Billy Taylor w/ Oliver Nelson - Right Here, Right Now!

Billy Taylor - Right Here, Right Now! - Capitol T 2039 - Mono [two hundredth post: Yeah!!]

Billy Taylor - Piano
Ben Tucker - Bass
Grady Tate - Drums
[see sleeve] - Orchestra

Arranged and Conducted by Oliver Nelson

Recorded - November 12, 15 & 16, 1963, Capitol Studios, NewYork

Produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Recording Engineer -Frank Abbey
Cover Photo - Ken Veeder

Released - June 13, 1964

Here's more Billy Taylor and Oliver Nelson with their earlier 1963 big band collaboration on Capitol: Right Here, Right Now!  On the whole this is a much more satisfying side than 'Midnight Piano' posted overleaf; choice of material is stronger (learning towards a mix of originals and straight ahead standards including a take on Nelson's legendary 'Stolen Moments'), and Nelson's arrangements/charts are much more dynamic and expressive. There's also a joyful and bouncing atmosphere here which belies the fact that it was recorded the week before JFK's assassination - end of an era indeed!

Billy Taylor w/ Oliver Nelson - Midnight Piano

Billy Taylor - Midnight Piano; Lush, Light and Swinging Backgrounds - Capitol T 2302 - Mono

Billy Taylor - Piano
Ben Tucker - Bass
Grady Tate - Drums
[see sleeve] - Orchestra

Arranged and Conducted by Oliver Nelson

Recorded - October 12, 13, 14, 1964 - Capitol New York Studios, New York

Produced by Ben Cavanagh
Recording Engineer - Frank Abbey
Cover - [uncredited]

Released - April 3, 1965

Here's something a bit different from what I'm normally into -e.g bit less on the 'soul' side -  a rather forgotten Billy Taylor big band side on Capitol that I spotted recently at a local record show.  

Taylor has a rather nice, appealing swinging  touch on the piano and  there's some killer arrangements by the great Oliver Nelson which keeps the side bouncing. Material is however, a bit less interesting and a bit too 'commercial' (in a mid 1960s sense).

Clea Bradford With Oliver Nelson And Clark Terry [Prestige New Jazz 8320]

Clea Bradford with Oliver Nelson & Clark Terry - Prestige New Jazz NJ 8320 - Blue Trident Label, Mono

Clea Bradford - Vocals
Oliver Nelson - Tenor Sax
Clark Terry - Trumpet
Patti Bown - Piano
Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook- Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Bill English - Drums

Recorded - [not listed on sleeve, but according to major Prestige discographies, Wednesday, June 21, 1961, Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ - Ron Carter cut 'Where' for Prestige the day before, Tuesday, June 20 - Jimmy Smith cut a rejected session for Blue Note the day after, Thursday, June 22 ]

Supervision - Esmond Edwards
Recording - Rudy Van Gelder ['RVG' is in the dead wax]
Cover Design/Photo - Don Schlitten

Released - 1965?

Here's another amazing Prestige find from my collection - Clea Bradford with Oliver Nelson and Clark Terry! This is a New Jazz/Prestige Blue Trident reissue of Clea Bradford - These Dues - [Tru-Sound TRU 15005, already deleted by Fall 1963 according to my vintage Prestige Numerial Dealer Form] on Prestige's short lived R&B subsidiary. So not sure if this is an authentic Prestige/New Jazz date per se, but it's in the catalog for those Prestige completists/fanatics.

Bradford (short biography)  would later resurface with a 1968 side on Cadet and a monster cult Soul single of 'My Love's a Monster', but this is a very much low key and lost mainstream jazz vocal date accompanied by  jazz legends Nelson and Terry. Bradford sounds very similar to Lorez Alexandria to my ears... intriguing.

Lloyd G. Mayers w/Oliver Nelson - A Taste of Honey

Lloyd G. Mayers with the Oliver Nelson Orchestra - A Taste of Honey (And A Few More Sweet Ones) - United Artists - UAJ 14018 - Original Pressing, Mono

Lloyd G. Mayers - Organ
Clark Terry - Trumpet
Bernie Glow
Doc Severinson
Snooky Young
Urbie Green - Trombone
Paul Faulise
Britt Woodman
Tommy Mitchell
Don Butterfield - Tuba
Barry Galbraith - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Ed Shaughnessy - Drums
Ray Barretto - Bongo

Arranged & Conducted by Oliver Nelson

Recorded - [dates unknown, c. 1962. NYC?]

Produced by Alan Douglas
Sound - Bill Schwartau
Design - Frank Gauna

Released - October 6, 1962

Here's another nice Soul Jazz rarity with the obscure Lloyd G. Mayers - but with fantastic arrangements and orchestral flourishes by the great Oliver Nelson! The title cut is genius.

This side is another one of those early 60s organ/big band recordings - very popular at the time as a more slick and commercial entry into Soul Jazz - but it's done oh so well. These sides are really the bread n butter for fans of this underappreciated and underrated genre... Nelson would later perfect the organ-orchestra formula with Shirley Scott for her sides on Impulse - 1963-64's For Members Only and Great Scott!

Shirley Scott - For Members Only + Complete Impulse Discography

Shirley Scott Trio - For Members Only - Impulse A 51 - Impulse Original Pressing, Mono, Orange & Black Label

Side A -

Shirley Scott (org)
Thomas Mitchell
Quentin Jackson
Jimmy Cleveland (tb)
Thad Jones
Tom McIntosh
Jimmy Nottingham
Ernie Royal
Jerome Kail (tp)
Mundell Lowe (g)
Art Davis (b)
Ed Shaughnessy (d)
Joe Venuto (perc)
Eddy Manson (harmonica)

Arranged and Conducted by Oliver Nelson

Side B -

Shirley Scott - Organ
Earl May - Bass
Jimmy Cobb - Drums

Recorded - August 22 & 24, 1963, New York City

Produced by Bob Thiele
Engineer - Mickey Crawford
Cover and Liner Photos - Bob Ghiraldini
Liner Design - Joe Lebow
Cover Design - Robert Flynn & Viceroy

Released - October 5, 1963

Finally we come full circle to Shirley's very first Impulse side and collaboration with Oliver Nelson: For Members Only! This is another funky and soulful side - Shirley really did benefit from Impulse's resources as the production and arrangements does spotlight her tasteful and soulful playing - I love it. Good fidelity from the original orange and black mono Impulse vinyl. I've also attached a Shirley Impulse discography for reference.
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SHIRLEY SCOTT IMPULSE DISCOGRAPHY (LEADER)

A 51: For Members Only : Scott (org) + Oliver Nelson Orchestra + Earl May (b) + Jimmy Cobb (d), 8/63, New York City. This post, see above.

A 67: Great Scott!! : Scott (org) + Oliver Nelson Orchestra + Bob Cranshaw (b) + Otis Finch (d), 5/64, New York City. Last post, see overleaf.

A 73: Everybody Loves A Lover : Scott (org) + Stanley Turrentine (ts) + Howard Collins or Barry Galraith (g) + Bob Cranshaw (b) + Otis Finch (d) + Willie Rodriguez (perc), 9/64, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. An earlier post from this blog this year.
A 81: Queen of the Organ: Scott (org) + Stanley Turrentine (ts) + Bob Cranshaw (b) + Otis Finch (d), 12/64, Front Room, Newark, NJ. An earlier post from this blog of a reissue which includes the original side with bonus material from the same session.

A 93: Latin Shadows: Scott (org) + Gary McFarland Orchestra, 7/65, New York City. This side courtesy of my blogfather, Orgy in Rhythm.

A 9109: On A Clear Day: Scott (org) + Ron Carter (b) + Jimmy Cobb (d), 1/66, New York City. An earlier post from this blog this year.

A 9119: Roll `Em : Scott (org) + Oliver Nelson Orchestra + George Duvivier (b) + Grady Tate (d) or Richard Davis (b) + Ed Shaughnessy (d), 4/66. Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
A 9133: Soul Duo: Scott (org) + Clark Terry (flhrn)+ George Duvivier (b) or Bob Cranshaw (b)+ Mickey Roker (d), 8/66, New York City. Last Post, see overleaf.
A 9141: Girl Talk: Scott (org) + George Duvivier (b)+ Mickey Roker (d), 1/67, Capitol Studios, New York City. This side courtesy of Hook`s Gems. Seems to have been deleted, so I uploaded a new copy.
Also, if you're interested, a demonoid torrent of her complete Prestige recordings as leader.

Shirley Scott - Great Scott!!

Shirley Scott Trio- Great Scott!! - Impulse A 67 - Stereo, ABC Rainbow Pressing

Side A -

Shirley Scott - Organ Oliver Nelson - Leader and Arranger
Jerome Kail - Trumpet
Jimmy Nottingham - Trumpet
Snooky Young - Trumpet
Joe Wilder - Trumpet
Urbie Green- Trombone
Quentin Jackson - Trombone
Willie Dennis - Trombone
Tony Struda - Trombone
Bob Ashton - Reeds
Romeo Penque - Reeds
Barry Galbraith - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Johnny Pacheco - Percussion
Willie Rodriguez - Percussion
Osie Johnson - Percussion
Lillian Clark - Vocals
Jerry Graff - Vocals

Side B-

Shirley Scott - Organ
Bob Cranshaw - Bass
Otis Finch - Drums
Recorded - May 14 (Side B) & May 24 (Side A), 1964, New York City

Produced by Bob Thiele
Engineer - uncredited
Cover and Liner Photos- Charles Stewart
Liner Design - Joe Lebow
Cover Design - Robert Flynn & Viceroy

Released - October 17, 1964

This is the second of Shirley's collaborations with Oliver Nelson. It follows a similar formula; Side A - groovy big band movie themes arranged and orchestrated by Nelson, Side B - Shirley's trio. This has a great Shirley vocal on B2, 'The Blues Aint Nothing But Some Pain' which hints at Shirley's potential as a blues singer - very cool. Another record that wasn't in the best of condition, but I've done some mild restoration to make it just OK.
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Ramsey Lewis - Country Meets the Blues

Ramsey Lewis Trio - Country Meets the Blues - Argo LP 701

Recorded: August 2 & 3, 1962 -Bell Sound Studio, New York City

Ramsey Lewis: Piano
Red Holt: Drums
Eldee Young: Bass + Reeds, Strings
[uncredited]: vocals

Arrangers: Oliver Nelson (Reeds Side) Lew Douglas (Strings)

Released: September 22, 1962 (approx)

After a few months of silence, I now present my latest find off ebay - a rare Argo side never before released on CD by my second favorite piano trio on Chess Jazz after Ahmad Jamal : Ramsey Lewis!! Ironically, another jazz+voices effort that just doesn't quite work - but this stuff always deserves a listen. A Great LP rip - my best yet - off a record that has only been played twice since 1963!

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