Richard "Groove" Holmes - Six Million Dollar Man (1975) [vinyl]

One of Groove Holmes' best albums of the 70s -- thanks to some electric blacksploitation arrangements from the great Oliver Nelson! The format's a bit tighter here than on some of Holmes' Groove Merchant albums from the earlier part of the decade -- an approach that's almost like soundtrack scoring at times, but which allows Groove to stretch out a bit more on the solos, and take things way past the already-funky head arrangements penned by Nelson. Mike Wofford's also on the record, throwing in some great electric piano and Arp in underneath Holmes' own funky Hammond -- and other players include Tom Scott, David T Walker, and Oscar Brashear -- who all contribute nicely to the record. Titles include "Disc-o-Mite", "Salsa de Alma", "Dumpy Mama", "Mama's Groove", "125th & 7th Ave", and "Six Million Dollar Man", the theme from the TV show!  © Dusty Groove, Inc. 

Flying Dutchman, BDL1-1146, 1975
Recorded in 1975 

Musicians:
Richard "Groove" Holmes - Organ
Oscar Brashear, Charles Findley, Bobby Bryant - Trumpet (#A2,B1)
Garnett Brown, Maurice Spears, Lloyd Ulyate - Trombone (#A2,B1)
Tom Scott - Tenor Saxophone, Flute (#A2), Arranger, Conductor (#B2)
Bud Shank, Jerome Richardson, Jack Nimitz, Gene Cipriano - Woodwinds (#A2,B1)
Mike Wofford - Piano, Electric Piano, ARP Synthesizer
David T. Walker - Electric Guitar
Chuck Rainey - Electric Bass (#A1,A2,A4,B2-B4)
Chuck Domanico - Electric Bass (#A3,B1)
Jimmy Gordon - Drums (#1,A2,A4,B2-B4)
Shelly Manne - Drums (#B1)
Mailto Correa - Percussion
Larry Bunker - Percussion (A3,B1)
Oliver Nelson - Arranger, Conductor (#A1-B1,B3,B4)

Tracks:
A1. Disc-O-Mite {Oliver Nelson, Richard "Groove" Holmes} (5:21)
A2. Salsa De Alma {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (5:19)
A3. Once Is Not Enough {Henry Mancini, Larry Kusik} (3:26)
A4. Dumpy Mama {Oliver Nelson} (4:46)
B1. "Six Million Dollar Man" Theme {Oliver Nelson} (4:55)
B2. Double Scale {Tom Scott} (4:12)
B3. 125th St. and 7th Ave. {Oliver Nelson} (3:40)
B4. Mama's Groove {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (7:06) 

Total Time: 39:45 

Credits:
Producer - Bob Thiele
Engineer - Eddie Brackett
Remix Engineer - Bob Simpson
Art Direction – Acy Lehman, Dick Smith
Photography - David B. Hecht
Liner Notes - Nat Hentoff

Link

Double Scale

Gene Ammons - Velvet Soul (1960,61,62)

Classic mellow Jug - from a time when Prestige discovered that Gene Ammons would sell equally well to the mellow jazz crowd as to the jukebox jumpers. Most of the cuts feature Gene with a deep soulful tone that could qualify as "velvet",  but which still has enough of a rough edge to remain soulful. One track is played by a larger group, and the rest are with small combos that either feature organ or piano. Tracks include "Salome's Tune", "Velvet Soul", "Stranger In Town", and "Light N Up". © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.

No Matter in what context we hear Gene Ammons, his characteristic directness and passion can easily be heard. As this set closes we can feel Ammons' concern with all that he plays and the passion with which he invests his music. Ammons has had his outing and he has, once again proven himself worthy of our attention. ~ Extracts from Liner Notes by Michael Gold (Feb. 1964).

