Poole, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Alvin Queen, Jimmy Scott, Arnold Sterling, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Frank Vignola, Wilbur Ware, Ben Webster, Joe Williams, Marion Williams, and Leo Wright. As leader, Monce released 56 albums (live and studio). In 2007, Mance and his wife Gloria started their own record label “JunGlo”.