Tag Archives: Francis Wolff

Jimmy Smith: Midnight Special

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In November 1961, “Blue Note” label released “Midnight Special”, the 18th Jimmy Smith album. It was recorded in April 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith – organ
  • Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Donald Bailey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Del Shields – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Midnight Special – Jimmy Smith
  2. A Subtle One – Stanley Turrentine
  3. Jumpin’ the Blues – Walter Brown, Jay McShann, Charlie Parker
  4. Why Was I Born? – Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
  5. One O’Clock Jump – Count Basie

Lou Donaldson: Hot Dog

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In August 1969, “Blue Note” label released “Hot Dog”, the 32nd Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded in April 1969, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – vocals, varitone alto saxophone
  • Ed Williams – trumpet
  • Charles Earland – Hammond organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Leo Morris – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Who’s Making Love? – Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis, Raymond Jackson
  2. Turtle Walk
  3. Bonnie – Tommy Turrentine
  4. Hot Dog
  5. It’s Your Thing – Rudolph Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley

Jimmy Smith: Jimmy Smith At The Organ

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In July 1956, “Blue Note” label released “Jimmy Smith at the Organ”, the third Jimmy Smith album. It was recorded in June 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith – organ
  • Thornel Schwartz – guitar
  • Donald Bailey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording, mastering
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Smith, except where noted.

  1. Judo Mambo
  2. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  3. Lover, Come Back to Me – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
  4. Well, You Needn’t – Thelonious Monk
  5. Fiddlin’ the Minors
  6. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  7. I Cover the Waterfront – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman

Clifford Jordan: Cliff Jordan

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In July 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Cliff Jordan”, the second Clifford Jordan studio album. It was recorded in June 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Lee Morgan – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • John Jenkins – alto saxophone
  • Cliff Jordan – tenor saxophone
  • Ray Bryant – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording, mastering
  • Tom Hannan – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Robert Levin – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Not Guilty – Clifford Jordan
  2. St. John – John Jenkins
  3. Blue Shoes – Curtis Fuller
  4. Beyond the Blue Horizon – W. Franke Harling, Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting
  5. Ju-Ba – Lee Morgan

Lou Donaldson Quintet: Swing And Soul

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In July 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Swing and Soul”, album by the Lou Donaldson Quintet (the sixth Lou Donaldson album overall). It was recorded in June 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
  • Herman Foster – piano
  • Peck Morrison – bass
  • Dave Bailey – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Dorothy – Rudy Nichols
  2. I Won’t Cry Any More – Al Frisch, Fritz Wise
  3. Herman’s Mambo – Herman Foster
  4. Peck Time
  5. There’ll Never Be Another You – Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
  6. Groove Junction
  7. Grits and Gravy

Lou Donaldson: Everything I Play Is Funky

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In June 1970, “Blue Note” label released “Everything I Play is Funky”, the 33rd Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded August 1969 – January 1970, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – voice, alto and baritone saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell, Eddie Williams – trumpet
  • Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland – Hammond organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Jimmy Lewis – Fender bass
  • Idris Muhammad – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Bob Venosa/ Havona – design
  • Charles Keddie – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Everything I Do Goth Be Funky (From Now On) – Allen Toussaint
  2. Hamp’s Hump – Paul Hampton
  3. Over the Rainbow – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
  4. Donkey Walk
  5. West Indian Daddy
  6. Minor Bash

Lee Morgan: City Lights

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In June 1958, “Blue Note” label released “City Lights”, the sixth Lee Morgan album. It was recorded in August 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Lee Morgan – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • George Coleman – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Ray Bryant – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording, mastering
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. City Lights – Benny Golson
  2. Tempo de Waltz – Benny Golson
  3.  You’re Mine You – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman
  4. Just by Myself – Benny Golson
  5. Kin Folks – Gigi Gryce

Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue

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In May 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Midnight Blue”, the 17th Kenny Burrell album. It was recorded in January 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion, Michael Cuscuna and Tom Vasatka.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
  • Major Holley – bass 
  • Bill English – drums 
  • Ray Barretto – conga 
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer, remastering
  • Gordon Jee – creative director
  • Eric Bernhardi – design
  • Reid Miles – design, typography
  • Francis Wolff – photography, cover photography
  • Leonard Feather – original liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Kenny Burrell, except where noted.

  1. Chitlins con Carne
  2. Mule – Kenny Burrell, Major Holley Jr.
  3. Soul Lament
  4. Midnight Blue
  5. Wavy Gravy
  6. Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You – Andy Razaf, Don Redman
  7. Saturday Night Blues

The Jazz Messangers: Live At The Bohemia, Vols. 1 & 2

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In April 1958, “Blue Note” label released “At the Cafe Bohemia, Vols. 1 & 2”, a pair of separate but related live albums by the Jazz Messengers. They were recorded at the “Café Bohemia” jazz club in Greenwich Village, in New York City, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Horace Silver – piano
  • Doug Watkins – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums
  • John Hermansader – cover design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

Volume 1

  1. Announcement by Art Blakey
  2. Soft Winds – Benny Goodman
  3. The Theme – Kenny Dorham
  4. Minor’s Holiday – Kenny Dorham
  5. Alone Together – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
  6. Prince Albert (All the Things You Are) – Kenny Dorham, Jerome Kern

Volume 2

  1. Announcement by Art Blakey
  2. Sportin’ Crowd – Hank Mobley
  3. Like Someone in Love – Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen
  4. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  5. Avila and Tequila – Hank Mobley
  6. I Waited for You – Gil Fuller, Fizzy Gillespie
  7. Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
  8. Hank’s Symphony – Hank Mobley
  9. Gone with the Wind – Herb Magidson, Allie Wrubel

Elvin Jones: Coalition

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In February 1971, “Blue Note” label released “Coalition”, the 13th Elvin Jones album. It was recorded July 1970, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs” in New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Elvin Jones – drums
  • George Coleman – tenor saxophone
  • Frank Foster – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Wilbur Little – bass
  • Candido Camero – conga, tambourine

Track listing:

  1. Shinjitu – Elvin Jones
  2. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  3. 5/4 Thing – George Coleman
  4. Ural Stradania – Frank Foster
  5. Simone – Frank Foster