The Columbia Symphony Orchestra was an orchestra formed by Columbia Records strictly for the purpose of making recordings. In the 1950s, it provided a vehicle for some of Columbia's better known conductors and recording artists to record using only company resources. The musicians in the orchestra were contracted as needed for individual sessions and consisted of free-lance artists and often members of either the New York Philharmonic or the Los Angeles Philharmonic, depending on whether the recording was being made in Columbia's East Coast or West Coast studios.
Freddie Redd was an American hard-bop pianist and composer. He is best known for writing music to accompany The Connection (1959), a play by Jack Gelber. According to Peter Watrous, writing in The New York Times: "Mr. Redd hung out at jam sessions in the 1950's and played with many of the major figures, Sonny Rollins to Art Blakey, and worked regularly with Charles Mingus. When things got tough, he just moved on, living in Guadalajara, Mexico, and in Paris and London."
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil and human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals. An important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, she influenced many of the key figures of the folk-revival of that time, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, and Janis Joplin. Time magazine included her recording of "Take This Hammer" on its list of the 100 Greatest Popular Songs, stating that "Rosa Parks was her No. 1 fan, and Martin Luther King Jr. called her the queen of American folk music."
Movin' Out is a 2002 jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel. Conceived and created by Twyla Tharp, the musical tells the story of a generation of American youth growing up on Long Island during the 1960s and their experiences with the Vietnam War. The principal characters are drawn from those who appeared in various Joel tunes: high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie, James ("James"), Judy, and Tony. The show diverts from the traditional musical in that it essentially is a series of dances linked by a thin plot, and none of the dancers sing. Instead, all the vocals are performed by a pianist and band suspended on a platform above the stage while the dancers act out the songs' lyrics, basically making the show a rock ballet.
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues is the debut solo album by American folk singer Odetta, first released in March or April 1957.
"God's Gonna Cut You Down" is a traditional American folk song. It was first recorded by Heavenly Gospel Singers in 1937, then Golden Gate Quartet in 1946 and first issued in 1947 by the Jubalaires. Since then, the track has been recorded in a variety of genres, including country, folk, alternative rock, electronic and black metal. The lyrics warn evildoers that they cannot avoid God's eventual judgment.
"Rock Island Line" is an American folk song. Ostensibly about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it appeared as a folk song as early as 1929. The first recorded performance of "Rock Island Line" was by inmates of the Arkansas Cummins State Farm prison in 1934.
To Ella is an album by American folk singer Odetta, released 1998 on Silverwolf Records. Recorded live at the Kerrville Folk Festival, it features traditional songs including "Amazing Grace" and a 27-minute "Ancestors Suite" containing several songs.
Odetta and the Blues is an album by folk singer Odetta, released in 1962.
West Side Story is the 1957 recording of a Broadway production of the musical West Side Story. Recorded 3 days after the show opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, the recording was released in October 1957 in both mono and stereo formats. In 1962, the album reached #5 on Billboard's Pop Album chart. It certified gold by the RIAA on January 12, 1962. The album was reissued in 1973 and made its first appearance on CD in 1986. A 1997 remastered edition is coupled with an orchestral suite named “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story” recomposed and conducted by its original composer Leonard Bernstein and performed by the New York Philharmonic recorded at the Manhattan Center on March 6, 1961.
David Rosenthal is an American keyboardist, musical director, music producer, synthesizer programmer, orchestrator, and songwriter, mostly known for working with the world-renowned hard rock band Rainbow and rock legend Billy Joel. Rosenthal has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and in addition to Rainbow and Joel, has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Enrique Iglesias, Robert Palmer, Steve Vai, Cyndi Lauper, Yngwie Malmsteen, Little Steven, Happy the Man, and many others. Additionally, Rosenthal has "perfect pitch".
Odetta's discography is large and diverse, covering over 50 years and many record labels.
At the Gate of Horn is the second solo album by American folk singer Odetta, first released in October 1957. It was named for the Gate of Horn club in Chicago.
Gonna Let It Shine: A Concert for the Holidays, is a live album by American folk singer Odetta, released in 2005. It was recorded at Fordham University in New York City for a public radio broadcast.
Odetta Sings is a 1970 album by Odetta. It is her only album for the Polydor label.
The Best of Odetta: Ballads and Blues is a compilation album by American folk singer Odetta, originally released in 1994.
Absolutely the Best is a compilation album by American folk singer Odetta, originally released in 2000.
Spinout is the fourteenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3702, on October 31, 1966. It is the soundtrack to the 1966 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on February 16 and 17, 1966. It peaked at number 18 on the Top Pop Albums chart.
"Lips Are Movin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, taken from her major-label debut studio album Title (2015). It was written by Trainor and its producer, Kevin Kadish. Epic Records premiered the song on MTV News on October 15, 2014, and released it to United States contemporary hit radio stations on October 21, as the second single from Title. A retro-tinged doo-wop and pop song with girl-group harmonies and bubblegum pop hooks, "Lips Are Movin" was inspired by Trainor's conflict with her record label. However, critical commentary has described it as a song about Trainor leaving her significant other after discovering he is cheating on her.
Live at Wembley is a live album by the rock band Bad Company released in 2011. It was recorded on April 11, 2010 from a concert at the Wembley Arena in London, England.
