DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND APPRECIATION OF BRITISH JAZZ
FROM ANY ERA AND STYLE BUT WITH THE EMPHASIS ON MODERN JAZZ

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

0099 Kenny Graham [Moondog and Suncat Suites] FLAC 16(34.30)

















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
This is a strange sort of record and it doesn't fit readily into any particular jazz category. Some people might argue that it is not even jazz.  Who cares?  The music is intriguing and full of surprise and many of the top modernists of the day are present.  With Kenny Graham involved there is never a dull moment.
The first suite is based on the music of a New York Street musician known as Moondog whilst the second suite is a Kenny Graham creation inspired by the techniques of Moondog.
This has always been an elusive record to find in decent shape but Johnny Trunk re-issued the music for the very first time on his own Trunk label earlier this year in both lp and cd format.  Unfortunately because of licensing restrictions he was unable to use the original sleeve picture which was a reproduction of a Joan Miro painting.
Here then is the music and the original lp sleeve.  Go to Johnny Trunk's website to see the cover he commissioned for the re-issue.
Ripped in FLAC from re-issue lp with scans of front and back of original lp sleeve plus recording dates/personnel details (these were never identified on the original or re-issue).

(01)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Stan Tracey - vibes
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Don Lawson - percussion
(02)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Jack Ellory - flute
Stan Tracey (or Martin Slavin) - vibes
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Don Lawson - percussion
(03 05 07 09)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Don Lawson - percussion
(04 06 11 15)
Jack Ellory - flute
Ivor Slaney - oboe
Vic Ash - clarinet
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Stan Tracey - vibes, celeste
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - percussion
Don Lawson - percussion
Yolanda - marimba, vocals
(08)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Jack Ellory - flute
Stan Tracey - celeste
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
(10)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Jack Ellory - flute
Sammy Stokes - bass
Don Lawson - percussion
Eddie Taylor - percussion
(12)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Jack Ellory - flute
Stan Tracey - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Don Lawson - percussion
Eddie Taylor - percussion
(13)
Stan Tracey - vibes
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Don Lawson - percussion
Yolanda - vocals
(14)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Jack Ellory - flute
Stan Tracey - vibes, piano
Martin Slavin - xylophone
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - percussion
Don Lawson - percussion
Eddie Taylor - percussion
(16)
Kenny Graham - tenor
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Stan Tracey - accordion
Martin Slavin - vibes
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Don Lawson - percussion

01 One Four
02 2 West 46th Street
03 Two Four
04 Chant
05 Three Four
06 Utsu
07 Four Four
08 Lullaby
09 Five Four
10 Fog on the Hudson
11 Sunrise
12 Sunbeam
13 Tropical Sun
14 Sunstroke
15 Sunset
16 Sunday

Label: MGM (US)  E3544
Recorded: July 02 (08 13 16) 03 (01-03 05 07 09) 04 (10 12 14) 11 (04 06 11 15) 1956
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Monday, September 27, 2010

0098 Humphrey Lyttelton [Humphrey Lyttelton And His Band] FLAC 4(11.50)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Most people associate the Tempo label with those fabulously expensive early British Modern Jazz records - elusive and now mostly destined for collectors in Japan.
A copy of Tubby Hayes 'After Hours' fetched £1352 on ebay recently.
But Tempo had an earlier history of issuing Traditional Jazz and in fact it comprised a good half of their catalogue. Here is the very first ep on the Tempo label - EXA 1 featuring Humphrey Lyttelton and his Band recorded in March 1955. Sleeve notes are non-existent but there is a useful summary of the eps issued on the label. Not many 'modern' ones there are there?
Whilst the music has a certain period charm it is hard to believe that I once was an avid follower of this particular genre, spending many hours in sweaty, dark caverns, drinking warm beer wearing scratchy woolly jumpers and trying to identify the good looking girls in the gloom. The rhythm sections are pretty rough here or is it just the recording balance?
Dave Carey, who plays drums on 2 tracks, also ran a record shop in Streatham, London back in the 1970s and I seem to remember that it opened on only a few days per week, maybe even half days. The shop was the size of the average bathroom and it held a maximum of three people at any one time. Any other customers had to queue outside until someone left the shop.
It was the original Aladdin's Cave - there were no shelves or boxes to browse through. You had to know what you wanted then tell Dave who disappeared into some back room to then emerge clutching the treasure. His success rate was very high.  If you were a regular then he brought out a stack of lps for you to look at.
One for nostalgia lovers.
Ripped in FLAC from ep with front and back cover scans.

