Al Hibbler 50-52

[brownie]

Al Hibbler is one of my very favorite singers. He was the best male singer to perform with the Duke Ellington orchestra. With the exception of Herb Jeffries, I don't care much for the other Ellington singers. But Hibbler!! What a voice! And the vibrato in his voice, his phrasing...

His records have always been difficult to find outside of the USA. Glad that Chronogical Classics has started an Hibbler series. First volume had the 1946-1949 sides. A second volume (1950-1952) has appeared here recently.

The sides are splendid but the liner notes fail to identify musicians appearing on some of the sessions.

For anyone who is to purchase or investigate this release, here are some of the musicians that appear and are not (or wrongly) listed:

- the Atlantic April 1950 sessions (with Billie Kyle and his orchestra) has Harold Baker, Tyree Glenn and Lucky Thompson in the lineup. Baker and Thompson have solos,

- the Atlantic October 1950 sessions (with Billy Taylor's Orchestra) has Taft Jordan, Tyree Glenn, Paul Gonsalves, Junior Raglin and Sonny Greer,

- the Atlantic June 1951 session (with Jimmy Mundy's Orchestra) also has solos by Paul Gonsalves.

The Atlantic sessions details are from the liner notes to the Atlantic CD previous release of Al Hibbler material 'After the Lights Go Down Low'.

- the Mercer July 1951 session had Max Roach on drums (not Louie Bellson as wrongly indicated).

What a great lineup these Mercer sessions had! Three sessions, three alsosax players: Johnny Hodges, Bennie Carter, Willie Smith. Couldn't get better.