Tag Archives: Duke Ellington

Sonny Stitt: Soul People

Leave a comment

In September 1965, “Prestige” label released “Soul People”, the 50th Sonny Stitt album. It was recorded in 1964, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Ozzie Cadena, Bob Porter and Cal Lampley.

Personnel:

  • Sonny Stitt – alto saxophone and tenor saxophone
  • Booker Ervin – tenor saxophone
  • Grant Green – guitar
  • Vinnie Corrao – guitar
  • Don Patterson – organ
  • Billy James – drums

Track listing:

  1. Soul People – Sonny Stitt
  2. Sonny’s Book – Sonny Stitt
  3. “C” Jam Blues – Duke Ellington
  4. Medley: I Can’t Get Started / The Masquerade Is Over – Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin / Herb Magidson, Allie Wrubel

John Hicks: Piece for My Peace

Leave a comment

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

Arthur Blythe: Focus

Leave a comment

On July 30, 2002, “Savant” label released “Focus”, the 21st Arthur Blythe album. It was recorded in April 2002, at “Tedesco Studio” in Paramus, New Jersey, and was produced by Cecil Brooks III.

Personnel:

  • Arthur Blythe – alto saxophone
  • Gust William Tsilis – marimba
  • Bob Stewart – tuba
  • Cecil Brooks III – drums

Track listing:

 All tracks by Arthur Blythe except where noted.

  1. Opus
  2. Children’s Song aka That Old Man – Thelonious Monk
  3. C.C. Rider – traditional
  4. Once Again
  5. My Son Ra
  6. Hip Toe
  7. Night Song
  8. Bubbles
  9. Stuffy Turkey – Thelonious Monk
  10. Night Creeper
  11. In a Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington, Manny Kurtz, Irving Mills
  12. Focus

Arthur Blythe: Exhale

Leave a comment

On June 17, 2003, “Savant” label released “Exhale”, the final Arthur Blythe album. It was recorded in October 2002, at “Tedesco Studio” in Paramus, New Jersey, and was produced by Cecil Brooks III.

Personnel:

  • Arthur Blythe – alto saxophone
  • Bob Stewart – tuba
  • John Hicks – piano, organ
  • Cecil Brooks III – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Arthur Blythe except where noted

  1. Cousin Mary – John Coltrane
  2. Come Sunday – Duke Ellington
  3. Exhaust Suite: Nonette – Bob Stewart
  4. Exhaust Suite: Surrender
  5. Exhaust Suite: LC
  6. Exhaust Suite: Phase Two
  7. Night Train – Jimmy Forrest, Oscar Washington
  8. 7/4 Thang
  9. Equinox – John Coltrane
  10. Just Friends – John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis
  11. CJ – Bob Stewart
  12. All Blues – Miles Davis
  13. Straighten Up and Fly Right – Nat King Cole, Irving Mills
  14. Exhale

Duke Ellington: Such Sweet Thunder

Leave a comment

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

Curtis Fuller: Up Jumped Spring

Leave a comment

On March 16, 2004, “Delmark” label released “Up Jumped Spring”, the 24th Curtis Fuller album. It was recorded in August 2003, at “Riverside Studio” in Chicago, and was produced by Robert G. Koester and Jacey Falk.

Personnel:

  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Brad Goode – trumpet
  • Karl Montzka – piano
  • Larry Gray – bass
  • Stewart Miller – bass
  • Tim Davis – drums
  • Jacey Falk – vocals

Track listing:

  1. Cantaloupe Island – Herbie Hancock
  2. Up Jumped Spring – Freddie Hubbard
  3. In a Mellow Tone – Duke Ellington, Milt Gabler
  4. God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog Jr.
  5. Bags’ Groove – Milt Jackson
  6. Equinox – John Coltrane
  7. I’m Old Fashioned – Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer
  8. Alone Together – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
  9. Whisper Not – Benny Golson
  10. Black Night – Jessie Mae Robinson
  11. Star Eyes – Gene de Paul, Don Raye

Clifford Jordan: Masters from Different Worlds

Leave a comment

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

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

Duke Ellington: Money Jungle

Leave a comment

In February 1963, “United Artists” label released “Money Jungle”, Duke Ellington studio album. It was recorded in September 1962, at “Sound Makers Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Alan Douglas.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington – piano
  • Charles Mingus – double bass
  • Max Roach – drums

 Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.

  1. Money Jungle
  2. Fleurette Africane (African Flower)
  3. Very Special
  4. Warm Valley
  5. Wig Wise
  6. Caravan – music by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, lyrics by Irving Mills
  7. Solitude – music by Duke Ellington, lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills

J. J. Johnson Quartet: A Touch of Satin

Leave a comment

In February 1962, “Columbia” label released “A Touch of Satin”, album by J.J. Johnson Quartet (the 21st J.J. Johnson album overall). It was recorded in December 1960 and January 1961, at “Columbia 30th Street Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero.

Personnel:

  • J. J. Johnson – trombone
  • Victor Feldman – piano, vibraphone, celeste
  • Sam Jones – bass
  • Louis Hayes – drums

Track listing:

  1. Satin Doll – Duke Ellington
  2. Flat Black – J. J. Johnson
  3. Gigi – Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner
  4. Bloozineff – J. J. Johnson
  5. Jackie-ing – Thelonious Monk
  6. Goodbye – Gordon Jenkins
  7. Full Moon and Empty Arms – Buddy Kaye, Ted Mossman
  8. Sophisticated Lady – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
  9. When the Saints Go Marching In – traditional

Kenny Barron: Super Standard

Leave a comment

On December 22, 2004, “Venus” label released “Super Standard”, the 41st Kenny Barron album. It was recorded in September 2004, at “Avatar Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Tetsuo Hara and Todd Barkan.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Barron – piano
  • Jay Leonhart – bass
  • Al Foster – drums

Track listing:

  1. All of Me – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons
  2. Bye Bye Blackbird – Ray Henderson, Mort Dixon
  3. Cherokee – Ray Noble
  4. Cleopatra’s Dream – Bud Powell
  5. Doxy – Sonny Rollins
  6. Misty – Erroll Garner, Johnny Burke
  7. Stolen Moments – Oliver Nelson
  8. Summer Night – Harry Warren, Al Dubin
  9. Sunset and the Mockingbird – Duke Ellington
  10. Sweet and Lovely – Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias, Jules Lemare
  11. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  12. Yesterdays – Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach