Tag Archives: Duke Ellington

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

Curtis Fuller: Up Jumped Spring

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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

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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

Duke Ellington: Money Jungle

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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

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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

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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
  • Taz (48) – design
  • John Abbott – photography

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

Wynton Marsalis: Hot House Flowers

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On December 18, 1984, “Columbia” label released “Hot House Flowers”, the third Wynton Marsalis album. It was recorded in May 1984, at “RCA Studio A” in New York City, and was produced by George Butler and Steven Epstein. The album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Jazz Instrumental Performance Soloist” in 1985.

Personnel:

  • Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
  • Branford Marsalis – soprano and tenor saxophone
  • Kent Jordan – alto flute
  • Paul McCandless – oboe, English horn
  • Andrew Schwartz – bassoon
  • Peter Gordon – French horn
  • Tony Price – tuba
  • Kenny Kirkland – piano
  • Ron Carter – double bass
  • Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums
  • Charles Libove (concertmaster), Ingrid Arden, Peter Dimitriades, Gayle Dixon, Guillermo Figueroa, Winterton Garvey, Harry Glickman, Regis Iandiorio, Ray Kunicki, Patmore Lewis, Diane Monroe, Louann Montesi – violin
  • Al Brown, Theodore Israel, Mitsue Takayama, Harry Zaratzian – viola
  • Seymour Barab, Richard Locker, Alvin McCall, Frederick Zlotkin – cello
  • Bob Freedman – arranger, orchestrator, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish
  2. Lazy Afternoon – Jerome Moross, John Latouche
  3. For All We Know – John Frederick Coots, Sam M. Lewis
  4. When You Wish upon a Star – Ned Washington, Leigh Harline
  5. Django – John Lewis
  6. Melancholia – Duke Ellington
  7. Hot House Flowers – Wynton Marsalis
  8. I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You) – Al J. Neiburg, Doc Daugherty, Ellis Reynolds

Oscar Peterson & Joe Pass & Ray Brown: The Giants

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In December 1974, “Pablo” label released “The Giants” an album by Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown. It was recorded on December 7, 1974, at “MGM Studios” and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Oscar Peterson – piano, organ
  • Joe Pass – guitar
  • Ray Brown – double bass
  • Norman Granz – layout, design
  • Phil Stern – photography

Track listing:

  1. Riff Blues – Oscar Peterson
  2. Who Cares? – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  3. Jobim – Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson
  4. Blues for Dennis – Oscar Peterson
  5. Sunny – Bobby Hebb
  6. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – George Bassman, Ned Washington
  7. Caravan – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol
  8. Eyes of Love – Quincy Jones, Bob Russell

Charles Mingus: Pre-Bird

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SONY DSC

In September 1961, “Mercury” label released “Pre-Bird”, the 18th Charles Mingus album. It was recorded in May 1960, and was produced by Leonard Feather.

Personnel:

  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • Paul Bley – piano
  • Roland Hanna – piano
  • Gunther Schuller – conductor
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • Ted Curson – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Hobart Dotson – trumpet
  • Richard Williams – trumpet
  • Robert Di Domenica – flute
  • Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, flute
  • Booker Ervin – saxophone
  • Yusuf Lateef – saxophone, flute
  • John LaPorta – saxophone
  • Danny Bank – saxophone
  • Bill Barron – saxophone
  • Joe Farrell – saxophone
  • Eddie Bert – trombone
  • Slide Hampton – trombone
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Charles “Majeed” Greenlee – trombone
  • George Scott – drums
  • Dannie Richmond – drums
  • Sticks Evans – drums
  • Max Roach – drums
  • Lorraine Cusson – vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles Mingus, except where noted.

  1. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn / Exactly Like You – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
  2. Prayer For Passive Resistance
  3. Eclipse
  4. Mingus Fingus No. 2
  5. Weird Nightmare
  6. Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell / I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, John Redmond
  7. Bemoanable Lady
  8. Half-Mast Inhibition

Jimmy Smith: The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith

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In May 1962, “Verve” label released “Bashin’: The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith”, the 20th Jimmy Smith album. It was recorded in March 1962, at “Van Gelder Studios” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Cred Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith – organ
  • Oliver Nelson – arranger, conductor
  • Phil Woods, Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone
  • Bob Ashton, Babe Clarke – tenor saxophone
  • George Barrow – baritone saxophone
  • Joe Newman, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Joe Wilder – trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • Tom Mitchell – bass trombone
  • Barry Galbraith – guitar
  • Quentin Warren – guitar
  • George Duvivier – bass
  • Ed Shaughnessy – drums
  • Donald Bailey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Del Shields – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Walk on the Wild Side – Elmer Bernstein, Mack David
  2. Ol’ Man River – Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
  3. In a Mellow Tone – Duke Ellington, Milt Gabler
  4. Step Right Up – Oliver Nelson
  5. Beggar for the Blues – Ray Rasch, Dotty Wayne
  6. Bashin’ – Jimmy Smith
  7. I’m an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande) – Johnny Mercer