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

Sunday, October 31, 2010

0109 Various Artists [All the Winners] FLAC 6(24.16)
















Contributed by bluebird

(01)
Tubby Hayes - tenor
Ronnie Ross - baritone
Bill Le Sage - vibes
Dave Goldberg - guitar
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Allan Ganley - drums
(02)
Lennie Felix - piano
(03)
Max Harris - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
The Polka Dots - vocals
(04)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
George Chisholm - trombone
Tony Coe - alto
Bruce Turner - alto
Dill Jones - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(05)
Dave Lee - piano
Eric Dawson - bass
Kenny Clare - drums
Cleo Laine - vocal
(06)
Ian Hamer - trumpet
Johnny Scott - flute
Vic Ash - clarinet
Alan Branscombe - piano
Spike Heatley - bass
Dave Pearson - drums

01 Hark Dog (Ken Moule) (5:09)
02 Scene '59 Act 2 (Lennie Felix) (5:09)
03 Monday Date (Earl Hines) (2:06)
04 Poll Winners (John Dankworth) (5:41)
05 Sugar (Edna Alexander/Sidney Mitchell/Maceo Pinkard) (3:11)
06 Just for the Boys (Johnny Scott) (3:00)

Label: Pye Nixa NJT518
Recorded: November 1958
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Friday, October 29, 2010

0108 Harry Klein [Brash Baritone] FLAC 3(12.03)

















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Another helping of Harry Klein and probably the last we have available of him as leader. A much under rated player and sadly, not often recorded.
Original sleeve cover picture and sleeve notes.

Harry Klein - baritone
Max Harris - piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums

01 I'll Remember April
02 I Can't Get Started With You
03 I'm Coming Virginia

Label: Polygon ep JTE 105
Recorded: May 25 1955 London
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Monday, October 25, 2010

0107 Sandy Brown [McJazz] FLAC 10(36.48)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
This is the Brown/Fairweather group from 1957 playing an attractive selection of original music fitting somewhere between Traditional and Mainstream styles.  The lp was originally recorded for Nixa (NJL 9) and called 'Go Ghana'.
Around this period the music known as  West African 'High Life' became popular in the UK with many bands, including this one,  incorporating the basic rhythmic style into their playing and 'Go Ghana', one of the tunes  heard here, enjoyed some popularity in the musical world beyond jazz in 1957.  It might be familiar to some.
Front and back cover scans

Al Fairweather - trumpet
Jeremy French - trombone
Sandy Brown - clarinet
Ian Armitt - piano
W Disley - guitar, banjo
Tim Mahn - bass
Graham Burbridge - drums

01 Go Ghana
02 Scales
03 The Card
04 Monochrome
05 Those Blues
06 Wild Life
07 Blues from Black Rock
08 Doctor Blues I Presume
09 Ognoliya
10 Saved by the Blues

Label: Dormouse DM 6
Recorded: March 05 1957
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Friday, October 22, 2010

0106 Kenny Baker [After Hours A Session for Kicks] FLAC 7(25.06)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Three  dates from 1955 recorded after hours and featuring trumpeter Kenny Baker with a Trio, Quartet and Quintet. Dill Jones is the featured pianist and Bruce Turner makes an appearance.
Original cover picture, original sleeve notes and track/personnel details.

(01 05)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Dill Jones - piano
Frank Clarke - bass
Derek Price - drums
(02 03)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Dill Jones - piano
Frank Clarke - bass
(04 07)
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Bruce Turner - alto, clarinet (04)
Dill Jones - piano
Frank Clarke - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(06)
Dill Jones - piano
Frank Clarke - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums

01 Minute To Midnight (Baker) (3:37)
02 Blues In Thirds (Hines) (3:25)
03 I'm A Ding Dong Daddy (Baxter) (2:55)
04 Apex Blues (Noone, Williams) (3:35)
05 Studio B Boogie (Baker) (2:50)
06 West Wind (Jones) (4:06)
07 Oh Baby (De Sylva, Donaldson) (4:36)

Label: Nixa lp JTL 4
Recorded: May 03 (01 05) 11 (04 07) 17 (02 03 06) 1956

Monday, October 18, 2010

0105 Alan Dean [My Baby Likes to Bebop] FLAC 17(58.30)

















Contributed by Azule Serape.
Alan Dean sings a wordless vocal unison line very much in the style of Buddy Stewart in that same 1948 period but the results are not as bad as you might fear.
It's interesting to hear this early British bop with the front line of  dance band swing musicians mixed in with the new emerging stars like Tommy Pollard and Ralph Sharon. Tommy plays vibes throughout the Sextet titles rather than his usual piano.
The second group heard here on the last five tracks, The Alan Dean Be-Boppers, was the forerunner of the Club X1 group which was later to take bebop several steps forward in Britain and which will feature here in due course.
Front and back cover scans.

