Wardell Gray The Wardell Gray Story (4CD Set)(jazz)(mp3@320)[rogercc][h33t]

Wardell Gray The Wardell Gray Story Vol.1-4

Label: Proper

Recorded : 1945-1952

Released : 2003

Format : Mp3@320







Wardell Gray was one of the truly great bebop tenor saxophonists. Often performing in tandem with that other giant Dexter Gordon, Gray also worked with Benny Goodman and Count Basie. Like so many of his contemporaries he fell victim to the living conditions American society imposed on its black musicians. With a smooth mellow and consistent tone, he created a tenor style that veered from swing to bebop, a style that was elegant, sure-footed, mature and distinctive. When musicians like Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss or even Charlie Parker blew at him on the stand, Wardell did anything but fall over, he blew back with conviction and a style that was all his own.



Disc One: Blue Lou







01 - At The El Grotto 3:00

Earl Hines and his Orchestra (Los Angeles September 1945)

Willie Cook, Bill Douglas, Fats Palmer, Arthur Walker(trumpet)

Bennie Green, Dickie Harris, Clifton Small, Pappy Smith(trombone)

Scoops Carey( clarinet, alto)

Lloyd Smith, (alto)

Wardell Gray Kermit Scott (tenor)

John Williams (baritone)

Earl Hines(piano)

Rene Hall (guitar)

Bill Thompson (vibes)

Gene Thomas(bass)

Chick Booth (drums)

02 - Straight Life 2:46

(Los Angeles April 1946)

Same as above

03 - Let's Get Started 3:03

04 - Bambi 2:58

05 - Blue Keys 2:53

(Los Angeles 23 November 1946)

Same as above

06 - Dell's Bells 2:58

07 - One For Prez 3:11

08 - The Man I Love 3:19

09 - Easy Swing 3:04

(Los Angeles 23 November 1946)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Dodo Marmarosa (piano)

Red Calender (bass)

Harold Doc West (drums)

10 - The Great Lie Pts 1 & 2 4:41

Same as above Chuck Thompson replaces Doc West (drums)

11 - Blue Lou 5:44

(Hollywood circa 1947)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Errol Garner (piano)

Red Calender (bass)

Jackie Mills (drums

12 - Backbreaker 16:08

(Hollywood April 1947)

Sonny Criss (alto)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Russ Freeman (piano)

Barney Kessel (guitar)

Harry Babasin (bass)

Tim Kennedy (drums)

13 - She's Got Blues For Sale 3:03

Billy Eckstine and his Band (Los Angeles 27 April 1947)

Ray Line (trumpet)

Billy Eckstine (voc, valve trombone)

Gerald Valentine (trombone)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Warren Bracken (piano)

Unknown (guitar)

Shifty HGenry (bass)

Tim Kennedy (drums)

14 - Groovin' High 6:38

15 - Hot House 6:19

16 - Bebop 7:14

Howard McGhee Sextet (Hollywood 29 April 1947)

Howard McGhee (trumpet)

Sonny Criss (alto)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Dodo Marmarosa (piano)

Charlie Drayton (bass)

Jackie Mills (drums)

150]Disc Two: The Chase







01 - The Chase 6:50

Dexter Gordon and Wardell Grey (Hollywood 12 June 1947)

Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray (tenor)

Jimmy Bunn (piano)

Red Calender (bass)

Chuck Thompson (drums)

02 - The Creep 3:29

03 - Out Of Nowhere 2:47

04 - Blue 'N' Boogie 3:31

05 - Semi-Quiet (Sonny's Bop) 3:26

06 - Blue Lou 2:48

Sonny Criss All Stars(Poerland, Oregon 17 October 1947)

Al Killian (trumpet)

Sonny Criss, Wardell Gray ( tenor)

Charlie Fox (piano)

Shifty Henry (bass)

Tim Kennedy (drums)

07 - How High The Moon 6:12

08 - C Jam Blues 3:51

International All Stars (Los Angeles prob December 1947)

Benny Goodman (clarinet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Dodo Marmarosa (piano)

Al Hendrick (guitar)

Clyde Lombardi (bass)

Frank Brode (drums)

09 - Light Gray 2:36

10 - Stoned 2:55

11 - Matter And Mind 2:45

12 - The Toupe 2:37

(New York April 1948 )

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Al Haig (piano)

Clyde Lombardi (bass)

Tiny Khan (drums)

13 - Cookin' One Up 4:04

14 - Swedish Pastry 3:32

Benny Goodman Septet (The Clique Restaurant Philidelphia 24 May (track 13 ) 27 May 1948 )

Benny Goodman (clarinet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Teddy Wilson (piano)

Billy Baur (guitar)

Arnold Fishkin (bass)

Mel Zelnik (drums)

15 - Mary's Idea 3:13

16 - Bye Bye Blues Bop 3:49

Benny Goodman Sextet (Westchester County Centre 26 June 1948)

Benny Goodman (clarinet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Mary Lou Williams (piano)

Billy Bauer (guitar)

Clyde Lombardi (bass)

Mel Zelnik (bass)

17 - Stealin' Apples 3:09

The Benny Goodman Septet (Hollywood 9 September 1948)

Fats Navarro (trumpet)

Benny Goodman (clarinet)

Wardell Gray (tenor )

Gene Di Novi (piano)

Mundell Lowe (guitar)

Clyde Lombardi (bass)

Mel Zelnik (drums)

18 - Jahbero 3:03

19 - Ladybird 2:52

20 - Symphonette 3:07

The Tadd Dameron Sextet (New York 13 September 1948)

Fats Navarro (trumpet)

Alan Eager, Wardell Gray (tenor)

Tadd Dameron (piano)

Curley Russell (bass)

