LaVern Baker – Blues Ballads

 

Atlantic records 1959 – 8030

notes:
True First Edition - Black Labels with Silver Print.
Blues Ballads is the fifth studio album from American
rhythm and blues singer LaVern Baker, released by Atlantic Records in 1959.

credits:

    LaVern Baker – vocals
    Douglas Allan – marimba on "How Often"
    Mickey Baker – guitar on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low"
    Everett Barksdale – guitar on "I Cried a Tear", "Dix-A-Billy", and "How Often"
    Harry Breuer – xylophone on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine", and "Whipper Snapper"
    Howard Biggs – arrangement on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine",
    and "Whipper Snapper"; conducting on "Why Baby Why",
    "It’s So Fine", and "Whipper Snapper"
    Leon Cohen – alto saxophone on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    King Curtis – tenor saxophone on "I Cried a Tear" and "How Often"
    Sticks Evans – drums on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low"
    Panama Francis – drums on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Urbie Green – trombone on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Allen Hanlon – guitar on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine", and "Whipper Snapper"
    Ernest Hayes – piano on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy", organ on "How Often"
    Milt Hinton – double bass on "I Cried a Tear", "If You Love Me", "Dix-A-Billy", "So High, So Low",
    Budd Johnson – saxophone on "If You Love Me" and "So High,
   So Low", baritone saxophone on "How Often"
    Taft Jordan – trumpet on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine", and "Whipper Snapper"
    Ben E. King – vocal duet on "How Often", and "A Help Each Other Romance"
    Bill Marine – choir vocals on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Joe Marshall – membranophone on "Whipper Snapper"
    Wendell Marshall – double bass on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine",
    "Whipper Snapper", and "How Often"
    Marcia Neil – choir vocals on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Reggie Obrecht – piano on "How Often"; arrangement on "I Cried a Tear",
    "Dix-A-Billy", and "How Often"; conducting on "I Cried a Tear",
    "Dix-A-Billy", and "How Often"
    Jerry Parker – choir vocals on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Jimmy Ricks – vocal duet on "You’re the Boss", and "I’ll Never Be Free"
    Chuck Sagle – arrangement on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low",
     conducting on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low"
    Melvin "Red" Solomon – trumpet on "Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine",
     and "Whipper Snapper"
    Ted Solomon – trumpet on "Whipper Snapper"
    Ted Sommer – membranophone on "How Often"
    Mike Stewart – choir vocals on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"
    Mike Stoller – piano on "Whipper Snapper"
    Sam "The Man" Taylor – tenor saxophone on "Why Baby Why",
     "It’s So Fine", and "Whipper Snapper"
    Moe Wechsler – piano on "Whipper Snapper"
    Unknown musicians:
        Backing vocals on "Whipper Snapper"
        Piano on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low"
        Tenor saxophone on "Dix-A-Billy"
        Trumpet on "If You Love Me" and "So High, So Low"
        Vibraphone on "I Cried a Tear" and "Dix-A-Billy"

Released    October 1959
Recorded   

    December 18, 1957 ("Why Baby Why", "It’s So Fine", "Whipper Snapper")
    September 11, 1958 ("I Cried a Tear", "Dix-A-Billy")
    March 14, 1959 ("If You Love Me", "So High, So Low")
    June 7, 1960 ("How Often")

Studio    New York City, New York, United States

Producer   

    Ahmet Ertegun ("Whipper Snapper", "How Often")
Jerry Wexler ("Whipper Snapper", "How Often")


tracklist:

A1        I Cried A Tear
Written-By – Al Julia
2:34
A2        If You Love Me
Written-By – Edith Piaf, Geoffrey Parsons, Marguerite Monnot
2:38
A3        You're Teasing Me
Written-By – Doc Pomus & Morty Shuman*
2:15
A4        Love Me Right
Written-By – Bobby Darin, Don Kirshner
1:56
A5        Dix-A-Billy
Written-By – Jack Reardon, Paul Evans, Woody Harris
1:53
A6        So High So Low
Written-By – LaVern Baker
1:50
B1        I Waited Too Long
Written-By – Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka
2:32
B2        Why Baby Why
Written-By – Dick Glasser, Nick Boldi
2:29
B3        Humpty Dumpty Heart
Written-By – Henry Boye
2:35
B4        It's So Fine
Written-By – Albert Green (2), Berry Gordy, Tyran Carlo
2:24
B5        Whipper Snapper
Written-By – Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller*
2:07
B6        St. Louis Blues
Written-By – W. C. Handy
2:30

 

upl

 

 

pix