Humphrey Lyttelton - cornet
Harry Brown - trombone
Wally Fawkes - clarinet
George Webb - piano (02-04)
Pat Howes - piano (01)
Nevil Scrimshire - guitar
Lew Rawlings - bass
Jim Robinson - drums (01 02)
Dave Carey - drums (03 04)

01 When The Saints Go Marching In
02 Careless Love
03 Get Out Of Here
04 Sunday Morning

Label: Tempo ep EXA 1
Recorded: May 11 (01 02) December 02 (03 04) 1948
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Friday, September 24, 2010

0097 Wally Stott [Wally Stott And His Orchestra] FLAC 4(10.26)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Another associate of the Goon Show, Wally Stott, a former Geraldo musician, was very active in 1950s radio as composer and arranger and then later as a film score composer (Looking Glass War, When Eight Bells Toll, Peeping Tom etc).
He ensured that the musical interludes in the Goon Show had a jazz flavour and he is found providing orchestral backgrounds to many popular singers of the day during the 1960s, often employing uncredited top jazz musicians.
Here, he leads a fine big band recorded in the late 1950s but the musicians are not identified. I think I hear a phrase or two from Tubby Hayes in the tenor solo in 'Nightride' but unless others have sharp ears the other solos cannot be credited.
So what happened to Wally Stott?
He re-married in 1970 after the death of his first wife and then two years later underwent what was then known as 'sex-rectifying operation' to become Angela Morley.
She continued to work for BBC radio as arranger, as conductor of the BBC Radio Orchestra and to work on film scores in the UK. In 1984 she re-located to the USA to work in films and TV as composer/arranger ( Star Wars, Superman, Dallas, Dynasty etc).
She died in 2009 aged 84. 
Ripped in FLAC from re-issue cd with scans of front and back of ep.

Wally Stott - leader
other personnel unknown

01 The Night Ride
02 The Cat from Coos Bay
03 Cat Slick
04 Lucky Strike

Label: Philips ep BBE 12000
Recorded: Late 1950's
Lineage: CD>FLAC

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

0096 Tony Kinsey Quintet [Time Gentlemen Please] FLAC 8(37.27)

















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
Bob Efford appears on this Quintet recording from 1958 led by one of the busiest musicians around at the time, Tony Kinsey.

Les Condon - trumpet
Bob Efford - tenor
Bill Le Sage - vibes, piano
Dave Willis - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums

01 Three Modes
02 Satin Doll
03 Autumn in Cuba
04 Twinkle Toes
05 I Didn't Know What Time it Was
06 Cool Me Madam
07 Hallelujah
08 Time Gentlemen Please

Label: Decca LK 4274
Recorded: March 1958

Monday, September 20, 2010

0095 Tony Kinsey [My Fair Lady] FLAC 6(14.04)

















Contributed by delmonico

Les Condon - trumpet
Art Ellefson - tenor
Bill Le Sage - vibes, piano
Pete Blannin - bass (02 04 06)
Lennie Bush - bass (01 03 05)
Tony Kinsey - drums

01 On the Street Where You Live
02 I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
03 Get Me to the Church on Time
04 Wouldn't It Be Loverly
05 Show Me
06 I Could Have Danced All Night

Label: Decca DFE 6461
Recorded: December 06 (02 04 06) 30 (01 03 05) 1957
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Thursday, September 16, 2010

0094 Ray Nance [Ray Nance And The Ellingtonians] FLAC 4(14.27)

















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
If the Trades Description Act had been on the books in 1948 then these recordings would surely have been a prime candidate for prosecution.
The 'Ellingtonians'  were actually the Ray Ellington Quartet, a group of British (well, two West Indians, a German and one Briton of American and Jewish parentage) musicians who mainly played on the nightclub circuit.
Ray Nance was touring the UK with Duke Ellington as a 'variety act' to get round the strict UK Musicians Union rules at the time about foreign musicians not being able to play in the UK without Union approval.
The British musicians all assumed other names for this recording session for Esquire in 1948. Nance plays violin, trumpet and sings and full details of the session and the circumstances in which it was recorded are given in the sleeve notes to the Keith Christie posting earlier on this blog.

