Tag Archives: Esmond Edwards

Johnny “Hammond” Smith:That Good Feelin’

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In December 1959, “New Jazz Label” released “That Good Feelin’”, the fourth Johnny “Hammond” Smith album. It was recorded in November 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs”, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Johnny “Hammond” Smith – organ
  • Thornel Schwartz – guitar
  • George Tucker – bass
  • Leo Stevens – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks Johnny “Hammond” Smith except where noted.

  1. That Good Feelin’
  2. Bye Bye Blackbird – Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson
  3. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  4. I’ll Remember April – Gene de Paul, Patricia Johnston, Don Raye
  5. Billie’s Bounce – Charlie Parker
  6. My Funny Valentine – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  7. Puddin’

Gene Ammons: Up Tight!

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In November 1961, “Prestige” label released “Up Tight!”, the 14th Gene Ammons album. It was recorded in October 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, Bew Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Gene Ammons – tenor saxophone
  • Walter Bishop Jr., Patti Bown – piano
  • Art Davis, George Duvivier – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Gene Ammons, except where noted.

  1. The Breeze and I – Ernesto Lecuona, Al Stillman
  2. I Sold My Heart to the Junkman – Leon René
  3. Moonglow – Eddie DeLange, Will Hudson, Irving Mills
  4. Up Tight!
  5. The Five O’Clock Whistle – Kim Gannon, Gene Irwin, Josef Myrow
  6. Jug’s Blue Blues
  7. Lester Leaps In – Lester Young

Jimmy Forrest: Most Much!

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In November 1961, “Prestige” label released “Most Much!”, the seventh Jimmy Forrest album. It was recorded in October 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Forrest – tenor saxophone
  • Hugh Lawson – piano
  • Tommy Potter – bass
  • Clarence Johnston – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas
  • Esmond Edwards – supervisor
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Forrest except where noted.

  1. Matilda – Norman Span
  2. Annie Laurie – traditional
  3. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  4. My Buddy – Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
  5. Soft Winds – Benny Goodman
  6. Robbin’s Nest – Illinois Jacquet, Bob Russell, Sir Charles Thompson
  7. Most Much

Buck Clayton & Buddy Tate: Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues

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In November 1961, “Swingville” label released “Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues”, album by Buck Clayton and Buddy Tate. It was recorded in September 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Buck Clayton – trumpet
  • Buddy Tate – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Sir Charles Thompson – piano
  • Gene Ramey – bass
  • Gus Johnson – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Buck Clayton except where noted.

  1. Rompin’ at Red Bank – Buddy Tate
  2. Blue Creek – Buddy Tate
  3. A Swinging Doll
  4. Dallas Delight
  5. Don’t Mind If I Do – Buddy Tate
  6. Blue Breeze
  7. Blue Ebony

Buddy Tate: Tate-a-Tate

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In November 1960, “Swingville” label released “Tate-a-Tate”, the sixth Buddy Tate album. It was recorded in October 1960, at “Van Gelder Studios” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Buddy Tate – tenor saxophone
  • Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Larry Gales – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

 All tracks by Clark Terry, except where noted.

  1. Groun’ Hog
  2. Tate-a-Tate
  3. Snatchin’ It Back
  4. #20 Ladbroke Square – Buddy Tate, Esmond Edwards
  5. All Too Soon – Duke Ellington, Carl Sigman
  6. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn

Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Johnny Griffin: Battle Stations

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In November 1960, “Prestige” label released “Battle Stations”, album by Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Johnny Griffin (22nd Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis” album overall). It was recorded in September 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor saxophone
  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Norman Simmons – piano
  • Victor Sproles – bass
  • Ben Riley – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. What’s Happening – Fletcher Henderson
  2. Abundance – Norman Simmons
  3. If I Had You – Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Ted Shapiro
  4. 63rd Street Theme – Johnny Griffin
  5. Pull My Coat – Richard Evans
  6. Hey Jim! – Babs Gonzales, James Moody

Lem Winchester: Winchester Special

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In November 1959, “New Jazz” label released “Winchester Special”, the third Lem Winchester studio album. It was recorded in September 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Lem Winchester – vibraphone
  • Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Wendell Marshall – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Down Fuzz – Lem Winchester
  2. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  3. Will You Still Be Mine? – Tom Adair, Matt Dennis
  4. Mysticism – Len Foster
  5. How Are Things in Glocca Morra? – Burton Lane, Yip Harburg
  6. The Dude – Lem Winchester

Ramsey Lewis: The Movie Album

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In June 1967, “Cadet” label released “The Movie Album”, the 25th Ramsey Lewis album. It was recorded in July 1966, at “Universal Recording Studio” in Chicago, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Ramsey Lewis – piano
  • Cleveland Eaton – bass
  • Maurice White – drums
  • Richard Evans – orchestra and voices arranged and conducted

Track listing:

  1. Theme from The Pawnbroker – Quincy Jones
  2. Saturday Night After the Movies – Richard Evans
  3. The Gentle Rain – Luiz Bonfá
  4. China Gate – Harold Adamson, Victor Young
  5. Emily – Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer
  6. Goin’ Hollywood – Richard Evans
  7. From Russia with Love – Lionel Bart
  8. The Shadow of Your Smile – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster
  9. Girl Talk – Bobby Troup, Neil Hefti
  10. Matchmaker, Matchmaker – Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick
  11. Return to Paradise – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington

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: 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