0127 Bill Le Sage [Bill's Recipes] FLAC 12(42.35)

Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
This is not often seen and this lp is the only issue.
The Tom Lord discography is a bit vague about the recording date but opinion has it that it was late 1956 or early 1957. The pianist Derek Smith who appears here emigrated to the USA and actually recorded there in June 1957 so it must have been before then.
Bill Le Sage (pianist, vibes player, composer, arranger) was one of Britain's Bebop pioneers and has played with almost everyone worth mentioning in the UK. He formed his own band at the age of 18 and played with many now long forgotten groups before becoming a founder member of the Dankworth Seven in March 1950.
He had a long association with Tony Kinsey (who appears here) and later, Ronnie Ross.
I saw Bill sometime around 1985 when he was playing one nighters around the country with local rhythm sections.  He was the perfect gentleman and a great entertainer, very professional, introducing his musicians and announcing the tune titles with a touch of humour. He was immaculately dressed with sharply creased trousers, sports jacket, tie and highly polished shoes - a far cry from some of today's younger musicians.
And the music was great too. After the gig I got him to sign this album and for the next twenty minutes he told me about the tunes (eight of which are his on this lp), when and where they were written, about the musicians on the record and about life in general. He was still so enthusiastic about his music and said he would continue to play as long as he could draw breath.
Well,  Bill drew breath for a long time after that one night in a small Nottinghamshire town and died in 2001. He made two fine albums with just guitar and bass a few months before his death but never got to hear the last one in it's published form.  They are worth seeking out (The Right Vibes 1 and 2).
The cover picture is the icing on this very tasty BritJazz 1st Birthday Cake.
FLAC with front and back lp cover scans.

Eddie Blair - trumpet
George Chisholm - trombone
Laddie Busby - trombone
Ken Goldie - trombone
Jack Armstrong - trombone
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Henry Mackenzie - clarinet
Bill Le Sage - vibes, piano, accordion
Derek Smith - piano
Lennie Bush - bass or Pete Blannin - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums

01 First Night (Le Sage) (3:13)
02 Blues (Le Sage) (4:02)
03 Finders Keepers (Weissmantel) (3:38)
04 Pict's Lament (Le Sage) (4:00)
05 Snow Face (Le Sage) (3:09)
06 Little Bop Poose (Weissmantel) (4:40)
07 Shade Of Spring (Le Sage) (3:06)
08 Lazy (Le Sage) (3:12)
09 Cloud Frolic (Weissmantel) (:3)43
10 Cambridge Blue (Le Sage) (3:25)
11 Rain On The Seine (Michel, Strop) (2:43)
12 Chirra Cahua (Le Sage) (3:44)

Label: Saga STM 6019
Recorded: 1956 or 1957
Lineage: LP>FLAC