Personnel:
Melba Liston, Slide Hampton, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Benny Powell, Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak (tb), Marty Flax (bs), Ray Bryant, Walter Davis Jr. (p), Kenny Burrell (g), George Joyner, George Tucker (b), Charles Persip, Frank Dunlop (d)
Reference: FSRCD 408
Bar code: 8427328604086
This release has been replaced by the Remastered STEREO reissue FSRCD 1145
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.