Kenny Clarke (drums)

Chano Pozo (cga)

21 - Shawn 2:36

Wardell Gray Quintet (New York 12 November 1948)

Eddie Bert (trombone)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Al Haig (piano)

Clyde Lombardi (bass)

Sonny Igoe (drums)

Buddy Stewart (vocal)

22 - The Hucklebuck 3:26

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra (Hollywood 31 March 1949)

Howard Reich, Doug Mettone, Al Stewart, Irving Goodman (trumpet)

Billy Byers, Eddie Bert, George Monte, (trombone)

Mitch Goldberg, Angelo Cicalse (alto)

Wardell Gray, Eddie Wasserman (tenor)

Larry Moleni (baritone)

Buddy Greco (piano)

Francis Beecher (guitar)

Clyde Lobardi (bass)

Sonny Igoe (drums)

The Swingers inclkudig Terry Swope, Buddy Greco (vocals)



span style="font-size:150Disc Three: Twisted







01 - Five Star 2:52

02 - Sugar Hill Bop 2:30

03 - In A Pinch 3:05

04 - It's The Talk Of The Town 3:08

(New York April 1949)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Al Haig (piano)

Jimmy Raney (guitar)

Tony Potter (bass)

Charlie Perry (drums)

Terry Swope (vocal track 1)

05 - Bedlam 3:07

06 - In The Land Of Oo-Bla-Dee 3:23

07 - Blue Lou 3:02

Benny Goodman Septet (Hollywood 14 April 1949)

Doug Mettome (trumpet)

Benny Goodman (drums)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Buddy Greco (piano, vocal- track 6)

Francis Beecher (guitar)

Clyde Lombard (bass)

Sonny Igoe (drums)

08 - Egg Head 2:48

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra (New York 15 October 1949)

Doug Mettome, Al Stewart, John Wilson, Ziggy Schultz (trumpet)

Billy Bayers, George Monte, Mario Dione (trombone)

Mitch Goldberg, Angelo Cicalese (alto)

Wardell Gray , Eddie Wasserman (tenor)

Joe Caselaro (baritone)

Buddy Green (piano)

Francis Beecher (guitar)

Bob Carter (bass)

Sonny Igoe (drums)

09 - Twisted 3:08

10 - Southside 3:25

11 - Easy Living 4:29

12 - Sweet Lorraine 4:09

(New York 11 November 1949)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Al Haig (piano)

Tommy Potter (bass)

Roy Haynes (drums)

13 - A Sinner Kissed An Angel 3:11

14 - Blue Gray 2:46

15 - Grayhound 3:05

16 - Treadin' With Treadwell 3:49

(Detroit 25 April 1950)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Phil Hill (piano)

Johnny Richardson (bass)

Art Mardigan (drums)

17 - Scrapple From The Apple 9:09

(Hula Hut Los Angeles 27 August 1950)

Clark Terry(trumpet)

Sonny Criss (alto)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Jimmy Bunn (piano)

Billy Hadnott (bass)

Chuck Thompson (drums)

18 - Song Of The Islands 2:52

19 - One O'Clock Jump 2:57

Count Basie and his Septet (New York 2 November 1950)

Clark Terry (trumpet)

Buddy De Franco (clarinet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Rudy Rutherford (baritone)

Count Basie(piano)

Freddie Green (guitar)

Jimmy Lewis (bass)

Gus Johnson (drums)

20 - Tootsie 2:51

(New York 3 November 1950)

Same as above

21 - Nails 3:32

22 - Little Pony 2:32

Count Basie and his Orchestra (New York 10 April 1951)

Lamar Wright, Al Porcino, Clark Terry, Bob Mitchell (trumpets)

Mitchell “Boot” Wood, Leon Comegeys, Mathew Gee (trombone)

Marshall Royal, Rueben Phillips, (alto)

Wardell Gray, Lucky Thompson (tenor)

Charlie Fowkes (baritone)

Count Basie (piano)

Freddie Green (guitar)

Jimmy Lewis (bass)

Gus Johnson (drums)



Disc Four: Farmer's Market







01 - April Skies 3:07

02 - Bright Boy 2:49

03 - Jackie 2:34

04 - Farmer's Market 2:50

05 - Sweet And Lovely 3:18

06 - Loverman 2:23

(Los Angeles 21 January 1951)

Art Farmer (trumpet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Hampton Hawes (piano)

Harper Cosby (bass)

Lawrence Marable (drums)

07 - The Jeep Is Jumpin' 3:08

08 - Johnny Come Lately 2:49

09 - Punkin' 3:24

Louis Bellson Jazz All Stars (Los Angeles February 1952)

Clark Terry (trumpet)

Juan Tizol (valve trombone)

John Graas (French horn)

Wilie Smith (alto sax)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Harry Carney (baritone)

Billy Strayhorn (piano)

Wensdell Marshall (bass)

Louis Bellson (drums)

10 - The Rubaiyat 3:01

11 - I Hear You Knockin' 2:36

12 - Jingle, Jangle, Jump 2:27

13 - Citizen's Bop 2:54

(Los Angeles 9 June 1952)

Dexter Gordon (tenor, baritone) (tracks 11, 12)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Gerald Wiggin (piano) (organ track 11)

Red Calender (bass)

Chuck Thompson (drums)

Gladys Bentley (vocal) (track 12)

14 - Bernie's Tune 7:08

15 - The Squirrel 9:57

16 - Taking A Chance On Love 8:03

17 - Get Happy 7:47

Wardell Gray Quintet (The Haig Hollywood 9 September 1952)

Art Farmer (trumpet)

Wardell Gray (tenor)

Hampton Hawes (piano)

Joe Mondragon (bass)

Shelley Mann (drums)