Author: Dr. Smooth
Cash Box #1 Jazz Albums of 1979
In 1979 issue, Cash Box magazine published a Jazz Album list weekly. Forty albums were ranked in each chart. Here’s a chart of the #1 jazz albums for 1979:
| Week Ending | Album | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 6 | Touchdown | Bob James |
| January 13 | ||
| January 20 | ||
| January 27 | ||
| February 3 | ||
| February 10 | ||
| February 17 | ||
| February 24 | ||
| March 3 | ||
| March 10 | ||
| March 17 | Carmel | Joe Sample |
| March 24 | Livin’ Inside Your Love | George Benson |
| March 31 | ||
| April 7 | ||
| April 14 | ||
| April 21 | ||
| April 28 | ||
| May 5 | ||
| May 12 | ||
| May 19 | ||
| May 26 | ||
| June 2 | Paradise | Grover Washington, Jr. |
| June 9 | ||
| June 16 | ||
| June 23 | Street Life | The Crusaders |
| June 30 | ||
| July 7 | ||
| July 14 | ||
| July 21 | ||
| July 28 | ||
| August 4 | ||
| August 11 | ||
| August 18 | ||
| August 25 | ||
| September 1 | ||
| September 8 | ||
| September 15 | ||
| September 22 | ||
| September 29 | ||
| October 6 | ||
| October 13 | ||
| October 20 | ||
| October 27 | ||
| November 3 | ||
| November 10 | ||
| November 17 | ||
| November 24 | ||
| December 1 | One on One | Bob James & Earl Klugh |
| December 8 | ||
| December 15 | ||
| December 22 | ||
| December 29 |
Top Albums Released on the Elektra/Musician label, 1982-84
Here’s a list of all 34 albums released on the Elektra/Musician label that reached the Billboard magazine Jazz LPs chart. Albums have been ranked using a formula that takes into account chart peak positions, weeks on chart, and number of weeks at the peak position. Presented below in countdown order, including album’s chart peak and total number of weeks on the chart.
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Bill Evans | Living in the Crest of a Wave | 42 | 4 |
| 33 | Woody Shaw | Master of the Art | 42 | 4 |
| 32 | McCoy Tyner | Dimensions | 43 | 4 |
| 31 | Billy Cobham’s Glass Menagerie | Smokin’ | 41 | 4 |
| 30 | Various Artists | The Musicians Guide, Vol. 1 | 41 | 4 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Sphere | Four in One | 41 | 5 |
| 28 | Bobby McFerrin | Bobby McFerrin | 41 | 6 |
| 27 | Bill Evans | The Paris Concert, Edition Two | 37 | 6 |
| 26 | David Sancious | The Bridge | 36 | 8 |
| 25 | Eric Gale | Island Breeze | 35 | 8 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | John McLaughlin | My Goal’s Beyond | 34 | 6 |
| 23 | Material | Memory Serves | 32 | 7 |
| 22 | Various Artists | The Griffith Park Collection | 35 | 12 |
| 21 | Kevin Eubanks | Guitarist | 32 | 10 |
| 20 | Jimmy Smith | Keep On Comin’ | 35 | 13 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Various Artists | Echoes of an Era 2 | 29 | 10 |
| 18 | Bobby McFerrin | The Voice | 24 | 10 |
| 17 | Various Artists | In Performance at The Playboy Jazz Festival | 35 | 14 |
| 16 | Chico Freeman | Tradition in Transition | 31 | 12 |
| 15 | Charlie Parker | One Night in Washington | 28 | 10 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Billy Cobham’s Glass Menagerie | Observations & | 23 | 13 |
| 13 | Bill Evans | The Paris Concert, Edition One | 19 | 12 |
| 12 | Freddie Hubbard | Ride Like the Wind | 24 | 18 |
| 11 | Eric Gale | Blue Horizon | 20 | 16 |
| 10 | Dexter Gordon | American Classic | 19 | 15 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Steps Ahead | Steps Ahead | 24 | 26 |
| 8 | Chick Corea | Again and Again | 15 | 20 |
| 7 | Sadao Watanabe | Fill Up the Night | 19 | 27 |
| 6 | Steve Morse Band | The Introduction | 15 | 27 |
| 5 | John Klemmer | Finesse | 10 | 24 |
| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Lee Ritenour | On the Line | 12 | 30 |
| 3 | Lee Ritenour | Rio | 11 | 33 |
| 2 | Steps Ahead | Modern Times | 11 | 39 |
| 1 | Jimmy Smith | Off the Top | 5 | 43 |
Cash Box #1 Jazz Albums of 1978
In 1978 issue, Cash Box magazine published a Jazz Album list weekly. Forty albums were ranked in each chart. Here’s a chart of the #1 jazz albums for 1978:
| Week Ending | Album | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 7 | Heads | Bob James |
| January 14 | ||
| January 21 | Reach for It | George Duke |
| January 28 | ||
| February 4 | Live at The Bijou | Grover Washington, Jr. |
| February 11 | ||
| February 18 | Weekend in L.A. | George Benson |
| February 25 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 11 | ||
| March 18 | ||
| March 25 | ||
| April 1 | ||
| April 8 | ||
| April 15 | ||
| April 22 | ||
| April 29 | ||
| May 6 | ||
| May 13 | Feels So Good | Chuck Mangione |
| May 20 | ||
| May 27 | Weekend in L.A. | George Benson |
| June 3 | Feels So Good | Chuck Mangione |
| June 10 | ||
| June 17 | ||
| June 24 | ||
| July 1 | ||
| July 8 | ||
| July 15 | ||
| July 22 | Sounds…and Stuff Like That!! | Quincy Jones |
| July 29 | ||
| August 5 | ||
| August 12 | ||
| August 19 | ||
| August 26 | ||
| September 2 | Images | The Crusaders |
| September 9 | ||
| September 16 | ||
| September 23 | ||
| September 30 | ||
| October 7 | ||
| October 14 | Children of Sanchez | Chuck Mangione |
| October 21 | ||
| October 28 | ||
| November 4 | ||
| November 11 | Reed Seed | Grover Washington, Jr. |
| November 18 | ||
| November 25 | ||
| December 2 | ||
| December 9 | ||
| December 16 | ||
| December 23 | ||
| December 30 | Touchdown | Bob James |
Dr. Smooth’s Flashback #9: Billboard chart of October 20, 1984
Spend an hour remembering some of the most popular jazz of fall 1984 as listed on the Top 40 Jazz Albums chart in the October 20, 1984 issue of Billboard magazine.
Playlist:
#40: “Step by Step” by Al Jarreau, from the #40 album of the week, Jarreau. By this date, Jarreau had been on the jazz chart for 78 weeks (it debuted at #18 on April 30, 1983) and would finally leave the chart on November 17. This album would rest in the top position for 16 consecutive weeks, May 14-September 10, 1983. It is listed below as #10 on the 1984 year end chart, but was ranked at #2 on the 1983 year end chart.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 1 | 81 |
| Billboard 200 | 13 | 43 |
| R&B | 4 | 43 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 10 |
#38: “Samba Dees Days” by Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, from the #38 album of the week, Jazz Samba. This album was originally released in 1962, started the bossa nova craze in the US, and hit #1 on the pop chart. It was included in an August 1984 series of Verve reissues by Polygram. This particular tune was written by Byrd, the remaining songs on the album were written by Brazilian composers, including Antonio Carlos Jobim. This was the reissue’s third of 15 weeks on the jazz charts.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz (1984) | 22 | 15 |
| Billboard 200 (1962) | 1 | 70 |
#36: “The Shadow of Your Smile” by Pieces of a Dream, from the #36 album of the week, Imagine This. This was the group’s third album and, after peaking at #4 back in February, was making its final chart appearance this week. This tune, also known as “Love Theme from The Sandpiper,” was written by Johnny Mandel and premiered in 1965. At that time, it won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 4 | 40 |
| Billboard 200 | 90 | 15 |
| R&B | 16 | 40 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 12 |
#27: “Yolanda, You Learn” by the Pat Metheny Group from the #27 album, First Circle. This week marked the chart debut of First Circle. The album would stay on the jazz chart until March 1986 and win the Grammy Award for “Best Jazz Fusion Performance.” It spent 6 weeks at in the #2 position, held out of the top spot by Wynton Marsalis’ Hot House Flowers album. On this date, Metheny had another album on the jazz charts: Rejoicing was at #18.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 2 | 75 |
| Billboard 200 | 91 | 35 |
| 1985 Jazz Year End | 3 |
#26: “Love Theme from ‘London and Davis in New York'” by Chuck Mangione from the #26 album, Disguise. Mangione’s chart appearances were in decline by this point in his career and, to that end, that cover photo may have been a poor choice to boost sales. In its fifth week on the jazz chart, it peaked here at #26. This track was a theme for a failed CBS TV pilot starring Richard Crenna as a crime-solving photographer.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 26 | 11 |
| Billboard 200 | 148 | 8 |
#23: “Someone to Watch Over Me” by Linda Ronstadt from the #23 album, What’s New. A jazz standard on the first of three Ronstadt albums in which she teamed with legendary orchestra leader Nelson Riddle to record selections from the American songbook. A big seller on multiple charts, this album debuted on the jazz chart in December 1983. The beautiful ballad “Someone to Watch Over Me” was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by brother Ira Gershwin for the 1926 musical Oh, Kay!
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 5 | 60 |
| Billboard 200 | 3 | 81 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 7 |
#22: “Sunset Drivers” by Lee Ritenour from the #22 album, Banded Together. This pop album was released in an attempt to recapture the minor pop chart success Ritenour had with 1981’s Rit album. It didn’t fare as well; this particular week marked the album’s 17th week on the jazz chart and was on a fast descent after peaking at #6. Eric Tagg provides vocals on this track.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 6 | 20 |
| Billboard 200 | 145 | 8 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 39 |
#19: “Now You Know” by Steps Ahead from the #19 album, Modern Times. Steps Ahead were a jazz “supergroup” consisting of Warren Bernhardt (keyboards), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Michael Brecker (sax), and Mike Mainieri (vibes) that attempted to pick up where Weather Report left off. This album, on the short-lived Elektra/Musician label, had peaked at #11 in September.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 11 | 39 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 27 |
#17: “Take It From the Top” by Earl Klugh from the #17 album, Wishful Thinking. This album held the top spot on the jazz chart for two weeks in July, 1984. The album’s follow-up, Night Songs, would debut on the chart following this one, November 3. This track is uncharacteristic of Klugh in that it utilizes a big band; it was used as the theme for CBS Sports’ PGA Tour coverage from 1985 through 1990.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 1 | 47 |
| Billboard 200 | 69 | 23 |
| R&B | 18 | 27 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 6 |
#8: “It’s All Right With Me” by Frank Sinatra from the #8 album, L.A. is My Lady. Sinatra’s final solo album, it attempted to do for Los Angeles what his earlier “Theme from ‘New York, New York'” did for NYC. The album sessions were filmed, with a small audience, and released as Frank Sinatra: Portrait of an Album. “It’s All Right With Me” was written by Cole Porter for his 1953 musical Can-Can.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 8 | 21 |
| Billboard 200 | 58 | 13 |
#3: “I Told U So” by David Sanborn from the #3 album, Backstreet. By this date, the album had been in the jazz chart 48 weeks, had held the #1 spot 14 weeks, and was on its way to being listed as the chart’s top album of the year. This track, the album’s first cut, was written by Sanborn with guitarist Hiram Bullock.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 1 | 70 |
| Billboard 200 | 81 | 33 |
| R&B | 21 | 47 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 1 |
#1: “Old San Juan” by Spyro Gyra from the #1 album, Access All Areas. This 2 LP set was recorded in Gainesville, St. Petersburg, and Orlando, Florida, November 17-19, 1983. It debuted on the jazz chart on July 7 and spent September 1 – November 10 in the top spot. When the album was released on a CD, the album’s first track, “Old San Juan” was cut so the album could be released on a single CD. Years later, the band released an unedited version of the track as a download from their website. It is that version that caps off this flashback mix.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 1 | 37 |
| Billboard 200 | 59 | 19 |
| R&B | 41 | 13 |
| 1984 Jazz Year End | 11 |
As always, thanks to Herc of Herc’s Hideaway for research assistance and support.
Jazz Short Takes, May 1984
Click on the thumbnail below to open a pdf file of the “Jazz Short Takes” from Musician magazine’s May, 1984 issue.
Charting the Charts: Grover Washington, Jr – A Secret Place (1976)
Here’s a look at how the Grover Washington, Jr. album A Secret Place fared on various charts (chart peaks in bold):
| 1977 | Billboard | Cash Box | Record World* | ||||||
| Date | 200 | Jazz | Soul | 200 | Jazz | R&B | 200 | Jazz | R&B |
| Jan 1 | 31 | ||||||||
| Jan 8 | 45 | 159 | 9 | 59 | 109 | ||||
| Jan 15 | 121 | 10 | 37 | 109 | 2 | 50 | 72 | 3 | 18 |
| Jan 22 | 71 | 15 | 87 | 2 | 36 | 60 | |||
| Jan 29 | 51 | 1 | 11 | 73 | 1 | 19 | 54 | 1 | 13 |
| Feb 5 | 41 | 9 | 65 | 1 | 17 | 49 | 1 | 12 | |
| Feb 12 | 39 | 1 | 7 | 58 | 1 | 16 | 44 | 1 | 12 |
| Feb 19 | 36 | 7 | 54 | 2 | 14 | 40 | 2 | 11 | |
| Feb 26 | 33 | 2 | 12 | 51 | 2 | 13 | 45 | ||
| Mar 5 | 31 | 12 | 48 | 2 | 12 | 65 | 2 | 11 | |
| Mar 12 | 31 | 2 | 12 | 63 | 2 | 14 | 67 | 3 | 17 |
| Mar 19 | 42 | 12 | 71 | 2 | 14 | 71 | 3 | 24 | |
| Mar 26 | 39 | 2 | 15 | 76 | 3 | 20 | 81 | 3 | |
| Apr 2 | 55 | 15 | 76 | 3 | 28 | 130 | 4 | ||
| Apr 9 | 132 | 2 | 17 | 119 | 3 | 43 | |||
| Apr 16 | 132 | 48 | 122 | 4 | 50 | 166 | |||
| Apr 23 | 178 | 4 | 48 | 148 | 7 | 62 | |||
| Apr 30 | 195 | 173 | 8 | 71 | |||||
| May 7 | 9 | ||||||||
| May 14 | 7 | 10 | 18 | ||||||
| May 21 | 11 | 22 | |||||||
| May 28 | 11 | 10 | 33 | ||||||
| Jun 4 | 10 | 35 | |||||||
| Jun 11 | 12 | 12 | |||||||
| Jun 18 | 20 | ||||||||
| Jun 25 | 12 | 23 | |||||||
| Jul 2 | 29 | ||||||||
| Jul 9 | 34 | ||||||||
| 1977 | Billboard | Cash Box | Record World* | ||||||
*Record World chart data incomplete, will update as information becomes available
Dr. Smooth’s Flashback #8: Columbia albums 1980
The inspiration for this Flashback is the inner sleeve Columbia Records used for their vinyl jazz/R&B releases in 1980.
