Riverside Records · in the Kissa Kissa racks

Letter From Home

Eddie Jefferson

Recorded	Dec 18, 1961 & Feb 8, 1962
Label	Riverside Records
Released	1961
Personnel	15 credited players
Discogs	master 398998

The record

A vocalese pioneer surrounded by a stacked 1961 septet-plus lineup, with longtime foil James Moody weaving through horn charts alongside Clark Terry and Johnny Griffin. Jefferson's storytelling delivery turns bebop lines into lyrics, a founding text for jazz vocalese cut in the music's golden era.

Session personnel

James Moody — alto saxophone, flute
Arthur Clarke — baritone saxophone
Sam Jones — bass
Louis Hayes — drums
Osie Johnson — drums
Barry Galbraith — guitar
Joe Zawinul — piano
Junior Mance — piano
Wynton Kelly — piano
Johnny Griffin — tenor saxophone
Jimmy Cleveland — trombone
Clark Terry — trumpet
Ernie Royal — trumpet
Joe Newman — trumpet
Eddie Jefferson — vocals

Contemporary reception

No period review located yet. The vintage-press pipeline searches DownBeat, Cash Box, and Billboard for this session.

Pressings

1962	Riverside Records · RLP 411 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono earliest on file
1962	Riverside Records · RLP 9411 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
1962	Riverside Records · RLP 9411 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, MGM
1962	Riverside Records · RLP 411 1L — Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
1985	Riverside Records · VIJ-4084 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
1985	Riverside Records · VIJ-4084 — Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Reissue
1987	Original Jazz Classics
1987	Original Jazz Classics · OJC-5307 — Cassette, Album, Reissue, Remastered
1987	Original Jazz Classics · OJCCD-307-2 — CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
2004	Original Jazz Classics · OJCCD-307-2 — CD, Album, Reissue
2020	Honey Pie Records (2) · HONEY004 — Vinyl, LP, Reissue
—	Original Jazz Classics · OJCCD-307-2 — CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo