Tag Archives: Gigi Gryce

Kenny Dorham: Afro-Cuban

In October 1955, “Blue Note” label released “Afro-Cuban”, the second Kenny Dorham studio album. It was recorded January – March 1955, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • J. J. Johnson – trombone
  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Horace Silver – piano
  • Percy Heath – bass 
  • Oscar Pettiford – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Carlos “Patato” Valdes – conga
  • Richie Goldberg – cowbell 
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

All tracks by Kenny Dorham except where noted.

10″ Vinyl

  1. Afrodisia
  2. Lotus Flower
  3. Minor’s Holiday
  4. Basheer’s Dream – Gigi Gryce

Clifford Brown: Memorial Album

In September 1956, “Blue Note” label released “Memorial Album”, the 13th Clifford Brown album (it was released posthumously). It was recorded in June 1953, at “WOR Studios” in New York City, August 1953, at “Audio-Video Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Clifford Brown – trumpet
  • Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
  • Elmo Hope – piano
  • Percy Heath – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Hymn of the Orient – Gigi Gryce
  2. Easy Living – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin
  3. Minor Mood – Clifford Brown
  4. Cherokee – Ray Noble
  5. Wail Bait – Quincy Jones
  6. Brownie Speaks – Clifford Brown
  7. De-Dah – Elmo Hope
  8. Cookin’ – Lou Donaldson
  9. You Go to My Head – J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
  10. Carving the Rock – Elmo Hope, Sonny Rollins

Coleman Hawkins: The Hawk Flies High

In July 1957, “Riverside” label released “The Hawk Flies High”, the twelve Coleman Hawkins album. It was recorded in March 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer.

Personnel:

  • Coleman Hawkins – tenor saxophone
  • Barry Galbraith – guitar
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • Oscar Pettiford – bass
  • Jo Jones – drums
  • J.J. Johnson – trombone
  • Idrees Sulieman – trumpet

Track listing:

  1. Chant – Hank Jones
  2. Juicy Fruit – Idrees Sulieman
  3. Think Deep – William O. Smith
  4. Laura – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
  5. Blue Lights – Gigi Gryce
  6. Sancticity – Coleman Hawkins

Randy Weston: Uhuru Afrika

In April 1961, “Roulette” label released “Uhuru Afrika”, the thirteenth Randy Weston album. It was recorded in November 1960, at “Bell Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Teddy Reig. The album features lyrics and liner notes by the poet Langston Hughes and was banned in South Africa in 1964.

Personnel:

  • Randy Weston – piano
  • Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Slide Hampton, Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Julius Watkins – French horn
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone, flute
  • Yusef Lateef – tenor saxophone, flute, oboe
  • Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Budd Johnson – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Jerome Richardson – baritone saxophone, piccolo
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Les Spann – guitar, flute
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • George Duvivier, Ron Carter – bass
  • Max Roach, Charlie Persip – drums, percussion
  • Wilbert Hogan – drums
  • Babatunde Olatunji – percussion
  • Armando Peraza – bongos
  • Candido Camero – congas
  • Martha Flowers, Brock Peters – vocals
  • Tuntemeke Sanga – narrator
  • Melba Liston – arranger

Track listing:

All tracks by Randy Weston, except where noted.

  1. Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza – Langston Hughes
  2. First Movement: Uhuru Kwanza
  3. Second Movement: African Lady – Randy Weston, Langston Hughes
  4. Third Movement: Bantu
  5. Fourth Movement: Kucheza Blues

Art Blakey: Drum Suite

In April 1957, “Columbia” label released “Drum Suite”, album by Art Blakey, side one is the Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble, side two is the Jazz Messengers. It was recorded June – December 1956, February 1957, at “Columbia 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by George Avakian.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Bill Hardman – trumpet
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Ira Sullivan – tenor saxophone
  • Ray Bryant – piano
  • Sam Dockery – piano
  • Kenny Drew – piano
  • Oscar Pettiford – bass, cello
  • Spanky DeBrest – bass
  • Wilbur Ware – bass
  • Jo Jones – drums
  • Charles “Specs” Wright – drums, timpani, gong
  • Candido Camero – bongos
  • Sabu Martinez – bongos 

