On June 26, 2025, Boris Claudio “Lalo” Schifrin died aged 93. He was musician (piano), composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work on movie and TV scores, for which he won five “Grammy Awards”. Schifrin recorded, performed and created arrangements for Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, Cannonball Adderley, Maurice Ander, Count Basie, Louis Bellson, Luiz Bonfa, Candido Camero, Al Hirt, Julia Migenes, Astor Piazzolla, David Shifrin, Placido Domingo, Sarah Vaughan and Cal Tjader. As leader he released 53 studio and live albums, and 43 soundtrack albums.
Tag Archives: Louis Bellson
Duke Ellington: Uptown Ellington
In March 1953, “Columbia” label released “Ellington Uptown”, the fifth Duke Ellington album. It was recorded in December 1951 in New York City, February – June – July 1952 in Fresno, California.
Personnel:
- Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn – piano
- Betty Roché, Al Hibbler – vocal
- Willie Smith, Johnny Hodges, Hilton Jefferson – alto saxophone
- Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
- Paul Gonsalves, Al Sears – tenor saxophone
- Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
- Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, Shelton Hemphill, Al Killian, Clark Terry, Francis Williams – trumpet
- Ray Nance – trumpet, violin
- Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman – trombone
- Tyree Glenn – trombone, vibraphone
- Claude Jones, Juan Tizol – valve trombone
- Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor saxophone
- Fred Guy – guitar
- Wendell Marshall, Oscar Pettiford, Junior Raglin – bass
- Louis Bellson, Sonny Greer – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.
- Skin Deep – Louis Bellson
- The Mooche – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
- Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn
- A Tone Parallel to Harlem (Harlem Suite)
- Perdido – Juan Tizol
- Controversial Suite Part 1: Before My Time
- Controversial Suite Part 2: Later
Ella Fitzgerald And Duke Ellington: Ella At Duke’s Place
In December 1965, “Verve” label released “Ella at Duke’s Place”, album by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. It was recorded in October 1965, at “United Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Norman Granz.
Personnel:
- Ella Fitzgerald – vocals
- Duke Ellington – piano, conductor, arrangements
- Jimmy Jones – arrangements
- Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
- Russell Procope – alto saxophone
- Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
- Jimmy Hamilton – tenor saxophone, clarinet
- Harry Carney – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
- Cat Anderson – trumpet
- Mercer Ellington – trumpet
- Herb Jones – trumpet
- Cootie Williams – trumpet
- Lawrence Brown – trombone
- Buster Cooper – trombone
- Chuck Connors – bass trombone
- John Lamb – bass
- Louis Bellson – drums
- Val Valentin – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.
- Something to Live For – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
- A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing – Billy Strayhorn
- Passion Flower – Billy Strayhorn
- I Like the Sunrise
- Azure – Irving Mills
- Imagine My Frustration – Billy Strayhorn, Gerald Stanley Wilson
- Duke’s Place – Bill Katz, Ruth Roberts, Bob Thiele
- Brown-skin Gal (in the Calico Gown) – Paul Francis Webster
- What Am I Here For? – Frankie Laine
- Cotton Tail
Count Basie And His Orchestra: The Happiest Millionaire
In November 1967, “Coliseum” label released “The Happiest Millionaire” (Count Basie Captures Walt Disney’s The Happiest Millionaire), album by Count Basie and His Orchestra. It was recorded in October 1967, at “A&R” in New York, and was produced by Teddy Reig.
Personnel:
- Count Basie – piano
- Bobby Plater – alto saxophone, flute
- Marshal Royal – alto saxophone, clarinet
- Eric Dixon – tenor saxophone, flute
- Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor saxophone
- Charlie Fowlkes – baritone saxophone
- Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Gene Goe, Sam Noto – trumpet
- Richard Boone, Harlan Floyd, Grover Mitchell – trombone
- Bill Hughes – bass trombone
- Freddie Green – guitar
- Norman Keenan – bass
- Louis Bellson – drums
- Chico O’Farrill – arrangements
Track listing:
All tracks by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.
- Detroit
- Strengthen the Dwelling
- I’ll Always be Irish
- Valentine Candy
- Bye-Yum-Pum-Pum
- Watch Your Footwork
- What’s Wrong with That
- Let’s Have a Drink on It
- Are We Dancing
- Fortuosity
Roy Eldridge And Dizzy Gillespie: Roy And Diz
In October 1954, “Clef” label released “Roy and Diz”, album by Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie. It was recorded in October 1954, and was produced by Norman Granz.
