Joe Dukes with The Jack McDuff Quartet - The Soulful Drums Of Joe Dukes (1964)

Brother Jack McDuff Puts His Drummer in Front

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For a while now I have been tracking down anything, I can find featuring the (Brother) Jack McDuff Quartet. For a period in the late 50's and early 60's it seems they were in great demand to back a string of major players from Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt to Rahsaan Roland Kirk among others. Although the personnel changed, the classic lineup was McDuff (O.B-3), Red Holloway (ts), George Benson (g) and Joe Dukes drums. In the course of this run, McDuff also did sessions featuring his own regulars and this album is one; George Benson - New Boss Guitar another. Dukes drumming on this outing can only be described as extraordinary and he holds down the center of attention throughout with his bandmates giving him plenty of tasteful room to shine. If you're a jazz fan who likes something rare and a little out of the ordinary, you'll want this in your collection. ~ M. Anders, Amazon.com.

Prestige Records, PRST 7324, 1964

Recorded 14^th May, 1964 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Joe Dukes - Drums

Brother Jack McDuff - Organ [Hammond B-3]

Red Holloway - Tenor Saxophone

George Benson - Guitar

Tracks:

A1. Soulful Drums {Joe Dukes, Jack McDuff} (6:02)

A2. Two Bass Hit {Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis} (7:10)

A3. Greasy Drums {Joe Dukes, Jack McDuff} (4:20)

B1. Moohah The D.J. {Joe Dukes, Jack McDuff} (7:25)

B2. Moanin' Bench {Joe Dukes, Jack McDuff} (3:00)

B3. My Three Sons {Joe Dukes, Jack McDuff} (5:37)

Total Time: 35:00

Credits:

Producer - Lew Futterman

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Robert Levin

Willis 'Gator Tail' Jackson - Mellow Blues (1970) [vinyl]

In the early 1970s, work became scarce for Willis. He was recording for the extremely dubious Paul Winley and his records were not publicised well. He was rescued from plans to leave music by Don Schlitten, who recorded him for Muse in 1973 and 1974. Then he made a couple of Disco albums for Atlantic, the first of which was his second hit album. And he was back on the road again, with a succession of recordings for Muse that were as good as anything he’d made. Indeed one, “Bar wars”, is among the greatest classics of Soul Jazz. This LP finds Willis in good form backed by an assortment of accomplished players, a bluesy affair, enjoy!

UpFront Records, UPF-184, 1970

Recorded 1970 in New York, NY

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Dave "Baby" Cortez - Organ

George Benson, Sterling McGee - Guitar

Earl Williams - Drums

Kako - Conga

Tracks:

A1. Mellow Blues (Winley, Winley} (10:14)

A2. Funky Sterling (Winley, Winley} (7:27)

B1. Cryin' (Winley, Winley} (8:43)

B2. Groove On (Winley, Winley} (9:19)

Credits:

Co-Producer, Composer - Ann Winley, Paul Winley

Engineer - Tom Owen

Art Direction - David Lartaud

Stanley Turrentine - The Baddest Turrentine (1974)

A 4-track "best of compilation" from Stanley Turrentine’s hit years at CTI! If you know the man's tone, you know that he found a perfect home at CTI - where arrangements by the likes of Bob James or Eumir Deodato provided Stanley with a perfect foil for his warm exploratory blowing. The set list features Stan's great funky reading of Marvin Gaye's "Don’t Mess With Mr T", plus his classic reading of "Sugar" and the tracks "Speedball" and "Salt Song".

CTI Records, CTI 6048 S1, 1974

Recorded November, 1970 (#A1); July 1971 (#A2); May 1972 (#B1)

& June, 1973 (#B2) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Stanley Turrentine, Randy Brecker, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Bob James, Eric Gale, Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad, Milt Jackson, Cornell Dupree, Billy Cobham, Eumir Deodato, Freddie Hubbard, Lonnie Smith, George Benson ...

Tracks:

A1. Sugar {Stanley Turrentine} (10:03)

Released on: Sugar [CTI 6005]

A2. Salt Song {Milton Nascimento} (7:12)

Released on: Salt Song [CTI 6010]

B1. Speedball {Lee Morgan} (6:37)

Released on: Cherry [CTI 6017]

B2. Don't Mess With Mister T. {Marvin Gaye} (9:49)

Released on: Don't Mess With Mister T. [CTI 6030]

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Artwork - Bob Ciano

Photography - Alen MacWeeney

Hank Crawford - We Got A Good Thing Going (1972)

Of Hank Crawford's somewhat erratic output for Kudu during 1971-78, this is the album to get. The Don Sebesky arrangements for strings and an oversized rhythm section fit Crawford's soulful style well and the altoist performs consistently strong material that was also commercially successful. Of the nine numbers, Crawford is heard at his best on "Imagination," "The Christmas Song," "Alone Again (Naturally)" (the definitive version of that pop standard), "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" and "Winter Wonderland. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Kudu Records, KU-08, 1972

Columbia Records, ZK 40820, 1987

Recorded 21^st & 28^th September and 10^th October, 1972
At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Hank Crawford - Alto Saxophone

Bob James - Electric Piano (#A4,A5,B3)

Richard Tee - Organ, Electric Piano

George Benson - Guitar

Cornell Dupree - Guitar (#A4,A5,B3,10,11)

Ron Carter - Bass

Gordon Edwards - Bass (#A1,B1)

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums

Phil Kraus - Bells, Vibraphone

Arthur Jenkins - Conga, Tambourine

Margaret Ross - Harp

Charles McCracken, George Ricci, George Ricci - Cello

Harold Coletta, Theodore Israel - Viola

Tracks:

A1. We Got A Good Thing Going {The Corporation} (5:59)

A2. Imagination {Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke} (3:10)

A3. Down To Earth {Avery Vandenberg, Ronald Miller, William O'Malley} (3:27)

A4. The Christmas Song {Mel Tormé} (3:43)

A5. Alone Again [Naturally] {Ray O'Sullivan} (3:35)

B1. I Don't Know {Bill Withers} (4:23)

B2. I'm Just A Lucky So And So {Duke Ellington} (6:55)

B3. Winter Wonderland {Dick Smith, Felix Bernard} (3:35)

B4. A Little Tear {Don Sebesky} (3:36)

Bonus Tracks CD:

10. Dirt Dobbler {Alfred Ellis} (3:35)

11. Betcha By Golly Wow {Thomas Bell, Linda Creed} (5:13)

12. This Is All I Ask {Gordon Jenkins} (3:44)

13. Jazz Bridge {Don Sebesky} 2:52)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Don Sebesky

Conductor, Arranger [Strings] - Bob James (#A3,A5,B1,B2,B3)

Design - Bob Ciano

Photography - Mort Mace

Notes:

Liner Notes, Reissue Producer - Didier C. Deutsch

Digitally Remastering - Larry Keyes, 1987 (CBS Studios, NYC)

George Benson - The Other Side of Abbey Road (1969) [vinyl>flac,24b/48k]

A wonderfully wicked album – one that sold so many copies that it's sometimes hard to remember how great it is! George takes on all of Abbey Road – or just about all of it – as he runs through some of the most beautiful tracks The Beatles ever wrote, like "Golden Slumbers", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", "The End", "Because", and "You Never Give Me Your Money". The whole thing's set to some great baroque jazzy arrangements by Don Sebesky, and George digs the whole thing so much that he even sings a bit – vocalizing in a cool chromatic way that really works well with his guitar playing, and which would soon transform into a very popular style on his records of the 70s. Keyboards are by Bob James and Herbie Hancock – and there's plenty of other great jazz players in the mix! © Dusty Groove, Inc.

A&M Records, SP-3028, 1970

Recorded 22^nd,23^rd October and 4^th,5^th November, 1969
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

George Benson - Guitar

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet

Bernie Glow, Marvin Stamm, Mel Davis - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Wayne Andre - Trombone, Euphonium

Sonny Fortune - Alto Saxophone

Jerome Richardson - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Don Ashworth - Baritone Saxophone

Hubert Laws - Flute

Phil Bodner - Flute, Oboe

Don Ashworth - Bass Clarinet

Bob James, Ernie Hayes, Herbie Hancock - Piano, Organ, Harpsichord

Jerry Jemmott, Ron Carter - Bass

George Ricci - Cello

Ed Shaughnessy, Idris Muhammad - Drums

Andy Gonzalez, Ray Barretto - Percussion

Max Pollikoff, Raoul Poliakin - Violin

Emanuel Vardi - Viola

Track Listing:

A1-A2. Golden Slumbers {Lennon, McCartney}/
You Never Give Me Your Money {Lennon, McCartney} (4:47)

A2. Because/Come Together {Lennon, McCartney} (7:27)

A4. Oh, Darling {Lennon, McCartney} (4:01)

B1-B2. Here Comes The Sun {George Harrison}/
I Want You [She So Heavy] {Lennon, McCartney} (9:04)

B3. Something {George Harrison}/
Octopus's Garden {Richard Starkey} (4:31)

B4. The End {Lennon, McCartney} (1:57)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger - Don Sebesky

Design [Album] - Sam Antupit

Photography - Eric Meola

George Benson - Body Talk (1973)

With an eye and ear on what was happening on the soul charts -- James Brown in particular -- Benson made a decided swerve toward R&B on this release. Indeed the JB's Pee Wee Ellis turns up as a big band arranger on three tracks, and he no doubt had a direct influence on the distinct JB groove of one of the non-big-band tunes, "Dance." It should come as no surprise by now that this formidable guitarist has no problem handling any kind of groove, although the mixed rhythm section of Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, electric pianist Harold Mabern, and percussionist Mobutu sometimes sends mixed messages. Earl Klugh has a few tasty moments on his own, and there are some reconnaissance flights back to the jazz side of George, which he handles with his usual confident aplomb. ~ by Richard S. Ginell, AMG.

CTI Records, CTI 6033, 1973

Recorded 17^th (Side B) & 18^th (Side A) July 1973 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

George Benson - Guitar

Frank Foster - Tenor Saxophone (#A3-B2)

Waymon Reed - Flugelhorn, Trumpet (#A3-B2)

John Gatchell - Flugelhorn, Trumpet (#A3-B2)

Jon Faddis - Flugelhorn, Trumpet (#A3-B2)

Dick Griffin - Trombone (#A3-B2)

Gerald Chamberlain - Trombone (#A3-B2)

Harold Mabern - Electric Piano

Earl Klugh - Guitar

Gary King - Electric Bass

Ron Carter - Bass

Jack DeJohnette - Drums

Mobutu - Percussion

Track Listing:

A1. Dance {Alfred Ellis, George Benson} (10:30)

A2. When Love Has Grown {Donny Hathaway, Gene McDaniel} (5:01)

A3. Plum {George Benson} (5:28)

B1. Body Talk {George Benson} (8:21)

B2. Top Of The World {George Benson} (9:56)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Arranger, Conductor - Pee Wee Ellis

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Bob Ciano

Cover Photograph - Pete Turner

Red Holloway with Brother Jack McDuff Quartet - Cookin' Together (1964) [vinyl]

Groovy session that features this star tenorist of the Jack McDuff group as the leader, but which also has the same group backing him up - including McDuff on organ, George Benson on guitar, and Joe Dukes on drums. The set list has a good batch of originals, with the same sort of groove and strong sense of humor as the best McDuff recordings from the time. Tracks include "Brother Red", "No Tears", "Shout Brother", and "Something Funny".  © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Allmusic awarded the album 4½ stars stating "The material is comprised of Burt Bacharach's "Wives and Lovers," "This Can't Be Love," and five Holloway originals, which have more diversity than one might expect. An interesting aspect to the soulful and swinging set is that McDuff made his debut on piano for two songs". ~ Wikipedia

Prestige Records, PR 7325, 1972

Recorded 6^th February, 1964 in Los Angeles, California

Musicians:

Red Holloway - Tenor Saxophone

Jack McDuff - Organ (#A1,A3-B1, B4), Piano (#A2,B3)

George Benson - Guitar

Wilfred Middlebrooks - Bass

Joe Dukes - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Wives And Lovers {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (8:01)

A2. This Can't Be Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (5:24)

A3. Something Funny {Red Holloway} (7:05)

B1. Brother Red {Red Holloway} (3:27)

B2. Denise {Red Holloway} (6:26)

B3. No Tears {Red Holloway} (7:55)

B4. Shout Brother {Red Holloway} (4:28)

Credits:

Producer - Lew Futterman, Peter Paul

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Michael Gold

George Benson - Blue Benson (vinyl rip)

A largely forgotten LP from just prior to the CTI era. A reminder of just how good a guitar player the man was.

Freddie Hubbard - Polar AC (1975) [vinyl>flac]

Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's sixth and final CTI studio recording has its moments although it is not on the same level as his first three. Hubbard, backed on four of the five songs by a string section arranged by either Don Sebesky or Bob James, is assisted on songs such as "People Make the World Go Round" and "Betcha By Golly, Wow" by flutist Hubert Laws and guitarist George Benson. "Son of Sky Dive" showcases his trumpet with a sextet including Laws and tenor-saxophonist Junior Cook. The music is enjoyable but not essential and this LP has yet to appear on CD. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Released in 1975, this was Hubbard's final release for Creed Taylor's CTI Records. It's a luxuriant, strongly orchestrated, but very accessible piece of jazz. Don Sebesky and Bob James alternate the orchestrations and arrangements. Hubbard's playing is outstanding, at the same time much solo space is allocated to flautist Hubert Laws; added to the mix is guitarist George Benson and George Cables on the Rhodes. A genuine highlight is "People Make the World Go Round" arranged by Bob James. It begins with Airto performing some unusual animal noises and percussion sounds contrasted with flourishes on the Rhodes by Cables. On the title track "Polar AC", Ron Carter throws in some vivacious bass playing whilst Jack DeJohnette is heard working the snares and cymbals against the rich the orchestral arrangements of Don Sebesky; which Hubbard weaves in and around with some amazing solos. There is a lot of pleasure to be found on this LP with further spins. Well Recommended.

CTI Records, CTI 6056, 1975

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet

Hubert Laws - Flute

George Benson - Guitar (#A1-B1)

Junior Cook - Tenor Saxophone (#B2)

George Cables - Piano (#A2,B2)

Ron Carter - Bass

Alan Rubin, Garnett Brown, Marvin Stamm, Paul Faulise,
Tony Price, Wayne Andre - Brass (#B1)

George Marge, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque, Wally Kane - Woodwind (#B1)

Billy Cobham - Drums (#B1)

Jack DeJohnette - Drums (#A1)

Lenny White - Drums (#A2, B2)

Airto - Percussion (#A2, A3)

Strings:

Al Brown, Charles McCracken, Harold Kohon, Irving Spice, Matthew Raimondi, Tosha Samaroff (#A1)

David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Manny Vardi, George Ricci, Joe Malin, Paul Gershman (#A1-A3)

Tony Sophos, Charles Libove, Gene Orloff, Harry Lookofsky, Max Ellen, Theodore Israel (#A2,A3)

Track Listing:

A1. Polar AC {Cedar Walton} (6:52)

A2. People Make The World Go Round {Linda Creed, Thomas Bell} (5:48)

A3. Betcha By Golly, Wow {Linda Creed, Thomas Bell} (8:10)

B1. Naturally {Nat Adderley} (5:53)

B2. Son Of Sky Dive {Freddie Hubbard} (13:17)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder

Arranger - Bob James (#A2,A3), Don Sebesky (#A1, B1)