Tag Archives: Frank Wess

George Benson: 20/20

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On January 7, 1985, “Warner Bros” label released “20/20”, the 22nd George Benson studio album. It was recorded in 1984, at “Amigo Studios”, “Devonshire Sound Studios”, “Bill Schnee Studios” in Hollywood, “Atlantic Studios”, “A&R Recording”, “Automated Sound Studios”, “Rosebud Recording”, “The Hit Factory”, “the Review Room”, “Avatar Studios”, “Sigma Sound Studios” in New York City, “Grand Slam Studios” in New Jersey, “House of Music” in Orange, NJ, “Bossa Nova Hotel”, “Village Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Russ Titelman, Michael Masser, Daniel Sembello and Michael Sembello.

Personnel:

  • George Benson – lead and harmony vocals, guitar
  • Michael Sembello – guitars, drum programming, backing vocals
  • Dann Huff – guitar
  • Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
  • Cecil Womack – guitar, backing vocals
  • David Williams – rhythm guitar
  • Freddie Green – rhythm guitar
  • Joe Sample – acoustic piano
  • Wells Christie – Synclavier programming
  • Randy Waldman – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
  • James Newton Howard – acoustic piano, synthesizers, string arrangements
  • Clifford Carter – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming
  • Rob Mounsey – Synclavier, vocoder, synthesizer bass
  • Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes, synthesizer bass
  • Daniel Sembello – DX7 Rhodes, synthesizer bass, synthesizers, drum programming, ride cymbal
  • Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, synthesizer programming, arrangements
  • Randy Goodrum – synthesizer programming, Oberheim DMX, Oberheim DSX sequencer
  • Barnaby Finch – DX7 Rhodes
  • Dave Grusin – string synthesizer, flute
  • Neil Larsen – synthesizers
  • Randy Kerber – keyboards
  • Marcus Miller – bass
  • Nathan East – bass
  • Earl May – bass
  • Anthony Jackson – bass
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • Clif Magness – drum programming, track arrangements
  • Russ Titelman – drum programming
  • Steve Ferrone – additional drums
  • Dave Weckl – additional drums, additional cymbals
  • Bryan Lee Janszen – Simmons drum programming
  • Carlos Vega – drums
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Steve Kipner – Oberheim DMX, Oberheim DSX sequencer
  • Rick Shlosser – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Errol “Crusher” Bennett – finger cymbals
  • Ralph MacDonald – triangle, percussion
  • Gary Herbig – saxophone
  • Kim Hutchcroft – saxophone
  • Frank Wess – alto saxophone
  • Charles Williams – alto saxophone
  • Robert Eldridge – baritone saxophone
  • George Coleman – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Heath – tenor saxophone
  • Robin Eubanks – trombone
  • Slide Hampton – trombone
  • Benny Powell – trombone
  • Dave Taylor – trombone
  • Gary Grant – trumpet
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet, horn arrangements
  • Jon Faddis – trumpet
  • Earl Gardner – trumpet
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet
  • Felix Vega – trumpet
  • George Young – flute
  • Frank Foster – horn arrangements, conductor
  • Ralph Burns – string arrangements, conductor
  • Michael Masser – rhythm track arrangements
  • Gene Page – rhythm track and string arrangements
  • Roberta Flack – lead vocals
  • Patti Austin – backing and harmony vocals
  • Gordon Grody – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Richard Marx – backing vocals
  • Deborah Thomas – backing vocals
  • James Taylor – backing and harmony vocals
  • Linda Womack – backing vocals
  • David Cochrane – backing vocals
  • Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals
  • Russ Titelman – executive producer
  • Mary Melia – production coordinator
  • Jim Boyer, Lee Herschberg, Gary Ladinsky, Michael Mancini, Elliot Scheiner, Russell Schmitt, Thom Wilson – engineer
  • Dick Bogart, Kendal Brown, Dean Burt, John Convertino, Jim Gallagher, Josiah Gluck, Cliff Hodson, John Rollo, Nicholas Spigel – additional engineering
  • Michael Abbott, Mike Allaire, Nelson Ayers, Mike Birnholz, Paul Brown, Ollie Cotton, Nick Delre, Paul Higgins, Steve Hirsch, Cliff Jones, Barbara Ivone, Leslie Klein, Robin Laine, Bruce Lampcov, James Nichols, Bobby Warner, Jay Willis – engineer assistant
  • Jim Boyer, Ed Rak, Elliot Scheiner, Russ Titelman – mixing
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Simon Levy – art direction
  • Kav DeLuxe – design
  • Richard Bomersheim – photography

