Abbey Lincoln !!

Not only did she sing, she also acted, appearing in Mission: Impossible,

and Spike Lee's movie Mo’ Better Blues, playing the young Bleek's

mother, Lillian. Abbey was married to Max Roach for 8 years, and

that union created some highly regarded music such as It's Time (1961)

and the brilliant, Civil Rights themed We Insist! (1960). Her solo

albums from the 50's-70's are considered crowning achievements,

and that's where this post picks up. Here are four albums

by this atrociously talented woman.

Performing Freedom Suite

with Max Roach

That's Him!

1957

Bass – Paul Chambers (3), Wynton Kelly (tracks: B4)
Drums – Max Roach
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Saxophone – Sonny Rollins
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham

Abbey Is Blue

1959

Double Bass – Bobby Boswell* (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B5), Sam Jones (tracks: A2, A4, B2 to B4)
Drums – Philly Joe Jones* (tracks: A2, A4, B2 to B4), Max Roach (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B5)
Flute – Les Spann (tracks: A5)
Guitar – Les Spann (tracks: A2, A4, B2 to B4)
Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: A3, B1), Phil Wright (tracks: B2 to B4), Wynton Kelly (tracks: A2, A4)
Tenor Saxophone – Stanley Turrentine (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B5)
Trombone – Julian Priester (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B5)
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham (tracks: A2, A4, B2 to B4), Tommy Turrentine (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B5)
Vocals – Abbey Lincoln

Straight Ahead

1961

Bass – Art Davis
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Bob d'Orleans
Piano – Mal Waldron
Reeds – Eric Dolphy
Supervised By [Supervision], Liner Notes [1961] – Nat Hentoff
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins, Walter Benton
Trombone – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Booker Little
Vocals – Abbey Lincoln

People In Me

1973

Bass – Kunimitsu Inaba
Congas – James Mtume
Drums – Al Foster
Piano – Hiromasa Suzuki
Sopranino Saxophone – David Liebman
Vocals – Abbey Lincoln