Tag Archives: Les McCann

Jimmy McGriff: Fly Dude

In October 1972, “Groove Merchant” label released “Fly Dude”, the 28th Jimmy McGriff album. It was recorded in 1972, in New York City, and was produced by Sonny Lester.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy McGriff – organ
  • Ronald Arnold – tenor saxophone
  • George Freeman, John Thomas – guitar
  • Marion Booker Jr. – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy McGriff, except where noted.

  1. Everyday I Have the Blues – Peter Chatman
  2. Jumping the Blues – Jimmy Smith
  3. Healin’ Feeling – Les McCann
  4. Cotton Boy Blues
  5. Yardbird Suite – Charlie Parker
  6. The Groove Fly
  7. It’s You I Adore – George Freeman
  8. Butterfly

Les McCann: Soul Hits

In December 1963, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Soul Hits”, the 15th Les McCann album. It was recorded in October 1963, at “Pacific Jazz Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Richard Bock.,

Personnel:

  • Les McCann – piano
  • Joe Pass – guitar
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Paul Humphrey – drums
  • Richard Bock – engineer, sleeve notes
  • Woody Woodward – design, photography

Track listing:

  1. Back at the Chicken Shack – Jimmy Smith
  2. Sack O’ Woe – Cannonball Adderley
  3. Groove Yard – Carl Perkins
  4. Sermonette – Nat Adderley
  5. Sonnymoon for Two – Sonny Rollins
  6. Bags’ Groove – Milt Jackson
  7. Shiny Silk Stockings – Frank Foster
  8. Sister Sadie – Horace Silver
  9. Li’l Darlin’ – Neal Hefti
  10. Work Song – Nat Adderley

Less McCann & The Jazz CRusaders: Jazz Waltz

In December 1963, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Jazz Waltz”, album by Less McCan and The Jazz Crusaders (the twelve Less McCan album overall). It was recorded in 1963, at “Pacific Jazz Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Les McCann – piano, electric piano, organ
  • Wilton Felder – tenor saxophone
  • Wayne Henderson – trombone
  • Joe Sample – piano, organ
  • Bobby Haynes – bass
  • Stix Hooper – drums
  • Richard Bock – engineer
  • Woody Woodward – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Les McCann except where noted.

  1. Spanish Castles – George Gruntz
  2. Blues for Yna Yna – Gerald Wilson
  3. Damascus
  4. 3/4 For God & Co.
  5. Bluesette – Toots Thielemans
  6. Big City – Marvin Jenkins
  7. This Here – Bobby Timmons
  8. Jitterbug Waltz – Fats Waller
  9. All Blues – Miles Davis
  10. Jazz Waltz – Bobby Haynes

Stanley Turrentine: That’s Where It’s At

In September 1962, “Blue Note” label released “That’s Where It’s At”, the eight Stanley Turrentine album. It was recorded in January 1962, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
  • Les McCann – piano
  • Herbie Lewis – bass
  • Otis Finch – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Dudley Williams – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Smile, Stacey – Les McCann
  2. Soft Pedal Blues – Stanley Turrentine
  3. Pia – Les McCann
  4. We’ll See Yaw’ll After While, Ya Heah – Les McCann
  5. Dorene Don’t Cry, I – Les McCann
  6. Light Blue – Tommy Turrentine

Junior Mance

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”.

Alphonse Mouzon

On December 25, 2016, Alphonse Lee Mouzon died aged 68. He was musician (drums), composer, arranger, producer and actor, and the owner of Tenacious Records. He has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and music acts including Arild Andersen, Donald Byrd,  Herbie Hancock, Bobbi Humphrey, Joachim Kühn, Les McCann, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, Eugene McDaniels, Betty Davis, Infinity, Doug Carn, Norman Connors, Willie Colon, Poussez, Al Di Meola, Torsten de Winkel, Hellmut Hattler, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Fania All-Stars, Carlos Garnett, George Gruntz, Tim Hardin, Miki Howard, Paul Jackson, Paul Jackson Jr., Alphonso Johnson and Patrick Moraz.

The Mothers Of Invention: Freak Out!

Freak Out!

On June 27, 1966, “Verve” label released “Freak Out!” the debut Mothers of Invention album. It was recorded in March 1996, at “Sunset-Highland Studios of T.T.G. Inc” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tom Wilson. In 1999, “Freak Out” was honored with the “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”. In 2003, “Rolling Stone ranked it at number 246 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Frank Zappa– vocals, guitar, orchestration, arrangements, conductor, musical director
  • Elliot Ingber– alternate lead and rhythm guitar
  • Carol Kaye– 12-string guitar
  • Neil Le Vang– guitar
  • Ray Collins– vocals, harmonica, cymbals, sound effects, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin, weezers
  • Eugene Di Novi – piano
  • Mac Rebennack– piano
  • Les McCann– piano
  • Roy Estrada– bass, guitarron, boy soprano
  • Jimmy Carl Black– vocals, percussion, drums
  • Gene Estes – percussion
  • Arthur Maebe – French horn, tuba
  • John Rotella – clarinet, sax
  • Kim Fowley– hypophone
  • Kurt Reher – cello
  • Raymond Kelley– cello
  • Paul Bergstrom – cello
  • Emmet Sargeant – cello
  • Joseph Saxon – cello
  • Edwin V. Beach – cello
  • Motorhead Sherwood– noises
  • Paul Butterfield– vocals
  • Jeannie Vassoir– the voice of Cheese
  • Val Valentin – engineer
  • Ami, Tom – engineer
  • Eugene Dinovi, Neil Levang, Vito, Ken Watson – engineer assistant
  • Jack Anesh – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

  1. Hungry Freaks, Daddy
  2. I Ain’t Got No Heart
  3. Who Are the Brain Police?
  4. Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder – Frank Zappa, Ray Collins
  5. Motherly Love
  6. How Could I Be Such a Fool
  7. Wowie Zowie
  8. You Didn’t Try to Call Me
  9. Anyway, the Wind Blows
  10. I’m Not Satisfied
  11. You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here
  12. Trouble Every Day
  13. Help, I’m a Rock (Suite in Three Movements)
  • Okay to Tap Dance
  • In Memoriam, Edgard Varèse
  • It Can’t Happen Here
  1. The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet (Unfinished Ballet in Two Tableaux)
  • Ritual Dance of the Child-Killer
  • Nullis Pretii (No Commercial Potential)