Tag Archives: Ralph MacDonald

Bob James: Three

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On September 3, 1976, “CTI” label released “Three”, the third Bob James studio album. It was recorded November 1975 and January 1976, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Bob James – keyboards, arrangements, conductor
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar solo, guitar
  • Hugh McCracken – guitar
  • Gary King – bass guitar
  • Will Lee – bass guitar
  • Andy Newmark – drums
  • Harvey Mason – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Eddie Daniels – alto and tenor saxophone, flute
  • Grover Washington Jr. – soprano and tenor saxophone, tin whistle
  • Jon Faddis – trumpet
  • John Frosk – trumpet
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet
  • Wayne Andre – trombone
  • Dave Bargeron – bass trombone, tuba
  • Dave Taylor – bass trombone
  • Jerry Dodgion – flute
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Frederick Buldrini – violin
  • Harry Cykman – violin
  • Lewis Eley – violin
  • Max Ellen – violin
  • Emanuel Green – violin
  • Harold Kohon – violin
  • David Nadien – violin
  • Matthew Raimondi – violin
  • Al Brown – viola
  • Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • Charles McCracken – cello
  • Alan Shulman – cello
  • Gloria Agostini – harp
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Rene Schumacher – design
  • Richard Alcorn – photography

Track listing:

  1. One Mint Julep – Rudy Toombs
  2. Women of Ireland – Seán Ó Riada
  3. Westchester Lady – Bob James
  4. Storm King – Bob James
  5. Jamaica Farewell – Lord Burgess

Don Sebeski: Giant Box

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In July 1973, “CTI” label released “Giant Box”, the third Don Sebeski album. It was recorded April – May 1973, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Don Sebesky – electric piano, organ, clavinet, accordion, arrangements, conductor
  • Jackie Cain, Roy Kral – vocals
  • Lani Groves, Carl Caldwell, Tasha Thomas – vocals
  • Hubert Laws – soprano saxophone, flute
  • Joe Farrell – soprano saxophone
  • Romeo Penque – soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, piccolo, oboe, English horn
  • Grover Washington, Jr. – alto saxophone
  • Paul Desmond – alto saxophone
  • Phil Bodner – soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, piccolo
  • George Marge – soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe, English horn
  • Walt Levinsky – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Randy Brecker, Alan Rubin, Joe Shepley – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Garnett Brown – trombone
  • Wayne Andre, Warren Covington – trombone, baritone horn
  • Paul Faulise, Alan Raph – bass trombone, baritone horn
  • Jim Buffington, Earl Chapin – French horn
  • Tony Price – tuba
  • Dave Friedman, Phil Kraus, Ralph MacDonald, Airto Moreira – percussion
  • Alfred Brown, Harry Cykman, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Harry Glickman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, Elliot Rosoff, Irving Spice – violin
  • Seymour Barab, Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Alan Shulman – cello
  • Margaret Ross – harp
  • George Benson – electric guitar
  • Bob James – organ
  • Ron Carter – bass, electric bass, piccolo bass
  • Homer Mensch – bass
  • Billy Cobham – drums
  • Jack DeJohnette – drums
  • Airto Moreira – percussion
  • Rubens Bassini – conga
  • Milt Jackson – vibraphone
  • Bob Ciano – design

Track listing:

 All tracks, by Don Sebesky, except where noted.

  1. Firebird/Birds of Fire – Igor Stravinsky, John McLaughlin
  2. Song to a Seagull – Joni Mitchell
  3. Free as a Bird
  4. Psalm 150 – Jimmy Webb
  5. Vocalise – Sergei Rachmaninoff
  6. Fly/Circles
  7. Semi-Tough

Bob James: Touchdown

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On July 20, 1978, “Tappan Zee” label released “Touchdown”, the sixth Bob James album. It was recorded in 1978, at “CBS Studios”, “Sound Mixers” and “A&R Recording” in New York, and was produced by Bob James.

Personnel:

  • Bob James – acoustic piano, Yamaha electric grand piano, Fender Rhodes, Oberheim Polyphonic synthesizer, arrangements, conductor
  • Eric Gale – electric guitar
  • Hiram Bullock – vocals, electric guitar
  • Earl Klugh – acoustic guitar
  • Richard Resnicoff – rhythm acoustic guita
  • Gary King – electric bass
  • Ron Carter – acoustic bass, piccolo bass
  • Idris Muhammad – drums
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Mongo Santamaria – percussion
  • Phil Bodner – alto saxophone, flute, oboe
  • Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, flute
  • David Sanborn – alto saxophone solo
  • Harvey Estrin – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute
  • George Marge – tenor saxophone, English horn, flute, oboe, recorder
  • Howard Johnson – baritone saxophone, contrabass clarinet
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Jon Faddis – trumpet
  • Mike Lawrence – trumpet
  • Ron Tooley – trumpet
  • Wayne Andre – trombone
  • Dave Bargeron – trombone
  • Alan Raph – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • David Nadien – concertmaster
  • Harry Cykman, Lewis Eley, Max Ellen, Louis Gabowitz, Diana Halprin, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Herbert Sorkin, Richard Sortomme – violin
  • Jean Dane, Theodore Israel, Sue Pray and Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • Jonathan Abramowitz, Seymour Barab, Richard Locker, Charles McCracken – cello
  • Joe Jorgensen – engineer, associate producer
  • Tim Bomba – engineer assistant
  • Ted Bronson – engineer assistant
  • Lou Jannone – engineer assistant
  • Harold Tarowsky – engineer assistant
  • Vlado Meller – mastering
  • Paula Scher – art direction, design
  • Buddy Endress – photography
  • Jay Chattaway – associate producer
  • Marion Orr – production coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Bob James.

