Melba Liston scores, 1896-1991 | Center for Black Music Research

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Collection Overview

Title: Melba Liston scores, 1896-1991

Predominant Dates:1957-1982

ID: 2000/LIST_2005

Primary Creator: Liston, Melba

Extent: 54.41 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

The Liston scores are arranged in two main series: 1) lead sheets and 2) scores, both arranged in alphabetical order. A subseries of Series I consists of collections of lead sheets and song books, including music from the theatrical productions The Black Mikado and The Dread Mikado as well as collections of works by one composer.

Series II includes arrangements and transcriptions. Music for the theatrical production Smile Orange is included here. A subseries of Series II includes a selection of arrangements from gig books. Two additional subseries of Series II filed at the end of the series contain her works for individual musicians arranged alphabetically, which reflects the organization of her scores as they were originally received, and scores and arrangements by other composers.

Series III is comprised of a small number of lyric sheets and miscellaneous fragments.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1999

Subjects: Composers, Black, Liston, Melba, Musicians, Black, Trombonists

Forms of Material: Jazz

Abstract

Melba Liston (1926-1999) was a jazz composer, arranger, and trombonist. She played in the bands of several important jazz musicians, including Count Basie, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Randy Weston, and Quincy Jones. This collection primarily documents her careers as arranger, composer, and educator and includes lead sheets, arrangements, scores and parts, and 1 letter box of papers concerning her career.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Melba Liston Collection primarily documents her careers as arranger, composer, and educator rather than her accomplishments as a trombonist. It contains lead sheets to her own and other people’s compositions and manuscript scores of many of her arrangements for Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Mary Lou Williams, among others. One extensive series contains numerous arrangements for Randy Weston, and her late computer scores for him are also present.

Liston’s career as an arranger for recording companies—especially Motown—and for performers such as Marvin Gaye, Ruth Brown, Gloria Lynne, and others, is highlighted in most jazz reference books. Arrangements for performers can be found among her scores, although details about the specific arrangements are often cryptic. Also included in her score collection are musical arrangements and lead sheets dating from her years spent as an educator in Jamaica, although once again, related documentation is sparse or lacking.

Liston's surviving papers document very little of her life, reflecting mainly on her music, which to her was all-important. Performers will find her scores and lead sheets useful. Potential biographers will find it necessary to rely on secondary sources and interviews to place her music in its historical context.

Collection Historical Note

Melba Liston was a jazz composer, arranger, and performer born in 1926. She was a trombonist during an era (1942–1985) when few women played brass instruments and even fewer toured with jazz bands. She played in the bands of several important jazz musicians, including Count Basie, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Randy Weston, and Quincy Jones. Liston had an active career as an arranger for important jazz composers as well as popular music record labels. She also worked with youth orchestras in the troubled neighborhood of Watts, California, leaving the United States to teach at the Jamaica Institute of Music for six years (1973–1979). After suffering a stroke in 1985 that left her paralyzed, she continued to arrange using a computer through the 1990s until her death in 1999.

Biographical Note

Melba Liston, b. 1926; jazz arranger and conductor, trombone; member of Ernie Henry Octet; d. Apr. 23, 1999

Subject/Index Terms

Composers, Black
Liston, Melba
Musicians, Black
Trombonists

Administrative Information

Repository: Center for Black Music Research

Alternate Extent Statement: 54.41 linear feet (44 boxes)

Access Restrictions: None

Use Restrictions: None

Physical Access Note: Includes manuscripts

Acquisition Source: Stattion, Thelma

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Lead sheets],
[Series 2: Scores, including arrangements and transcriptions],
[Series 3: Lyric sheets, fragments, miscellaneous],
[All]

Series 1: Lead sheets

Sub-Series 1: Lead Sheet Collections and Song Books

Box 1

Folder 1: Lead sheets arranged alphabetically, #1-Doodlin'