Track listing:

  1. No One Emotion – Cliff Magness, Mark Mueller, Tom Keane
  2. Please Don’t Walk Away – James Newton Howard, Steve Lukather
  3. I Just Wanna Hang Around You – Chuz Sembello, Daniel Sembello, Jon Sembello, Michael Sembello
  4. Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You – Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin
  5. Beyond the Sea (la Mer) – Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence
  6. 20/20 – Randy Goodrum, Steve Kipner
  7. New Day – Cecil Womack, Linda Womack
  8. Hold Me – Michael Sembello, Daniel Sembello
  9. Stand Up – Neil Larsen
  10. You Are the Love of My Love – Linda Creed, Michael Masser

Bennie Green: The Swingin’est

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In December 1958, “Vee-Jay” label released “The Swingin’est”, the eighth Bennie Green album. It was recorded in November 1958, at “Bell Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Sid McCoy.

Personnel:

  • Bennie Green – trombone
  • Gene Ammons, Frank Foster – tenor saxophone
  • Nat Adderley – cornet
  • Frank Wess – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Eddie Jones – bass
  • Albert Heath – drums

Track listing:

  1. Juggin’ Around – Frank Foster
  2. Going South – Frank Foster
  3. Jim Dog – Gene Ammons
  4. Sermonette – Nat Adderley, Jon Hendricks
  5. A Little Ditty – Frank Wess

Chico O’Farrill: Nine Flags

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In December 1966, “Impulse!” label released “Nine Flags”, the ninth Chico O’Farrill album. It was recorded in November 1966, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  1. Chico O’Farrill – arranger, conductor
  2. Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
  3. Art Farmer, Bernie Glow, Jimmy Nottingham – trumpet
  4. Harry DiVito, Urbie Green, J. J. Johnson, Benny Powell – trombone
  5. Julius Watkins – French horn
  6. Jerry Dodgion, Joe Firrantello, Eddie Wasserman, Frank Wess – woodwinds
  7. Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
  8. Larry Coryell – guitar
  9. Pat Rebillot – piano
  10. George Duvivier – bass
  11. Gus Johnson, Don Lamond, Mel Lewis – drums
  12. Carl Hard – percussion 

Track listing:

All tracks by Chico O’Farrill.

  1. Live Oak
  2. Patcham
  3. Aromatic Tabac
  4. Dry Citrus
  5. Royal Saddle
  6. Panache
  7. Green Moss
  8. Manzanilla
  9. Clear Spruce
  10. The Lady From Nine Flags

Ray Charles: The Genius Of

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In October 1959, “Atlantic” label released “The Genius of Ray Charles”, the seventh Ray Charles album. It was recorded May – June 1959, at “6 West Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegün and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Ray Charles – vocals, piano
  • Allen Hanlon – guitar
  • Wendell Marshall – bass guitar
  • Ted Sommer – drums
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • John Hunt – trumpet
  • Melba Liston – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Thomas Mitchell – trombone
  • Al Grey – trombone
  • Frank Wess – flute
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • John Hunt – trumpet
  • Melba Liston – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Thomas Mitchell – trombone
  • Al Grey – trombone
  • Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone
  • Frank Wess – flute, alto and tenor saxophone
  • Marshal Royal – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone
  • Billy Mitchell – tenor saxophone
  • David “Fathead” Newman – tenor saxophone
  • Quincy Jones – arranger, conductor
  • Ernie Wilkins – arrangements
  • Ralph Burns – arrangements
  • Ralph Burns – arrangements
  • Johnny Acea – arrangements
  • Al Cohn – arrangements
  • Harry Lookofsky – concertmaster
  • Bill Schwartau, Tom Dowd – recording
  • Marvin Israel – cover design
  • Lee Friedlander – cover photography
  • Nat Hentoff – sleeve notes

Track listing:

  1. Let the Good Times Roll – Sam Theard, Fleecie Moore
  2. It Had to Be You – Gus Kahn, Isham Jones
  3. Alexander’s Ragtime Band – Irving Berlin
  4. Two Years of Torture – Percy Mayfield, Charles Joseph Morris
  5. When Your Lover Has Gone – Einar Aaron Swan
  6. Deed I Do – Walter Hirsch, Fred Rose
  7. Just for a Thrill – Lil Hardin Armstrong, Don Raye
  8. You Won’t Let Me Go – Bud Allen, Buddy Johnson
  9. Tell Me You’ll Wait for Me – Charles Brown, Oscar Moore
  10. Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’ – Joe Greene
  11. Am I Blue? – Grant Clarke, Harry Akst
  12. Come Rain or Come Shine – Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen

Joe Turner: The Boss Of The Blues

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In June 1956, “Atlantic” label released “The Boss of the Blues”, the fourth Big Joe Turner album. It was recorded in 1956 and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Big Joe Turner– vocals
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • Pete Johnson– piano
  • Walter Page– double bass
  • Cliff Leeman– drums
  • Pete Brown– alto saxophone
  • Seldon Powell– tenor saxophone
  • Frank Wess– tenor saxophone
  • Joe Newman– trumpet
  • Jimmy Nottingham– trumpet
  • Lawrence Brown– trombone
  • Ernie Wilkins– arrangements
  • Len Frank – engineer
  • Bob Defrin – art direction, design
  • Marvin Israel – artwork
  • Curtice Taylor – hand coloring
  • Nesuhi Ertegun– supervision
  • Jerry Wexler– supervision
  • Whitney Balliett– liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Pete Johnson and Big Joe Turner, except where noted.

  1. Cherry Red
  2. Roll ‘Em Pete
  3. I Want a Little Girl – Murray Mencher, Billy Moll
  4. Low Down Dog – Big Joe Turner
  5. Wee Baby Blues
  6. You’re Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?) – Walter Donaldson
  7. How Long Blues – traditional
  8. Morning Glories – traditional
  9. Louis Blues – W. C. Handy
  10. Piney Brown Blues

 

Aretha Franklin: Soul 69

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On January 17, 1969, “Atlantic” label released “Soul ’69”, the fourteen Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded April 17–18 and September 24, 1968, at “Atlantic Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Tom Dowd and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – vocals, piano
  • Kenny Burrell– guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson– guitar
  • Junior Mance– piano
  • Spooner Oldham– organ
  • Joe Zawinul– organ, piano, Fender Rhodes
  • Ron Carter– bass guitar
  • Jerry Jemmott– bass guitar
  • Tommy Cogbill– bass guitar
  • Bruno Carr – drums
  • Roger Hawkins– drums
  • Grady Tate– drums
  • Jack Jennings – vibraphone
  • Louie Goicdecha, Manuel Gonzales – percussion
  • David Newman– tenor saxophone, flute
  • King Curtis, Seldon Powell– tenor saxophone
  • George Dorsey, Frank Wess– alto saxophone
  • Pepper Adams– baritone saxophone
  • Joe Newman, Bernie Glow, Richard Williams, Snook Young,  Ernie Royal– trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Benny Powell, Thomas Mitchell – trombone
  • Evelyn Greene, Wyline Ivy – backing vocals
  • Arif Mardin – arrangements

Track listing:

  1. Ramblin’ – Big Maybelle
  2. Today I Sing the Blues – Curtis Reginald Lewis
  3. River’s Invitation – Percy Mayfield
  4. Pitiful – Rosie Marie McCoy, Charlie Singleton
  5. Crazy He Calls Me – Bob Russell, Carl Sigman
  6. Bring It On Home to Me – Sam Cooke
  7. Tracks of My Tears – Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin
  8. If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody – Rudy Clark
  9. Gentle on My Mind – John Hartford
  10. So Long – Russ Morgan, Remus Harris, Irving Melsher
  11. I’ll Never Be Free – Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss
  12. Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind

Count Basie and His Orchestra: The Atomic Mr. Basie

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In January 1958, “Roulette” label released “The Atomic Mr. Basie”, album by Count Basie and his Orchestra. It was recorded on October 21 and 22, 1957, at “Capitol Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Teddy Reig. At the 1st “Annual Grammy Awards”, the album won “Best Jazz Performance, Group” and “Best Performance by a Dance Band” awards.

