Tag Archives: Johnny Griffin

The Undisputed Truth: Face to Face With the Truth

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In January 1972, “Gordy” label released “Face to Face with the Truth”, the second Undisputed Truth (The) album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Joe “Pep” Harris – lead vocals
  • Billie Rae Calvin – additional lead and backing vocals
  • Brenda Joyce Evans – additional lead and backing vocals
  • Dennis Coffey – lead guitar
  • Melvin Ragin, Robert White, Eddie Willis, Joe Messina – guitar
  • Earl Van Dyke – piano
  • Johnny Griffin – organ
  • James Jamerson – bass
  • Aaron Smith, Richard Allen, Andrew Smith – drums
  • Eddie Brown – bongos, congas
  • Jack Ashford – tambourine, maracas, percussion
  • Jack Brokensha – timpani, vibraphone, bells
  • Norman Whitfield – engineer, mastering, art concept

Track listing:

  1. You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth
  2. What It Is
  3. Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World) / Friendship Train
  4. Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)
  5. Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me
  6. Don’t Let Him take Your Love from Me
  7. What’s Going On

Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers: Hard Drive

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In December 1957, “Bethlehem” label released “Hard Drive”, the ninth Art Blakey with The Jazz Messengers album. It was recorded in October 1957, in New York City, and was produced by Lee Kratf.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Junior Mance, Sam Dockery – piano
  • Spanky DeBrest – bass
  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Bill Hardman – trumpet

Track listing:

  1. For Minors Only – Jimmy Heath
  2. Right Down Front – Johnny Griffin
  3. Deo-X – Bill Hardman
  4. Sweet Sakeena – Bill Hardman
  5. For Miles and Miles – Jimmy Heath
  6. Krafty – Johnny Griffin
  7. Late Spring – Leon Mitchell

Johnny Griffin: The Congregation

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In March 1958, “Blue Note” label released “The Congregation”, the fourth Johnny Griffin album. It was recorded in October 1957, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Sonny Clark – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Kenny Dennis – drums
  • Andy Warhol, Reid Miles – cover art

Track listing:

 All tracks by Johnny Griffin, except where noted.

  1. The Congregation
  2. Latin Quarter – John Jenkins
  3. I’m Glad There Is You – Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Mertz
  4. Main Spring
  5. It’s You or No One – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
  6. I Remember You – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger

Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis: Tough Tenors

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In December 1960, “Jazzland” label released “Tough Tenors”, an album by Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. It was recorded in November 1960, at “Plaza Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor saxophone 
  • Junior Mance – piano
  • Larry Gales – bass
  • Ben Riley – drums

Track listing:

  1. Tickle Toe – Lester Young
  2. Save Your Love for Me – Buddy Johnson
  3. Twins – Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Johnny Griffin
  4. Funky Fluke – Bennie Green
  5. Imagination – Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen
  6. Soft Winds – Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson

Johnny Griffin: Johnny Griffin Sextet

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In May 1958, “Riverside” label released “Johnny Griffin Sextet”, the fifth Johnny Griffin album. It was recorded in February 1958, in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Griffin — tenor saxophone
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Kenny Drew — piano
  • Wilbur Ware — bass
  • Philly Joe Jones — drums

Track listing:

  1. Stix’ Trix – Wilbur Campbell
  2. What’s New? – Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart
  3. Woody ‘n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie
  4. Johnny G.G. – John Hines
  5. Catharsis – Johnny Griffin

Johnny Griffin: The Congregation

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In March 1958, “Blue Note” label released “The Congregation”, the fourth Johnny Griffin studio album. It was recorded in October 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Sonny Clark – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Kenny Dennis – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Johnny Griffin except where noted.

  1. The Congregation
  2. Latin Quarter – John Jenkins
  3. I’m Glad There Is You – Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Mertz
  4. Main Spring
  5. It’s You or No One – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
  6. I Remember You – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger

Junior Mance

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On January 16, 2021, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. aka Junior Mance died aged 92. He was musician (piano) and composer, one of the main figures of the Hard bop jazz scene. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names of jazz, blues and soul music including Gene Amons, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Stitt, Dinah Washington, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Nat Adderley, Joe Gordon, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Ernie Andrews, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey, Cliford Brown, Benny Carter, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cleveland, Arnett Cobb, Red Holloway, Jose James, Ray Crawford, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie Jefferson, Aretha Franklin, Etta Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Irene Kral, Jay Leonhart, Les McCann, Paul Gonsalves, Howard McGhee, The Metronomes, Virgil Gonsalves, James Moody, Wild Bill Moore, Barbara Morrison, Sandy Mosse, Leo Parker, Ken Peplowski, Billie Poole, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Alvin Queen, Jimmy Scott, Arnold Sterling, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Frank Vignola, Wilbur Ware, Ben Webster, Joe Williams, Marion Williams, and Leo Wright. As leader, Monce released 56 albums (live and studio). In 2007, Mance and his wife Gloria started their own record label “JunGlo”.

Wilbur Ware: The Chicago Sound

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In December 1957, “Riverside” label released “The Chicago Sound”, the only Wilbur Ware album. It was recorded in October – November 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Wilbur Ware – bass
  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • John Jenkins – alto saxophone
  • Junior Mance – piano
  • Wilbur Campbell, Frankie Dunlop – drums

Track listing:

All tracks Wilbur Ware except where noted.

  1. Mamma-Daddy
  2. Body and Soul – Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour
  3. Desert Sands – Paul Dunlap, Edward Heyman, Stuff Smith
  4. 31st and State
  5. Lullaby of the Leaves – Bernice Petkere, Joe Young
  6. Latin Quarters – John Jenkins
  7. Be-Ware – John Jenkins
  8. The Man I Love – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Stanley Cowell

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On December 17, 2020, Stanley Cowell died aged 79. He was musician (piano), co-founder of the “Strata-East Records” label, and professor at the “Music Department of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers”, the “State University of New Jersey”. He recorded with many famous jazz musicians including Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Richard Davis, Sonny Fortune, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, The Heath Brothers, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, Bobby Hutcherson, J. J. Johnson, Clifford Jordan, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Owens, Art Pepper, Buddy Terry, Charles Sullivan, Charles Toliver, Roland Kirk, Marion Brown, Harold Land, and Max Roach. As leader Cowell released 34 albums.

Nat Addrley: Branching Out

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In December 1958, “Riverside” label released “Branching Out”, the fourth Nat Adderley album. It was recorded in September 1958, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Nat Adderley – cornet
  • Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Harris – piano
  • Andy Simpkins – bass
  • Bill Dowdy – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Nat Adderley except where noted.

  1. Sister Caroline
  2. Well, You Needn’t – Thelonious Monk
  3. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
  4. I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  5. Branching Out – Harold Mabern
  6. I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I’m Loving You) – Raymond B. Egan, Roy Marsh, Thomas Pitts
  7. Warm Blue Stream – Sara Cassey, Dotty Wayne