Tag Archives: Mel Lewis

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra: New Life

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In December 1976, “A&M/Horizon Records” label released “New Life (Dedicated to Max Gordon)”, the twelve Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (The) album. It was recorded July 1975, January – December 1976, at “A&R Recording Inc.” in New York City, and was produced by John Snyder.

Personnel:

  • Thad Jones – flugelhorn, arrangements
  • Mel Lewis – drums
  • Barry Finnerty – electric guitar
  • David Spinozza – electric guitar
  • Roland Hanna – piano
  • Walter Norris – piano
  • George Mraz – bass
  • Steve Gilmore – acoustic bass
  • Rasan Mfalme (Jerry Jemmott) – electric bass
  • Herb Lovelle – drums
  • Leonard Gibbs – congas
  • Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute, soprano saxophone
  • Frank Foster – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Lou Marini – clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone
  • Greg Herbert – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Ed Xiques – soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, clarinet
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Jon Faddis – trumpet
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet
  • Waymon Reed – trumpet
  • Steve Furtado – trumpet
  • Sinclair Acey – trumpet
  • Jim Bossy – trumpet
  • Cecil Bridgewater – trumpet
  • Billy Campbell – trombone
  • Janice Robinson – trombone
  • Earl McIntyre – bass trombone, trombone
  • John Mosca – trombone
  • Dave Taylor – bass trombone
  • Jim Buffington – French horn
  • Ray Alonge – French horn
  • Peter Gordon – French horn
  • Earl Chapin – French horn
  • Julius Watkins – French horn
  • Don Butterfield – tuba

Track listing:

All tracks by Thad Jones except where noted.

  1. Greetings And Salutations
  2. And Harmony – composed and arranged by Cecil Bridgewater
  3. Little Rascal on a Rock
  4. Forever Lasting
  5. Love To One Is One to Love
  6. Thank You – composed and arranged by Jerry Dodgion
  7. Cherry Juice

Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Swings Lightly

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In December 1958, “Verve” label released “Ella Swings Lightly”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded in November 1958, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Granz. This album won Ella Fitzgerald the 1960 Grammy award for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald – vocal
  • Marty Paich’s Dek-Tette: Bud Shank – alto saxophone 
  • Bill Holman – tenor saxophone
  • Med Flory – baritone saxophone 
  • Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Bob Enevoldsen – valve trombone, tenor saxophone 
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Lou Levy  – piano
  • Joe Mondragon – bass 
  • Mel Lewis – drums 

Track listing:

  1. Little White Lies – Walter Donaldson
  2. You Hit the Spot – Mack Gordon, Harry Revel
  3. What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? – Jack Lawrence, Paul Francis Webster, Mary Lou Williams
  4. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
  5. As Long as I Live – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
  6. Teardrops from My Eyes – Rudy Toombs
  7. Gotta Be This or That – Sunny Skylar
  8. Moonlight on the Ganges – Sherman Myers, Chester Wallace
  9. My Kinda Love – Louis Alter, Jo Trent
  10. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
  11. If I Were a Bell – Frank Loesser
  12. You’re an Old Smoothie – Nacio Herb Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Richard A. Whiting
  13. Little Jazz – Roy Eldridge, Buster Harding
  14. You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me – Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Peter Norman
  15. Knock Me a Kiss – Mike Jackson
  16. 720 in the Books – Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Leo Watson

Gary McFarland: Tijuana Jazz

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In December 1965, “Impulse!” label released “Tijuana Jazz”, the sixth Gary McFarland album. It was recorded in December 1965, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Gary McFarland – marimba, electric piano
  • Joe Newman, Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica, guitar
  • Barry Galbraith – guitar
  • Bob Bushnell – electric bass
  • Mel Lewis, Grady Tate – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Gary McFarland except where noted.

  1. South of the Border – Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Carr
  2. Acapulco at Night
  3. Fantastic, That’s You – George Cates, George Douglas
  4. Limehouse Blues – Philip Braham, Douglas Furber
  5. Tijuana – George Cates, George Douglas
  6. Marcheta – Victor Schertzinger
  7. Granny’s Samba
  8. Soul Bird (Tin Tin Deo) – Gil Fuller, Chano Pozo
  9. Mexicali Rose – Jack Tenney, Helen Stone
  10. Ira Schwartz’s Golden Dream
  11. Mary Jane
  12. Sweet Georgia Brown – Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey, Maceo Pinkard

Art Pepper: Art Pepper + Eleven – Modern Jazz Classics

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In January 1960, “Contemporary” label released “Art Pepper + Eleven – Modern Jazz Classics”, the ninth Art Pepper album. It was recorded March – May 1959, and was produced by Lester Koenig.

