Tag Archives: Melvin Sparks

Lou Donaldson: Hot Dog

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In August 1969, “Blue Note” label released “Hot Dog”, the 32nd Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded in April 1969, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – vocals, varitone alto saxophone
  • Ed Williams – trumpet
  • Charles Earland – Hammond organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Leo Morris – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Who’s Making Love? – Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis, Raymond Jackson
  2. Turtle Walk
  3. Bonnie – Tommy Turrentine
  4. Hot Dog
  5. It’s Your Thing – Rudolph Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley

Lou Donaldson: Everything I Play Is Funky

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In June 1970, “Blue Note” label released “Everything I Play is Funky”, the 33rd Lou Donaldson album. It was recorded August 1969 – January 1970, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Lou Donaldson – voice, alto and baritone saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell, Eddie Williams – trumpet
  • Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland – Hammond organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Jimmy Lewis – Fender bass
  • Idris Muhammad – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Bob Venosa/ Havona – design
  • Charles Keddie – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Donaldson, except where noted.

  1. Everything I Do Goth Be Funky (From Now On) – Allen Toussaint
  2. Hamp’s Hump – Paul Hampton
  3. Over the Rainbow – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
  4. Donkey Walk
  5. West Indian Daddy
  6. Minor Bash

Plas Johnson And Red Holloway: Keep That Groove Going

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On October 2, 2001, “Milestone” label released “Keep That Groove Going!”, album by Plas Johnson and Red Holloway. It was recorded in April 2001, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Porter.

Personnel:

  • Red Holloway – tenor saxophone 
  • Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Ludwig – organ
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Kenny Washington − drums

Track listing:

  1. Keep That Groove Going! – Red Holloway
  2. Stuffy – Coleman Hawkins
  3. Serenade in Blue – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
  4. Go Red Go – Arnett Cobb
  5. Bretheren! – Red Holloway
  6. Pass the Gravy – Plas Johnson
  7. Jammin’ for Mr. Lee – Plas Johnson
  8. Cry Me a River – Arthur Hamilton
  9. Dream a Little Dream of Me – Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, Gus Kahn

Reuben Wilson: Fun House

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On August 2, 2005, “Savant” label released “Fun House”, the 15th Reuben Wilson album. It was recorded in December 2004, at “Van Gelder Studios” in Englewood, NJ, and was produced by Melvin Sparks.

Personnel:

  • Reuben Wilson– Hammond B-3
  • Cochemea Gastelum – tenor saxophone
  • Melvin Sparks– guitar
  • Mike Clark– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Reuben Wilson except where noted

  1. Easy Talk – Gene Redd, Hank Marr
  2. Fun House
  3. For the Love of You – The Isley Brothers, Chris Jasper
  4. Ronnie’s Bonnie
  5. Love Time
  6. Sweet Feet
  7. Minor Yours
  8. Loft Funk – Mike Clark

Jimmy McGriff: Feelin’ It

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On April 17, 2001, “Milestone” label released “Feelin’ It”, the 60th Jimmy McGriff album. It was recorded in October 2000, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Bob Porter.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy McGriff– organ
  • Bill Easley– tenor saxophone, alto saxophone
  • David “Fathead” Newman– tenor saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber– baritone saxophone
  • Wayne Boyd – guitar
  • Melvin Sparks – guitar
  • Kenny Washington– drums
  • Don Williams − drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy McGriff except where noted

  1. Stan’s Shuffle – Stanley Turrentine
  2. Hard Times – Paul Mitchell
  3. Us – Wayne Boyd
  4. Feelin’ It – Melvin Sparks
  5. Sermonizing
  6. All Blues – Miles Davis
  7. Just in Time – Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green
  8. City Lights

Jimmy Witherspoon: The Blues Is Now

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In November 1967, “Verve” label released “The Blues Is Now”, the twenty-eight Jimmy Witherspoon album. It was recorded on June 1, 1967, and was produced by Ken Druker and Lew Futterman.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Witherspoon- vocals
  • Melvin Sparks- guitar
  • Jack McDuff- organ, arrangements
  • Jymie Merritt- bass guitar
  • Ray Appleton- drums
  • Leo Johnson, Danny Turner – alto and tenor saxophone, flute
  • Val Valentin– engineer
  • Bob Irwin, Jayme Pieruzzi– mastering
  • Hollis King- art direction
  • Nancy Reiner- cover art
  • Acy Lehman- design
  • Raymond Ross- photography
  • Ken Druker- executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Sweet Slumber – Lucky Millinder, Al J. Neiburg, Henri Woode
  2. I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town – Andy Razaf, Will Weldon
  3. Past Forty Blues – Robert Lee Roach, Jimmy Witherspoon
  4. K. Blues – Saunders King
  5. Late One Evening – Jimmy Witherspoon
  6. Part Time Woman – Jimmy Witherspoon
  7. Good Rocking Tonight – Roy Brown
  8. I Won’t Tell a Soul (I Love You) – Hughie Clark, Ross Parker
  9. My Baby’s Quit Me – Doc Pomus
  10. My Money’s Long This Morning, Baby – David Parker

Grover Washington

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On December 17, 1999, Grover Washington, Jr. died aged 56. He was musician (saxophone), composer and arranger, considered to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. Some of his most popular works feature his own compositions and covers of “Mister Magic”, “Take Five”, “Soulful Strut”, “Reed Seed”, “Black Frost”, “Winelight”, “Inner City Blues” and “The Best is Yet to Come”.  In his career he has performed and recorded with many famous musicians, including Kathleen Battle, Kenny Burrell, Hank Crawford, Charles Earland, Dexter Gordon, Urbie Green, Eddie Henderson, Masaru Imada, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Idris Muhammad, Gerry Mulligan, Don Sebesky, Johnny “Hammond” Smith, Melvin Sparks, Leon Spencer, Mal Waldron, Randy Weston, Bill Withers and Patti LaBelle.