Box 2

Folder 2: Lead sheets arranged alphabetically, EJ's-It's

Box 3

Folder 3: Lead sheets arranged alphabetically, J.S.A.-Number

Box 4

Folder 4: Lead sheets arranged alphabetically, Oasis-Sweet

Box 5

Folder 5: Lead sheets arranged alphabetically, Thad's-You're

Box 6

Folder 6: Lead Sheet Collections by Composer

Item 1: 12 Tribes. Vocal lead sheets: 12 Tribes; The Oppressed Song; Blackheart Man; Gotta Leave the West; Tribal War; Dreamland; Fig Tree; Armageddon; Bide Up; Reincarnated Souls; Rasta Man; Fighting Against Convictions. Manuscript. Also, lyric sheets for Bad Intention; Natty Burry; Little Roy; Generation Gap; Africa Must Be Free and Wonda.
Item 2: The Black Mikado [theatrical production]. Larnyoh, Quansah, Bajtala, Bloxham, c1974. A More Humane Mikado; Behold the Lord High Executioner; Hearts Do Not Break; So Please You Sir; The Sun and I; Three Little Maids from School; Tit Willow. See also: Scores and Arrangements.
Item 3: Brilliant Corners. Lead sheets: photocopy. Also lead sheets from same packet for: Friday the Thirteenth; Hump; Light Blue (Monk); Mysterioso (Monk); Played Twice; Seven Minds; Ugly Beauty; We See.
Item 4: The Dread Mikado, Act II. Vocal lead sheets: manuscript. Braid the Hair; The Sun; Madrigal; Here's A Sow de do; Entrance Mikado-Kat; More Humane; Criminal Cried; See How the Fates; Flowers that Bloom; Kat-Alone; Tit Willow; Duet; Finale. See also: Scores and Arrangements.
Item 5: Motion Picture Theme Music. Hansen Publications, Inc. Spartacus-Love Theme; Wonderful by Night; Calcutta; Sailor; Look for A Star; The Magnificent Seven; The Misfits; The Song From Moulin Rouge; The Unforgiven; Where The Boys Are.

Folder 7: Lead Sheets and Song Books

Item 1: Burns, Dave. Vocal lead sheets: manuscript and lyric sheets. [I'm so] High on Love, c1966; My Lovable You; No Use Asking Why, c1965; She's Aph-ro-dite, My Goddess of Love, c1966;Tell It Like It Is, c1965; What A Fool Love Makes of Man, c1966.
Item 2: Coleman, Gloria. Lead sheets. Manuscript and photoreproductions. Billie's Blues, c1963; Catch Him (chord progression lead sheet and lyric sheet); Come Here My Love (vocal lead); Funny Face, c1966 (vocal lead); Gloria's Blues, c1963; Hey ! Sunny Red, c1963; Hippy's Rhythm, c1963; Melba' s Minor, c1963; Moyo Little Lady, c1963; My Lady's Waltz, c1963; Old Friend's Suite; Poopsie's Bossa Nova, c1963 (piano score); Quee, Baby, c1963; Sadie Green, c1963; Soft Blues, c1963 (piano score); State Trooper, c1963 (piano score); You Make Me Want to Dance (Vocal lead sheet); Wigglie's Blues, c1962.
Item 3: Francois, L. Song Book. Photocopied songbook with lead sheets: Show Me The Way; Ten-de-dance(?); Meditation; Iyanola; Nomad I; Nomad II; Anansi; Creole Dancer; Kaisoman; Natural High; Charlie Boo; Julio; Musings; Nigel; Sly and Mansa.
Item 4: Heath, Jimmy. Lead sheets (sent from James Turner): photoreproductions. Big P; Blue on Blue; Bro' Slim; Dew and Mud; Down Shift; Funny Time; Gemini; Moha's Mood; Nails; Nice People; Low Land Lullaby; Old Fashion Fun; Prospecting; The Quota; The Thumper; Top Shelf; Two Trees; Waverly Street.
Item 5: Jordan, Clifford. Lead sheets: manuscript and photocopies. Bearcat, c1981 (piano part); Blues for Muse, c1978; Dear Old Chicago, c; 1965; Dig Dance and Dine, c1965; Donna Jewel, c1963; The Goose, c1965; The Highest Mountain, c1965 (lead sheet and bass part); Impressions of Scandinavia, c1965; Inward Fires, c1963; It's Out!, c1965; Japanese Dream, c1963; Little Spain in the Valley, c1965; Lost and Found, c1962; Prayer to the People, c1971 (tenor and bass lead sheet); Quit'n Time, c1981 (piano part). Lead sheets: Epistle to Trane by Sonny Simmons and Prince La Sha; Half and Half by Chas. Davis; Honey Dew by Ronnie Mathews and Turbo Village by Chas. Davis. New Phase Pubco. Manuscript.
Item 6: Tosh, Peter. Lead sheets. Vocal lead sheets: manuscript and photocopies. Come Together; Fight Apartheid; I Can Testify; In My Song; Lessons in My Life; Nay Go a Jail; No Nuclear War; Vampire.
Item 7: Truit, Harry A. Vocal lead sheets (sent from James Turner): photoreproductions. Alethea; Cool Baby; Ecstasy; Have Love, Will Share; The Joshua Tree; Look Out! Only You; Poor Boy; Wistfully; You're My Sweetheart.
Item 8: Wright, Herman. Piano scores: manuscript. Herms; Popcorn; Blu-eze.
Item 9: Zanda, Clive. Clive Zanda Music Book, c1978. Photocopied song book with lead sheets: Major to Minor; Fancy Sailor; Dat Kinda Ting; Caribbean Lullaby; Kitty Kang; Ogun I; On My Way; Makin' It; Mysterious Valley; Roots Down; Bossa Lypso; Reflections of Mr.Herbie; Oh Geez'n Ages; Coasting (At The Panyard); Hosay Ruso; Ogun II; Mornin

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Lead sheets],
[Series 2: Scores, including arrangements and transcriptions],
[Series 3: Lyric sheets, fragments, miscellaneous],
[All]