Prestige Records, PRST 7320, 1964

Recorded 17^th June, 1960 (#A1,A2); 13^th June, 1961 (#B2);

& 5^th September, 1962 (#A3,B1,B3)

At Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:
Gene Ammons - Tenor Saxophone
Frank Wess - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2)

Hobart Dotson, Clark Terry - Trumpet (#B2)

Oliver Nelson - Alto Saxophone (#B2)

George Barrow, Red Holloway - Tenor Saxophone (#B2)

Bob Ashton - Baritone Saxophone (#B2)

Richard Wyands - Piano (#B2)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ (#A1,A2)

Mal Waldron - Piano (#A3,B1,B3)

Doug Watkins - Bass (#A1,A2)

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A3-B3)

Arthur Taylor - Drums (#A1,A2)

Ed Thigpen - Drums (#A3,B1,B3)

Bill English - Drums (#B2)

Tracks:

A1. Velvet Soul {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (8:54)

A2. In Sid's Thing {Gene Ammons} (5:26)

A3. Salome's Tune {Mal Waldron} (4:13)

B1. Light'n Up {Mal Waldron} (3:59)

B2. The Song Is You {Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II} (9:41)

B3. A Stranger In Town {Mel Tormé} (5:58)

Credits:

Supervision - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Photography - Gai Terrell

Liner Notes - Michael Gold (Feb. 1964)

Shirley Scott - Now's The Time (1967) [vinyl>flac]

Now's the Time is an album by organist Shirley Scott compiling several tracks recorded between 1958 and 1964 and released on the Prestige label in 1967. "This is early Scott, several takes from different sessions for this Prestige release", Allmusic.

Yes once upon a time jazz was a man's world but with gals like Shirley Scott around some of the cats are beginning to get inferiority complexes. Like isn't a woman’s place in the kitchen! Not when she happens to be Shirley Scott. Her latest cooking is done on a Hammond, not a stove. ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Mark Gardner.

Prestige Records, PR 7440, 1967

Recorded 27th May, 1958 (#A3); 23rd October, 1958 (#B2-B4);
23rd June, 1960 (#B1); 22nd August, 1961 (#A2)
& 31st March, 1964 (#A1) at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Shirley Scott - Organ

Joe Newman - Trumpet (#A2)

Stanley Turrentine - Tenor Saxophone (#A1)

Oliver Nelson - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

Lem Winchester - Vibraphone (#B1)

Bob Cranshaw - Bass (#A1)

George Tucker - Bass (#A2)

George Duvivier - Bass (#A3-B4)

Otis Finch - Drums (#A1)

Roy Brooks - Drums (#A2)

Arthur Edgehill - Drums (#A3-B4)

Track Listing:

A1. As It Was {Milt Jackson, Shirley Scott} (5:24)

A2. How Sweet {Shirley Scott} (7:22)

A3. Ebb Tide {Robert Maxwell, Carl Sigman} (4:11)

B1. Now's The Time {Charlie Parker} (4:26)

B2. That's Where It's At {Shirley Scott} (3:21)

B3. Cafe Style {Shirley Scott} (4:27)

B4. Out Of This World {Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer} (4:27)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena (#A1)

Producer - Bob Weinstock (#A3)

Producer - Esmond Edwards (#A2,B1-B4)

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Mark Gardner (June 1967)

J.J. Johnson - J.J.!

This album is a 5 star gem.  Johnson figured out how to arrange and conduct a big band, while featuring himself as the star soloist.  Sounds a bit ego driven doesn't it, well who else but this master of jazz to pull it off?!?!  The band tear through bebop and hard bop tunes like no other.  Although Johnson's 'bone is the featured solo chair, we do infact hear from many other players.  The personnel reads like a who's who of bop, a real "dream band" if there was ever any.  Not a dud to be found in these 9 tracks.


Click For Personnel Details



I worked obsessively for hours on this to make it perfect, and to get it done for tonight.  I think the results speak for themselves, I was really happy with the final product.  My LP is a minty stereo RCA/Victor original, ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.

RCA Victor – LSP-3350
1965

Recorded in Webster Hall, New York City.