Tag Archives: Leonard Chess

Etta James: Etta James Rocks The House

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On December 13, 1963, “Argo” label released “Etta James Rocks the House”, the first Etta James live album. It was recorded in September 1963, at the “New Era Club” in Nashville, Tennessee, and was produced by Leonard Chess and Etta James.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • David T. Walker – guitar
  • Vonzell Cooper – organ
  • Marion Wright – bass
  • Freeman Brown – drums
  • Richard Waters – drums
  • Garnell Cooper – tenor saxophone

Track listing:

  1. Something’s Got a Hold on Me – Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods
  2. Baby What You Want Me to Do – Jimmy Reed
  3. What’d I Say – Ray Charles
  4. Money (That’s What I Want) – Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy, Jr.
  5. Seven Day Fool – Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Jr., Sonny Woods
  6. Sweet Little Angel – Robert McCollum
  7. Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Jessie Hill
  8. Woke Up This Morning – B.B. King

Chuck Berry: Chuck Berry On Stage

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In August 1963, “Chess” label released “Chuck Berry on Stage”, the first Chuck Berry live album. It was produced by Leonard Chess and Philip Chess.

Personnel:

  • Chuck Berry – vocals, guitar
  • Johnnie Johnson – piano
  • Lafayette Leake – piano
  • Otis Spann – piano
  • Reggie Boyd – bass
  • Willie Dixon – bass
  • George Smith – bass
  • Phil Thomas – drums
  • Fred Below – drums
  • Ebbie Hardy – drums
  • Leroy C. Davis – tenor saxophone
  • Jerome Green – maracas
  • Martha Berry – backing vocals
  • The Moonglows – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Chuck Berry, except where noted.

  1. Maybellene – Chuck Berry, Alan Freed, Russ Fratto
  2. Memphis, Tennessee
  3. Surfin’ Steel
  4. Rockin’ on the Railroad (Let It Rock) – Edward Anderson, pseudonym of Chuck Edward Anderson Berry
  5. Go, Go, Go
  6. Brown Eyed Handsome Man – alternate take
  7. Still Got the Blues
  8. Surfin USA (Sweet Little Sixteen)
  9. Jaguar and Thunderbird
  10. I Just Want to Make Love to You – Willie Dixon
  11. All Aboard
  12. Trick or Treat
  13. The Man and the Donkey

Muddy Waters: At Newport 1960

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On November 15, 1960, “Chess” label released “At Newport 1960”, album by Muddy Waters. It was recorded in July 1960, at “Newport Jazz Festival”, in Newport, Rhode Island, and was produced by Leonard Chess. “Rolling Stone” magazine included it at number 348 on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel:

  • Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) – vocals, guitar
  • Otis Spann – vocals, piano
  • Pat Hare – guitar
  • James Cotton – harmonica
  • Andrew Stephens – bass
  • Francis Clay – drums
  • Jack Tracy – liner notes
  • Burt Goldblatt – photography
  • Mary Katherine Aldin – liner notes
  • Bob Schnieders – liner notes, coordination, research
  • Geary Chansley – photo research

Track listing:

All tracks by McKinsley Morganfield, executive producer.

  • I Got My Brand on You – McKinley Morganfield
  • I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
  • Baby, Please Don’t Go
  • Soon Forgotten – James Oden
  • Tiger in Your Tank – Willie Dixon
  • I Feel So Good – Big Bill Broonzy
  • Got My Mojo Working
  • Got My Mojo Working, Part 2
  • Goodbye Newport Blues – Langston Hughes, McKinley Morganfield

Etta James: The Second Time Around

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On December 14, 1961, “Argo” label released “The Second Time Around”, the second Etta James studio album. It was recorded 1960 – 1961, and was produced by Phil Chess and Leonard Chess.

Personnel:

  • Etta Jemes – vocals
  • Riley Hampton – arrangements, conductor
  • Johnny Magnus – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Cry Baby – Saul Bernie, James P. Johnson, Stella Unger
  2. Fool That I Am – Floyd Hunt
  3. One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  4. In My Diary – Michael Angelo Graham, Mark Silverman
  5. Saven Day Fool – Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Sonny Woods
  6. It’s Too Soon to Know – Deborah Chessler, E.H. Morris
  7. Dream – Johnny Mercer
  8. I’ll Dry My Tears – Etta James, Clyde Walker
  9. Plum Nuts – Robert Plummer
  10. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell

Etta James: Queen Of Soul

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On December 5, 1964, “Argo” label released “Queen of Soul”, the fifth Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 1964, and was produced by Leonard Chess.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocal
  • Riley Hampton – arranger
  • Bert Keyes – arranger
  • Cliff Parman – arranger
  • Al Pokonka – arranger
  • Phil Wright – arranger

Track listing:

  1. Bobby Is His Name – Etta James, Ed Townsend
  2. I Wish Someone Would Care – Irma Thomas
  3. That Man Belongs Back Here with Me – Angela Riela, Clint Ballard Jr.
  4. Somewhere Out There – Billy Davis, Carl Smith, Wilfred McKinley
  5. Breaking Point – Maurice McAlister
  6. Flight 101 – Cathy Lynn, Robert Higginbotham
  7. Loving You More Every Day – Ronnie Mitchell
  8. Do Right – Fred Johnson, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods
  9. I Worry ‘Bout You – Norman Mapp
  10. Mello Fellow – Ed Townsend

Etta James: At Last!

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On November 15, 1960, “Argo” label released “At Last!”, the debut Etta James studio album. It was recorded January – October 1960, and was produced by Phil Chess and Leonard Chess. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “At Last!” at number 191 on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Harvey Fuqua – vocals
  • Riley Hampton – arrangements, conductor
  • Don Bronstein – cover
  • Don Kamerer – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Anything to Say You’re Mine – Sonny Thompson
  2. My Dearest Darling – Edwin “Eddie Bo” Bocage, Paul Gayten
  3. Trust in Me – Milton Ager, Jean Schwartz, Ned Wever
  4. A Sunday Kind of Love – Louis Prima, Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes
  5. Tough Mary – Etta James, Joe Josea
  6. I Just Want to Make Love to You – Willie Dixon
  7. At Last – Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
  8. All I Could Do Was Cry – Billy Davis, Gwen Fuqua, Berry Gordy
  9. Stormy Weather – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  10. Girl of My Dreams – Charles “Sunny” Clapp

Etta James: Etta James Sings For Lovers

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On August 24, 1962, “Argo” label released “Etta James Sings for Lovers”, the fourth Etta James studio album. It was recorded in June 1962, and was produced by Leonard Chess and Phil Chess.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocal
  • Riley Hampton – arrangements
  • Al Poskonka – arrangements
  • Ron Malo – engineer
  • Don Bronstein – cover
  • Ralph Bass – supervision

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Take Your Love from Me – Henry Nemo
  2. How Do You Speak to an Angel – Bob Hilliard, Jule Styne
  3. Fools Rush In – Johnny Mercer, Rube Bloom
  4. Don’t Blame Me – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
  5. Someone to Watch Over Me – Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
  6. Again – Dorcas Cochran, Lionel Newman
  7. I Want to Be Loved – Savannah Churchill
  8. It Could Happen to You – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  9. These Foolish Things – Eric Maschwitz, Harry Link, Jack Strachey
  10. Prisoner of Love – Clarence Gaskill, Leo Robin, Russ Columbo

Etta James: Call My Name

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On January 27, 1967, “Cadet” label released “Call My Name”, the sixth Etta James studio album. It was recorded in December 1966, at “Ter Mar Studios” in Chicago, and was produced by Leonard Chess.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocal
  • Doug Brand – engineer
  • Don S. Bronstein – design photography
  • Bob Terry – sleeve notes

Track listing:

  1. Happiness – Vee Pea Smith, Morris Dollison
  2. That’s All I Want from You – M. Rotha
  3. Have a Little Faith in Me – Monk Higgins, Joyce Wrencher
  4. I’m So Glad (I Found Love in You) – Vee Pea Smith, Morris Dollison
  5. You Are My Sunshine – Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell
  6. It Must Be Your Love – Monk Higgins, Chuck Bernard, Morris Dollison, Billy Foster
  7. 842-3089 (Call My Name) – Monk Higgins, Morris Dollison, Billy Foster
  8. Don’t Pick Me for Your Fool – Monk Higgins, Morris Dollison, Billy Foster
  9. I Prefer You – Monk Higgins, Morris Dollison
  10. Nobody Loves Me – Monk Higgins, Joyce Wrencher
  11. It’s All Right – Curtis Mayfield
  12. Nobody Like You – Monk Higgins, Morris Dollison

Chuck Berry: After School Session

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In May 1957, “Chess” label released “After School Session”, the debut Chuck Berry album. It was recorded May 1955 – January 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Leonard Chess and Philip Chess.

Personnel:

  • Chuck Berry – vocals, guitar, steel guitar
  • Johnnie Johnson – piano
  • Otis Spann – piano
  • Jimmy Rogers – guitar
  • L. C. Davis – tenor saxophone
  • Jerome Green – maracas
  • Willie Dixon – bass
  • Fred Below – drums
  • Jasper Thomas – drums
  • Ebby Hardy – drums
  • Vartan – art direction
  • Don Snowden – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Chuck Berry.

  1. School Days
  2. Deep Feeling
  3. Too Much Monkey Business
  4. Wee Wee Hours
  5. Roly Poly
  6. No Money Down
  7. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
  8. Berry Pickin’
  9. Together (We Will Always Be)
  10. Havana Moon
  11. Downbound Train
  12. Drifting Heart

Leonard Chess

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On October 16, 1969, Lejzor Szmuel Czyż aka Leonard Chess died aged 52. He was a record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records, home to John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, Jimmy Reed, and Sonny Boy Williamson. He was influential in the development of rock and roll, electric blues, and the Chicago blues scene.