Tag Archives: Verve

Jimmy Smith: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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In March 1964, “Verve” label released “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” album by Jimmy Smith. It was recorded in January 1974,at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs NJ, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith– organ
  • Oliver Nelson– arranger
  • Claus Ogerman– arranger, conductor
  • Val Valentin, Rudy Van Gelder– engineer
  • Acy Lehman – design
  • Roy De Carava – photography
  • Daddio Daylie – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue – Richard Rodgers
  2. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 1 – Don Kirkpatrick, Keith Knox
  3. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 2 – Don Kirkpatrick, Keith Knox
  4. John Brown’s Body – traditional
  5. Wives and Lovers – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  6. Women of the World – Riziero Ortolani
  7. Bluesette – Toots Thielemans

Ella Fitzgerald: Rhythm Is My Business

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In March 1962, “Verve” label released “Rhythm Is My Business”, album by Ella Fitzgerald. It was recorded on January 30 and 31, 1962, and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald- vocals
  • Hank Jones- piano
  • Mundell Lowe- guitar
  • Lucille Dixon, George Duvivier – double bass
  • Gus Johnson- drums
  • Taft Jordan, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder – trumpet
  • Melba Liston, Kai Winding, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • Carl Davis, Jerry Dodgion, William Shakesnider, Les Taylor, Phil Woods – reeds
  • Bill Doggett- arranger, conductor, organ

Track listing:

  1. Rough Ridin’ – Ella Fitzgerald, Hank Jones, William Tennyson
  2. Broadway – Billy Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode
  3. You Can Depend On Me – Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, Earl Hines
  4. Runnin’ Wild – Arthur Gibbs, Joe Grey, Leo Wood
  5. Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World ‘Cause That’s Where Everything Is – Les Clark, Matt Dennis
  6. I’ll Always Be In Love With You – Bud Green, Herman Ruby, Sam H. Stept
  7. Hallelujah, I Love Him So – Ray Charles
  8. I Can’t Face the Music – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  9. No Moon at All – Redd Evans, Dave Mann
  10. Laughin’ on the Outside – Ben Raleigh, Bernie Wayne
  11. After You’ve Gone – Henry Creamer, Turner Layton

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

The Blues Project: Projections

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In November 1966, “Verve” label released “Projections”, the second Blues Project (The) album. It was recorded in 1966, and was produced by Tom Wilson and Marcus James.

Personnel:

  • Al Kooper– keyboards, vocals
  • Danny Kalb– guitar, vocals
  • Steve Katz– guitar, harmonica, vocals
  • Andy Kulberg– bass, flute
  • Roy Blumenfeld – drums
  • Val Valentin– engineer
  • Ken Kendall – design
  • Jim Marshall– photography

Track listing:

  1. I Can’t Keep From Crying
  2. Steve’s Song – Steve Katz
  3. You Can’t Catch Me – Chuck Berry
  4. Two Trains Running – McKinley Morganfield
  5. Wake Me, Shake Me
  6. Cheryl’s Going Home – Bob Lind
  7. Flute Thing – Al Kooper
  8. Caress Me Baby – Jimmy Reed
  9. Fly Away – Al Kooper

Nico: Chelsea Girl

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In October 1967, “Verve” label released “Chelsea Girl”, the debut Nico solo album. It was recorded April – May 1967, at “Mayfair Recording Studios” in Manhattan, and was produced by Tom Wilson. The album name is a reference to Andy Warhol’s 1966 movie “Chelsea Girls”, in which Nico starred.

Personnel:

  • Christa “Nico” Päffgen– vocals
  • Jackson Browne– electric guitar
  • Lou Reed– electric guitar
  • Sterling Morrison– electric guitar
  • John Cale– viola, organ, guitar
  • Val Valentin- director of engineering
  • Gary Kellgren- recording, remix
  • Larry Fallon– string and flute arrangements
  • Paul Morrissey- photography

Track listing:

  1. The Fairest of the Seasons – Jackson Browne, Gregory Copeland
  2. These Days – Jackson Browne
  3. Little Sister – John Cale, Lou Reed
  4. Winter Song – John Cale
  5. It Was a Pleasure Then – Lou Reed, John Cale, Christa Päffgen
  6. Chelsea Girls – Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison
  7. I’ll Keep It With Mine – Bob Dylan
  8. Somewhere There’s a Feather – Jackson Browne
  9. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams – Lou Reed
  10. Eulogy to Lenny Bruce – Tim Hardin

Jimmy Smith: The Cat

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In September 1964, “Verve” label released “The Cat”, the sixth Jimmy Smith album for the label. It was recorded in April 1964, in Englewood, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Smith– organ
  • Kenny Burrell– guitar
  • George Duvivier– bass
  • Grady Tate– drums
  • Phil Kraus – percussion
  • Snooky Young – trumpet
  • Thad Jones – trumpet
  • Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Jimmy Maxwell – trumpet
  • Marky Markowitz – trumpet
  • Bernie Glow– trumpet
  • Jimmy Cleveland– trombone
  • Urbie Green – trombone
  • Tony Studd – bass trombone
  • Ray Alonge – French horn
  • Earl Chapin – French horn
  • Bill Correa – French horn
  • Jimmy Buffington – French horn
  • Don Butterfield– tuba
  • Lalo Schifrin– arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Theme from Joy House – Lalo Schifrin
  2. The Cat” (from Joy House) – Lalo Schifrin, Rick Ward
  3. Basin Street Blues – Spencer Williams
  4. Main Title from The Carpetbaggers – Elmer Bernstein, Ray Colcord
  5. Chicago Serenade – Eddie Harris
  6. Louis Blues – W.C. Handy
  7. Delon’s Blues – Jimmy Smith
  8. Blues in the Night – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer

Ella Fitzgerald And Count Basie: Ella And Basie!

