1952	Wardell Gray Chronology
	Created by Leif Bo Petersen	Last updated: August 2, 2020.
Date	Event	References/Further Details
Unidentified date 1952	Wardell Gray – Stand Getz Released 1952. Seeco SLP 7. Highlights in Modern Jazz 10” 33 rpm. LP record. Recorded December 1948/January mid 1949 Wardell Gray and the Al Haig Quintet Seeco SLP 7A Sugar Hill Five Star In a Pinch It’s the Talk of the Town Recorded December May 12, 1949 Stan Getz and the Al Haig Quintet Seeco SLP 7B Skull Buster Ante Room Poop Deck Pennies From Heaven	https://www.bsnpubs.com/latin/seeco.html
Early	Wardell Gray Probably released early (judging from the label number): Prestige 759. 10” 78 rpm. d. Recorded August 27, 1950 Wardell Gray Prestige 759 A Kiddo Part 1 Prestige 759 B Kiddo Part 2 Prestige 760 A Kiddo Part 3 Prestige 760 B Kiddo Part 4	“Advance Record Releases," Billboard, December 22, 1951, 32: Prestige 752.
Early	Wardell Gray Probably released early 1952 (judging from the series number). Prestige 778 and 779.. 10” 78 rpm. records. Recorded August 27, 1950 Wardell Gray All Stars Prestige 778 A Jazz on Sunset Part 1 Prestige 778 B Jazz on Sunset 2 Prestige 779 A Jazz on Sunset Part 3 Prestige 779 B Jazz on Sunset Part 4
January 18	Dinah Washington (voc) accompanied by Jimmy Cobb’s Orchestra Unidentified (tp); unidentified (as); Wardell Gray, Ben Webster (ts); unidentified (bars); Wynton Kelly (p); unidentified (b); Jimmy Cobb (d). Unidentified studio, Los Angeles, CA. Commercial recordings for Mercury.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
January late	Dinah Washington Release of Mercury 8267. 10“ 78 rpm. record. Mercury 8267x45 7” 45 rpm. record Recorded January 18, 1952. Dinah Washington with Orchestral Accompaniment. Mercury 8267 A Mercury 8267x45 A Tell Me Why Mercury 8267 B Mercury 8267x45 B Wheel of Fortune	Ad for Mercury, Billboard, January 26, 1952, 34: Mercury 8267 Just out.
February 2	Just Jazz Concert Billy Eckstine (voc) Helen, Humes (voc) Les Thompson (harmonica) Just Jazz all Stars Conte Candoli (tp); Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon (ts); Bobby Tucker, John Harrington (p); Bill Douglas, Ray Callender, Don Bagley (b); Chico Hamilton (d). Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, CA. 8:30 pm. Gene Norman (mc). Recordings exist.	“Eckstine in Pasadena Saturday,” California Eagle, January 31, 1952, 12. Ad in Pasadena Independent, January 31, 1952, 37. J. G. Jepsen (ed), Jazz Records 1942–62 vol. 8 (1965). For further details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
March early	Jam Session Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon (ts); Russ Freeman (p); Clarence Jones (b); Lawrence Marable (d). Trade Winds, Inglewood, CA. Private recordings exist.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
March 18	Billy Holiday Wardell Gray Quartet Tiffany Club, Los Angeles, CA. March 18–April 7.	Ad in Los Angeles Times, March 18, 1952: Opening tonite. Ad in Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1952: Last 5 days.
March 22	Concert Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Willie Smith, Billy May’s Orchestra, Wardell Gray, Ginger Smock, Dexter Gordon, and Candy Davis. Golden State Insurance Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. 12:30 p.m. An Afternoon in Jazz. YWCA benefit.	“YWCA Teenage Group to present programs of topflight Jazz Stars,” California Eagle, March 20, 1952, 12: has Stan Kenton, Benny Carter, Billy May’s Orchestra, Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, a. o. “People and Places,” California Eagle, March 27, 1952, 9.
March 24?	Jam Session Chet Baker (tp); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray, Dave Pell (ts); Jerry Mandell (p); Harry Babasin (cello); Bobby Whitlock (b); Lawrence Marable (d). Trade Winds, Inglewood, CA. Private recordings exist.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
March late	Wardell Gray Combo Wardell Gray (ts), Hampton Hawes (p), unidentified (b), Chico Hamilton (d). Planned concerts, and one-niters in Chicago, Kansas City, and other cities.	“Wardell Gray Forms New Orchestra with ‘Top Stars,” California Eagle, March 17, 1952, 9. “Bronzeville Is My Beat,” California Eagle, April 24, 1952, 10.
April	Wardell Gray Released of: Prestige PRLP 115. Tenor Sax favorites: Wardell Gray 10” 33 rpm. record. Reissues of: Prestige 707 (New Jazz NJ 817), 711, 714, and 723. Wardell Gray Recorded November 11, 1949 PLP 115 A Twisted Easy Living Southside Sweet Lorraine Recorded April 25, 1950 PLP 115 B Blue Moon (Blue Gray) Gray Hound (Grayhound) Treadin’ (with Treadwell) A Sinner Kissed an Angel	“On and off the Record,” San Francisco Chronicle, This World 12: very positive review.
April mid	Dinah Washington Released of: Mercury 8269 10“ 78 rpm. record. Mercury 8269x45 7” 45 rpm. record Wardell Gray only appears on 8269 A Dinah Washington with Orchestral Accompaniment. Recorded January 18, 1952. Mercury 8269 A Mercury 8269x45 A Trouble in Mind Recorded September 24, 1951. Mercury 8269 B Mercury 8269x45 B New Blowtop Blues	Ad for Mercury, Billboard, April 15, 1952, 98: Mercury 8269.
April mid	Helen Humes Release of Decca 28113. 10“ 78 rpm. record. Decca 9-28113. 7” 45 rpm. record. Recorded February 2, 1952. Helen Humes Decca 28113 A Decca 9-28113 A Loud Talkin’ Woman Decca 28113 B Decca 9-28113 B They Raided the Joint	“Rhythm & Blues Releases,” Billboard, April 26, 1952, 36. “Rhythm & Blues Reviews,” Billboard, April 26, 1952, 36.
April 21	Jam Session Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Marty Paich (p); Harry Babasin (cello); Bobby Whitlock (b); Lawrence Marable (d). Trade Winds, Inglewood, CA. Private recordings exist.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
Spring	Wardell Gray Combo Including Art Farmer and Hampton Hawes. McClendon’s, Portland, OR. 1 week.	Robert Dietsche, Jumptown -The Golden Years of Portland Jazz, 1942-1957 (2005), 99.
May 6	Billie Holiday Club Alabam, Los Angeles, CA. Opening May 6. Wardell Gray was in the House band.	Ad in California Eagle, April 24, 1952, 10. http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb6489p54g&brand=calisphere&doc.view=entire_text Clora Bryant in interview: Wardell Gray was in the house band here.
May 14	Earl Hines and His All Star Orchestra Jonah Jones (tp); Benny Green (tb); Wardell Gray (ts); Earl Hines (p); Tommy Potter (b); Jo Jones (d); Etta Mater (voc). Tootie’s New Mayfair, Kansas City, MO. May 14–21?	Ad in Kansas City Star, May 14, 1952, 39. Ad in Kansas City Star, May 22, 1952, 21: Buddy DeFranco opening tonight.
May 23	Louis Bellson and the Just Jazz All Stars Clark Terry (tp); Juan Tizol (vtb); John Graas (frh); Willie Smith (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Harry Carney (bar); Billy Strayhorn (p); Wendell Marshall (b); Louis Bellson (d). Radio Recorder’s Annex, Los Angeles, CA. Commercial recordings for Capitol.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
May late	Wardell Gray Combo Wardell Gray starts rehearsing a new band.	“Wardell Gray Has New Swing Combo,” Californian Eagle, June 5, 1952, 9.
May 29	Wardell Gray Combo Including Sonny Criss (as). El Sombrero, Los Angeles, CA. Dance.	“Undercover Hounds,” California Eagle, May 15, 1952, 8.
June	Joe Swanson Released of: Recorded in Hollywood RHI 221 10” 78 rpm. record. Recorded September/October 1950. Joe Swanson and His Orchestra RIH 221 A Forgive Me RIH 221 AA O’Blues	“Rhythm & Blues Record Reviews,” Billboard, July 6, 1952, 39:: Partly friendly review.
June early	Wardell Gray Combo Including Sonny Criss (as). El Sombrero, Los Angeles, CA. Dance.	“Undercover Hounds,” California Eagle, June 5, 1952, 8
June 9	Wardell Gray/Dexter Gordon Sextet Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon (ts); Gerald Wiggins (p, celeste, org); George “Red” Callender (b); Chuck Thompson (d); Gladys Bentley (voc). Unidentified studio, Hollywood, CA. Commercial recordings for Swingtime.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
September	Just Jazz All Stars - Louis Bellson September 1952. Release of Capitol H-34. Just Jazz All Stars featuring Louis Bellson. 10” 33 rpm. record. Recorded May 23, 1952. Just Jazz All Stars featuring Louis Bellson. Capitol H-348 A: Eyes Rainbow Sticks Shadows Capitol H-34 B: The Jeep Is Jumpin’ Passion Flower Punkin’ Johnny Come Lately	Ad for Capitol, Billboard, September 13, 1952, 31 “Some Current Albums,” San Francisco Chronicle, This World 38: very positive review.
September 9	Jam Session Art Farmer (tp); Wardell Gray (ts); Hampton Hawes (p); Howard Roberts (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Shelly Manne (d). he Haig, Los Angeles, CA. Private recordings exist.	For details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
September 13	Wardell Gray Combo Royal Palms Hotel, Westlake, CA. Dance.	“Student Model Plaid Fashions at Royal Palms,” California Eagle, September 11, 1952, 9.
September 27	Shorty Rogers and His Giants Milton “Shorty” Rogers, Chet Baker (tp); Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb); Art Pepper (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Gerry Mulligan (bar); Les Thompson (harmonica); Hampton Hawes (p); Joe Mondragon (b); Lawrence Marable (d); June Christy (voc). Rendezvous Ballroom, Balboa-Newport Beach, CA. September 27 and October 10, and autumn undated: Private recording exist.	For details: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html
November late	Dexter Gordon Release of Swing Time 321. 10” 78 rpm. record. 7” 45 rpm single record. Recorded June 9, 1952. Dexter Gordon Swing Time 321A Jingle Jangle Jump Swing Time 321B The Rubaiyat	”Record Reviews: Popular,” Billboard, November 29, 1952, 48: Friendly review.
December 6	Wardell Gray - Ernie Royal Sextet Hampton Hawes Trio Featuring Shelley Manne. The Clef, Los Angeles, CA. December 6–?	Ad in Los Angeles Times, December 5, 1952, 22: Hawes only on opening night.
December 11	Jam session Including Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray. Western Knights Prince Hall, Los Angeles, CA. Dance Gordon and Gray are reported to Local 767 for a jamming engagement without report or contract.	Local 767 (LA) Musicians Protective Association report. Norman Saks Collection.