On March 2, 2023, Wayne Shorter died aged 89. He was musician (saxophone) and composer. He was member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the band Weather Report. Many of the Shorter’s compositions have become jazz standards and his work earned critical praise worldwide. In 1970, he won “Down Beat’s” annual poll-winner, winning the critics’ poll for 10 consecutive years and the readers’ poll for 18 consecutive years. Shorter recorded and performed with Donald Byrd, Billy Childs, Pino Daniele, Lou Donaldson, Benny Golson, Gil Evans, Toninho Horta, Norah Jones, J. J. Johnson, Don Henley, Wynton Kelly, Michael Landau, Lionel Loueke, Grachan Moncur III, Milton Nascimento, Michel Petrucciani, The Rolling Stones, Masahiko Satoh, John Scofield, Esperanza Spalding, Steely Dan, Bobby Timmons, Kazumi Watanabe, Buster Williams, Herbie Hacock, Tony Williams, Joe Zawinul, Freddie Hubbard, Joni Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Jaco Pastorius, Carlos Santana and McCoy Tyner. In 2008, “The New York Times” described Shorter as “probably jazz’s greatest living small-group composer and a contender for greatest living improviser”. In 2017, he was awarded the “Polar Music Prize”. As leader, Shorter released 28 albums.
Tag Archives: Wynton Kelly
Johnny Griffin: Introducing Johnny Griffin
In February 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Introducing Johnny Griffin”, the debut Johnny Griffin album. It was recorded in April 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Johnny Griffin – tenor sax
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Curly Russell – bass
- Max Roach – drums
Track listing:
- Mil Dew – Johnny Griffin
- Chicago Calling – Johnny Griffin
- These Foolish Things – Harry Link, Holt Marvell, John Strachey
- The Boy Next Door – Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
- Nice and Easy – Johnny Griffin
- It’s All Right with Me – Cole Porter
- Lover Man – Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, Jimmy Sherman
Johnny Griffin: The Little Giant
In December 1959, “Riverside” label released “The Little Giant”, the seventh Johnny Griffin album. It was recorded in August 1959, at “Reeves Sound Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.
Personnel:
- Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone
- Blue Mitchell – trumpet
- Julian Priester – trombone
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Sam Jones – bass
- Albert “Tootie” Heath – drums
- Jack Higgins – engineer
- Jack Matthews – mastering
- Paul Bacon – cover
- Charles Stewart – cover
- Lawrence N. Shustak – photography
Track listing:
- Olive Refractions – Norman Simmons
- The Message – Norman Simmons
- Lonely One – Babs Gonzales
- 63rd Street Theme – Johnny Griffin
- Playmates – Saxie Dowell
- Venus and the Moon – Norman Simmons
Walter Benton: Out of This World
In September 1960, “Jazzland” label released “Out of This World”, the debut and the only Walter Benton album. It was recorded in September 1960, at “Plaza Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.
Personnel:
- Walter Benton – tenor saxophone
- Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Jimmy Cobb, Albert Heath – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Walter Benton except where noted,
- Out of This World – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
- Walter’s Altar
- Iris
- Night Movements
- A Blues Mood
- Azil
- Lover Man – Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman
Cannonball Adderley: Things Are Getting Better
In February 1959, “Riverside” label released “Things Are Getting Better”, the eleventh Cannonball Adderley album. It was recorded in October 1958, at “Reeves Sound Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.
Personnel:
- Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone
- Milt Jackson – vibes
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Percy Heath – bass
- Art Blakey – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Julian “Cannonball” Adderley except where noted.
- Blues Oriental – Milt Jackson
- Things Are Getting Better
- Serves Me Right [take 5] – Buddy Johnson
- Groovin’ High – Dizzy Gillespie
- The Sidewalks of New York [take 5] – James W. Blake, Charles B. Lawlor
- Sounds for Sid
- Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
Hank Mobley: Peckin’ Time
In December 1959, “Blue Note” label released “Peckin’ Time”, the 14th Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in February 1958, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
- Lee Morgan – trumpet
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Charlie Persip – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Hank Mobley except where noted.
- High and Flighty
- Speak Low – Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
- Peckin’ Time
- Stretchin’ Out
- Git-Go Blues
Junior Mance
On January 16, 2021, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. aka Junior Mance died aged 92. He was musician (piano) and composer, one of the main figures of the Hard bop jazz scene. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names of jazz, blues and soul music including Gene Amons, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Stitt, Dinah Washington, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Nat Adderley, Joe Gordon, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Ernie Andrews, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey, Cliford Brown, Benny Carter, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cleveland, Arnett Cobb, Red Holloway, Jose James, Ray Crawford, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie Jefferson, Aretha Franklin, Etta Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Irene Kral, Jay Leonhart, Les McCann, Paul Gonsalves, Howard McGhee, The Metronomes, Virgil Gonsalves, James Moody, Wild Bill Moore, Barbara Morrison, Sandy Mosse, Leo Parker, Ken Peplowski, Billie Poole, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Alvin Queen, Jimmy Scott, Arnold Sterling, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Frank Vignola, Wilbur Ware, Ben Webster, Joe Williams, Marion Williams, and Leo Wright. As leader, Monce released 56 albums (live and studio). In 2007, Mance and his wife Gloria started their own record label “JunGlo”.
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.
- Something in B flat – Ray Bryant
- Whisper Not
- Step Lightly
- Just by Myself
- Blues It
- You’re Mine, You – Johnny Green, Edward Heyman
- Capri – Gigi Gryce
Hank Mobley: Peckin’ Time
In December 1959, “Blue Note” label released “Peckin’ Time”, the 13th Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in February 1959, at “Van gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
- Lee Morgan – trumpet
- Wynton Kelly – piano
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Charlie Persip – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Hank Mobley except where noted.
- High and Flighty
- Speak Low – Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
- Peckin’ Time
- Stretchin’ Out
- Git-Go Blues
Abbey Lincoln: That’s Him!
In December 1957, “Riverside” label released “That’s Him!”, the second Abbey Lincoln album. It was recorded in October 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Bill Grauer and Orrin Keepnews.
Personnel:
- Abbey Lincoln – vocals
- Kenny Dorham – trumpet
- Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
- Wynton Kelly – piano, bass
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Max Roach – drums
Track listing:
- Strong Man – Oscar Brown, Jr.
- Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe – Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
- My Man – Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain
- Tender as a Rose – Phil Moore
- That’s Him – Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill
- I Must Have That Man! – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
- Porgy – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
- When a Woman Loves a Man – Bernie Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Mercer
- Don’t Explain – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
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