  1. Angela (Theme from Taxi)
  2. Touchdown
  3. I Want to Thank You (Very Much)
  4. Sun Runner
  5. Caribbean Nights

Grover Washington Jr.: All The King’s Horses

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On July 1, 1972, “Kudu” label released “All the King’s Horses”, the second Grover Washington Jr. studio album. It was recorded May – June 1972, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Grover Washington Jr. – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Gene Bertoncini – guitar
  • Cornell Dupree – guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar
  • David Spinozza – guitar
  • Bob James – electric piano, harpsichord, arrangements, conductor
  • Richard Tee – organ
  • Gordon Edwards – bass
  • Ron Carter – bass
  • Bernard Purdie – drums
  • Billy Cobham – drums
  • Airto Moreira – percussion
  • Ralph MacDonald – congas
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet, flugelhorn

Brass and Woodwind Section

  • George Marge – alto saxophone, flute, English horn, oboe, recorder
  • Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
  • Arthur Clarke – baritone saxophone, flute
  • Wayne Andre, Paul Faulise, Tony Studd – trombone
  • Jon Faddis, John Frosk, Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm, Snooky Young – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Ray Alonge, Donald Corrado, Fred Klein, Brooks Tillotson – French horn

String Section

  • Alexander Cores, Bernard Eichen, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, John Pintaualle, Irving Spice – violin
  • Richard Dickler, Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci – cello
  • Margaret Ross – harp

String Trio

  • David Nadien – violin
  • Emanuel Vardi – viola
  • George Ricci – cello
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Bob Ciano – design
  • Pete Turner – photography

Track listing:

  1. No Tears, in the End – Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
  2. All the King’s Horses – Aretha Franklin
  3. Where Is the Love – Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
  4. Body and Soul (Montage) – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green
  5. Lean on Me – Bill Withers
  6. Lover Man – Jimmy Davis, James Sherman, Ram Ramirez
  7. Love Song 1700 – Henry Purcell

Donny Hathaway: Extension Of A Man

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On June 18, 1973, “Atco” label released “Extension of a Man”, the fourth and final Donny Hathaway studio album. It was recorded October – November 1972, at “A&R”, “Bell Sound”, “Regent Sound” and “Atlantic” in New York City, “Universal” in Chicago, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Donny Hathaway – lead vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, all pianos, Hammond organ, keyboards, bass, arrangements
  • Cornell Dupree – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Hugh McCracken – banjo, guitar
  • Willie Weeks, Russ Savakus, Stanley Clarke, Gordon Edwards – bass
  •  Grady Tate, Fred White, Rick Marotta, Ray Lucas – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Julien Barber, Noel DaCosta, Sanford Allen, Theodore Israel – violin
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Kermit Moore – cello
  • Gloria Agostini – harp 
  • David Newman – saxophone
  • Marvin Stamm, Joe Newman, Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Dominick Gravine, Garnett Brown, Paul Faulise, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd, Garnett Brown – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Don Butterfield – tuba
  • Phil Bodner – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Seldon Powell – clarinet, reeds, tenor saxophone
  • Vincent Abato – clarinet
  • Romeo Penque, William Slapin – reeds
  • Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins, Tony Miranda – French horn
  • Henry Schuman – oboe
  • Myrna Summers & The Interdenominational Singers – choir 
  • Cissy Houston, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell, Jimmy Douglass, Mario “Big M” Medious, Richard Wells, William “Mac” McCollum – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Donny Hathaway, except where noted.

  1. I Love the Lord; He Heard My Cry (Parts I & II)
  2. Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard
  3. Flying Easy
  4. Valdez in the Country
  5. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know – Al Kooper
  6. Come Little Children
  7. Love, Love, Love – J.R. Bailey, Ken Williams
  8. The Slums
  9. Magdalena – Danny O’Keefe
  10. I Know It’s You – Leon Ware
  11. Lord Help Me – Joe Greene, Billy Preston

Bob James: Two

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On May 29. 1975, “CTI” label released “Two”, the fourth Bob James album. It was recorded December 1974 – January 1975, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taulor.

Personnel:

  • Bob James – electric piano, clavinet, ARP Odyssey, Yamaha YC-30 combo organ, arrangements, conductor
  • Richard Resnicoff – guitar
  • Eric Gale – guitar, bass
  • Gary King – bass
  • Andrew Smith – drums
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Arthur Jenkins – percussion
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Patti Austin – vocals, lead vocal
  • Frank Floyd – vocals
  • Lani Groves – vocals
  • Zachary Sanders – vocals
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • John Frosk – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Victor Paz – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Wayne Andre – trombone
  • Eddie Bert – trombone
  • Tom Mitchell – trombone
  • Tony Studd – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute, electric flute
  • Eddie Daniels – clarinet
  • James Buffington – French horn
  • Peter Gordon – French horn
  • Al Richmond – French horn
  • Harry Cykman, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Harry Glickman, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, David Nadien, Gene Orloff and Matthew Raimondi – violin
  • Seymour Barab, Alla Goldberg, Warren Lash, Jesse Levy, George Ricci, Alan Shulman and Anthony Sophos – cello
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Bob Ciano – design
  • Greg Laurents – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Take Me to the Mardi Gras – Paul Simon
  2. I Feel a Song (In My Heart) – Tony Camillo, Mary Sawyer
  3. The Golden Apple – Bob James
  4. Farandole – Georges Bizet
  5. You’re as Right as Rain – Thom Bell, Linda Creed
  6. Dream Journey – Bob James

The Rascals: The Island Of Real

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In April 1972, “Columbia” label released “The Island of Real”, the ninth and final Rascals (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Felix Cavaliere.

Personnel:

  • Felix Cavaliere – vocals, keyboards, ARP synthesizer
  • Howard “Buzz” Feiten – guitar, ARP synthesizer
  • Annie Sutton – vocals, backing vocals
  • Robert Popwell – bass
  • Dino Danelli – drums, percussion
  • Kwasi “Rocky” Dzidzornu – conga
  • Ralph MacDonald – conga
  • Jack Scarangella – conga
  • Daniel Ben Zebulon – conga
  • Joe Farrell – saxophone, flute
  • David Sanborn – saxophone, horn
  • Jon Smith – saxophone, horn
  • Steve Madaio – trumpet
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Manny Stamm – flugelhorn
  • Woodstock Horns – horns
  • Louis Colin – harp
  • Molly Holt – backing vocals
  • Arthur Jenkins – arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Felix Cavaliere, except where noted.

  1. Lucky Day
  2. Saga of New York
  3. Be on the Real Side – Robert Popwell
  4. Jungle Walk – Buzz Feiten
  5. Brother Tree
  6. Island of Real
  7. Hummin’ Song
  8. Echoes
  9. Buttercup
  10. Time Will Tell
  11. Lament

Carole King: Thoroughbred

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In January 1976, “Ode Records” label released “Thoroughbred”, the seventh Carole King album. It was recorded in 1975, at “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Lou Adler.

Personnel:

  • Carole King – lead and backing vocals, piano
  • Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar – vocals, guitar
  • James Taylor – guitar, backing vocals
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitar
  • Leland Sklar – bass guitar
  • Russ Kunkel – drums
  • Tom Scott – saxophone
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • David Crosby – backing vocals
  • Graham Nash – backing vocals
  • J.D. Souther – backing vocals
  • Milt Calice – engineer
  • Hank Cicalo – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Carole King, except where noted.

  1. So Many Ways
  2. Daughter of Light – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  3. High Out of Time – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  4. Only Love is Real
  5. There’s a Space Between Us
  6. I’d Like to Know You Better
  7. We All Have to Be Alone – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  8. Ambrosia – Carole King, Dave Palmer
  9. Still Here Thinking of You – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  10. It’s Gonna Work Out Fine

Michael Franks: The Camera Never Lies

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On July 7, 1987, “Warner Bros” label released “The Camera Never Lies”, the tenth Michael Franks album. It was recorded in 1987, and was produced by Rob Mounsey.

Personnel:

  • Michael Franks – vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin
  • Hiram Bullock – guitar
  • Cornell Dupree – guitar
  • Steve Khan – guitar
  • Earl Klugh – guitar
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • Georg Wadenius – guitar
  • Clifford Carter – piano, synthesizer
  • Richard Tee – piano
  • Mark Egan – bass
  • Neil Jason – bass
  • Will Lee – bass, backing vocals
  • Marcus Miller – bass
  • Robin Gould – drums
  • Steve Jordan – drums
  • Chris Parker – cymbals, drums
  • Dave Weckl – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion
  • Roger Squitero – caxixi, shekere
  • Lawrence Feldman – alto saxophone
  • Bill Evans – tenor saxophone
  • Michael Brecker – EWI, tenor saxophone
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet
  • Rob Mounsey – flute, keyboard bass, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Michal Urbaniak – violin
  • Patti Austin – vocals, backing vocals
  • Kacey Cisyk – backing vocals
  • Art Garfunkel – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Michael Franks, except where noted.

  1. Face to Face
  2. I Surrender
  3. The Camera Never Lies
  4. Lip Service
  5. When I Think of Us
  6. Island Life – Michael Franks, Rob Mounsey
  7. How You’re in My Dreams – Michael Franks, Clifford Carter
  8. Doctor Sax
  9. Innuendo