Tag Archives: Francis Wolff

Clifford Jordan: Cliff Jordan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dexter Gordon: Our Man In Paris

In December 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Our Man in Paris”, the 20th Dexter Gordon album. It was recorded in May 1963, at “CBS Studios” in Paris, France, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Dexter Gordon – tenor saxophone 
  • Bud Powell – piano
  • Pierre Michelot – bass
  • Kenny Clarke – drums
  • Claude Ermelin – recording
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Scrapple from the Apple – Charlie Parker
  2. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  3. Broadway – Billy Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode
  4. Stairway to the Stars – Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli
  5. A Night in Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli

Ornette Coleman: The Empty Foxhole

In December 1966, “Blue Note” label released “The Empty Foxhole”, the tenth Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded in September 1966, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone, trumpet, violin, cover painting, liner notes
  • Charlie Haden – bass
  • Denardo Coleman – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Bob Fuentes – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Ornette Coleman.

  1. Good Old Days
  2. The Empty Foxhole
  3. Sound Gravitation
  4. Freeway Express
  5. Faithful
  6. Zig Zag

Hank Mobley: Reach Out!

In November 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Reach Out!”, the 20th Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in January 1968, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Woody Shaw – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • LaMont Johnson – piano
  • George Benson – guitar
  • Bob Cranshaw – bass
  • Billy Higgins – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Hank Mobley except where noted.

  1. Reach Out (I’ll Be There) – Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland
  2. Up, Over and Out
  3. Lookin’ East
  4. Goin’ Out of My Head – Teddy Randazzo, Bob Weinstein
  5. Good Pickin’s
  6. Beverly – LaMont Johnson