Personnel:

  • Art Pepper — alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Herb Geller — alto saxophone 
  • Bud Shank — alto saxophone 
  • Charlie Kennedy — alto saxophone 
  • Bill Perkins — tenor saxophone 
  • Richie Kamuca — tenor saxophone 
  • Med Flory — baritone saxophone 
  •  Pete Candoli — trumpet
  • Al Porcino — trumpet
  • Jack Sheldon — trumpet
  • Dick Nash — trombone
  • Bob Enevoldsen — valve trombone, tenor saxophone
  • Vincent DeRosa — French horn
  • Russ Freeman — piano
  • Joe Mondragon — bass
  • Mel Lewis — drums
  • Marty Paich — arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Move – Denzil Best
  2. Groovin’ High – Dizzy Gillespie
  3. Opus De Funk – Horace Siver
  4. Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk
  5. Four Brothers – Jimmy Giuffre
  6. Shawnuff – Dizzy Gillespie
  7. Bernie’s Tune – Jerry Leiber, Bernie Miller, Mike Stoller
  8. Walkin’ Shoes – Gerry Mulligan
  9. Anthropology – Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker
  10. Airegin – Sonny Rollins
  11. Walkin’ – Richard Carpenter
  12. Donna Lee – Miles Davis

Quincy Jones: Go West, Man!

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On October 17, 1957, ”ABC” label released “Go West, Man!”, the second Quincy Jones studio album. It was recorded in February 1957, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Quincy Jones.

Personnel:

  • Quincy Jones – conductor
  • Benny Carter – alto saxophone
  • Herb Geller – alto saxophone
  • Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
  • Art Pepper – alto saxophone
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Walter Benton – tenor saxophone
  • Buddy Collette – tenor saxophone
  • Bill Perkins – tenor saxophone
  • Conte Candoli – trumpet
  • Pete Candoli – trumpet
  • Harry Edison – trumpet
  • Jack Sheldon – trumpet
  • Lou Levy – piano
  • Carl Perkins – piano
  • Red Mitchell – bass
  • Leroy Vinnegar – bass
  • Shelly Manne – drums
  • Mel Lewis – drums

Track listing:

  1. Dancin’ Pants – Jimmy Giuffre
  2. Blues Day – Jimmy Giuffre
  3. Bright Moon – Jimmy Giuffre
  4. No Bones at All – Johnny Mandel
  5. The Oom Is Blues – Charlie Mariano
  6. Be My Guest – Lennie Niehaus
  7. Medley: What’s New? – Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke / We’ll Be Together Again – Carl Fischer, Frankie Laine / Time on My Hands – Vincent Youmans / You Go to My Head – J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie / Laura – David Raksin / Johnny Mercer
  8. London Derriere – Johnny Mandel
  9. Kings Road Blues – Lennie Niehaus

Ray Charles And Betty Carter: Ray Charles And Betty Carter

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In August 1961, “ABC” label released “Ray Charles and Betty Carter”, album by Ray Charles and Betty Carter. It was recorded August 1960 – June 1961, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Sid Feller.

Personnel:

  • Betty Carter – vocals
  • Ray Charles – vocals, keyboards
  • Hank Crawford – alto saxophone
  • David Fathead Newman – tenor saxophone
  • Leroy Cooper – baritone saxophone
  • Bill Pitman – guitar
  • Edgar Willis – bass guitar
  • Mel Lewis, Bruno Carr – drums
  • The Jack Halloran Singers – backing vocals
  • Marty Paich – arrangements, conductor
  • Sid Feller – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye – Cole Porter
  2. You and I – Meredith Willson
  3. Intro: Goodbye / We’ll Be Together Again – Gordon Jenkins / Carl T. Fischer, Frankie Laine
  4. People Will Say We’re in Love – Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers
  5. Cocktails for Two – Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston
  6. Side by Side – Harry M. Woods, Gus Kahn
  7. Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Frank Loesser
  8. Together – Lew Brown, Buddy De Sylva, Ray Henderson
  9. For All We Know – J. Fred Coots, Sam M. Lewis
  10. Takes Two to Tango – Al Hoffman, Dick Manning
  11. Alone Together – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
  12. Just You, Just Me – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages

Bud Shank: New Groove

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In July 1961, “Pacific Jazz” label released “New Groove”, the 24th Bud Shank album. It was recorded in May 1961, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Bud Shank – alto and baritone saxophone
  • Carmell Jones – trumpet
  • Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Gary Peacock – bass
  • Mel Lewis – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Bud Shank, except where noted.

  1. New Groove
  2. The Awakening
  3. White Lightnin’
  4. Sultry Serenade – Tyree Glenn
  5. Well You Needn’t – Thelonious Monk
  6. Liddledabulduya – Gary Peacock

Bob Brookmeyer: Gloomy Sunday And Other Bright Moments

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In December 1961, “Verve” label released “Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments”, the 19th Bob Brookmeyer album. It was recorded in November 1961, in New York City, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone, arrangements
  • Eddie Caine – alto saxophone, flute
  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Gene Quill, Eddie Wasserman – alto saxophone
  • Phil Bodner – tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn
  • Al Cohn – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Allen – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Bernie Glow, Joe Newman, Doc Severinsen, Clark Terry, Nick Travis – trumpet
  • Wayne Andre, Billy Byers, Bill Elton, Alan Raph – trombone
  • Wally Kane – bassoon
  • Eddie Costa – vibraphone, percussion
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • George Duvivier – bass
  • Mel Lewis – drums
  • Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Gary McFarland, Eddie Sauter – arrangements
  • Olga Albizu – cover painting
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Caravan – Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  2. Why Are You Blue – Gary McFarland
  3. Some of My Best Friends – Al Cohn
  4. Gloomy Sunday – Rezső Seress
  5. Ho Hum – Bob Brookmeyer
  6. Detour Ahead – Herb Ellis, Johnny Frigo, Lou Carter
  7. Days Gone By; Oh My! – Gary McFarland
  8. Where, Oh Where – Cole Porter

Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica: Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica and the Jazz Orschetra

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In September 1976, “Pausa” label released “Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica and the Jazz Orchestra”, album by Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica. It was recorded in September 1973 in London and in July 1974 in Perugia, Italy.

Personnel:

  • Manuel De Sica – composer
  • Thad Jones – flugelhorn
  • Mel Lewis – drums
  • Dee Dee Bridgewater – vocals
  • Roland Hanna – piano
  • George Mraz – bass
  • Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute
  • Eddie Xiques – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Billy Harper – tenor saxophone
  • Ron Bridgewater – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Jon Faddis – trumpet
  • Jim Bossy – trumpet
  • Steve Furtado – trumpet
  • Cecil Bridgewater – trumpet
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Billy Campbell – trombone
  • Cliff Heather – trombone

Track listing:

  1. First Jazz Suite – Manuel De Sica
  2. Brasserie
  3. Father
  4. Sing
  5. Ballade
  6. For Life
  7. Little Pixie – Thad Jones

Bob Brookmeyer: Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments

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In December 1961, “Verve” label released “Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments”, the 16th Bob Brookmeyer album. It was recorded in November 1961, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone, arranger
  • Bernie Glow, Joe Newman, Doc Severinsen, Clark Terry, Nick Travis – trumpet
  • Wayne Andre, Billy Byers, Bill Elton, Alan Raph – trombone
  • Wally Kane – bassoon
  • Eddie Caine – alto saxophone, flute
  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone, clarinet 
  • Gene Quill, Eddie Wasserman – alto saxophone
  • Phil Bodner – tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn
  • Al Cohn – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Allen – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Eddie Costa – vibraphone, percussion
  • Hank Jones – piano
  • George Duvivier – bass
  • Mel Lewis – drums
  • Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Gary McFarland, Eddie Sauter – arrangements

Track listing:

  1. Caravan – Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  2. Why Are You Blue – Gary McFarland
  3. Some of My Best Friends – Al Cohn
  4. Gloomy Sunday – Rezső Seress
  5. Ho Hum – Bob Brookmeyer
  6. Detour Ahead – Herb Ellis, Johnny Frigo, Lou Carter
  7. Days Gone By; Oh My! – Gary McFarland
  8. Where, Oh Where – Cole Porter