Melba Liston - Melba Liston and Her 'Bones

2006 European CD release.

Most people in jazz circles first came to hear of trombonist Melba Liston when in 1944, she began a long association with trumpeter and bandleader Gerald Wilson. He was probably the most important person in helping me develop as a writer. Melba never cared too much about solo work: I cant say I like writing more than playing. Lets just say they are both very rewarding and challenging and all that.

Later, in 1956, she joined the Gillespie band as arranger and featured soloist. That tall, dark, graceful young girl with a thousand-watt smile quickly stole the hearts of the East Coast jazz audiences, as well as the hearts of the band members. The guys in the band paid her the highest of compliments by saying Shes just like one of us. We hope these, her first recordings as a leader, will serve as a reminder that on the instrumental level, for many of her contemporaries, Melba Liston was the first lady of jazz.

Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from the album "Melba Liston And Her Bones" (MetroJazz SE1013)
Tracks #9-12, taken from the album "Jazzville Vol. 2 - Frank Rehak Sextet" [Side A only] (Dawn DLP 1107)

Personnel on #3,6,7:
Melba Liston, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb), Kenny Burrell (g), George Joyner (b), Charles Persip (d).
Recorded in New York City, December 22, 1958

Personnel on #1,2,4,5,8:
Melba Liston, Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak (tb), Slide Hampton (tb,tuba), Ray Bryant (p), Frank Dunlop (d).
Recorded in New York City, December 24, 1958

Personnel on #9-12:
Melba Liston, Frank Rehak (tb), Marty Flax (bs), Walter Davis Jr. (p), Nelson Boyd (b), Charles Persip (d).
Recorded in New York City, June, 1956

Original recordings produced by Leonard Feather (MetroJazz) and Chuck Darwin (Dawn).

01. Christmas Eve (Slide Hampton) 4:57
02. Whats My Line Theme (Sascha Burland) 4:18
03. You Dont Say (Melba Liston) 3:55
04. The Dark Before The Dawn (Feather-Hampton) 3:18
05. Pow! (Leonard Feather) 4:01
06. Blues Melba (Melba Liston) 6:30
07. The Trolley Song (Martin-Blane) 2:31
08. Wonder Why (Brodzsky-Cann) 3:58
09. Insomnia (Melba Liston) 3:29 *
10. Very Syrian Business (Frank Rehak) 4:22 *
11. Never Do An Abadanian (Rehak-Davis) 5:07 *
12. Zagred This (Melba Liston) 4:41 *