The Van Gelder Studio is a recording studio located at 445 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.[1][2] It was set up in 1959 by Rudy Van Gelder and has been used to record many albums released by major jazz labels such as Verve Records, Blue Note, Prestige and CTI Records.[3]
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After having gained a reputation in the mid-Fifties for the quality of the recordings he made in the living room at his parents' house in Hackensack, New Jersey, Van Gelder moved to a new facility in Englewood Cliffs.[4] The structure was inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and bore some resemblance to a chapel, with 39-foot ceilings[4] and fine acoustics. Critic Ira Gitler described the studio in The Space Book (1964) liner notes:"In the high-domed, wooden-beamed, brick-tiled, spare modernity of Rudy Van Gelder's studio, one can get a feeling akin to religion".[5] "When I started making records, there was no quality recording equipment available to me" Van Gelder recalled in 2005. "I had to build my own mixer. The only people who had quality equipment were the big companies. They were building their own electronics."[6]
Notable recordings made at Hackensack include Miles Davis' Workin' and Steamin' ; solo debuts by Hank Mobley (Hank Mobley Quartet) and Johnny Griffin (Introducing Johnny Griffin).[7]
Notable recordings made at Englewood Cliffs include John Coltrane's A Love Supreme (1964); Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus; and Stanley Turrentine's Cherry and Don't Mess with Mister T; Andrew Hill's Point of Departure; Carmell Jones's Jay Hawk Talk; Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay and Hank Mobley's Soul Station.[8]
| Englewood Cliffs | |
|---|---|
| Recording Date | Album |
| July 20, 1959 | From Hackensack to Englewood Cliffs |
| August 29, 1959 | Blowin' the Blues Away |
| August 30, 1959 | Blowin' the Blues Away |
| September 13, 1959 | Blowin' the Blues Away |
| October 2, 1959 | Swing, Swang, Swingin' |
| October 31, 1959 | The Time Is Right |
| November 28, 1959 | The Time Is Right |
| December 16, 1959 | Tender Feelin's |
| December 19, 1959 | Tender Feelin's |
| February 7, 1960 | Soul Station |
| March 22, 1960 | Open House / Plain Talk |
| April 17, 1960 | Capuchin Swing |
| April 25, 1960 | Midnight Special |
| April 28, 1960 | Leeway |
| June 19, 1960 | Open Sesame |
| June 28, 1960 | Feelin' Good / Moods |
| June 29, 1960 | Blue Hour |
| July 8, 1960 | Mucho, Mucho / Horace-Scope |
| July 9, 1960 | Horace-Scope |
| July 14, 1960 | Speakin' My Piece |
| August 13, 1960 | Shades of Redd |
| September 1, 1960 | Back to the Tracks / Jackie's Bag |
| September 25, 1960 | The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions |
| October 20, 1960 | Back to the Tracks |
| November 13, 1960 | Roll Call |
| November 18, 1960 | Out of the Cool |
| November 30, 1960 | Out of the Cool |
| December 10, 1960 | Out of the Cool |
| December 13, 1960 | Here We Come |
| December 14, 1960 | Here We Come |
| December 15, 1960 | Out of the Cool |
| December 16, 1960 | Blue Hour |
| December 21, 1960 | Far Cry |
| January 8, 1961 | Bluesnik |
| January 15, 1961 | Whistle Stop |
| March 1, 1961 | Straight Ahead |
| March 2, 1961 | The Waiting Game |
| March 26, 1961 | Workout |
| April 1, 1961 | Green Street |
| April 9, 1961 | Hub Cap |
| May 2, 1961 | The Cat Walk |
| May 9, 1961 | Dexter Calling... |
| June 4, 1961 | Sunday Mornin' |
| August 1, 1961 | Grantstand |
| August 1, 1961 | Percussion Bitter Sweet |
| August 3, 1961 | Percussion Bitter Sweet |
| August 8, 1961 | Percussion Bitter Sweet |
| August 9, 1961 | Percussion Bitter Sweet |
| August 21, 1961 | Ready for Freddie |
| August 22, 1961 | Blue Seven |
| September 9, 1961 | Let Me Tell You 'Bout It |
| September 14, 1961 | Into the Hot |
| September 21, 1961 | Royal Flush |
| October 6, 1961 | Into the Hot |
| October 10, 1961 | Into the Hot |
| October 12, 1961 | Rollin' with Leo |
| October 20, 1961 | Rollin' with Leo |
| October 31, 1961 | Into the Hot |
| November 26, 1961 | Heavy Soul |
| December 5, 1961 | Another Workout |
| December 9, 1961 | It Might as Well Be Spring |
| December 11, 1961 | Free Form |
| December 16, 1961 | Blue & Sentimental |
| December 21, 1961 | Ballads |
| December 23, 1961 | Blue & Sentimental |
| January 2, 1962 | That's Where It's At |
| January 10, 1962 | Inception |
| January 11, 1962 | Inception |
| January 20, 1962 | Easy Living |
| February 5, 1962 | The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions |
| February 13, 1962 | The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions |
| March 19, 1962 | Let Freedom Ring |
| April 11, 1962 | Coltrane |
| May 28, 1962 | Takin' Off |
| June 19, 1962 | Coltrane |
| June 20, 1962 | Coltrane |
| June 29, 1962 | Coltrane |
| July 2, 1962 | The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard |
| July 13, 1962 | The Tokyo Blues |
| July 14, 1962 | The Tokyo Blues |
| August 27, 1962 | Go! |
| September 18, 1962 | Impressions |
| September 18, 1962 | Ballads |
| September 26, 1962 | Duke Ellington & John Coltrane |
| October 5, 1962 | Soul Samba |
| October 10, 1962 | Hub-Tones |
| November 13, 1962 | Ballads |
| November 14, 1962 | Reaching Fourth |
| December 21, 1962 | Feelin' the Spirit |
| December 27, 1962 | Here to Stay |
| January 8, 1963 | Midnight Blue |
| January 10, 1963 | The Soul Is Willing |
| January 12, 1963 | A New Perspective |
| February 20, 1963 | Blues for Lou |
| March 4, 1963 | Nights of Ballads & Blues |
| March 7, 1963 | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman |
| March 7, 1963 | The Turnaround |
| March 19, 1963 | My Point of View |
| April 1, 1963 | Una Mas |
| April 29, 1963 | Impressions |
| April 30, 1963 | One Step Beyond |
| May 16, 1963 | Am I Blue |
| May 20, 1963 | Blackjack |
| June 3, 1963 | Page One |
| June 4, 1963 | Today and Tomorrow |
| June 7, 1963 | Blues for Lou |
| June 10, 1963 | Now! |
| August 8, 1963 | Illumination! |
| August 30, 1963 | Inventions & Dimensions |
| September 9, 1963 | Our Thing |
| September 17, 1963 | Soul Shack |
| September 20, 1963 | Destination... Out! |
| October 9, 1963 | I Just Dropped by to Say Hello |
| October 15, 1963 | Soul Shoutin' |
| October 17, 1963 | I Just Dropped by to Say Hello |
| October 31, 1963 | Song for My Father |
| November 8, 1963 | Black Fire |
| November 21, 1963 | Evolution |
| December 21, 1963 | The Sidewinder |
| January 8, 1964 | Judgment! |
| January 24, 1964 | Hustlin' |
| January 28, 1964 | Song for My Father |
| February 4, 1964 | Today and Tomorrow |
| February 10, 1964 | Free for All |
| February 15, 1964 | Search for the New Land |
| February 25, 1964 | Out to Lunch! |
| March 21, 1964 | Point of Departure |
| April 10, 1964 | In 'n Out |
| April 27, 1964 | Crescent |
| April 29, 1964 | Night Dreamer |
| May 7, 1964 | Breaking Point! |
| June 1, 1964 | Crescent |
| June 17, 1964 | Empyrean Isles |
| June 25, 1964 | Andrew!!! |
| July 6, 1964 | Some Other Stuff |
| August 3, 1964 | JuJu |
| August 5, 1964 | It's Time! |
| August 10, 1964 | Four for Trane |
| August 11, 1964 | Tom Cat |
| September 14, 1964 | Trompeta Toccata |
| September 16, 1964 | Action Action Action |
| October 26, 1964 | Song for My Father |
| November 10, 1964 | More Blues and the Abstract Truth |
| November 11, 1964 | More Blues and the Abstract Truth |
| November 21, 1964 | Wahoo! |
| November 30, 1964 | Inner Urge |
| December 9, 1964 | A Love Supreme |
| December 24, 1964 | Speak No Evil |
| January 13, 1965 | Rip, Rig and Panic |
| February 5, 1965 | The Turnaround |
| February 10, 1965 | Pax |
| February 17, 1965 | The John Coltrane Quartet Plays |
| February 18, 1965 | The John Coltrane Quartet Plays |
| February 23, 1965 | Dear John C. |
| February 25, 1965 | Dear John C. |
| February 26, 1965 | Fire Music |
| March 4, 1965 | The Soothsayer |
| March 9, 1965 | Fire Music |
| March 17, 1965 | Maiden Voyage |
| March 31, 1965 | I Want to Hold Your Hand |
| April 9, 1965 | The Rumproller |
| April 14, 1965 | Joyride |
| April 21, 1965 | The Rumproller |
| May 8, 1965 | Jay Hawk Talk |
| May 10, 1965 | Intermodulation |
| May 17, 1965 | The John Coltrane Quartet Plays |
| May 19, 1965 | Basra |
| June 10, 1965 | Kulu Se Mama / Living Space |
| June 10, 1965 | Kulu Se Mama / Living Space |
| June 28, 1965 | Ascension |
| September 18, 1965 | Cornbread |
| October 4, 1965 | A Simple Matter of Conviction |
| October 8, 1965 | Compulsion!!!!! |
| October 15, 1965 | The All Seeing Eye |
| November 10, 1965 | Unity |
| November 23, 1965 | Meditations |
| January 27, 1966 | Mode for Joe |
| March 7, 1966 | Change |
| January 9, 1967 | Blackjack |
| March 10, 1967 | Schizophrenia |
| March 21, 1967 | Sweet Rain |
| March 30, 1967 | Sweet Rain |
| April 17, 1967 | Alligator Bogaloo |
| April 21, 1967 | The Real McCoy |
| September 8, 1967 | 'Bout Soul |
| December 1, 1967 | Tender Moments |
| December 22, 1967 | Demon's Dance |
| February 23, 1968 | Serenade to a Soul Sister |
| March 6, 1968 | Speak Like a Child |
| March 9, 1968 | Speak Like a Child |
| March 29, 1968 | Serenade to a Soul Sister |
| April 19, 1968 | Grass Roots |
| May 17, 1968 | Time for Tyner |
| August 5, 1968 | Grass Roots |
| August 23, 1968 | Expansions |
| October 11, 1968 | Dance with Death |
| November 22, 1968 | Cosmos |
| April 4, 1969 | Cosmos |
| April 18, 1969 | The Prisoner |
| April 21, 1969 | The Prisoner |
| April 23, 1969 | The Prisoner |
| May 16, 1969 | Lift Every Voice |
| November 7, 1969 | Passing Ships |
| November 14, 1969 | Passing Ships |
| December 1969 | Mwandishi |
| February 9, 1970 | Extensions |
| March 6, 1970 | Lift Every Voice |
| March 13, 1970 | Lift Every Voice |
| July 1-2, 1970 | Joe Farrell Quartet |
| July 21, 1970 | Cosmos |
| September 10, 1970 | Asante |
| November 16, 1970 | Straight Life |
| September 1971 | Inner City Blues |
| May 17, 1972 | Cherry |
| May 18, 1972 | Cherry |
| May 24, 1972 | Cherry |
| May 1972 | All the King's Horses |
| June 1972 | All the King's Horses |
| March 1973 | Soul Box |
| June 7, 1973 | Don't Mess with Mister T. |
| June 8, 1973 | Don't Mess with Mister T. |
| November 1974 | Mister Magic |
| April 16, 1975 | Concierto |
| April 23, 1975 | Concierto |
| May 1975 | Feels So Good |
| July 1975 | Feels So Good |
| October 1985 | Water from an Ancient Well |