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In September 1963, “Verve” label released “Ella and Basie!”, studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie and his orchestra. It was recorded in July 1963, at “A&R Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Norman Ganz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals
  • The Count Basie Orchestra:
  • Count Basie– piano
  • Sonny Cohn, Al Aarons, Joe Newman, Don Rader– trumpet
  • Eric Dixon– flute, tenor saxophone
  • Frank Foster, Frank Wess– flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell– trombone
  • Flip Ricard– trombone, trumpet
  • Marshal Royal– clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Buddy Catlett– double bass
  • Sonny Payne– drums
  • Quincy Jones– arranger
  • Val Valentin – recording
  • Jay Thompson – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  2. Deed I Do – Walter Hirsch, Fred Rose
  3. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall – Doris Fisher, Allan Roberts
  4. Them There Eyes – Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey
  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me – Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn, Wilbur Schwandt
  6. Tea for Two – Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
  7. Satin Doll – Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn
  8. I’m Beginning to See the Light – Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James
  9. Shiny Stockings – Frank Foster, Ella Fitzgerald
  10. This Is My Last Affair – Haven Johnson
  11. Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Harry Brooks, Razaf, Waller
  12. On the Sunny Side of the Street – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh

Joe Felds

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On July 12, 2017, Joe Fields died aged 88. He has worked for “London Records”,  “MGM”, “Verve”, “Prestige”, “Sue Records”, and “Buddha Records” (started their jazz division, “Cobblestone Records”), before he started his own label “Muse Records” in 1973. The label featured artists such as Pat Martino, Houston Person, Cedar Walton, Charlie Earland, Larry Coryell and Woody Shaw. In the 80’s Fields acquired “Savoy” and “Landmark Records” labels. “Savoy” owned recordings by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Dexter Gordon, among others. In 1997, Joe, and his son Barney, launched “HighNote” and “Savant Records”, labels that features artists such as Kenny Burrell, Houston Person, Wallace Roney, Eric Alexander, Freddy Cole, Tom Harrell and Russell Malone.

John Scofield: That’s What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles

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On June 7, 2005, “Verve” label released “That’s What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles”, the 35th John Scofield album. It was recorded in 2005, and was produced by Steve Jordan.

Personnel:

  • John Scofield – guitar, finger snapping
  • Warren Haynes – vocals, slide guitar
  • John Mayer – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
  • Mavis Staples- vocals
  • Dr. John – vocals, piano
  • Aaron Neville- vocals
  • Larry Goldings- Hammond organ, vibes, Wurlitzer
  • Willie Weeks- bass
  • Manolo Badrena – Spanish vocals, percussion, tambourine, timbales
  • Steven “Steven J.” Jordan – drums, tambourine, backing vocals, hand clapping, finger snapping
  • David Newman – tenor saxophone
  • Alex Foster – tenor saxophone
  • Earl Gardner- trumpet
  • Keith O’Quinn – trombone
  • Howard Johnson- baritone saxophone
  • Vaneese Thomas- backing vocals, hand clapping
  • Lisa Fischer- backing vocals, hand clapping
  • Meegan Voss- backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Busted
  2. What’d I Say
  3. Sticks And Stones
  4. I Don’t Need No Doctor
  5. Cryin’ Time
  6. I Can’t Stop Loving You
  7. Hit The Road Jack
  8. Talkin’ ‘Bout You/I Got A Woman
  9. Unchain My Heart (Part 1)
  10. Let’s Go Get Stoned
  11. Night Time Is the Right Time
  12. You Don’t Know Me
  13. Georgia On My Mind

Astrud Gilberto: The Astrud Gilberto Album

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In May 1965, “Verve” label released “The Astrud Gilberto Album” , the second Astrud Gilberto album. It was recorded January 1965, at “RCA Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • Astrud Gilberto- vocals
  • Antônio Carlos Jobim- vocals, guitar
  • João Gilberto- guitar
  • João Donato- piano
  • Joe Mondragon- bass
  • Bud Shank- alto sax, flute
  • Stu Williamson- trumpet
  • Milt Bernhart- trombone
  • Guildhall String Ensemble – ensemble

Track listing:

  1. Once I Loved – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Ray Gilbert
  2. Água de Beber – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel
  3. Meditation – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça, Norman Gimbel
  4. …and Roses and Roses – Dorival Caymmi, Ray Gilbert
  5. O Morro (Não tem Vez) – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes
  6. How Insensitive – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel)
  7. Dindi – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Aloysio de Oliveira, Ray Gilbert
  8. Photograph – Antônio Carlos Jobim
  9. Dreamer – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Gene Lees
  10. Só Tinha de Ser Com Você – Antônio Carlos Jobim
  11. All That’s Left Is to Say Goodbye – Astrud Gilberto, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes