Tag Archives: Max Roach

Dinah Washington: Dinah Jams

Leave a comment

In February 1955, “EmArcy” label released “Dinah Jams”, the second Dinah Washington studio album. It was recorded in August 1954, and was produced by Bob Shad.

Personnel:

  • Dinah Washington – vocals
  • Clifford Brown – trumpet
  • Maynard Ferguson – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Herb Geller – alto saxophone
  • Harold Land – tenor saxophone
  • Richie Powell – piano
  • Junior Mance – piano
  • George Morrow – double bass
  • Keter Betts – double bass
  • Max Roach – drums

Track listing:

  1. Lover, Come Back to Me – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
  2. Alone Together – Arthur Schwartz
  3. Summertime – George Gershwin
  4. Come Rain or Come Shine – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  5. No More – Tutti Camarata, Bob Russell
  6. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Cole Porter
  7. There Is No Greater Love – Isham Jones, Marty Symes
  8. You Go to My Head – John Frederick, Havem Gillespie

Charles Mingus: Pre-Bird

Leave a comment
SONY DSC

In September 1961, “Mercury” label released “Pre-Bird”, the 18th Charles Mingus album. It was recorded in May 1960, and was produced by Leonard Feather.

Personnel:

  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • Paul Bley – piano
  • Roland Hanna – piano
  • Gunther Schuller – conductor
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • Ted Curson – trumpet
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Hobart Dotson – trumpet
  • Richard Williams – trumpet
  • Robert Di Domenica – flute
  • Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, flute
  • Booker Ervin – saxophone
  • Yusuf Lateef – saxophone, flute
  • John LaPorta – saxophone
  • Danny Bank – saxophone
  • Bill Barron – saxophone
  • Joe Farrell – saxophone
  • Eddie Bert – trombone
  • Slide Hampton – trombone
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Charles “Majeed” Greenlee – trombone
  • George Scott – drums
  • Dannie Richmond – drums
  • Sticks Evans – drums
  • Max Roach – drums
  • Lorraine Cusson – vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles Mingus, except where noted.

  1. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn / Exactly Like You – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
  2. Prayer For Passive Resistance
  3. Eclipse
  4. Mingus Fingus No. 2
  5. Weird Nightmare
  6. Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell / I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, John Redmond
  7. Bemoanable Lady
  8. Half-Mast Inhibition

Stanley Cowell

Leave a comment

On December 17, 2020, Stanley Cowell died aged 79. He was musician (piano), co-founder of the “Strata-East Records” label, and professor at the “Music Department of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers”, the “State University of New Jersey”. He recorded with many famous jazz musicians including Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Richard Davis, Sonny Fortune, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, The Heath Brothers, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, Bobby Hutcherson, J. J. Johnson, Clifford Jordan, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Owens, Art Pepper, Buddy Terry, Charles Sullivan, Charles Toliver, Roland Kirk, Marion Brown, Harold Land, and Max Roach. As leader Cowell released 34 albums.

Abbey Lincoln: That’s Him!

Leave a comment

In December 1957, “Riverside” label released “That’s Him!”, the second Abbey Lincoln album. It was recorded in October 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Bill Grauer and Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Abbey Lincoln – vocals
  • Kenny Dorham – trumpet
  • Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano, bass
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Max Roach – drums

Track listing:

  1. Strong Man – Oscar Brown, Jr.
  2. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
  3. My Man – Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain
  4. Tender as a Rose – Phil Moore
  5. That’s Him – Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill
  6. I Must Have That Man! – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
  7. Porgy – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  8. When a Woman Loves a Man – Bernie Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Mercer
  9. Don’t Explain – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday

James Moody

Leave a comment

On December 9, 2010, James Moody died aged 85. He was musician (saxophone, flute) and singer, best known for his work in bebop and hard bop Jazz. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in Jazz music including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Eddie Jefferson, Johnny Coles, Todd Coolman, Rufus Reid, Gil Fuller, Milt Jackson, Dexter Gordon, Elvin Jones, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Lalo Schifrin, Bobby Thimons, Cedar Walton, Tubby Hayes, and Roberta Gambarini. In 2011, Moody posthumously won “Grammy Award” for “Best Jazz Instrumental album”, for his album “Moody 4B”. The “New Jersey Performing Arts Center” hosts the “James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival”. As a leader Moody released 44 albums.

Clifford Brown and Max Roach: Clifford Brown & Max Roach

Leave a comment

In December 1954, “EmArcy” label released “Clifford Brown & Max Roach”, album by Clifford Brown and Max Roach. It was recorded in August 1954, in “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bob Shad, and has been released as 10” vinyl. In “Jazz: A Critic’s Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings”, the album is placed at #34.

Personnel:

  • Clifford Brown – trumpet
  • Max Roach – drums
  • Harold Land – tenor saxophone
  • George Morrow – bass
  • Richie Powell – piano

Track listing:

 All tracks by Clifford Brown, except where noted.

  1. Delilah – Victor Young
  2. Parisian Thoroughfare – Bud Powell
  3. Daahoud
  4. Joy Spring
  5. Jordu – Duke Jordan

Lee Konitz

Leave a comment

On April 15, 2020, Lee Konitz died aged 92. He was composer and musician (alto saxophone), performing in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz, noted for improvising long, melodic lines with the rhythmic interest coming from odd accents, Konitz has recorded and performed with many famous musicians including Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Lennie Tristano, Stan Kenton, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Claude Thornhill, Ralph Burns, Gil Evans, Warne Marsh, Dave Pike, Attila Zoller, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Warne Marsh, Hal Galper, Bill Evans, Martial Solal, Max Roach, Don Friedman, Kenny Wheeler, Kenny Werner, Brian Dickenson, Paul Motian,  Bill Frisell, Gary Peacock, and Joey Baron.

Max Roach: We Insist

Leave a comment

On December 1, 1960, “Candid Records” label released “We Insist!” (subtitled Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite), the 21st Max Roach album. It was recorded April – September 1960, at “Nola Penthouse Sound Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Max Roach– drums
  • Abbey Lincoln– vocals
  • Booker Little– trumpet
  • Julian Priester– trombone
  • Walter Benton– tenor saxophone
  • Coleman Hawkins– tenor saxophone
  • James Schenk – bass
  • Michael Olatunji– vocals, congas
  • Raymond Mantilla– percussion
  • Tomas du Vall – percussion

Track listing:

All lyrics by Oscar Brown, all music by Max Roach.

  1. Driva Man
  2. Freedom Day
  3. Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace
  4. All Africa
  5. Tears for Johannesburg

Thad Jones: The Magnificent Thad Jones

Leave a comment

In January 1957, “Blue Note” label released “The Magnificent Thad Jones”, the third Thad Jones albums. It was recorded in July 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Thad Jones- trumpet
  • Billy Mitchell- tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Burrell- guitar
  • Barry Harris- piano
  • Percy Heath- bass
  • Max Roach- drums

Track listing:

  1. April in Paris – Vernon Duke,  Y. Harburg
  2. Billie-Doo – Thad Jones
  3. If I Love Again – Jack Murray, Ben Oakland
  4. If Someone Had Told Me – Peter DeRose, Charles Tobias
  5. Thedia – Thad Jones

 

Max Roach: Max Roach + 4

Leave a comment

On October 12, 1956, “EmArcy” label released “Max Roach + 4”, the second Max Roach album. It was recorded September 17 – 20, 1956, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Shad.

Personnel:

  • Max Roach- drums
  • Sonny Rollins- tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Dorham- trumpet
  • Ray Bryant, Bill Wallace – piano
  • George Morrow- bass

Track listing:

All tracks by Max Roach except where noted.

  1. Ezz-Thetic – George Russell
  2. Free-Zee
  3. Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
  4. Mr X.
  5. Body and Soul – Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green
  6. Woody ‘n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie