Joey DeFrancesco - All Of Me (1989)

Organist Joey DeFrancesco's debut as a leader would be impressive even if he had not been 17 at the time! DeFrancesco, whose sound has always been strongly influenced by Jimmy Smith (sounding like an exact duplicate on "All of Me"), is backed by an eight-piece horn section on two songs and a 16-piece string section on three others but more important to the music is the playing of guitarist Lou Volpe, drummer Buddy Williams and the electric bass of Alex Blake. Houston Person's tenor is also a strong asset on two of the eight numbers in a program that ranges from swing to more modern funk. A strong start to a colorful career. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Columbia Records, CK 44463, 1989
Recorded at Mastersound Studios, Astoria, New York 

Musicians:
Joey DeFrancesco - Organ [Hammond B-3], Ensoniq Keyboards (#5,6)
Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#7,8)
Lou Volpe - Guitar
Alex Blake - Acoustic Bass (#3,4), Electric Bass (#2,5-8)
Buddy Williams - Drums
Bashuri Johnson - Percussion
16-Piece String Section (#2,4,6)
8-Piece Horn Section (#8)
Horace Ott - Conductor

Tracks:
1. Blues For J. {Jimmy Smith} (4:20)
2. [They Long To Be] Close To You {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (4:31)
3. Carbon Copy {Joey DeFrancesco} (6:00)
4. All Of Me {Seymour Simons, Gerald Marks} (7:03)
5. 30th Street Station {Joey DeFrancesco} (4:06)
6. One For C.C. {Joey DeFrancesco} (6:16)
7. L.G. Blues {Joey DeFrancesco} (5:58)
8. Pétala {Djavan} (6:19) 

Total Time: 44:39 

Credits:
Producer, Arranger, Conductor - Horace Ott
Executive Producer - Dr. George Butler
Engineer - Tom Roberts
Music Copyist - Frank Zuback
Art Direction - Howard Fritzson
Photography - Mark Malabrigo
Liner Notes - Al Pyror

LINK

L.G. Blues

Richard “Groove” Holmes - Hot Tat (1989)

One of the last albums that Richard Groove Holmes ever recorded -- but a surprisingly strong little set, and one that shows that he never stopped hitting the Hammond hard, even in the later years of his life! The record's got a depth of feeling that goes way beyond the dated, cheesy album on the cover -- almost a classic organ groove, produced by Houston Person for the session -- who's also prominently featured on tenor for the date. Other players include Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, Bad Bascomb on bass, and Greg Bandy on drums -- plus Ralph Dorsey on congas and a bit of added percussion. The largeish group still manages to sound nice and lean -- and although there's a few bassline moments that belie the date of the record, most of the material has a very classic soul jazz sound. Titles include "Renee", "Love Letters", "I Love Your Smile", "Hot Tat", "I Gotta Go", and "Second Time Around".  © Dusty Groove, Inc. 

Muse Records, MCD-5395, 1991
Recorded 5th September, 1989 at Fox Recording Studios, Rutherford, New Jersey 

Musicians:
Richard "Groove" Holmes - Organ [Hammond B-3]
Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone
Jimmy Ponder - Guitar
Wilbur Bascomb, Jr. - Bass
Greg Bandy - Drums
Ralph Dorsey - Congas, Percussion

Tracks:
1. Renee {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (6:03)
2. Love Letters {Edward Heyman, Victor Young} (4:18)
3. I Love Your Smile {Cecil Bridgewater} (9:55)
4. Hot Tat {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (7:37)
5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams {Burke, Van Heusen} (6:04)
6. I Gotta Go {Cecil Bridgewater} (6:10)
7. Second Time Around {Cahn, Van Heusen} (6:51) 

Total Time: 46:58 

Credits:
Producer - Houston Person
Recording Engineer - David Blake
Mastering Engineer - Joe Brescio, The Cutting Room, NYC
Graphic Design - Ron Warwell/NJE
Cover Photo [Alicia Lashley] - Fred Salaff
Back Photo - J. Flint
Liner Notes - Larry Birnbaum 

Love Letters

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Good Vibrations (1977) [re-rip]

When you consider it, all jazz is created by good vibrations; bristled reeds, plucked strings, the ringing force of air trapped in brass. But if jazz organ players don't create good vibrations...well, they're just not jazz organ players. Because perhaps more than any other jazz hallmark, the organ sound must virtually rattle your teeth to get over: dig you into its moving bass line, assault you with its droning, gritty top, and set you nodding, popping, even...vibrating. 

Which is exactly where this new offering from one of organ's greats, Richard "Groove" Holmes, comes in. It's classic jazz brew, with all the right ingredients: the soulful tenor of Houston Person, one of organ's biggest champions (he features the B-3 in his own working group); the classic blues-funk guitar of Philly-based newcomer Bob DeVos; the crack rhythm team of Idris Muhammad and Buddy Caldwell, who probably hold the world's record for the most appearances on organ LPs; the sensitive production of Bob Porter, who may hold a similar mark (in a tie with Ozzie Cadena) for the most organ albums overseen; and the eternally invigorating presence of Rudy van Gelder, who's engineered every good organ record ever made. 

"It was a typical Groove Holmes date," sums up Bob Porter. "We did it in an afternoon, and Groove even brought along a good new guitarist player." and, we should add, GOOD VIBRATIONS aplenty. ~ Excerpts taken from Liner Notes by Michael Rozek. 

Muse Records, MR 5167, 1980
Recorded 19th December, 1977 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 

Musicians:
Richard "Groove" Holmes - Organ [Hammond B-3]
Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#A1-B1,B3)
Bob DeVos - Guitar
Idris Muhammad - Drums
Buddy Caldwell - Congas 

Tracks:
A1. Good Vibrations {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (8:47)
A2. Do It To It {Rogers Grant} (10:35)
B1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me {Duke Ellington, Bob Russell} (8:51)
B2. My One And Only Love {Robert Mellin, Guy Wood} (4:51)
B3. Hackensack {Thelonious Monk} (5:47) 

Total Time: 38:51 

Credits:
Producer - Bob Porter
Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Cover Design - Ron Warwell/NJE
Liner Notes - Michael Rozek 

Hackensack

Jack McDuff - Another Real Good'Un (1990)

Another Real Good 'Un is a latter-day Brother Jack McDuff session which finds the organist joined by tenor legend Houston Person, as well as (at various times) alto/tenor saxophonist Ron Bridgewater, trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, drummers Buddy Williams and Cecil Brooks III, and guitarists Randy Johnston and John Hart. It's one of McDuff's better comeback albums, as he keeps the groove pumping throughout the record, swinging soulfully and interacting nicely with the other soloists. 32 Jazz reissued the session in 1999, Savoy Jazz in 2003. ~ by Steve Huey, AMG. 

Muse Records, MCD 5374, 1990
Recorded 1st March, 1989 & 18th July, 1990
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 

Musicians:
Jack McDuff - Organ
Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpet (#3,4,6)
Ron Bridgewater - Alto Sax, Tenor Sax(#3,4,6)
Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone
Randy Johnston - Guitar (#1,5,7)
John Hart - Guitar (#3,4,6)
Cecil Brooks III - Drums (#1,5,7)
Buddy Williams - Drums (#3,4,6) 

Tracks:
1. Another Real Good'Un {Jack McDuff} (7:33)
2. Summertime {George & Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (8:50)
3. Off The Beaten Path {Cecil Bridgewater} (4:42)
4. Long Day Blues {Jack McDuff} (5:34)
5. Rock Candy {Jack McDuff} (6:59)
6. I Cant Get Started {Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin} (7:17)
7. I Cover The Waterfront {Johnny Green, Edward Heyman} (5:10) 

Total Time: 46:05 

Credits:
Producer - Houston Person
Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Cover Photo - Fred Salaff
Graphic Design - Ron Warwell

Houston Person - Houston Person '75 (1975) [re-rip>flac]

Houston Person '75 was cut with an anonymous bunch of Detroit session musicians, finding the saxophonist aiming straight for the R&B charts. Always a full-bodied, groove-oriented player, this straight-up soul isn't much of a stretch for Person but the rhythms are frequently funkier than in the past and the surface is certainly slicker. The album provides a good time capsule of the smooth but funky sounds of 1975. ~ Extract by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG. 

Houston hits a funky groove for Westbound -- not as hard, heavy, and Prestige-sounding as his work on the now-dead Eastbound label, but also not too bad either. The overall sound is more produced, and there's some cuts that have a smoother tenor sound than you're used to with Houston. Titles include "Shotgun", "500 Gin Rummy", "All In Love Is Fair", "Funky Sunday Afternoon", and "A Touch Of Bad Stuff". ~ Dusty Groove, Inc. 

Westbound Records, W-205, 1975
Recorded at Artie Fields Studio, Detroit, Michigan 

Tracks:
A1. I Like To Live The Love {David Crawford, Charles Mann} (3:51)
A2. What It Is {Belda Baine, Louis Crane} (2:51)
A3. Shotgun {Autry Dewalt} (2:48)
A4. Mayola {Belda Baine, Louis Crane} (4:02)
A5. Gold In My Ear {Belda Baine, Louis Crane} (2:56)
B1. 500 Gin Rummy {Belda Baine, Louis Crane, Little Jimmy Scott} (3:27)
B2. Funky Sunday Afternoon {Belda Baine, Louis Crane} (3:06)
B3. A Touch Of Bad Stuff {Belda Baine, Louis Crane, Jimmy Roach} (4:35)
B4. All In Love Is Fair {Stevie Wonder} (6:49)
B5. He'll Fight My Battles {Delores Williams} (3:33) 

Credits:
Producer - Houston Person, Bernard Mendelson
Arranger - Ed Nuccilli, Jimmy Roach
Recording Engineer - Ken Sands
Etta Jones featured on (#B5)
Other Special thanks to Armen Boladian, Mariam Lampkin, Abe Tilmon 

See more info at: http://acerecords.co.uk/75--get-outa-my-way 

Here’s an overlooked LP from the masterful Houston Person. This album comes out of the mid 70’s when Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk was the newer thing. Regardless of the style Houston still exhibits wonderful control, cutting some great tunes on his tenor sax. Enjoy!

Various Artists - Jazz For When You're Alone (1999)

The 32 Jazz label, under the leadership of Joel Dorn, continues to release compilations designed to fit a particular mood or state of being. Thus, there have been albums as Jazz for a Rainy Afternoon, Groove Jammy, and Songs That Made the Phone Light Up. Now we have an album dedicated to being alone, not loneliness as Dorn explains his liner notes. But with this play list, the line between the two gets really blurred. Whatever, this is a comprehensive collection of tracks by the top jazz luminaries for albums they cut for the now defunct Muse label and all of them are outstanding regardless of the mood you're in. The Sonny Stitt performance of "Sweet and Lovely" is one of the album's highlights as his sax works in, out, under, and through the piano of Duke Jordan and Sam Jones' bass. The credits list Stitt playing a soprano, but it's the alto he has in his hands for introspective blowing of this classic standard. Wallace Roney is the ostensible leader on "Lost." But his Miles Davis-like trumpet is subordinated to the classical oriented piano of Jacky Terrasson who penned this song. Donald Byrd, sounding even more like Miles than Roney, is united with Joe Henderson for a ruminative rendering of his "That's all There Is to Love." A memorable track is Houston Person's "Everything Happens to Me." Not only does Person's Ben Webster influenced tenor fit nicely with the tune's theme, but there's major soloing by Cecil Bridgewater's muted trumpet and the under recorded Stan Hope piano. The quintessential "alone" song, Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight," has been assigned to major electric guitar improviser Larry Coryell who gets considerable assistance along the way from Stanley Cowell's piano. Phil Woods creates a vision of a summer ending with "The Summer Knows" as his engages in musical discussion with bass player Richard Davis. Woods, and all the other artists on this album, are in fine fettle resulting in another superior compilation from jazz impresario Dorn's 32Jazz label. 

32 Jazz, 32106, 1999 

Personnel:
See included Tracks [Personnel].txt for further details. 

Tracks:
01. Willis Jackson, Pat Martino - Blue Velvet (7:41)
02. Red Garland - The Second Time Around (3:15)
03. Houston Person - Everything Happens To Me (6:06)
04. Les McCann - Sunny (8:09)
05. Larry Coryell - 'Round Midnight (4:39)
06. Sonny Stitt - Sweet And Lovely (7:09)
07. Wallace Roney - Lost (3:50)
08. Vincent Herring - Stars Fell On Alabama (6:25)
09. Donald Byrd - That's All There Is To Love (5:47)
10. Phil Woods - The Summer Knows (6:25)
11. Pat Martino - You Don't Know What Love Is (4:46)

Total Time: 64:17 

Credits:
Compilation Producer - Adam Dorn
Producer [Series] - Joel Dorn

Hank Crawford - Roadhouse Symphony (1985)

All of Hank Crawford's many recordings for Milestone in the 1980s and '90s are worth picking up by his fans although this reasonably enjoyable outing is not one of the more essential ones. The soulful altoist is joined by Dr. John on piano and organ, guitarist Melvin Sparks, bassist Wilbur Bascomb, Jr., drummer Bernard Purdie and a five-piece horn section (Houston Person and David "Fathead" Newman get a tenor solo apiece) for a set mostly comprised of group originals plus the old ballad "Say It Isn't So" and Thomas A. Dorsey's spiritual standard "Precious Lord"; Dr. John takes a vocal on his "Tragick Magick." ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Milestone Records, M-9140, 1985
Recorded 5th, 6th & 12th August, 1985 At Quadrasonic Sound, New York City 

Musicians:
Hank Crawford - Alto Saxophone, Arranger, Conductor
Alan Rubin, Randy Brecker - Trumpet
David "Fathead" Newman - Alto Sax, Tenor Sax [Solo] (#B3)
Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone [Solo] (#A1)
Howard Johnson - Baritone Saxophone
Dr. John - Piano, Organ, Vocals (#A2)
Melvin Sparks - Guitar
Wilbur Bascomb Jr. - Bass
Bernard Purdie - Drums 

Tracks:
A1. Roadhouse Symphony {Melvin Sparks} (5:48)
A2. Tragick Magick {Mac Rebennack} (4:38)
A3. Jubilee {Hank Crawford} (5:01)
A4. Say It Isn't So {Irving Berlin} (4:48)
B1. Time Is On Our Side {Mac Rebennack, Walter Bullock} (6:12)
B2. Precious Lord {Thomas Dorsey} (5:14)
B3. Sugar Ditch {Hank Crawford} (6:13) 

Total Time: 37:54

Credits:
Producer - Bob Porter
Engineer - Malcolm Addey
Engineer [Assistant] - David Sussman
Mastering - George Horn
Cover, Artwork, Design - Jamie Putnam
Art Direction - Phil Carroll
Photography - Phil Bray

Houston Person - Naturally (2012)

Active on the scene for decades, 78-year-old tenor saxophonist Houston Person still seems to be a discovery for some. Both newcomers to his music and longtime fans will no doubt enjoy this latest recording featuring a formidable group: veteran pianist Cedar Walton (with whom Person first collaborated in the 1960s), bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Lewis Nash. Person showcases his warm, enveloping tone and big sound, steeped in bop, blues and the Great American Songbook, on a set of beloved tunes, some still relatively unexplored. Opening is Milt Jackson’s “Bags’ Groove,” where Walton takes the first solo, laidback yet abounding with spirit and sentiment; Person stretches out in luxurious fashion while Drummond and Nash contribute their own groove-enhancing statements. One of three ballads in the program, “My Foolish Heart” illustrates Person’s fundamental approach to his horn, eloquently expressing heartfelt emotion in much the same way a vocalist might. Nash’s swinging brushwork shines on the sumptuous “That’s All” and “How Little We Know,” and Walton shimmers on “Red Sails in the Sunset.” The Ellington/Hodges gem “It Shouldn’t Happen to a Dream,” largely unrecorded since the 1950s, is revived in grand style, with poignant solos by Person and Walton, as Nash and Brown sustain taut yet fluid movement. Recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, this throwback album is nonetheless fresh and imaginative. Aptly titled, it’s a relaxed, compelling set on which Person and his bandmates demonstrate unaffected dexterity, swing and soul. ~ Sharonne Cohen, JazzTimes. 

HighNote Records, HCD 7245, 2012
Recorded 5th July, 2012 At Van Gelder Recording Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 

Musicians:
Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone
Cedar Walton - Piano
Ray Drummond - Bass
Lewis Nash - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Bag's Groove {Milt Jackson} (7:09)
2. That's All {Bob Haymes} (5:52)
3. [How Little It Matters] How Little We Know {Phil Springer, Carolyn Leigh} (4:30)
4. Namely You {Gene DePaul, Johnny Mercer} (6:53)
5. My Foolish Heart {Victor Young, Ned Washington} (6:34)
6. Red Sails In The Sunset {Wilhelm Grosz, Jimmy Kennedy} (4:25)
7. Don' Cha Go 'Way Mad {Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Mundy, Al Stillman} (5:38)
8. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream {Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Don George} (5:54)
9. Sunday {Jule Styne, Chester Conn, Bennie Krueger, Ned Miller} (5:24) 

Total Time: 52:18

Credits:
Producer - Houston Person
Executive Producer - Joe Fields
Engineer, Mixing, Mastering - Rudy van Gelder
Assistant Engineer - Maureen Sickler
Photography - Alan Nahigian
Design - Brad Wrolstad
Liner Notes - David Jaye

Don Patterson - The Best Of Don Patterson & The Jazz Giants (1969)

The term "jazz giants" is no overstatement for this selection of choice tracks from the brilliant organist's output for Prestige between 1964 and 1969. The various lineups on the LP's six tracks are made up of players who excel in playing Patterson's brand of smart, hard-bopping soul jazz: Sonny Stitt, Pat Martino, Charles McPherson, George Coleman, Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook among others. Cohesive pacing and sound put this release a few notches above most all-star/best-of sets. There's no awkward shoehorning guests in for celebrity cameos, rather the players all sound like members of tight, working units. It helps to have Patterson stalwarts guitarist Martino and drummer Billy James on board for most of the music, as they share the artist's ability to generate exciting, hard-driving music with their great blues feeling and outstanding chops. The three tracks with Martino are the high points: Stitt's "Ratio and Proportion," Billy James' "Little Shannon," and Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee." As he consistently does in his work with Patterson, Martino impresses with his stunning rhythm work, in addition to his more widely recognized role as a killer soloist. The version of "Donna Lee" here is also significant for the presence of veteran bebopper Howard McGhee, who is in excellent form on this feature for his trumpet. The mark of a strong best-of package is one that stands on its own as a coherent presentation of the artist's work, as well as one that prompts the listener to seek out the complete sessions that were drawn on for the compilation. On both these accounts, this survey of Patterson's work is a complete success. ~ by Jim Todd, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7772, 1969

Recorded 24^th September, 1968 (#A1) in New York City

Recorded 2^nd June, 1969 (#A2) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 22^nd February, 1968 (#A3) in New York City

Recorded 10^th May, 1967 (#B1) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 19^th March, 1964 (#B2) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 5^th June, 1968 (#B3) in New York City

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#A2)

Howard McGhee - Trumpet (#A3)

Blue Mitchell - Trumpet (#B3)

Charles McPherson - Tenor Saxophone (#A1)

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,B2)

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

David "Fathead" Newman - Tenor Saxophone (#B1)

Junior Cook - Tenor Saxophone (#B3)

Pat Martino - Guitar (#A1-A3,B3)

Billy James - Drums (#A1,A3,B1,B2)

Frankie Jones - Drums (#A2)

Tracks:

A1. Ratio And Proportion {Sonny Stitt} (5:09)

A2. Perdido {Ervin Drake, Hans Lengsfelder, Juan Tizol} (8:50)

A3. Donna Lee {Charlie Parker} (6:16)

B1. Mellow Soul {Don Patterson} (6:35)

B2. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone {Sidney Clare, Sam H. Stept} (5:42)

B3. Little Shannon {Billy James} (6:56)

Total Time: 39:28

See Session Info [Personnel].txt for further details

Melvin Sparks - Sparks! (1970)

Sparks! is the debut album by soul jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks recorded for the Prestige label in 1970. On this album Melvin is joined by trumpeter Virgil Jones, saxophonists Grover Washington Jr. and Houston Person, organist Leon Spencer Jr., drummer, Idris Muhammad and percussionist Buddy Caldwell. Even though Melvin chose predominantly popular commercial tunes for this album, he skillfully turns it into a solid soul-jazz outing. The LP contains five songs: ‘Thank You’ a cover of the popular Sly and the Family Stone Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin); ‘I Didn't Know What Time It Was’ is a straight-ahead guitar swinger; ‘Charlie Brown’ turned into a funky cover of the 1958 hit by the Coasters; ‘The Stinker’ another funky blues tune with a soul-jazz feel, featuring Houston Person on tenor saxophone, and again he is heard on ‘Spill The Wine’ which is a funky jam version of the radio hit by Eric Burdon & War released earlier in 1970. Sparks would go on to release another two albums on Prestige “Spark Plug” & “Akilah!”, each showcasing his technical richness, fine improvisations and wonderful phrasing reminding the listener of the style portrayed by Grant Green, probably his most immediate precursor. Only Houston is the sole surviving member of this wonderful band, a superb start to an extraordinary career, enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 10001, 1970

BGP Records, BGPD 1065, 1993

Recorded 14^th September, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#A3,B1)

John Manning - Tenor Saxophone

Leon Spencer, Jr. - Organ

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Thank You {Sylvester Stewart} (7:59)

A2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (6:27)

A3. Charlie Brown {Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller} (5:46)

B1. The Stinker {Leon Spencer, Jr.} (6:53)

B2. Spill The Wine {Papa Dee Allen, Harold Ray Brown, B.B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard Scott} (10:56)

Total Time: 38:01

Credits:

Supervisor, Liner Notes - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Don Schlitten

Photo - Al Johnson

Houston Person - Houston Express (1971) [re-rip]

As period soul-jazz goes, this is considerably above the average. It's funky, but not in the bland crossover sense; there's a sense of jazz ensemble discipline to the arrangements, but it's still R&B-based enough to groove to. Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet), Billy Butler (guitar), Bernard Purdie (drums), and Motown bassist Gerry Jemmott are among the more notable contributors to this 1971 session. ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

There are some great players on this album. The electric piano really kicks in on a number of tunes and the brass section adds further highlights, but as usual Houston’s tone is very undeniable and full. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PR 10017, 1971

Recorded 8^th & 9^th April, 1971 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpet (#A4-B2)

Harold "Money" Johnson - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Thad Jones - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Garnett Brown - Trombone (#A1-A3,B3)

Jack Jeffers - Trombone (#A1-A3,B3)

Harold Vick - Tenor Sax, Flute (#A1-A3,B3)

Babe Clarke - Baritone Sax (#A1-A3,B3), Tenor Sax (#A4-B2)

Paul Griffin - Piano, Electric Piano (#A1-A3,B3)

Jimmy Watson - Organ

Ernie Hayes - Organ, Electric Piano (#A4-B2)

Billy Butler - Guitar

Jerry Jemmott - Electric Bass

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas

Tracks:

A1. Young Gifted And Black {Nina Simone, Weldon Irvine} (5:17)

A2. The Houston Express {Horace Ott} (5:50)

A3. Enjoy {Horace Ott} (4:57)

A4. [For God's Sake] Give More Power To The People {Eugene Record} (3:42)

B1. Chains Of Love {Ahmet Nugetre} (7:33)

B2. Just My Imagination {Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong} (5:34)

B3. Lift Every Voice {James Weldon Johnson, John Rosamond Johnson} (5:40)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Horace Ott (#A1-A3,B3)

Art Direction, Cover Art - Tony Lane

Back Cover Photo - Al Johnson

Note:
Ahmet Nugetre aka Ahmet Ertegün [Founder Atlantic Records]

Houston Person - Person To Person! (1970) [re-rip]

A mix of Prestige funk and earlier soul jazz - and a record that features tenorist Houston Person blowing with a group that includes Prestige masters like Virgil Jones on trumpet, Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Phillips on keyboards, and Idris Muhammad on drums! Jimmy Lewis plays a Fender bass in the group - which gives the tracks a nice round sound, and pushes the funk component a bit more than usual - and the album includes some nice groovers, like "Son Of Man" and "Up At Joe's, Down At Joe's", plus some mellower, more soulful material. © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 10003, 1970

Recorded 12^th October, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Sonny Phillips - Organ, Electric Piano (#A3,B3)

Grant Green - Guitar

Jimmy Lewis - Electric Bass [Fender]

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas

Tracks:

A1. Son Of Man {Harold Ousley} (8:29)

A2. Teardrops {Bunny Biggs} (4:38)

A3. Close To You {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (5:17)

B1. Drown In My Own Tears {Ray Charles, Henry Glover} (7:18)

B2. Up At Joe's, Down At Jim's {Houston Person} (8:48)

B3. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday {Bryan Wells, Ronald Dean Miller} (4:33)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design - Don Schlitten
Photo - Al Johnson
Liner Notes - Bill Johnson, WCHD-FM (Nov. 1970)

Houston Person - Sweet Buns & Barbeque (1972) [re-rip]

One of those Prestige records sessions from the early 70's that has more of an electric keyboard groove than a hard organ one, but still a nice set of sweetly funky tracks from Houston Person and his funky tenor. There's a nice cover of "Down Here On The Ground", plus the cuts "Put It Where You Want It", "Groove Thang", and "Sweet Buns & Barbeque", which has some nice hard drums on the intro. Plus, the whole thing's got a cover that features Sweet Buns dripping with barbeque sauce – proof again that shooting soul food in a record album photo just never works! © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRT-10055, 1973

Recorded 11^th September and 7^th November, 1972
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#B2-B4)

Victor Paz - Trumpet (#B2-B4)

Frank Wess - Flute, Baritone Saxophone (#B2-B4)

Richard Tee - Organ, Electric Piano, Piano (#A1-A3)

Jimmy Watson - Organ (#B1)

Joe Beck - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

Hugh McCracklin - Acoustic Guitar (#A3)

Ron Carter - Bass (#A1-A3), Guitar (#A3)

George Duvivier - Bass, Electric Bass (#A4-B4)

Grady Tate - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas, Percussion (#A4,B1,B3,B4)

Tracks:

A1. A Song For You {Leon Russell} (4:26)

A2. The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye {Bergmanns, The, Dave Grusin} (4:00)

A3. Scared To Be Alone {Dory Previn} (4:08)

A4. Sweet Buns And Barbeque {Houston Person, Billy Ver Planck} (3:03)

B1. This Masquerade {Leon Russell} (6:07)

B2. Down Here On The Ground {Gale Garnett, Lalo Schifrin} (3:38)

B3. Put It Where You Want It {Joe Sample} (3:05)

B4. Groove Thang {Johnny Bristol} (3:01)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger - Joe Beck (#A1-A3), Billy Ver Planck (#A4-B4)

Art Direction, Photography [Cover] - Tony Lane

Photography [Back Cover] - Lee Friedlander

Don Patterson - Four Dimensions (1967) [vinyl]

Sweet soulful work from the legendary Don Patterson – a great Prestige set that has tenorist Houston Person joining the organist's hip trio with Pat Martino on guitar and Billy James on drums! The tunes have that loping soul jazz sound you'd find in Person's best early work at the time – a groove that's got plenty of bottom, but also a nice dose of lyricism as well – and the use of Houston's horn here seems to bring out a different approach from Patterson than you'll hear on his sessions with Booker Ervin. There's a very slight hardbop element at times - and titles include "Sandu", "Freddie Tooks Jr", "Red Top", and "Last Train From Overbrook". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7533, 1968

Recorded 25^th August, 1967 in New York City

Musicians:

Don Patterson - Organ

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Pat Martino - Guitar

Billy James - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Sandu {Clifford Brown} (4:45)

A2. Freddie Tooks Jr. {Don Patterson} (5:41)

B1. Embraceable You {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (9:23)

B2. Red Top {Gene Ammons} (10:16)

B3. Last Train From Overbrook {James Moody} (3:57)

Total Time: 34:02

Credits:

Supervisor, Design - Don Schlitten

Engineer - Richard Alderson

Notes - Bob Porter (Jan. 1968)

Johnny “Hammond” Smith - Nasty! (1968) [vinyl]

On “Nasty”, Smith presents a quartet comprising of the mighty Houston Person on tenor, a young John Abercrombie on guitar and Grady Tate on drums. With six tunes in all the musicians have plenty of room to showcase their versatility and stretch out with some fine soloing. It’s very much a typical late 60’s soul jazz groove with many popular covers from that era. Nonetheless, it’s delivered with solid precision; the only complaint being’ it’s a bit on the short side, but avoids the excesses that many soul jazz artists started to indulge in. Some of the highlights include the title cut, a funk blues take on “Unchained Melody” and Smith’s slow burning groove on “Song For My Father”, Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 7588, 1968

Recorded 18^th June, 1968 At Town Sound Studios, New York City

Musicians:

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

John Abercrombie - Guitar

Grady Tate - Drums

Tracks:

A1. If I Were A Bell {Frank Loesser} (8:33)

A2. Song For My Father {Horace Silver} (7:10)

A3. Speak Low {Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill} (9:30)

B1. Unchained Melody {Alex North, Hy Zaret} (3:44)

B2. Nasty {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (9:00)

B3. Four Bowls Of Soul {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (7:08)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Orville O'Brien

Liner Notes - Christopher Peters (August, 1968)

Houston Person - Broken Windows, Empty Hallways (1972) [re-rip]

This is the tenth Album by Houston Person released on Prestige Records.

This LP in many ways is atypical of the earlier albums Houston released in the mid to late sixties. In the early seventies he started moving away from smaller combos towards larger groups with a range of musical charts and at times orchestral arrangements. Jazz as we know it was under the pressure of newer forms of music; Rock and Pop music were dominating. Some musicians started to dabble in Free Jazz, Fusion and Funk. As a result many jazz artists including Houston turned their attention to interpreting some of the more popular tunes of the day. This album is one such an attempt to claw back some interest in jazz. Some jazz critics have denounced these explorations as direct commercial exploits. Forty years have passed and jazz aficionados are returning to this period with newer ears. Broken Windows, Empty Hallways contains a unique assortment of tunes, mostly pop oriented with only one penned by Houston ‘Bleecker Street ‘and another by Thelonious Monk ‘Let's Call This’. Houston steps up grandly to the challenge adding further richness to his powerful soulful tenor readings. This is especially noticeable when launching into some of the ballads. He seems to be able blow a lot more freely on his solos leaving main development of rhythm to rest of the players. This is enhanced by the orchestral arrangements of Billy Ver Planck and the musical scores of Ozzie Cadena who also contributes a tune ‘Moan Er-uh Lisa’. Houston is joined by some fine musicians including Joe Wilder & Victor Paz on trumpet, organist Ernest Hayes, Hubert Laws on flute & tenor, Cedar Walton on piano and drummer Grady Tate; to name a few. In time with repeated listens this album will prove to be of great merit amongst the rest of Houston’s vast discography. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST-10044, 1972

Recorded 1^st May, 1972 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Joe Wilder - Trumpet

Victor Paz - Trumpet [Solo #B1]

Hubert Laws - Flute, Tenor Saxophone

Buzz Brauner - Baritone & Tenor Saxophones, English horn, Oboe, Piccolo, Clarinet, Flute

Ronnie Jannelli - Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Jim Buffington - French horn

Ernest Hayes - Organ

Jimmy Watson - Organ (#B4)

Cedar Walton - Piano

Grady Tate - Drums

Bunny Briggs - Tap Dancing (#A4)

Billy Ver Planck - Orchestrations

Track Listing:

A1. I Think It's Going To Rain Today {Randy Newman} (6:05)

A2. Don't Mess With Bill {William Robinson} (3:04)

A3. Everything's Alright {Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber} (4:25)

A4. Mr. Bojangles {Jerry Jeff Walker} (4:05)

B1. Moan Er-uh Lisa {Ozzie Cadena} (6:21)

B2. Imagine {John Lennon} (5:01)

B3. Let's Call This {Thelonious Monk} (4:10)

B4. Bleecker Street [The Pimp] {Houston Person} (4:10)

Credits:

Musical Charts, Supervision - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Art Direction - Tony Lane

Photography - Lee Friedlander

Houston Person - Underground Soul! (1966) [re-rip]

In 1966, Houston Person recorded his first album as a leader Underground Soul! This launched a fruitful affiliation with Prestige Records that produced eleven albums over six years. During his tenure with Prestige, Person experimented with different formats; for this recording he teamed up with Mark Levine on trombone, Charles Boston on organ and Frank Jones on drums. In some regards these relative unknowns would soon be replaced by more familiar combos with increasing expertise and a real passion for Soul Jazz. This group nevertheless still sets a standard for Person’s bold and luxuriant tenor sound that continues to this day. Highlights include Underground Soul, Tears, Ballin' and If You Could See Me Now.

‘The jazz underground has methods of communication which challenge the speed of light for effectiveness. When a new player comes on the scene and has something to play the word spreads around town and across the continents as quickly as a transatlantic cable. Jazz has been an underground music for most of its existence, and, ironically, being American it has never entered into the mainstream of American life. This is music for those who have a taste for good jazz; it comes from the soul and it grows on you from the underground up.' ~ Excerpts from Liner Notes by Christopher Peters.

Prestige Records, PRST 7491, 1966

Recorded 16th June, 1966 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Mark Levine - Trombone

Charles Boston - Organ

Frank Jones - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. What The World Needs Now Is Love {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (3:50)

A2. Underground Soul {Houston Person} (5:48)

A3. The Pimp {Houston Person} (3:43)

A4. Tears {Mark Levine} (3:44)

B1. Aleilula {Edu Lobo, Roy Guerra} (4:09)

B2. Ballin' {Danny Wright} (6:13)

B3. If You Could See Me Now {Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman-Robbins} (4:26)

B4. Strike Up The Band {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (2:51)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley (August, 1966)

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design, Photo - Don Schlitten
Liner Notes - Christopher Peters