Track listing:

  1. The Sacrifice – Art Blakey
  2. Cubano Chant – Ray Bryant
  3. Oscalypso – Oscar Pettiford
  4. Nica’s Tempo – Gigi Gryce
  5. D’s Dilemma – Mal Waldron
  6. Just for Marty – Bill Hardman

Benny Golsons: Benny Golson’s New York Scene

In January 1959, “Contemporary” label released “Benny Golson’s New York Scene”,  the debut Benny Golson album. It was recorded in October 1957, in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
  • Art Farmer – trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland – trombone 
  • Julius Watkins – French horn 
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone 
  • Sahib Shihab – baritone saxophone 
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Charlie Persip – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Benny Golson except where noted.

  1. Something in B flat – Ray Bryant
  2. Whisper Not
  3. Step Lightly
  4. Just by Myself
  5. Blues It
  6. You’re Mine, You – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman
  7. Capri – Gigi Gryce

Thelonious Monk: With John Coltrane

In October 1961, “Jazzland” label released “Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane”, album by Thelonious Monk. It was recorded April – July 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • Ray Copeland – trumpet 
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone 
  • Coleman Hawkins – tenor saxophone
  • Wilbur Ware – bass
  • Shadow Wilson – drums 
  • Art Blakey – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Thelonious Monk except where noted..

  1. Ruby, My Dear
  2. Trinkle, Tinkle
  3. Off Minor (take 4)
  4. Nutty
  5. Epistrophy – Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk
  6. Functional (take 1)

Cliff Jordan: Blowing In From Chicago

In July 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Blowing in from Chicago”, the debut Clifford Jordan album. It was recorded in March 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone
  • John Gilmore- tenor saxophone
  • Horace Silver- piano
  • Curly Russell- bass
  • Art Blakey– drums

Track listing:

  1. Status Quo – John Neely
  2. Bo-Till – Clifford Jordan
  3. Blue Lights – Gigi Gryce
  4. Billie’s Bounce – Charlie Parker
  5. Evil Eye – Clifford Jordan
  6. Everywhere – Horace Silver

Bill Evans: Everybody Digs Bill Evans

In March 1959, “Riverside” label released “Everybody Digs Bill Evans”, the third Bill Evans studio album. It was recorded on December 15, 1958, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Bill Evans – piano
  • Sam Jones – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums

Track listing:

  1. Minority – Gigi Gryce
  2. Young and Foolish – Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt
  3. Lucky to Be Me – Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green
  4. Night and Day – Cole Porter
  5. Tenderly – Walter Gross
  6. Peace Piece – Bill Evans
  7. What Is There to Say? – Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg
  8. Oleo – Sonny Rollins
  9. Epilogue – Bill Evans

Personnel:

  • Bill Evans- piano
  • Sam Jones- bass
  • Philly Joe Jones- drums

Donald Byrd

On February 4, 2013, Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture “Donald” Byrd II died aged 80. He was trumpeter, best known as founder and leader the band The Blackbyrds, and regarded as one of the pioneeres of the fusion of funk and soul genres with jazz music. He had successful solo career, and has recorded and performed with big number of famous musicians including Herbie Hancock, Pepper Adams, Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, George Wallington, Kenny Clarke, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Pettiford, Hank Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Art Blakey, Rita Reys, Elmo Hope, Phil Woods, Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Paul Chambers, Doug Watkins, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Burrell, Gigi Gryce, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Art Taylor, Kenny Drew, Sonny Clark, John Jenkins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Michel Legrand, Dizzy Reece, Mundell Lowe, Thelonious Monk, Chris Connor, Eric Dolphy, Cal Tjader, Sam Rivers, Wes Monthomery, Stanley Turrentine, Guru and Ahmad Jamal.