Personnel:

  • Count Basie— piano
  • Wendell Culley, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Joe Newman— trumpet
  • Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell— trombone
  • Marshal Royal, Frank Wess, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Frank Foster, Charles Fowlkes— reeds
  • Eddie Jones— bass
  • Freddie Green— guitar
  • Sonny Payne— drums
  • Joe Williams— vocals
  • Neal Hefti, Jimmy Mundy— arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks composed and arranged by Neal Hefti, except where noted.

  1. Kid from Red Bank – Count Basie, Neal Hefti
  2. Duet
  3. After Supper
  4. Flight of the Foo Birds
  5. Double-O
  6. Teddy the Toad
  7. Whirlybird
  8. Midnite Blue
  9. Splanky
  10. Fantail
  11. Lil’ Darlin’

Ella Fitzgerald And Count Basie: Ella And Basie!

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In September 1963, “Verve” label released “Ella and Basie!”, studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie and his orchestra. It was recorded in July 1963, at “A&R Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Norman Ganz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
  • The Count Basie Orchestra:
  • Count Basie– piano
  • Sonny Cohn, Al Aarons, Joe Newman, Don Rader– trumpet
  • Eric Dixon– flute, tenor saxophone
  • Frank Foster, Frank Wess– flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell– trombone
  • Flip Ricard– trombone, trumpet
  • Marshal Royal– clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Buddy Catlett– double bass
  • Sonny Payne– drums
  • Quincy Jones– arranger
  • Val Valentin – recording
  • Jay Thompson – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  2. Deed I Do – Walter Hirsch, Fred Rose
  3. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall – Doris Fisher, Allan Roberts
  4. Them There Eyes – Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey
  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me – Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt
  6. Tea for Two – Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
  7. Satin Doll – Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn
  8. I’m Beginning to See the Light – Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James
  9. Shiny Stockings – Frank Foster, Ella Fitzgerald
  10. This Is My Last Affair – Haven Johnson
  11. Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Harry Brooks, Razaf, Waller
  12. On the Sunny Side of the Street – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh

Alex Taylor: Alex Taylor with Friends and Neighbors

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In March 1971, “Capricorn” label released “Alex Taylor with Friends and Neighbors”, the debut Alex Taylor album. It was recorded in 1971, at “Capricorn Studios” in Macon, Georgia, and was produced by Johnny Sandlin.

Personnel:

  • Alex Taylor- vocals
  • James Taylor- guitar
  • Peter Kowalke- guitar
  • Joe Rudd- guitar
  • Scott Boyer- guitar, backing vocals
  • Tommy Talton- guitar
  • Paul Hornsby- keyboards
  • Johnny Sandlin- bass
  • Bill Stewart- drums
  • King Curtis- saxophone
  • Willie Bridges- saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber- saxophone
  • Frank Wess- saxophone
  • Daniel Moore- trumpet
  • William S. Fischer- conductor, string arrangements
  • Lewis Hahn, Jim Hawkins – recording
  • Jimmy Roberts – art direction
  • Mickey Dobo – photography
  • Frank Fenter – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Highway Song – James Taylor
  2. Southern Kids – Scott Boyer
  3. All in Line – Tommy Talton
  4. Night Owl – James Taylor
  5. C Song – Scott Boyer
  6. It’s All Over Now – Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack
  7. Baby Ruth – Johnny Wyker
  8. Take Out Some Insurance – Charles Singleton
  9. Southbound – Dickey Betts