Personnel:
- Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie – vocals, trumpet
- Oscar Peterson – piano
- Herb Ellis – guitar
- Ray Brown – bass
- Louis Bellson – drums
Track listing:
- Sometimes I’m Happy – Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
- Algo Bueno – Woody ‘n’ You) – Dizzy Gillespie
- Trumpet Blues – Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie
- Ballad Medley – I’m Through with Love/Can’t We Be Friends/Don’t You Know?/I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do/If I Had You – Fud Livingston, Paul James, Kay Swift, Bobby Worth, Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk, Irving King, Ted Shapiro
- Blue Moon – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
- I’ve Found a New Baby – Jack Palmer, Spencer Williams
- Pretty Eyed Baby – Mary Lou Williams, Snub Mosley, William Luther Johnson
- I Can’t Get Started – Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin
- Limehouse Blues – Philip Braham, Douglas Furber
Johnny Hodges: The Blues
In October 1956, “Norgran” label released “The Blues”, the fifth Johnny Hodges album. It was recorded July 1952 – September 1953 – July 1954, at “Radio Recorders” in Los Angeles, in San Francisco and New York City, and was produced by Norman Granz.
Personnel:
- Johnny Hodges – alto saxophone
- Emmett Berry, Shorty Baker – trumpet
- Lawrence Brown – trombone
- Arthur Clarke, John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Rudy Williams – tenor saxophone
- Ted Brannon, Call Cobbs, Leroy Lovett – piano
- Ray Brown, Red Callender, Barney Richmond, John Williams – bass
- Louis Bellson, J. C. Heard, Al Walker – drums
- Alex De Paola – cover photography
- Phil Stern – photography
- Norman Granz – supervision
Track listing:
All tracks by Johnny Hodges, except where noted.
- Rosanne – Glenn Osser, Edna Osser, Dick Manning
- Hodge-Podge – Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington
- Jappa
- Through for the Night – Trummy Young
- The Sheik of Araby – Ted Snyder, Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler
- Latino
- Johnny’s Blues – Edith Cue Hodges
- Indiana – Ballard MacDonald, James F. Hanley
- Easy Going Bounce – Leroy Lovett
- Burgundy Walk
Barney Kessel
On May 6, 2004, Barney Kessel died aged 80. He was musician (guitar), noted for his inversions and chord-based melodies. In his successful solo career he has recorded 31 album as a leader, was member of the group of session musicians The Wrecking Crew, and has performed with many famous musicians including Georgie Auld, Chet Baker, Louis Bellson, Benny Carter, Buddy Collette, Harry Edison, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Hampton Hawes, Woody Herman, Billie Holiday, Milt Jackson, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Oliver Nelson, Anita O’Day, Art Pepper, Zoot Sims, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Rollins and Pete Rugolo.
James Brown: Soul on Top
In April 1970, “King” label released “Soul on Top”, the 32nd James Brown studio album. It was recorded November 1969, and was produced by James Brown.
Personnel:
- James Brown- vocal
- Oliver Nelson- arranger and conductor
- Ernie Watts- alto saxophone
- Joe Romano – alto saxophone
- Maceo Parker- tenor saxophone
- Buddy Collette- tenor saxophone
- Pete Christlieb- tenor saxophone
- Jim Mulidore – baritone saxophone
- Al Aarons- trumpet
- Chuck Findley- trumpet
- John Audino – trumpet
- Tom Porello – trumpet
- Jimmy Cleveland- trombone
- Nick DiMaio – trombone
- Kenny Shroyer – trombone
- Bill Tole – trombone
- Frank Vincent – piano
- Bill Pitman- guitar
- Louis Shelton- guitar
- Ray Brown- bass
- Louis Bellson- drums, bandleader
- Jack Arnold – percussion
Track listing:
- That’s My Desire – Helmy Kressa, Caroll Loveday
- Your Cheatin’ Heart – Hank Williams
- What Kind of Fool Am I – Leslie Bircusse, Anthony Newley
- It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World – James Brown, Betty Jean Newsome
- The Man in the Glass – Bud Hobgood
- It’s magic – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
- September Song – Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill
- For Once in My Life – Ron Miller, Orlando Murden
- Every Day I Have the Blues – Memphis Slim
- I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On) – Louie Bellson
- Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag – James Brown
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