Benny Goodman

This edition presents the complete long unavailable Benny Goodman album Happy Session (Columbia CS8129). It features an all-star version of the Goodman orchestra, including André Previn, Russ Freeman, Pepper Adams, Herb Geller, Leroy Vinnegar, Barney Kessel and Shelly Manne, as well as four quintet tracks. All existing alternate takes for the tunes from this album plus a wonderful version of “Cherokee” from the same sessions have been added as bonus tracks. The alternate take on “The King and Me” appears here on CD for the first time ever.

PERSONNEL:

BENNY GOODMAN, clarinet on all tracks, plus:

(1) & (11): John Frosk, Ermit V. Perry, Allen Smith, Pete Ventura (tp)
Buster Cooper, Rex Peer, Hale Rood (tb), Herb Geller, Jim Sands (as),
Arthur "Babe" Clarke, Bob Wilber (ts), Pepper Adams (bar), Russ Freeman (p),
Turk Van Lake (g), Milt Hinton (b), Shelly Manne (d).
New York, November 15, 1958.

(2) & (7): André Previn (p), Barney Kessel (g), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Frank Capp (d).
Hollywood, September 4, 1958
.
(3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13 & 14): Same personnel as 1 & 11 except George Duvivier (b) replaces Milt Hinton.
New York, November 18, 1958.

(4) & (10): Russ Freeman (p), Turk Van Lake (g), George Duvivier (b), Shelly Manne (d).
New York, November 19, 1958.

(12) (15) & (17): John Frosk, Taft Jordan, Buzz King, Ermit V. Perry (tp),
Eddie Bert, Vernon Brown, Harry DiVito (tb), Skip Galluccio, Ernie Mauro (as),
Dick Hafer, Buddy Tate (ts), Gene Allen (bar), Sir Roland Hanna (p), Chuck Wayne (g),
Henry Grimes (b), Roy Burns (d), Andre Previn (arr).
New York, July 14, 1958.

(16): Urbie Green (tb), Zoot Sims (ts), Russ Freeman (p), Chuck Wayne (g),
Milt Hinton (b), Don Lamond (d), Al Cohn (arr).
New York, January 3, 1959.

INCLUDES 12-PAGE BOOKLET

TRACKS:

01 HAPPY SESSION BLUES 5:10
02 YOU’D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO 4:29
03 THE KING AND ME 4:53
04 INDIAN SUMMER 4:35
05 WHAT A DIFF’RENCE A DAY MADE 3:33
06 BATUNGA TRAIN 2:55
07 HAVING A BALL 7:40
08 CLARINET A LA KING 3:28
09 MACEDONIA LULLABY 3:52
10 DIGA DIGA DOO 3:35
11 HAPPY SESSION BLUES [alternate take] 5:21*
12 THE KING AND ME [alternate take] 4:51**
13 WHAT A DIFF’RENCE A DAY MADE [alternate take] 3:25*
14 BATUNGA TRAIN [alternate take] 3:23*
15 MACEDONIA LULLABY [alternate take] 4:31*
16 DIGA DIGA DOO [alternate take] 3:11*
17 CHEROKEE 3:18*
*Bonus tracks
**On CD for the first time ever!