Playlist:
Track 1: “Razor” by The David Chesky Band, from the album Rush Hour.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 48 | 4 |
Produced by David Chesky
Keyboards – David Chesky
Bass – James (Fish) Benjamin
Congas, Percussion – Steve Kroon
Drums – Brian Brake
Guitar – Bill Washer, Joe Beck
Piano – Bob James
Violin, Lyricon – Michał Urbaniak
Flute – Mauricio Smith
Soprano Saxophone – Arnie Lawrence
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo, Soprano Saxophone – Lou Marini
Baritone Saxophone, Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg
Tenor Saxophone – Mike Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Sal Nistico
Trombone – Clint Sharman, Keith O’QuinnBass
Trombone – Dave Taylor
Trumpet – Danny Cahn, John Eckert, John Gatchell, Randy Brecker, Bob Millikan
Vocals – Jon Lind, Maurice White
Keyboards – David Chesky
Bass – James (Fish) Benjamin
Congas, Percussion – Steve Kroon
Drums – Brian Brake
Guitar – Bill Washer, Joe Beck
Piano – Bob James
Violin, Lyricon – Michał Urbaniak
Flute – Mauricio Smith
Soprano Saxophone – Arnie Lawrence
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo, Soprano Saxophone – Lou Marini
Baritone Saxophone, Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg
Tenor Saxophone – Mike Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Sal Nistico
Trombone – Clint Sharman, Keith O’QuinnBass
Trombone – Dave Taylor
Trumpet – Danny Cahn, John Eckert, John Gatchell, Randy Brecker, Bob Millikan
Vocals – Jon Lind, Maurice White
| Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | not lsited |
Track 2: “Whisper Zone” by Ramsey Lewis, from the album Routes.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 7 | 36 |
| Billboard 200 | 173 | 8 |
| R&B | 51 | 7 |
Produced by Larry Dunn
Piano – Ramsey Lewis
Bass – Byron Miller
Drums – Ndugu Chancler
Electric Piano – Larry Dunn, Ramsey Lewis
Flugelhorn – Rahm Lee
Guitar – Al McKay
Percussion – Fred White, Paulinho Da Costa, Phillip Bailey
Saxophone – Donald Myrick
Trombone – Louis Satterfield
Trumpet – Michael Davis
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 3: “Family” by Hubert Laws, from the album Family.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 5 | 37 |
| Billboard 200 | 133 | 13 |
Produced by Hubert Laws
Flute, Piccolo, Backing Vocals – Hubert Laws
Vocals – Debra Laws
Backing Vocals – Angel Rogers
Bass – Nathan East
Drums – Leon “Ndugu” Chancler
Guitar – David T. Walker, Ron Muldrow
Piano – Bobby Lyle
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | not listed |
Track 4: “I Need You Now” by George Duke, from the album A Brazilian Love Affair.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 4 | 25 |
| Billboard 200 | 119 | 9 |
| R&B | 40 | 13 |
Produced by George Duke
Electric Piano, Second Lead Vocals, Synthesizer, Vibes – George Duke
First Lead Vocals – Simone
Bass – Byron Miller
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Guitar – Roland Bautista
Flugelhorn Solo – Jerry Hey
Vocals – Josie James, Lynn Davis
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 5: “A Dance for Your Thoughts” by David Liebman, from the album What It Is.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Did not chart |
Produced by Mike Mainieri
Saxophone – David Liebman
Bass – Marcus Miller
Congas – Don Alias
Drums – Steve Gadd
Piano – Kenny Kirkland
Guitar – John Scofield
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | not listed |
Track 6: “Just Around the Corner” by Herbie Hancock, from the album, Mr. Hands.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 4 | 31 |
| Billboard 200 | 117 | 6 |
| R&B | 46 | 11 |
Produced by David Rubinson & Friends, Inc. and Herbie Hancock
Keyboards – Herbie Hancock
Bass – Freddie Washington
Drums – Alphonse Mouzon
Guitar – Wah Wah Watson
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 7: “Spanish Eyes” by Al Di Meola, from the album Splendido Hotel.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 8 | 27 |
| Billboard 200 | 119 | 14 |
Produced by Al Di Meola
Guitar – Al Di Meola
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Guitar – Les Paul
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★★ |
Track 8: “You/Me Together” by Stanley Clarke, from the album Rocks, Pebbles and Sand.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 5 | 23 |
| Billboard 200 | 95 | 11 |
| R&B | 40 | 15 |
Produced by Stanley Clarke
Vocals, Bass – Stanley Clarke
Vocals – Marcy Levy
Drums, Percussion – Simon Phillips
Guitar – Charles Johnson
Keyboards – Steve Bach
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★ |
Track 9: “Star” by Maynard Ferguson, from the album It’s My Time.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 23 | 10 |
