Tag Archives: Nat Hentoff

Charles Mingus: East Costing

In December 1957, “Bethlehem” label released “East Coasting”, the twelve Charles Mingus album. It was recorded in August 1957.

Personnel:

  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • Bill Evans – piano
  • Shafi Hadi – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Clarence Shaw – trumpet
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Dannie Richmond – drums
  • Rick Essig – engineer
  • Lyn Bradley – design
  • Robert Berenson – photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles Mingus, except where noted.

  1. Memories of You  (take 7) – Eubie Blake, Andy Razaf
  2. East Coasting (take 4)
  3. West Coast Ghost (Take 6)
  4. Celia (Take 5)
  5. Conversation (Take 16)
  6. Fifty-First Street Blues (Take 4)

Larry Young: Unity

In August 1966, “Blue Note” label released “Unity”, the fifth Larry Young album. It was recorded in November 1965, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Larry Young – Hammond B-3 organ
  • Woody Shaw – trumpet
  • Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone
  • Elvin Jones – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Zoltan – Woody Shaw
  2. Monk’s Dream – Thelonious Monk
  3. If – Joe Henderson
  4. The Moontrane – Woody Shaw
  5. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
  6. Beyond All Limits – Woody Shaw

Jimmy Smith: Plain Talk

In April 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Plain Talk”, the 47th Jimmy Smith album. It was recorded in March 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith – organ
  • Quentin Warren – guitar
  • Donald Bailey – drums
  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Ike Quebec – tenor saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Photomedia – photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listings:

  1. Big Fat Mama – Lucky Millinder, Stafford Simon
  2. My One and Only Love – Robert Melvin, Guy Wood
  3. Plain Talk – Jimmy Smith
  4. Time After Time – Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne

Benny Golsons: Benny Golson’s New York Scene

In January 1959, “Contemporary” label released “Benny Golson’s New York Scene”,  the debut Benny Golson album. It was recorded in October 1957, in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
  • Art Farmer – trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland – trombone 
  • Julius Watkins – French horn 
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone 
  • Sahib Shihab – baritone saxophone 
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Charlie Persip – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Benny Golson except where noted.

  1. Something in B flat – Ray Bryant
  2. Whisper Not
  3. Step Lightly
  4. Just by Myself
  5. Blues It
  6. You’re Mine, You – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman
  7. Capri – Gigi Gryce

Freddie Roach: Good Move!

In December 1963, “Blue Note” label released “Good Move!” the third Freddie Roach album. It was recorded November – December 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Freddie Roach – organ
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet 
  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone 
  • Eddie Wright – guitar
  • Clarence Johnston – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Freddie Roach except where noted

  1. It Ain’t Necessarily So – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  2. When Malindy Sings – Oscar Brown Jr., Paul Laurence Dunbar
  3. Pastel – Erroll Garner
  4. Wine, Wine, Wine
  5. On Our Way Up
  6. T’ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It) – Sy Oliver, Trummy Young
  7. Lots of Lovely Love – Richard Rodgers
  8. I.Q. Blues

Benny Bailey: Big Brass

In December 1960, “Candid” label released “Big Brass”, the second Benny Bailey album. It was recorded in November 1960, at “Nola Penthouse Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.

Personnel:

  • Benny Bailey – trumpet
  • Julius Watkins – French horn 
  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone, bass clarinet
  • Les Spann – guitar, flute
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Buddy Catlett – bass
  • Art Taylor – drums

Track listing:

  1. Hard Sock Dance – Quincy Jones
  2. Alison – Hale Smith
  3. Tipsy – Oliver Nelson
  4. Please Say Yes – Tom McIntosh
  5. A Kiss to Build a Dream On – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Oscar Hammerstein II
  6. Maud’s Mood – Benny Bailey

Ray Charles: The Genius Of

In October 1959, “Atlantic” label released “The Genius of Ray Charles”, the seventh Ray Charles album. It was recorded May – June 1959, at “6 West Recording” in New York City, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegün and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Ray Charles – vocals, piano
  • Allen Hanlon – guitar
  • Wendell Marshall – bass guitar
  • Ted Sommer – drums
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • John Hunt – trumpet
  • Melba Liston – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Thomas Mitchell – trombone
  • Al Grey – trombone
  • Frank Wess – flute
  • Clark Terry – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Joe Newman – trumpet
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Marcus Belgrave – trumpet
  • John Hunt – trumpet
  • Melba Liston – trombone
  • Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Thomas Mitchell – trombone
  • Al Grey – trombone
  • Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone
  • Frank Wess – flute, alto and tenor saxophone
  • Marshal Royal – alto saxophone
  • Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
  • Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone
  • Billy Mitchell – tenor saxophone
  • David “Fathead” Newman – tenor saxophone
  • Quincy Jones – arranger, conductor
  • Ernie Wilkins – arrangements
  • Ralph Burns – arrangements
  • Ralph Burns – arrangements
  • Johnny Acea – arrangements
  • Al Cohn – arrangements
  • Harry Lookofsky – concertmaster
  • Bill Schwartau, Tom Dowd – recording
  • Marvin Israel – cover design
  • Lee Friedlander – cover photography
  • Nat Hentoff – sleeve notes

Track listing:

  1. Let the Good Times Roll – Sam Theard, Fleecie Moore
  2. It Had to Be You – Gus Kahn, Isham Jones
  3. Alexander’s Ragtime Band – Irving Berlin
  4. Two Years of Torture – Percy Mayfield, Charles Joseph Morris
  5. When Your Lover Has Gone – Einar Aaron Swan
  6. Deed I Do – Walter Hirsch, Fred Rose
  7. Just for a Thrill – Lil Hardin Armstrong, Don Raye
  8. You Won’t Let Me Go – Bud Allen, Buddy Johnson
  9. Tell Me You’ll Wait for Me – Charles Brown, Oscar Moore
  10. Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’ – Joe Greene
  11. Am I Blue? – Grant Clarke, Harry Akst
  12. Come Rain or Come Shine – Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen

Sonny Rollins: Sonny Rollins On Impulse!

In August 1965, “Impulse” label released “Sonny Rollins on Impulse!” the 24th Sonny Rollins album (his debut on Impulse! Label). It was recorded in July 1965, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Sonny Rollins– tenor saxophone
  • Ray Bryant– piano
  • Walter Booker– bass
  • Mickey Roker– drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer, lacquer cut
  • Joe Lebow – design
  • Charles Stewart – cover photography
  • Bob Thiele – liner photography
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. On Green Dolphin Street – Bronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington
  2. Everything Happens to Me – Tom Adair, Matt Dennis
  3. Hold ‘Em Joe – Harry Thomas
  4. The Blue Room – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  5. Three Little Words – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby

John Coltrane: Transition

In July 1970, ”Impulse!” label released “Transition”, an album by John Coltrane. It was recorded May – June 1965, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Bob Thiele and John Coltrane.

Personnel:

  • John Coltrane– tenor saxophone
  • McCoy Tyner– piano
  • Jimmy Garrison– double bass
  • Elvin Jones– drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by John Coltrane.

  1. Transition
  2. Dear Lord
  3. Suite
  • Prayer and Meditation: Day, Peace and After
  • Prayer and Meditation: Evening, Affirmation
  • Prayer and Meditation: 4 A.M.

Max Roach: We Insist

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