Frank Minion – Complete Recordings 1954-1959

Frank Minion was born January 3, 1929 in Baltimore. Upon leaving school at the age of 19, he returned home, where he joined the Lou Bennett Quartet —at the time, one of the finest groups in the East Coast. For Minion, his work with Bennett was an interesting and invaluable training period, which resulted in his first record for Apollo Records, a 78 rpm disk with a bop styled reading of two well-known standards, Sweet Lorraine and How High the Moon.

Headstrong and restless, Frank soon formed his own group, and went on to enjoy a great deal of success and recognition along the East Coast. He disbanded his trio to attend dramatic school in New York City. Still, music was his first love, and during his stay in New York, he worked the better night clubs, including Birdland, where he sang with Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, Ed Thigpen and Jimmy Jones. All of them are featured in these recordings, and all agreed on one thing—Frank was a man with all the tools to make it big, be it singing or writing!

Track Listing:
1. Sweet Lorraine - 2:15   2. How High the Moon - 2:40   3. Please Send Her Back to Me - 2:50   4. How Much Land (Does a Man Need) - 2:15   5. Night and Day - 2:59   6. Take the "A" Train - 3:04   7. A Night in Tunisia - 3.12   8. I've Done My Share - 3:53   9. Lady Bird - 2:43   10. But Not for Me - 3:12   11. Doodlin' - 3:26   12. You I Love - 3:33   13. Flamenco Sketches (All Blues) - 4:19   14. 'Round Midnight - 5:33   15. So What - 4:22   16. Introduction to Black Opium Street or The Soft Land of Make Believe - 1:32   17. Knowbody Knows - 3:28   18. Autobiography of a Musician - 1:24   19. Bongo Blues - 2:44   20. Oddsville, U.S.A. - 1:23   21. Things Ain’t Like They Used to Went - 3:49   22. Salaam My Child - 1:25   23. Laughing Boy - 3:24   24. Later - 1:40   25. Holy Mackerel - 1:39   26. Watermelon - 2:53   27. Who Stole the Mambo - 2:35

Sources:
Tracks #1 & 2, from the 78 rpm, Apollo 821
Tracks #3 & 4, from the 78 rpm, Vik 4X-0222
Tracks #5-12 & 25-27, from “The Forward Sound of Frank Minion” (Bethlehem BCP-6033)
Tracks #13-24, from “The Soft Land of Make Believe” (Bethlehem BCP-6052)

Personnel:
Frank Minion, vocals

Personnel on #1-2:
Lou Bennett, piano & organ; Glenn Brooks, guitar; Phil Harris, bass.
Recorded in New York City, 1954

Personnel on #3-4:
Howard Biggs and His Orchestra
Recorded in New York City, 1956

Personnel on #5-12:
Jimmy Jones, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Joe Benjamin, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums.
Recorded in New York City, September 7, 1958

Personnel on #13-15:
Bill Evans, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums.
Recorded in New York City, 1959

Personnel on #16-24:
Roland Alexander, tenor sax & flute; Tommy Flanagan, piano; George Tucker, bass; Dannie Richmond, drums.
Recorded in New York City, 1959

Personnel on #25-27:
Frank Minion with rhythm section
Recorded in New York City, 1958