| Billboard 200 | 188 | 2 |
Produced by Bert De Coteaux
Trumpet – Maynard Ferguson
Guitar – Tom Rizzo
Bass – Lou Carfa
Drums – Roberto Petaccia
Keyboards – David Ramsay
Percussion – Jimmy Maelen
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Mike Migliore
Baritone Saxophone, Flute, Alto Flute – Ed Maina
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Eric Traub
Trombone– Nick Lane, Ken Crane
Trumpet – Alan Wise, Mike Horbal, Rusty Barker, Stan Mark
Vocals – Deborah McDuffie, Krystal Davis, Yvonne Lewis
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★ |
Track 10: “Beagle’s Boogie” by Joanne Brackeen, from the album Ancient Dynasty.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 35 | 4 |
Produced by Bob James & Joe Jorgensen
Piano – JoAnne Brackeen
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Saxophone – Joe Henderson
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 11: “Windy City” by Rodney Franklin from his self-titled album.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 12 | 30 |
| Billboard 200 | 207 | 1 |
| R&B | 62 | 3 |
Produced by Thomas C. Washington
Piano – Rodney Franklin
Bass – Nathan East
Drums – Tony St. James
Guitar – Phil Upchurch
Percussion – Paulinho Da Costa
Vocals – Audrey Franklin, Carmen Twillie, Marti McCall, Phyllis St. James
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 12: “I Can’t Stop” by Patti Austin, from the album Body Language.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 28 | 9 |
| Billboard 200 | 208 | 2 |
| R&B | 62 | 4 |
Produced by Creed Taylor
Vocals – Patti Austin
Backing Vocals – Ava Aldridge, Cindy Richardson, Marie Tomlinson Clark
Bass – David Hood
Drums – Roger Hawkins
Engineer – Steve Melton
Guitar – Duncan Cameron, Jimmy Johnson
Keyboards – Jeremy Wall, Randy McCormick
Percussion – Mickey Buckins
Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Trombone – Jim Pugh
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
Track 13: “Touch of Silk” by Eric Gale from the album Touch of Silk.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 12 | 31 |
| Billboard 200 | 201 | 5 |
Produced by Allen R. Toussaint
Guitar – Eric Gale
Bass – David Barard
Drums – James Black
Keyboards – Allen R. Toussaint
Percussion – Kenneth Williams
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | not listed |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★ |
Track 14: “Carespin’ with Mamie” by Arthur Blythe, from the album Illusions.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 32 | 8 |
Produced by Arthur Blythe and Jim Fishel
Alto Saxophone – Arthur Blythe
Cello – Abdul Wadud
Drums – Bobby Battle
Electric Guitar – James Blood Ulmer
Tuba – Bob Stewart
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★★★★★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★★ |
Track 15: “Making Love” by Herbie Hancock, from the album Monster.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 3 | 29 |
| Billboard 200 | 94 | 18 |
| R&B | 19 | 24 |
Produced by David Rubinson & Friends, Inc. and Herbie Hancock
Keyboards – Herbie Hancock
Vocals – Greg Walker
Backing Vocals – The Waters (Julia, Luther, Maxine, Oren)
Bass – Freddie Washington
Drums – Alphonse Mouzon
Guitar – Wah Wah Watson
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★ |
Track 16: “Brighton by the Sea” by Bob James, from the album H.
| Billboard Album Charts: | Peak | Weeks |
| Jazz | 3 | 44 |
| Billboard 200 | 47 | 18 |
Produced by Bob James
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Bob James
Soprano Saxophone – Grover Washington, Jr.
Bass – Gary King
Drums – Buddy Williams
Electric Guitar – Hiram Bullock
| Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide: | ★ |
| Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz: | ★★★ |
As always, thanks to Herc of Herc’s Hideaway for research assistance and support.
Record World #1 Jazz Albums of 1978
Columbia’s Jingle Bell Jazz, 1980 re-release
Jingle Bell Jazz is a collection of jazz versions of Christmas songs recorded between 1959 and 1962 by some of the most popular artists on the Columbia label. It was first issued October 17, 1962. The album was reissued twice on LP, in 1973 and 1980, with a track alteration and different cover art. These reissues replace side 2, track 3, originally “Frosty the Snowman” by The Dukes of Dixieland, with “Deck the Halls” by Herbie Hancock, recorded in 1969.
Playlist:
Side one, track one:
Side one, track two:
Side one, track three:
Side one, track four:
Side one, track five:
Side one, track six:
Side two, track one:
Side two, track two:
Side two, track three:
Side two, track four:
Side two, track five:
Side two, track six:
