Personnel:
Terry Gibbs (vib), Alice Coltrane (p), Ernie Farrow, Herman
Wright (b), Steve Little, John Detz (d)
"When I moved back to New York City from California in
1963, my agent had already booked me a 16-week tour and I had to put a quartet
together. I called Herman Wright, who played double bass in my quartet with
that great female piano player, Terry Pollard, from 1953-1957. Herman and Terry
were from Detroit. The first thing that Herman said to me was there was another
great female piano player from Detroit who was now living in NY. Her name was
Alice McLeod. I don’t usually hire anybody I didn’t know her, but because of
what Herman told me I set up a little jam session so I could hear how Alice
played jazz, and it had to be bebop because that’s what I heard and played in
jazz, and I wanted to hear Alice play bebop. I also had a drummer recommended
to me by one of my good drummer friends, and so John Dentz, Herman and I went
to a studio that I rented at Nola Studios.
How I usually work my songs is that, after I play the
melody, the piano player solos first. After Alice played just 8 bars I knew
that I was going to hire her. In 1963 Alice was an out an out be-bopper in the
style of Bud Powell. Also John Dentz
gave me what I was looking for: TIME. The more we played the better Alice
sounded, she was a quiet shy lady and she got more aggressive as the jam
session went on, you can hear her on this CD fitting in with everything that I
was looking for in a piano player. Alice worked in my band for one year until I
introduced her to John Coltrane and saw a love affair happen and that was why
Alice left. That one year Alice was in my quartet was really fun playing
because she was, as I said before, AN OUT AND OUT BE-BOPPER."
—Terry Gibbs (March, 2021)
TRACKLIST:
01. Burton Up Your Lip 2:22
02. Up at Logue’s Place 3:08
03. One for My Uncle 2:41
04. Ballad for Barbara 3:44
05. Sherry Bossa Nova 4:02
06. El Cheapo 2:49
07. Henny Time 2:19
08. Manny Moons Ago 2:45
09. Better to Be Richie Than Poor 2:28
10. Sunny Girl 2:42
11. Sol Right with Me 2:47
12. Half Stuie 2:52
13. Little “S” 3:46
14. El Nutto 6:20
15. The Nightie Night Waltz 2:41
16. The Young Ones 4:00
17. El Flippo 4:19
18. Hey Pretty 3:30
19. Sleepy Head Blues 5:56
20. Lonely Days 2:42
21. Little “C” 3:15
22. Just for Laughs 5:11
All composition by Terry Gibbs
Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the album “The Family Album” (Sesac
N.5301/02)
Tracks #13-22, from the album “El Nutto” (Limelight LS 86005)
Personnel on "The Family Album": Terry
Gibbs, vibes, Alice McLeod [A.k.a. Alice Coltrane] piano; Ernie Farrow, bass;
Steve Little, drums.
Recorded in New York City, February 19, 1963
Personnel on "El Nutto": Terry Gibbs,
vibes, Alice McLeod [A.k.a. Alice Coltrane] piano; Herman Wright, bass; John
Dentz, drums.
Recorded at A&R Studios, New York City, April 15,
1963
Sound engineer: Phil Ramone [# 13-22]
Recording director: Hal Mooney
Liner notes: Terry Gibbs
New liner notes: Jordi Pujol
Recordings produced by Terry Gibbs
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Special thanks to Terry Gibbs, the last of the Beboppers
This CD is dedicated to Rebekah Gibbs