0046 Tony Crombie [Atmosphere] FLAC 12(37.54)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
First issued in 1959 on the Colombia label and then re-issued in 1989 on the Renaissance label to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Tony Crombie's recording career, these sessions from June and July 1958 bring together some of the top  British jazz modernists in Octet, Quartet and Trio format.
Added interest here is Tubby Hayes playing, unusually for him, baritone sax on the Octet tracks. He plays vibes on the Quartet and Trio tracks.

(01 02 07 11 12)
Les Condon - trumpet
Stan Roderick - trumpet
Bob Burns - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Tubby Hayes - baritone
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums
(03 04 06 08 09)
Les Condon - trumpet (03 06 08 09)
Jimmy Watson - trumpet (03 06 08 09)
Bob Burns - alto (03 06 08 09)
Tommy Whittle - tenor (03 06 08 09)
Tubby Hayes - baritone, vibes (04)
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums
(05 10)
Tubby Hayes - vibes
Tony Crombie - piano
Jack Fallon - bass

01 Beryl's Bounce
02 Ninth Man
03 St James Infirmary
04 Invitation
05 Stompin' At The Savoy
06 Duke's Joke
07 Panic Stations
08 I'll Close My Eyes
09 Small Talk
10 Perpetual Lover
11 Shapes
12 Copy-Cats

Label: REN 002
Recorded: June 18 (01 02 07 11 12) July 23 (03 04 06 08 09) 30 (05 10) 1958
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0045 Mary Lou Williams [In London 1953] MP3 VBR 6(13.35)

Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
Just qualifying for BritJazz by the appearance of Mary Lou's two different British rhythm sections in these  London dates from March and June 1953. Mary Lou was living in Europe around this period, based in France, and made a number of recordings there and in the UK. 
The first date (ex London label) is somewhat unusual in that she plays two ragtime pieces on what sounds like a 'honky-tonk' piano and one wonders which audience she was trying to reach.
The other date (ex Esquire and unissued until the mid 1980s) is more conventional with two of the pieces being dedicated to the British musical press of the day.
All 6 tracks are in mp3 format at 192 VBR with cover and track details.

(01 02)
Mary Lou Williams - piano
Jack Fallon - bass
Gerry McLaughlin - drums
(03-06)
Mary Lou Williams - piano
Ray Dempsey - guitar
Rupert Nurse - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums

01 Laughlin Rag
02 Rag of Rags
03 Melody Maker
04 Musical Express
05 Sometimes I'm Happy
06 Monk's Tune (Monk's Mood)

Label: London 1174 Esquire 304
Recorded: March 19 (01 02) June 26 (03-06) 1953
Lineage: Unknown

0044 Jimmy Deuchar [Showcase] FLAC 8(27.54)

Contributed by Cornelius

Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Derek Humble - alto
Don Rendell - tenor
Dill Jones - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Climbin' The Bush
02 Stormy Weather
03 Early
04 Spain
05 Time Was
06 Magoo
07 Someone To Watch Over Me
08 Toot Sweet

Label: Vogue LDE023 Discovery DL2004
Recorded: January 27 1953
Lineage: Unknown>FLAC

0043 Derek Smith [Swingin' with Derek] FLAC 8(26.27)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Derek made his recording debut on a Vogue recording called 'Music In The Making' and in pretty fast company too. Jimmy Deuchar, Don Rendell, Ronnie Ross and Keith Christie being some of the other musicians who played in various combinations in a one day recording session on 12 January 1954. We shall see this recording later.
He went on to play with John Dankworth and Kenny Baker amongst others but made few recordings under his own name. Here are two of those sessions recorded a year apart and originally on two Nixa eps.
After the 1957 session Derek emigrated to the USA (yes, another pianist 'lost') where he continues to enjoy much success. The Japanese cd re-issue refers to him as 'Drek' Smith which makes him sound a bit like something out of Transylvania.
Two good driving and swinging sessions with Derek in his best Horace Silver bag. A bit relentless in places and some variety in tempo would have been nice.

Derek Smith - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Allan Ganley - drums

01 Any Questions
02 Silverside
03 Blue Concept
04 Cutie
05 Wee Cuff
06 Love for Sale
07 Alan's Pad
08 Carioca

Label: Expert NOCD-5614 Nixa NJE 1018/1036
Recorded: January 27 1956 (01-04) January 23 1957 (05-08)
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0042 Tito Burns and Norman Burns [Meet the Burns Tito and Norman] FLAC 8(25.15)

Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
1954 recordings by two almost forgotten figures in the history of British Jazz. 
Tito Burns was a jazz accordionist and ran a very progressive jazz sextet between 1947 and 1955 employing many of the future stars of British modern jazz but the musicians here are not too well known on this septet recording. Tito later left full time playing and  became a successful jazz agent and promoter. He was married to vocalist Terry Devon who can be heard on 'Modern Mixture' elsewhere on this blog.
Norman Burns (no relation to Tito) was a drummer playing with many of the dance bands in the 1940s. He led his own quintet from 1951. He subsequently left full time music, moving to Australia where he died in 1994. On this 1954 recording he leads a septet with musicians who again were not well known.

(01-04)
Amy Tweed - trumpet
Don Savage - alto
Norman Gondall - tenor
Tito Burns - accordion
Johnny Weed - piano
Stan Wasser - bass
Dougie Cooper - drums
(05-08)
John Harris - trumpet
Gordon Langford - vibes
Dave Davani - accordion
Les Allen - piano
Barry Fox - guitar
Brian Short - bass
Norman Burns - drums

01 Midnight Sun
02 Budo
03 Pinky
04 Riff Concoction
05 Jeepers Creepers
06 Happy Lobster
07 Three O'Clock in the Morning
08 I Get a Kick Out of you

Label: Esquire 20-029
Recorded: February 26 (01-04) April 09 (05-09) 1954
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0041 Don Rendell [Meet Don Rendell] FLAC 21(1.12.39)

Contributed by grumpy
These 21 tracks constitute a fine slice of mid-1950s Rendell, with good-quality, lightly but firmly swinging accompaniment throughout (pianist Damian Robinson, in particular, impresses). If the spirit of Lester Young is to the fore, particularly in the relaxed, rhythmic suppleness of Rendell's lines, there are plenty of moments when one senses the growing depths of this sterling saxophonist's own personality. This is especially the case on the 1955 quartet sides: listen to Yesterdays, New Orleans, From This Moment On or Body And Soul, for example. With some nice touches from Hogg and Ross—the four concluding sides, on which the latter participates on baritone, are some of the most foot-tappingand smile-inducing here—this is a most enjoyable dip into early British modernism, complete with an original cover photo and edited melding of the original Tempo EP and LP sleevenotes by Mike Butcher and Alun Morgan.
Michael Tucker ~ Jazz Journal June 2002
Now in his eighties, Don is still active, advertising his services as a saxophone tutor in Jazz Journal.
Good as Rendell was in the 50s his best work lay in the future. The five albums he co-led with Ian Carr stand as a landmark in late 60s jazz; all are currently available on three CDs - well worth buying and Don deserves those royalties!

(01 02)
Dickie Hawdon - flugelhorn
Don Rendell - tenor
Ronnie Ross - tenor
Damian Robinson - piano
Ashley Kozak - bass
Derek Hogg - drums
(03)
Damian Robinson - piano
Pete Elderfield - bass
Don Lawson - drums
(04-07)
Dickie Hawdon - trumpet, flugelhorn
Don Rendell - tenor
Ronnie Ross - baritone
Damian Robinson - piano
Pete Elderfield - bass
Don Lawson - drums
(08-11)
Don Rendell - tenor
Damian Robinson - piano
Pete Elderfield - bass
Don Lawson - drums
(12-17)
Don Rendell - tenor
Damian Robinson - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Benny Goodman - drums
(18-21)
Don Rendell - tenor
Ronnie Ross - baritone
Damian Robinson - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Benny Goodman - drums

01 My Heart Belongs to Daddy
02 Little Boy Green
03 Sinbad the Tailor
04 Didn't We
05 Muskrat Ramble
06 Thames Walk
07 Dance of the Ooblies
08 You Stepped Out of a Dream
09 Sometimes I'm Happy
10 On a Slow Boat to China
11 Yesterdays
12 Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
13 That Old Feeling
14 New Orleans
15 From This Moment On
16 Body and Soul
17 Blow, Mr Dexter
18 The Griffin
19 Cool Sparks
20 Carolet
21 Some of Us

Label: JASCD 613
Recorded: London June 9 1954 (01 02) February 22 (03-11) May 2 (12-17) May 16 1955 (18-21)
Lineage: CD>FLAC Frontend

0040 Spike Robinson [The Guv'nor] FLAC 16(53.53)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
All the tracks here have alternate takes and all were only previously issued on 78 rpm records. Spike was an American by birth and after leaving the US Navy ended up in London in 1951 where he made these records. The recordings on 18 April 1951, under the leadership of Tommy Pollard, are his first and the tracks recorded on 7 July 1951, under his own name, were his last for over 25 years. Spike, perhaps better known for his later playing on tenor, plays alto here on all tracks and Tommy Pollard has his only date as leader here. Ripped in FLAC from lp with cover scans. Forgot to mention that the Spike music is as it comes off the lp. The noise, clicks etc are on the original recordings - the lp is in mint condition. I have not attempted to do anything with it on the basis of  'if the Esquire engineers can't do it then I certainly can't.'

(01-08)
Spike Robinson - alto
Victor Feldman - vibes
Tommy Pollard - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums
(09-16)
Spike Robinson - alto
Ronnie Ball - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Victor Feldman - drums

01 East of the Sun
02 East of the Sun
03 Just Friends
04 Just Friends
05 Lover Come Back to Me
06 Lover Come Back to Me
07 The Way You Look Tonight
08 The Way You Look Tonight
09 Bluebird
10 Bluebird
11 The Guv'nor
12 The Guv'nor
13 Spike's Choice
14 Spike's Choice
15 Spike's Delight
16 Spike's Delight

Label: Esquire 318
Recorded:April 18 (01-08) July 07 (09-16) 1951
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0039 George Shearing [Piano Man] 320 17(51.13)

Contributed by an anonymous supporter

George shearing - piano

01 A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody
02 More Than You Know
03 How Could you
04 These Foolish Things
05 Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
06 You Stepped Out of a Dream
07 Spookie Woogie
08 Moon Ray
09 Rosetta
10 I'll Never Let a Day Pass By
11 Coquette
12 Out of Nowhere
13 Can't We Be Friends
14 Ghost of a Chance
15 Guilty
16 Sweet Lorraine
17 I Found a New Boogie

Recorded: London 1941-1943

0038 Victor Feldman [Suite Sixteen] FLAC 9(45.07)

Contributed by grumpy
Review by Scott Yanow
This interesting set (a CD reissue of the original LP) features Victor Feldman shortly before he left England for the United States. Feldman, mostly heard on vibes but also making strong appearances on piano and drums, heads several groups filled with English (sic) All-Stars, including such notable musicians as trumpeters Jimmy Deuchar and Dizzy Reece, tenors Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes, and pianist Tommy Pollard. The music is boppish with some surprises in the consistently swinging arrangements, giving one a definitive look at Victor Feldman near the beginning of his career.

Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Dizzy Reece - trumpet
Jimmy Watson - trumpet
Ken Wray - bass trumpet, trombone
John Burden - french horn
Jim Powell - tuba
Derek Humble - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Tubby Hayes - tenor
Harry Klein - baritone
Victor Feldman - vibes, piano, drums
Tommy Pollard - piano
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Eric Peter - bass
Tony Crombie - drums
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Cabaletto
02 Elegy
03 Suite Sixteen
04 Sonar
05 Big Top
06 Duffle Coat
07 Brawl for All
08 Sunshine on a Dull Day
09 Maenya

Label: Contemporary C3541
Recorded: September 21 1955
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0037 George Shearing [The George Shearing Trio] FLAC 8(22.08)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
"British born George Shearing first visited the USA in 1946 and stayed for three months. The musical opportunities there were seen to be better than in the UK at that time so a permanent move there was made with his family about a year later. 
George initially struggled for work but made a handful of recordings in a trio format for Savoy in 1947, played the clubs along 52nd Street and made some important contacts along the way.
To make a little money and to fulfil his UK Decca contract he returned to the UK for a month in late 1948 and made these 8 sides with a trio including Jack Fallon on bass and Norman Burns on drums in November of that year.
On his return the USA he formed a Quartet with Buddy DeFranco and work began to flow in. Leonard Feather was keen to record George and suggested a quintet line-up with Marjorie Hyams (vibes) and Chuck Wayne (guitar) joining up with John Levy (bass) and Denzil Best (drums) from the current Quartet. Buddy, meanwhile, had gone his own way.
Here then are the eight somewhat dull 'London Sides' as they were known, made during this flying visit to the UK in late 1948.
Just three months later the Quintet was born in the USA with a very different sound, boppy, imaginative and full of sparkle and George never looked back. 
But that's another story."

George Shearing - piano
Jack Fallon - bass
Norman Burns - drums

01 The Nearness Of You
02 Someone to Watch Over Me
03 Consternation
04 The Fourth Deuce
05 The Man From Minton's
06 I Only Have Eyes For You
07 To Be Or Not To Bop
08 Poinciana

Label: Decca 10" LP - LF 1036
Recorded: November 26 1948
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0036 Various [Speak Low] FLAC 11(51.14)

Contributed by delmonico
This is one of 3 Tempo samplers from January 1958. At the time of issue, these were un-issued  tracks combined with a selection of other tracks from the then current Tempo catalogue. Now, of course, all have been re-issued on cd by Jasmine.
A fabulously rare and expensive lp and not often seen these days this is the original lp and sound.
Of interest to trivia collectors is that the lovely Jackie Collins, then age 20, features on the cover as indeed she does on the other two samplers.
When Jasmine issued their own cd sampler, 'Keeping Tempo', in 2001 they used the same cover picture which was a nice little acknowledgement to the classic Tempo label.
Ripped in FLAC from lp with cover scans.

(01 06)
Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Terry Shannon - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Allan Ganley - drums
(02)
Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Eddie Harvey - piano
Kenny Napper  -bass
Phil Seamen - drums
(03)
Victor Feldman - vibes
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
(04 11)
Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Ken Wray - trombone
Derek Humble - alto
Tubby Hayes - tenor
Victor Feldman - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
(05)
Victor Feldman - vibes
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
(07)
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Tubby Hayes - vibes
Terry Shannon - piano
Phil Bates - bass
Bill Eyden - drums
(08)
Dizzy Reece - trumpet
Victor Feldman - vibes
Tommy Pollard - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums
(09)
Don Rendell - tenor
Damian Robinson - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Benny Goodman - drums
(10)
Victor Feldman - vibes
Tommy Pollard - piano
Eric Peter - bass
Tony Crombie - drums

01 Speak Low
02 How Long Has This Been Going On?
03 Duffle Coat
04 Bass House
05 Easy to Love
06 I'll Take Romance
07 On a Misty Night
08 When?
09 New Orleans
10 Time Will Tell
11 Treble Gold

Label:Tempo TAP 17
Recorded: April 26 May 02 September 12 21 1955
October 20 29 1956
March 29 August 08 19 1957
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0035 Ronnie Scott [Presenting The Ronnie Scott Sextet] FLAC 12(39.51)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
An unusually restrained Sextet of the hard boppers with 8 of the 12 tunes being standards and led by the 'Old Man' himself.
Tenor player, jazz club owner, raconteur and the bookies favourite, Ronnie Scott was never given the musical appreciation he deserved during his lifetime. He made surprisingly few records as leader in his later years and none at all between the end of 1977 and the end of 1990.  This one dates from 1957.

Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Derek Humble - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Stan Tracey - piano
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Kenny Napper  -bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 You Leave Me Breathless
02 Give Me the Simple Life
03 Polka Dots and Moonbeams
04 I P A Special
05 Squeeze Me
06 Avalon
07 Pittsburgh Opener
08 Bass House
09 It Don't Mean a Thing
10 All This and Heaven Too
11 This Can't Be Love
12 Phil's Tune

Label: Fontana SFL 13079
Recorded: January 09 10 1957
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0034 Ted Heath [Plays Tadd Dameron] FLAC 7(15.03)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Early in 1949 Tadd Dameron and Miles Davis were invited to form a group to play at the Paris Jazz Festival. Several concerts were played during May and recordings exist.
During his stay in France, Tadd visited Lyons with his wife and wrote a new piece called 'Lyonia'. Tadd left France for London on 23 May 1949 and had planned a short stopover to meet the English band leader Ted Heath. Tadd had also met guitarist Ivor Mairants, a member of the Geraldo Orchestra, in Paris who had been asked by Geraldo to commission  some arrangements from Dameron. During his stay in London Tadd also visited the London Jazz Club and Club 11 meeting Ronnie Scott, Ivor Mairants and others. He flew back to Paris on 20 June.
As a result of Tadd's stay in London, Ted Heath received the new piece 'Lyonia' as a gift  which had been specially arranged for his band (it has only been recorded on one other occasion) and  Tadd also gave Heath new arrangements of  'So Easy', 'The Nearness of You' and the Charlie Ventura tune 'Euphoria'. Earlier in 1949 Heath had recorded Tadd's  'Ladybyrd' (spelled as issued) which had been arranged for the band by George Shearing. This was his first venture into big band bop.
These 5 tunes were all recorded at various times in 1949 and are brought together here from Decca singles which were later re-issued on cd.
Ripped in FLAC from re-issue cds with a cover scan and track details.

(02)
Maurice Miller - trumpet  
Stan Reynolds - trumpet
Stan Roderick - trumpet 
Dave Wilkins - trumpet
Jackie Armstrong - trombone 
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Jack Bentley - trombone
Jimmy Coombes - trombone
Les Gilbert - alto
Reg Owen - alto
Johnny Gray - tenor
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Dave Shand  - baritone
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Dave Goldberg  - guitar
Charlie Short - bass 
Jack Parnell - drums 
(03 04)
Bobby Pratt - trumpet 
Stan Roderick - trumpet 
Stan Reynolds - trumpet 
Ronnie Hughes - trumpet(?)
Leo Wright - trumpet(?)
Jackie Armstrong - trombone
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Jack Bentley - trombone
Jimmy Coombes - trombone
Les Gilbert - alto
Reg Owen - alto
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Henry Mackenzie - tenor
Dave Shand - tenor(?), baritone
Dave Simpson - piano
Jack Seymour - bass
Jack Parnell - drums
(05 06)
Bobby Pratt - trumpet 
Stan Roderick - trumpet 
Stan Reynolds - trumpet 
Ronnie Hughes - trumpet
Jackie Armstrong - trombone
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Jack Bentley - trombone
Jimmy Coombes - trombone
Les Gilbert - alto
Reg Owen - alto
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Henry Mackenzie - tenor
Dave Shand - baritone
Frank Horrox - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Jack Parnell - drums

01 Theme Into
02 Ladybyrd
03 Lyonia
04 The Nearness of You
05 Euphoria
06 So Easy
07 Theme Out

Label: Decca Singles Compilation
Recorded: 1949
Lineage: CDs>FLAC