Ray Nance - trumpet, violin, vocals
Dick Katz - piano
Lauderic Caton - guitar
Coleridge Goode - bass
Ray Ellington - drums

01 Moon Mist
02 Sometimes I'm Happy
03 I Can't Give You Anything but Love
04 Blues for Duke

Label: Esquire 10-041/2
Recorded: July 01 1948
Lineage: 2 X 78>FLAC

Monday, September 13, 2010

0093 Harry Klein [Baritone Sax] FLAC 4(10.17)

















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Two sessions from two different Harry Klein Quintets from 1954 and 1955 on a 1956 ep.
Harry (who died recently) recorded little as leader so it is good to hear him in this context.

(01 02)
Harry Klein - baritone
Vic Ash - clarinet
Dill Jones - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
Leslie Weeks - bongos
(03 04)
Harry Klein - baritone
Vic Ash - clarinet
Stan Tracey - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums

01 Pentagon
02 Poinciana
03 Monument
04 Euphony

Label: Columbia ep SEG 7647
Recorded: October 26 1954 (01 02) January 19 1955 (03 04)
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Saturday, September 11, 2010

0092 Cleo Laine [The April Age] FLAC 4(11.17)


















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Cleo and the Dave Lee Quintet (a contingent from the Dankworth Orchestra) with an April themed ep.
Alex Wilder wrote the song 'April Age' and sent it to Cleo for this first recording in 1956.

Johnny Dankworth - alto, clarinet
Martin Slavin - vibes
Dave Lee - piano
Eric Dawson - bass
Kenny Clare - drums
Cleo Laine - vocals

01 I'll Remember April
02 April Age
03 April in Paris
04 I Dedicate April

Label: Nixa EP NJE 1026
Recorded: September 05 1956
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0091 Annie Ross [Nocturne For Vocalist] FLAC 4(10.05)

















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
This is Annie recorded with a Tony Crombie group during her 3 year stay in London in the mid 1950s. The previous day she had recorded her classic 'Annie By Candlelight' with the same group with which this in combined.
Picture of original ep front sleeve and track/personnel details.

Bob Burns - clarinet
Tony Crombie - piano
Roy Plummer - guitar
Lennie Bush - bass
Annie Ross - vocals

01 I've Told Every Little Star
02 Manhattan
03 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
04 Skylark

Label: Nixa ep NJE 1035
Recorded: August 28 1956
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0090 Annie Ross [Annie by Candlelight] FLAC 8(23.05)

















Contributed by cornelius

Bob Burns - clarinet
Tony Crombie - piano
Roy Plummer - guitar
Lennie Bush - bass
Annie Ross - vocals

01 The Gipsy in My Soul
02 I Love Paris
03 I Didn't Know About You
04 The Lady's In Love With you
05 Tain't What You Do
06 Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying
07 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
08 Don't Worry 'Bout Me

Label: Nixa NJT504
Recorded: August 27 1956

Monday, September 06, 2010

0089 Mary Lou Williams [The London Sessions] FLAC 22(1.10.55)
















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
Here's Mary Lou again with British bass and drums from sessions recorded in London in 1953 and 1954 during her two year stay in Europe.
Much better recorded than the earlier sessions posted and with a number of alternate takes. These sessions with all known takes are brought together for the first time by French Vogue and re-issued on this 1997 cd.
FLAC from re-issue cd with cd cover scans and scan of front cover of one original French Vogue lp.

(01-11)
Mary Lou Williams - piano
Kenny Napper - bass
Allan Ganley - drums
Tony Scott - bongos
(12-22)
Mary Lou Williams - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
Tony Scott - bongos

01 Perdido
02 Lady Bird
03 Don't Blame Me
04 Titoros
05 Titoros
06 For You
07 They Can't Take That Away from Me
08 They Can't Take That Away from Me
09 Kool Bongo
10 Round About Midnight
11 Round About Midnight
12 Azure-Te
13 Flying Home
14 Nickels
15 The Man I Love
16 The Man I Love
17 Twilight
18 Just One of Those Things
19 Just One of Those Things
20 Why
21 Yesterdays
22 Yesterdays

Label: French Vogue CD 74321409312
Recorded: January 23 1953 (01-11) 1954 (12-22)
Lineage: CD>FLAC