Reg Arnold - trumpet
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Hank Shaw - trumpet
John Dankworth - alto
Aubrey Frank - tenor
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Tommy Pollard - vibes
Ralph Sharon - piano
Pete Chilver - guitar
Jack Fallon - bass
Joe Muddell - bass
Norman Burns - drums
Laurie morgan - drums
Alan Dean - vocals

01 Galaxy
02 I Can't Get Started With You
03 First Gear
04 Confirmation
05 My Baby Likes to Bebop
06 Disc Jockey Jump
07 Fallonology
08 Jack Fiddles While Norman Burns
09 Oop-Pop-a-Da
10 Disc Jockey Jump
11 Gaberdine and Serge
12 First Gear
13 Gone with the Windmill
14 Barbados
15 Elevenses
16 Ool Ya Koo
17 Galaxy

Label: Esquire S337 12"
Recorded: 1948 1949
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Friday, October 15, 2010

0104 Malcolm Lockyer [That Old Feeling] FLAC 10(22.08)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
This was another pianist who hovered on the fringe of jazz and who made his living mainly as arranger and orchestra leader until his early death in 1976 aged 52.
Here he is with his trio from the 1954 period playing a set of standards but not veering too far from the melody. Nicely played though but not too exciting.
I have the original 10" lp which contained 12 tunes but the condition of the lp did not lend itself to effective restoration. The 10 tunes you hear are from a re-issue cd so missing from the original lp are 'Stars Fell On Alabama' and 'It's Easy To Remember'.
And how about that beautiful 1950s cover picture?
Original front and back cover.

Malcolm Lockyer - piano
Ralph Collier - bass
Jock Cummings - drums

01 That Old Feeling
02 Taking a Chance on Love
03 They Can't Take That Away from Me
04 There Was a Time
05 I Only Have Eyes for You
06 I'll Never Smile Again
07 You Turned the Tables on Me
08 Embraceable You
09 I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
10 Two Sleepy People

Label: Decca 10" lp - LF 1167
Recorded: 1954
Lineage: CD>FLAC

Monday, October 11, 2010

0103 Tony Crombie [Jazz at the Flamingo] FLAC 6(50.47)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
A superb swinging session from 1956 with an all- star group nominally led by Tony Crombie. All the participants are in good form and get some lengthy solo space with the bonus being the appearance of Tubby Hayes on two long tracks.
Not recorded at the Flamingo Club but a studio recorded session 'with atmosphere' and an audience. 
For the benefit of our American cousins and others whose first language is not English and who might be mystified by the unison shout at the end of 'Laker's Day' and it's association with the tune, don't worry about it.  It's far too complex to explain here. It's a tribal thing only understood by long time British residents and perhaps Australians.
Original cover picture and original sleeve notes. Complete with membership card attached.

Ronnie Scott - tenor
Tubby Hayes - tenor
Harry Klein - baritone
Terry Shannon - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums

01 A Night In Tunisia
02 Stars Fell On Alabama - Once In A While
03 Soho Blues
04 Annie-Mation
05 Autumn Leaves
06 Laker's Day

Label: Tempo TAP 5
Recorded: July 31 1956

Thursday, October 07, 2010

0102 Various [Bop-In' Britain Volume 2] FLAC 23(1.09.34)

















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
The second volume of early British bop from the 1952-1954 period with groups led by Victor Feldman, Arnold Ross, Vic Ash, Joe Harriott and the All-Stars. There might be some duplication here with other posts made earlier, eg. Arnold Ross, but this is inevitable in a work of this nature.
The tracks are drawn mainly from the small Esquire and Melodisc labels. The big labels were not particularly interested at this early stage but this is a wonderful compilation of early Britjazz featuring the big names of the day. The Vic Ash tracks are his first as leader.

Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Jo Hunter - trumpet
Ken Wray - trombone
Derek Humble - alto
Joe Harriott - alto
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Joe Temperley - tenor
Harry Klein - baritone
Vic Ash - clarinet
Victor Feldman - vibes
Gerry McLoughlin - vibes
Stan Tracey - piano
Arnold Ross - piano
Derek Smith - piano
Dill Jones - piano
Kenny Napper - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Joe Benjamin - bass
Sammy Stokes - bass
Jack Fallon - bass
Sammy Stokes - bass
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Martin Aston - drums
Tony Kinsey - drums
Jack Parnell - drums
Allan Ganley - drums
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Lullaby in Rhythm
02 Serenity
03 Just Friends
04 Euphony
05 Janie
06 Darn That Dream
07 Speechless
08 Twelve to Four
09 The Champ
10 All the Things You Are
11 Once in a While
12 These Foolish Things
13 Nice Work If You Can Get It
14 Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
15 Ain't Misbehavin'
16 Blue Room
17 Lullaby of the Leaves
18 Summertime
19 April in Paris
20 Cherokee
21 Out of Nowhere
22 Hi-Ya Mr Jackson
23 Spaceship

Lineage: CD>FLAC

Monday, October 04, 2010

0101 Humphrey Lyttelton [I Play As I Please] FLAC 9(40.33)

















Contributed by Gonzo

Review of CD by Dave Thompson
Topped and tailed by four bonus tracks, this is an otherwise straightforward (and certainly long-awaited) reissue of Humphrey Lyttelton's best-known and most all-pervasively influential album, the 1957 set that he titled, fittingly, after the first volume of his own autobiography Widely regarded among the most adventurous of all the players bound up in the British trad boom of the mid- to late '50s, Lyttelton had already broken any number of seemingly inviolate rules by the time he teamed with producer Denis Preston to cut this set -- including the addition of a saxophone and the omission of the banjo Now it was time to push even further In terms of numerical strength, three bands appear on this album -- the seven-piece Humphrey Lyttelton Band, an expanded 12-man big band, and the so-called Humphrey Lyttelton Paseo Band, a nine-piece that eschewed horns for flutes, then added a riot of percussion to the mix It's a heady blend that had traditionalists wringing their hands in despair when the album first appeared, but time (and, of course, the eventual acceptance of many of the ideas Lyttelton first posited) readily vindicates the album's audacity For collectors, meanwhile, the set is bolstered by both sides of two singles recorded by the regular Lyttelton Band around the same time as I Play As I Please came together, the self-explanatory "Dixie Theme" and the sultry "Blues in the Afternoon."

(01 05 08)
Humphrey Lyttelton - trumpet
Bert Courtley - trumpet
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Rick Kennedy - trombone
Alex McGuiness - trombone
Ronnie Ross - alto
Jimmy Skidmore - tenor
Don Rendell - tenor
Alex Leslie - baritone
Ron Davey - vibes
Ian Armitt - piano
Brian Brocklehurst - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(02 06 09)
Humphrey Lyttelton - trumpet
John Picard - trombone
Tony Coe - alto
Jimmy Skidmore - tenor
Ian Armitt - piano
Brian Brocklehurst - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(03 07)
Humphrey Lyttelton - trumpet
Larry Saunders - flute
S. Farnsworth - flute
Phil Goody - bass flute
Denny Wright - guitar
Jack Fallon - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
John Blanchard - marimba
Jack McHardie - bongos
Sidney Rich - timbales
(04)
Humphrey Lyttelton - trumpet
John Picard - trombone
Tony Coe - alto
Kathy Stobart - tenor
Ian Armitt - piano
Brian Brocklehurst - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums

01 Skid Row (Skidmore) (6:44)
02 Manhattan (Rodgers) (2:15)
03 La Paloma (Yradier) (3:09)
04 Goin' Out The Back Way (Hodges) (7:08)
05 Mezzrow (Lyttelton) (4:15)
06 Singin' The Blues (Conrad, Robinson, Young, Lewis) (:3)09
07 Bodega (Lyttelton) (2:44)
08 Looking For Turner (Lyttelton) (6:51)
09 Sweethearts On Parade (Lombardo, Newman) (3:18)

Label: ECM/S 2009
Recorded: September 05 (02 06 09) 12 (01 05 08) November 21 (03 07) 25 (04) 1957
Lineage: LP/FLAC

Friday, October 01, 2010

0100 Buddy Featherstonhaugh [New Quintet Volume Two] FLAC 4(13.30)

















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
The second volume of Buddy as leader on this Nixa ep which turned out to be his last recording date in December 1956.
Buddy certainly encouraged the up and coming youngsters and here is Canadian Kenny Wheeler (who contributed 'Goldfish Blues') at an early stage of his career in the UK and Bobby Wellins making his first appearance on record.
A fine session which should be better known. Spread the word.

Kenny Wheeler - trumpet
Bobby Wellins - tenor
Buddy Featherstonehaugh - baritone, clarinet
Bill Stark - bass
Paul Brodie - drums

01 Goldfish Blues
02 Doin' the Uptown Lowdown
03 Knock Yourself Out
04 Henrietta

Label: Nixa EP - NJE 1031
Recorded: December 03 1956
Lineage: EP>FLAC