Blue Gator

Blue Gator
Studio album by Willis Jackson
Released	1960
Recorded	May 25 & November 9, 1959 and February 26 & August 16, 1960 Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Label	Prestige PR 7183
Producer	Esmond Edwards
Willis Jackson chronology
Cool "Gator" (1959-60) Blue Gator (1959-60) Cookin' Sherry (1959-60)

Blue Gator is the third album led by saxophonist Willis Jackson featuring organist Jack McDuff and guitarist Bill Jennings which was recorded in 1959 and 1960 and released on the Prestige label.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

Allmusic awarded the album 3 stars.^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Willis Jackson except as indicated

1. "Blue Gator" - 9:12
2. "Try a Little Tenderness" (Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Harry Woods) - 5:57
3. "Gator's Tail" - 3:39
4. "This Nearly Was Mine" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) - 4:31
5. "East Breeze" (Esmond Edwards) - 10:01
6. "She's Funny That Way" (Neil Moret, Richard Whiting) – 5:10

• Recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey on May 25, 1959 (tracks 3 & 6), and at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on November 9, 1959 (track 5), February 26, 1960 (track 4) and August 16, 1960 (tracks 1 & 2)

Personnel

• Willis Jackson - tenor saxophone
• Jack McDuff - organ
• Bill Jennings - guitar
• Milt Hinton (track 4), Wendell Marshall (tracks 1, 2 & 5), Tommy Potter (tracks 3 & 6) - bass
• Bill Elliot (tracks 1 & 2), Alvin Johnson (tracks 3-6) - drums
• Buck Clarke - congas (track 4)

References