Sunday, September 05, 2010

0088 Tito Burns [Tito Burns and His Sextet] FLAC 6(17.29)











TITO BURNS 1921-2010
Jazz accordionist, bandleader and promoter Tito Burns died on 23 August 2010 aged 89.
Whilst Tito was never a leading light or major influence in the jazz world, he supported the new 'modern' music and gave a start to many of the young modernists such as Pete Chilver, Tommy Pollard and Tony Crombie in his Sextet.  Ronnie Scott and Johnny Dankworth were with his band for a time in the late 1940s too.
Tito's Sextet featured in the BBC's long running Accordion Club programme from 1947 onwards and it was said to be the first group to play bebop on radio.
Tito struggled to make a living from playing music as the new sounds of Rock and Roll emerged in the mid 1950s and eventually he gave up playing and moved successfully into the field of management and promotion with his music agency.
He married his band vocalist, Terry Devon, in 1948  and this small musical tribute features the Tito Burns Sextet of 1951 where Terry (who survives him) can also be heard.

(01-04)
Leon Calvert - trumpet
Jimmy Chester - alto, baritone (01 03 04)
Tito Burns - accordion, vocals (04)
Ronnie Price - piano
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Derek Price - drums
Terry Devon - vocals (02-04)
(05 06)
Albert Hall - trumpet
Jimmy Chester - alto, clarinet
Rex Morris - tenor
Tito Burns - accordion, vocal
Ronnie Price - piano
Coleridge Goode - bass
Derek Price - drums
Terry Devon - vocals (05)

01 Johnny Come Lately
02 East Of Suez
03 Somebody Loves Me
04 Everlovin' Blues
05 A Lesson In Bop
06 Festival Hall

Label: Esquire 10-126/133/183
Recorded: March 06 (01-04) July 12 (05 06) 1951
Lineage: EPs>FLAC

Friday, September 03, 2010

0087 Melody Maker All Stars [Waxing the Winners 1951-52-53] FLAC 12(53.47)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
In keeping with other music magazines of the time, Melody Maker also ran readers polls to determine their favourite jazz musicians and then recorded them.
They were usually blowing sessions with everyone getting his 16 or more bars and the outcomes were often not particularly memorable (but remember the famous Metronome session with Miles Davis, Fats Navarro and Dizzy Gillespie comprising the trumpet section?).
Here then are the cream of the British musicians (according to MM readers) in sessions from 1951, 1952 and 1953. There are some alternate takes.
The 1951 session was originally issued on one Esquire 78 rpm record and the other sessions on two 10" Esquire lps (20-001 and 20-008), one of which was Esquire's very first jazz lp venture. These recordings are from the Esquire re-issue lp which put together the results of these sessions.
Ripped in FLAC from CDR with original cover picture from the mid 1980s Esquire re-issue lp together with track and personnel details. The sound source is variable in quality.

(01 02)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Gordon Langhorn - trombone
Ronnie Chamberlain - soprano
Johnny Dankworth - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Dave Shand - baritone
Henry McKenzie - clarinet
Victor Feldman - vibes
Ralph Sharon - piano
Ivor Mairants - guitar
Charlie Short - bass
Jack Parnell - drums
(03-07)
Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Keith Christie - trombone
Johnny Dankworth - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Vic Ash - clarinet
Victor Feldman - vibes
Ralph Sharon - piano
Ivor Mairants - guitar
Joe Muddel - bass
Jack Parnell - drums
(08-12)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Jackie Armstrong - trombone
Ronnie Chamberlain - soprano
Les Gilbert - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Vic Ash - clarinet
Martin Slavin - vibes
Bill McGuffie - piano
Ivor Mairants - guitar
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Jack Parnell - drums

01 Brand's Essence
02 Marshall's Plan
03 Up the Poll (take 1)
04 Leap Year (take 1)
05 Up the Poll (take 2)
06 Leap Year (take 2)
07 M. M. Special
08 Ballot Box (take 1)
09 Coronation Jump (take 1)
10 Ballot Box (take 2)
11 Coronation Jump (take 2)
12 Anidina

Label: Esquire 321
Recorded February 03 1951 (01 02) March 24 1952 (03-07) March 24 1953 (08-12)
Lineage: CDR>FLAC