Tag Archives: Johnny Mercer

Chuck Berry: Fresh Berry’s

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In November 1965, “Chess” label released “Fresh Berry’s”, the ninth Chuck Berry studio album. It was recorded in September 1965, at “Ter Mar Recording Studios”  Chicago,  Illinois, and was produced by Leonard Chess and Phil Chess.

Personnel:

  • Chuck Berry – vocals, guitar
  • Mike Bloomfield– guitar
  • Paul Butterfield– harmonica
  • Johnnie Johnson– piano
  • Chuck Bernhard – bass
  • Jaspar Thomas – drums
  • Ron Malo– engineer
  • Don S. Bronstein– cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Chuck Berry except where noted.

  1. It Wasn’t Me
  2. Run Joe – Louis Jordan, Walter Merrick, Joe Willoughby
  3. Everyday We Rock & Roll
  4. One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  5. Welcome Back Pretty Baby
  6. It’s My Own Business
  7. Right Off Rampart Street
  8. Vaya Con Dios – Buddy Pepper, Carl Hoff, Inez James, Larry Russell
  9. Merrily We Rock & Roll
  10. My Mustang Ford
  11. Ain’t That Just Like a Woman – Claude Demetrius, Fleecie Moore
  12. Wee Hour Blues

Frank Sinatra: Softly as I Love You

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In November 1964, “Reprise” label released “Softly, as I Leave You”, album by Frank Sinatra. It was recorded August 1962 – October 1964, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Jimmy Bowen and Sonny Burke.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra- vocals
  • Neal Hefti- conductor
  • Nelson Riddle- arranger, conductor
  • Marty Paich- arranger
  • Ernie Freeman- arranger
  • Billy May- arranger

Track listing:

  1. Emily – Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer
  2. Here’s to the Losers – Robert Wells, Jack Segal
  3. Dear Heart – Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Henry Mancini
  4. Come Blow Your Horn – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
  5. Love Isn’t Just for the Young – Bernard Knee
  6. I Can’t Believe I’m Losing You – Don Costa, Phil Zeller
  7. Pass Me By – Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh
  8. Softly, as I Leave You – Hal Shaper, Antonio DeVito, Giorgio Calabrese
  9. Then Suddenly Love – Ray Alfred, Paul Vance
  10. Available – Sammy Cahn, Ned Wynn, L.B. Marks
  11. Talk to Me Baby – Robert E. Dolan, Johnny Mercer
  12. The Look of Love – Sammy Cahn, Van Heusen

Jimmy Smith: The Cat

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In September 1964, “Verve” label released “The Cat”, the sixth Jimmy Smith album for the label. It was recorded in April 1964, in Englewood, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith– organ
  • Kenny Burrell– guitar
  • George Duvivier– bass
  • Grady Tate– drums
  • Phil Kraus – percussion
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Thad Jones – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Jimmy Maxwell – trumpet
  • Marky Markowitz – trumpet
  • Bernie Glow– trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland– trombone
  • Urbie Green – trombone
  • Tony Studd – bass trombone
  • Ray Alonge – French horn
  • Earl Chapin – French horn
  • Bill Correa – French horn
  • Jimmy Buffington – French horn
  • Don Butterfield– tuba
  • Lalo Schifrin– arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Theme from Joy House – Lalo Schifrin
  2. The Cat” (from Joy House) – Lalo Schifrin, Rick Ward
  3. Basin Street Blues – Spencer Williams
  4. Main Title from The Carpetbaggers – Elmer Bernstein, Ray Colcord
  5. Chicago Serenade – Eddie Harris
  6. Louis Blues – W.C. Handy
  7. Delon’s Blues – Jimmy Smith
  8. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer

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

Dave Van Ronk: Van Ronk

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In August 1971, “Polydor” label released “Van Ronk”, the tenth Dave Van Ronk album. It was recorded December 1970 – May 1971, at “Sound Exchange Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Dave Woods.

Personnel:

  • Dave Van Ronk – vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Dave Woods – arrangements
  • Steve Katz – engineer
  • Anne Friedman – cover art
  • Joanne Grace – morale
  • John Jameson – spiritual

Track listing:

  1. Bird on the Wire – Leonard Cohen
  2. Fox’s Minstrel Show – Michael Small
  3. Port of Amsterdam – Jacques Brel, Eric Blau, Mort Shuman
  4. Fat Old John – Peter Stampfel
  5. Urge for Going – Joni Mitchell
  6. Random Canyon – Peter Stampfel
  7. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – Randy Newman
  8. Gaslight Rag -Dave Van Ronk
  9. Honey Hair – Dave Van Ronk
  10. Legend of the Dead Soldier – Bertolt Brecht, Eric Bentley
  11. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive – Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen

James Brown: Cold Sweat

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In August 1967, “King” label released “Cold Sweat”, the twenty-first James Brown studio album. It was recorded in 1967, and was produced by James Brown.

Personnel:

  • James Brown – vocals
  • Ron Lenhoff – engineer, production supervision
  • Gene Redd – editing

Track listing:

  1. Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 – James Brown, Alfred Ellis
  2. Cold Sweat, Pt. 2 – James Brown, Alfred Ellis
  3. Fever – Eddie Cooley, John Davenport
  4. Kansas City – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  5. Stagger Lee – Harold Logan, Lloyd Price
  6. Good Rockin’ Tonight – Roy Brown
  7. Mona Lisa – Jay Livingston, Raymond Evans
  8. I Want to Be Around – Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstedt
  9. Nature Boy – Eden Ahbez
  10. Come Rain or Come Shine – Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen
  11. I Love You Porgy – George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  12. Back Stabbin’ – James Brown, Gene Redd

Frank Sinatra: The World We Knew

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In August 1967, “Reprise” label released “The World We Knew”, album by Frank Sinatra.  It was recorded in July 1967, in Hollywood, and was produced by Jimmy Bowen and H.B. Barnum.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra- vocals
  • Nancy Sinatra- vocal
  • Billy Strange- vocals, guitars
  • B. Barnum- piano, arrangements
  • Ernie Freeman- piano
  • Gordon Jenkins- arrangements, conductor
  • Claus Ogerman- arrangements, orchestration

Track listing:

  1. The World We Knew (Over and Over) – Bert Kaempfert, Herbert Rehbein, Carl Sigman
  2. Somethin’ Stupid – Carson Parks
  3. This Is My Love – James Harbert
  4. Born Free – Don Black, John Barry
  5. Don’t Sleep in the Subway – Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent
  6. This Town – Lee Hazlewood
  7. This Is My Song – Charlie Chaplin
  8. You Are There – Harry Sukman, Paul Francis Webster
  9. Drinking Again – Johnny Mercer, Doris Tauber
  10. Some Enchanted Evening – Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

Frank Sinatra & Count Basie: It Might as Well Be Swing

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In August 1964, “Reprise” label released “It Might as Well Be Swing”, studio album by Frank Sinatra, accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra. It was recorded June 9–12, 1964, Hollywood, and was produced by Sony Burke.

Personnel:

  • Frank Sinatra- vocals
  • Count Basie- piano
  • Quincy Jones- arranger, conductor
  • Al Porcino, Don Rader, Wallace Davenport, Al Aarons, George Cohn and Harry “Sweets” Edison- trumpets
  • Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, Henderson Chambers and Kenny Shroyer – trombones
  • Frank Foster, Charles Fowlkes, Marshal Royal, Frank Wessand Eric Dixon – reeds
  • Emil Richards – vibraphone
  • George Catlett – double bass
  • Freddie Green- guitar
  • Sonny Payne- drums
  • Gerald Vinci, Israel Baker, Jacques Gasselin, Thelma Beach, Bonnie Douglas, Marshall Sosson, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Paul Shure and James Getzoff – violins
  • Virginia Majewski, Paul Robyn, Alvin Dinkin and Stan Harris –
  • violasEdgar Lustgarten and Ann Goodman – cellos
  • Lowell Frank – engineer
  • Ted Allen – cover photo

Track listing:

  1. Fly Me to the Moon – Bart Howard
  2. I Wish You Love – Léo Chauliac, Charles Trenet, Albert Beach
  3. I Believe in You – Frank Loesser
  4. More (Theme from Mondo Cane) – Riz Ortolani, Nino Oliviero, Marcello Ciorciolini, Norman Newell
  5. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson
  6. Hello Dolly – Jerry Herman
  7. I Wanna Be Around – Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstedt
  8. The Best Is Yet to Come – Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh
  9. The Good Life – Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon
  10. Wives and Lovers – Burt Bacharach, Hal David

B. B. King & Eric Clapton: Riding With The King

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On June 13, 2000, “Duck” label released “Riding with the King”, album by Eric Clapton and B.B. King. It was recorded in 2000, and was produced by Eric Clapton and Simon Climie. The album was certified Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”, Denmark by “IFPI Denmark”, Greece by “IFPI Greece”, Italy by “FIMI”, Japan by “RIAJ”, New Zealand by “RMNZ” and 2 x Platinum in US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • B. King – co-lead vocals
  • Eric Clapton – co-lead vocals, guitar
  • Doyle Bramhall II – guitar, backing vocals
  • Andy Fairweather Low– guitar
  • Jimmie Vaughan– guitar
  • Joe Sample– piano, Wurlitzer piano
  • Tim Carmon– organ
  • Nathan East– bass
  • Steve Gadd– drums
  • Arif Mardin– string arrangements
  • Susannah Melvoin– backing vocals
  • Wendy Melvoin– backing vocals
  • Paul Waller – programming
  • Alan Douglas – engineer, mixing
  • Tom Sweeney – engineer assistant
  • Mick Guzauski– mixing
  • Robert Sebree – artwork, photography
  • Don Paulsen – artwork, photography
  • Wherefore Art?– artwork, design
  • Stephen Walker – artwork direction

Track listing:

  1. Riding With the King – John Hiatt
  2. Ten Long Years – Jules Taub, B. King
  3. Key to the Highway – Big Bill Broonzy, Charlie Segar
  4. Marry You – Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah  Melvoin, Craig Ross
  5. Three O’Clock Blues – Lowell Fulson
  6. Help the Poor – Charles Singleton
  7. I Wanna Be – Doyle Bramhall II, Charlie Sexton
  8. Worried Life Blues – Sam Hopkins, Big Maceo Merriweather
  9. Days of Old – Jules Taub, B.B. King
  10. When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer – B. King, Jules Taub
  11. Hold On, I’m Comin – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
  12. Come Rain or Come Shine – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer

 

Bob Dylan: Fallen Angels

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On May 20, 2016, “Columbia” label released “Fallen Angels”, the thirty-seventh Bob Dylan studio album. It was recorded February 2015-March 2016, at “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Jack Frost. The album features covers of twelve classic American songs.

Personnel:

  • Bob Dylan – vocals
  • Charlie Sexton – guitar
  • Donnie Herron – steel guitar, viola
  • Stu Kimball – guitar
  • Dean Parks – guitar
  • Tony Garnier – bass guitar
  • George Recile – drums
  • James Harper – horn arrangements, conducting
  • Al Schmitt – engineer, mixing
  • Steve Genewick – engineer assistant
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Geoff Gans – album artwork

Track listing:

  1. Young at Heart – Johnny Richards, Carolyn Leigh
  2. Maybe You’ll Be There – Rube Bloom, Sammy Gallop
  3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  4. All the Way – Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn
  5. Skylark – Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer
  6. Nevertheless – Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar
  7. All or Nothing at All – Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence
  8. On a Little Street in Singapore- Peter DeRose, Billy Hill
  9. It Had to Be You – Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
  10. Melancholy Mood – Walter Schumann, Vick R. Knight, Sr.
  11. That Old Black Magic – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  12. Come Rain or Come Shine – Arlen, Johnny Mercer