Tag Archives: Johnny Mercer

John Coltrane: Coltrane Jazz

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In February 1971, “Atlantic” label released “Coltrane Jazz”, album by John Coltrane. It was recorded March, November, December 1959 – October 1960, at “Atlantic Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun.

Personnel:

  • John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • McCoy Tyner – piano
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Steve Davis – bass
  • Elvin Jones – drums
  • Lex Humphries – drums
  • Jimmy Cobb – drums
  • Tom Dowd, Phil Lehle – engineer
  • Eutemey – cover design
  • Lee Friedlander – photography
  • Zita Carno – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by John Coltrane, except where noted.

  1. Little Old Lady – Hoagy Carmichael, Stanley Adams
  2. Village Blues
  3. My Shining Hour – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  4. Fifth House
  5. Harmonique
  6. Like Sonny
  7. I’ll Wait and Pray – George Treadwell, Jerry Valentine
  8. Some Other Blues

Aretha Franklin: Unforgettable: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

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On February 18, 1964, “Columbia” label released “Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington”, the fifth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in February 1964, at “Columbia Recording Studios” in New York, and was produced by Robert Mersey.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – vocals, piano
  • Ernie Hayes – piano, organ
  • Paul Griffin – organ
  • George Duvivier – bass guitar
  • Gary Chester – drums
  • Buddy Lucas – tenor saxophone, harmonica
  • Teddy Charles – vibraphone
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Bob Asher – trombone
  • Robert Mersey – strings arrangements, conductor
  • Adam Block – legacy’s rhythm and soul series director  
  • Tony Sellari – art direction
  • C.M.O.N. – design
  • John Berg – jacket cover
  • Robert Constanzo – packaging manager

Track listing:

  1. Unforgettable – Irving Gordon
  2. Cold, Cold Heart – Hank Williams
  3. What a Diff’rence a Day Made – Stanley Adams, María Méndez Grever
  4. Drinking Again – Johnny Mercer, Doris Tauber
  5. Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning – Tom Delaney, Pearl Delaney
  6. Evil Gal Blues – Lionel Hampton, Leonard Feather
  7. Don’t Say You’re Sorry Again – Lee Pearl, Art Berman, Eugene West
  8. This Bitter Earth – Clyde Otis
  9. If I Should Lose You – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin
  10. Soulville – Titus Turner, Morris Levy, Henry Glover, Dinah Washington

Johnny Hartman: I Just Dropped By To Say Hello

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In February 1964, “Impulse!” label released “I Just Dropped by to Say Hello”, album by Johnny Hartman. It was recorded in October 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Johnny Hartman – vocals
  • Illinois Jacquet – tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Jim Hall – guitar
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • Milt Hinton – double bass
  • Elvin Jones – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Charade (from Charade) – Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
  2. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning – Bob Hilliard, David Mann
  3. A Sleepin’ Bee – Harold Arlen, Truman Capote
  4. Don’t You Know I Care (Or Don’t You Care to Know) – Mack David, Duke Ellington
  5. Kiss & Run – Rene Denoncin, William Engvick, Jack Ledru
  6. If I’m Lucky – Eddie DeLange, Josef Myrow
  7. I Just Dropped by to Say Hello – Sid Feller, Rick Ward
  8. Stairway to the Stars – Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli
  9. Our Time – Stanley Glick, Johnny Hartman
  10. Don’t Call It Love – Ronnell Bright
  11. How Sweet It Is to Be in Love – George Cardini, Danny DiMinno

Stan Kenton And His Orchestra: Road Show

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In February 1960, “Capitol” label released “Road Show”, live album by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra. It was recorded in October 1959, at “Elliot Hall” in Purdue University, Lafayette, In, and was produced by Lee Gillette, John Palladino and Bill Wagner.

Personnel:

  • Stan Kenton – piano, conductor
  • June Christy – vocals
  • The Four Freshmen (Ken Albers, Don Barbour, Ross Barbour, Bob Flanigan) – vocal group 
  • Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
  • Ronnie Rubin, Bill Trujillo – tenor saxophone
  • Marvin Holladay, Jack Nimitz – baritone saxophone
  • Bud Brisbois, Rolf Ericson, Bill Mathieu, Roger Middleton, Dalton Smith – trumpet
  • Kent Larsen, Archie LeCoque, Don Sebesky – trombone
  • Jim Amlotte, Bob Knight – bass trombone
  • Joe Castro – piano
  • Pete Chivily – bass
  • Jimmy Campbell – drums
  • Mike Pacheco – Cuban drums

Track listing:

  1. Artistry in Rhythm – Stan Kenton
  2. Stompin’ at the Savoy – Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Andy Razaf
  3. My Old Flame – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
  4. The Big Chase – Marty Paich
  5. I Want to Be Happy – Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar
  6. It’s a Most Unusual Day – Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson
  7. Midnight Sun – Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Mercer
  8. Kissing Bug – Billy Strayhorn, Rex Stewart, Joya Sherrill
  9. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  10. How High the Moon – Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
  11. Day In, Day Out – Rube Bloom, Johnny Mercer
  12. Angel Eyes – Matt Dennis, Earl Brent
  13. I’m Always Chasing Rainbows – Harry Carroll, Joseph McCarthy
  14. Paper Doll – Johnny S. Black
  15. Them There Eyes – Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey
  16. Love for Sale – Cole Porter
  17. September Song – Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson
  18. Walkin’ Shoes – Gerry Mulligan
  19. The Peanut Vendor – Moisés Simons
  20. Artistry in Rhythm – Stan Kenton

Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Swings Lightly

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In December 1958, “Verve” label released “Ella Swings Lightly”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded in November 1958, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Granz. This album won Ella Fitzgerald the 1960 Grammy award for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald – vocal
  • Marty Paich’s Dek-Tette: Bud Shank – alto saxophone 
  • Bill Holman – tenor saxophone
  • Med Flory – baritone saxophone 
  • Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Bob Enevoldsen – valve trombone, tenor saxophone 
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Lou Levy  – piano
  • Joe Mondragon – bass 
  • Mel Lewis – drums 

Track listing:

  1. Little White Lies – Walter Donaldson
  2. You Hit the Spot – Mack Gordon, Harry Revel
  3. What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? – Jack Lawrence, Paul Francis Webster, Mary Lou Williams
  4. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
  5. As Long as I Live – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  6. Teardrops from My Eyes – Rudy Toombs
  7. Gotta Be This or That – Sunny Skylar
  8. Moonlight on the Ganges – Sherman Myers, Chester Wallace
  9. My Kinda Love – Louis Alter, Jo Trent
  10. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  11. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  12. You’re an Old Smoothie – Nacio Herb Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Richard A. Whiting
  13. Little Jazz – Roy Eldridge, Buster Harding
  14. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me – Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Peter Norman
  15. Knock Me a Kiss – Mike Jackson
  16. 720 in the Books – Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Leo Watson

Gigi Gryce: Reminiscin’

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In December 1960, “Mercury” label released “Reminiscin’”, the 13th Gigi Gryce album. It was recorded in November 1960, in New York City.

Personnel:

  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone
  • Richard Williams – trumpet
  • Eddie Costa – vibraphone
  • Richard Wyands – piano
  • George Duvivier, Julian Euell, Reggie Workman – bass
  • Walter Perkins, Bobby Thomas – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Gigi Gryce except where noted.

  • Blue Lights
  • Caravan – Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol, Irving Mills
  • Reminiscing
  • Yesterdays – Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach
  • Gee Blues Gee – Randy Weston
  • A Night in Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
  • Dearly Beloved – Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer
  • Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn

Johnny “Hammond” Smith:That Good Feelin’

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In December 1959, “New Jazz Label” released “That Good Feelin’”, the fourth Johnny “Hammond” Smith album. It was recorded in November 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs”, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Johnny “Hammond” Smith – organ
  • Thornel Schwartz – guitar
  • George Tucker – bass
  • Leo Stevens – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks Johnny “Hammond” Smith except where noted.

  1. That Good Feelin’
  2. Bye Bye Blackbird – Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson
  3. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  4. I’ll Remember April – Gene de Paul, Patricia Johnston, Don Raye
  5. Billie’s Bounce – Charlie Parker
  6. My Funny Valentine – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  7. Puddin’

Coleman Hawkins: Desafinado

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In November 1962, “Impulse!” label released “Desafinado”, the 49th Coleman Hawkins album. It was recorded in September 1962, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Coleman Hawkins — tenor saxophone
  • Howard Collins, Barry Galbraith — guitar
  • Major Holley — bass
  • Eddie Locke — drums, percussion
  • Tommy Flanagan — claves
  • Willie Rodriguez — percussion
  • Manny Albam — arrangements
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Desafinado – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça
  2. I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover (Jazz Samba) – Mort Dixon, Harry M. Woods
  3. Samba Para Bean – Manny Albam
  4. I Remember You – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger
  5. One Note Samba – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça
  6. O Pato (The Duck) – Jayme Silva, Neuza Teixeira
  7. Un Abraco No Bonfa (An Embrace to Bonfa) – João Gilberto
  8. Stumpy Bossa Nova – Coleman Hawkins

The Bobby Timmons Trio: In Person

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In November 1961, “Riverside” label released “In Person”, album by Bobby Timmons Trio (fifth Bobby Timmons album overall). It was recorded in October 1961, at “Village Vanguard” in New York, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Bobby Timmons – piano
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Albert Heath – drums

Track listing:

 All tracks by Bobby Timmons except where noted.

  1. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  2. So Tired
  3. Goodbye – Gordon Jenkins
  4. Dat Dere (Theme)
  5. Popsy
  6. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  7. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
  8. Dat Dere (Theme)

Jimmy Forrest: Most Much!

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In November 1961, “Prestige” label released “Most Much!”, the seventh Jimmy Forrest album. It was recorded in October 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Forrest – tenor saxophone
  • Hugh Lawson – piano
  • Tommy Potter – bass
  • Clarence Johnston – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas
  • Esmond Edwards – supervisor
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Forrest except where noted.

  1. Matilda – Norman Span
  2. Annie Laurie – traditional
  3. Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert
  4. My Buddy – Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
  5. Soft Winds – Benny Goodman
  6. Robbin’s Nest – Illinois Jacquet, Bob Russell, Sir Charles Thompson
  7. Most Much