Gerald Wilson

• 2 ORIGINAL ALBUM S ON 1 LP

+ 1 BONUS TRACK

• INCLUDES 16-PAGE BOOKLET

This release presents two amazing big band LPs by Gerald Wilson in their entirety: You Better Believe It! (Pacific Jazz ST-34), and Moment of Truth (Pacific Jazz ST-61). These were Wilson’s two first albums for the Pacific label and count among the very best he ever made. Included here is the original version of “Viva Tirado!”, a song which would later become a hit. The band features such impressive sidemen as Joe Maini, Buddy Collette, Bud Shank, Harold Land, Teddy Edwards, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Joe Pass, and Mel Lewis, to name a few. As a bonus, a rare tune by Wilson’s orchestra recorded live in 1954, when Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Wardell Gray, Melba Liston and Sonny Criss were members of the band. Our 16-page booklet includes updated and original liner notes, as well as the complete Down Beat reviews for both albums.

PERSONNEL:

• GERALD WILSON & HIS ORCHESTRA:
• Ray Triscari, Jimmy Zito, John Audino, Carmell Jones (tp), Bob Edmondson, Lester Robertson, Buddy Collette (cl, as, fl), Joe Maini, Harry Klee (as), Bud Shank (as, fl), Harold Land, Teddy Edwards, Walter Benton (ts), Jack Nimitz (bar), Joe Pass (g), Richard “Groove” Holmes (org), Jack Wilson (p), Jimmy Bond (b), and Mel Lewis (d), among others. Gerald Wilson (cond).

• [17] BONUS TRACK:
• GERALD WILSON & HIS ORCHESTRA:
• Gerald Wilson, Ernie Royal, Walter Williams (tp), Melba Liston, Henry Coker, Robert Wagner, Trummy Young (tb), Sonny Criss, Willie Smith (as), Wardell Gray, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz (ts), Gerald Wiggins (p), Red Callender (b), Lee Young (d), Gerald Wilson (arr & cond).
• Live in Los Angeles, February 8, 1954.

TRACKS:

• 01 Blues For Yna, Yna
• 02 Jeri
• 03 Moody Blue
• 04 Straight Up And Down
• 05 The Wailer
• 06 You Better Believe It
• 07 Yvette
• 08 Viva Tirado!
• 09 Moment Of Truth
• 10 Patterns
• 11 Teri
• 12 Nancy Jo
• 13 Milestones
• 14 Latino
• 15 Josefina
• 16 Emerge
• 17 Sea Breeze *

• TOTAL TIME: 79:11 min