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

Sunday, January 16, 2011

0131 Kenny Graham [Presenting Kenny Graham] FLAC 11(37.49)















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
These are the last recordings of Kenny Graham as leader and of his group, the Afro-Cubists. It was also the last time he was recorded commercially as a musician.
Thereafter he concentrated on his writing and arranging for others including Humphrey Lyttelton and Ted Heath. 
The music here is heavily influenced by the music of Duke Ellington and there are some fine solos by trumpeter Jo Hunter, which is short for Jolyon, (not Joe as listed) .  Jo is believed to be still playing somewhere in the South Coast area of the UK at the age of 84.  He was 30 when these recordings were made.
Phil Seamen, who shows up all over the place during this period of the late 1950s, drives the whole proceedings along in his customary style.
FLAC with track/personnel details and front cover picture.

Jo Hunter - trumpet
George Chisholm - trombone
Laddie Busby - trombone
Jackie Armstrong - trombone
Kenny Graham - tenor
Cliff Townsend - baritone
Stan Tracey - vibes, piano
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Jack McHardie - conga drum

01 Tuxedo Junction
02 Cuban Fantasy
03 Swallowin' The Blues
04 Olwen's Dream
05 Don't Get Around Much Anymore
06 Rockin' In Rhythm
07 I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)
08 Monkey Business
09 Time's A-Wasting
10 Bongo Chant
11 I Dreamt I Dwelt In Harlem

Label: Nixa NJL 12
Recorded: January February 1957
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13 comments:

  1. Wallofsound16 January 2011 at 11:05

    Excellent

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  2. Baron16 January 2011 at 13:53

    Thanks Delmonico for the Kenny Graham ... Baron

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  3. Anonymous16 January 2011 at 15:37

    Kenny Graham...excellent, delmonico, many thanks. Yes, apparently Jo Hunter was not so long ago seen playing in a sreet band. I'll keep my ears and eyes open next time I'm in Brighton!

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  4. Jaffa17 January 2011 at 21:09

    Thanks for the Kenny Graham: Another British artist I do not know very well - I can't wait to hear this one !

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  5. Unknown22 January 2011 at 19:08

    thank you guys, loving the music all the way from san francisco, keep up the good work. cheers!!!

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  6. Anonymous26 February 2011 at 20:25

    great thank you delmonico
    sunbop

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  7. francisco queimadela9 March 2011 at 15:03

    Great Stuff! Thank you guys!

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  8. moose the mooch20 April 2011 at 00:34

    saw jo hunter at a jam session in hove a couple of weeks ago-he doesn't sound 84 .

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  9. BritJazz21 April 2011 at 07:02

    Thanks for the news of Jo, moose - his instrument must be one of the most difficult to continue playing into old age.

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  10. aroonie19 August 2011 at 05:54

    Thank you very much to delmonico and our genial host for this fine Kenny Graham. On the subject of Jo Hunter I have been doing a bit of digging and direct you to these sites where you will find some more news on Jo.

    http://vzone.virgin.net/davidh.taylor/hunter.htm

    This is David Taylor's fine blog on British jazz men of the bop era and this quote comes from it:

    (In February 2010, Paul Sharpe had a further update: "Jo is still to be heard occasionally jamming at the Bee’s Mouth in Brighton on a Monday night. He prefers slow ballads. When he starts to play numbers like “I Remember April” ,“Out of Nowhere” or “Stella by Starlight”, it’s great to watch the effect he has on the noisy crowd, which suddenly goes silent and hangs on every note. His inventiveness and phrasing are superb...")

    and Rockin In Rhythm's site which features Jo

    http://www.rockininrhythm.co.uk/biogs.html

    as a member of the band

    Best wishes to all.........aroonie

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  11. BritJazz20 August 2011 at 17:42

    aroonie -Fascinating stuff - many thanks. Going to have a more detailed look later.

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  12. Gonzo27 October 2011 at 22:13

    I know this is not directly linked to this recording, but this request IS directly linked to the artist Kenny Graham.
    Way back in the 1960's Kenny composed a suite of music inspired by the 12 labours of Herecles (or for the non-Greeks) the 12 labours of Hercules.
    The first I ever came across this was in an obituary for Kenny Graham in the Independent.

    "Obituary: Kenny Graham "The Independant" 1997

    Kenny Graham composed music for film and later experimented with electronic keyboards. His most inspired work included an orchestral suite, The Labours of Heracles, commissioned by the BBC and given one performance on radio before disappearing for ever."

    I had this recording, taken from the BBC Light or Third program? it existed in my archive on a reel tape, sadly this tape was lost in a fire and no other copies can be found, I was sure I had a cassette copy too, but sadly it appears not.

    I know this is not the modus of the blog to accept direct requests, but someone somewhere must have taken this recording too, it would be nice to get the chance to hear it again, as a prime example of the composing expertise of Kenny Graham. What a poor show that the BBC should go to the trouble to record this work, air it probably only once, and then bin it!
    I've asked Geoffrey Smith the presenter of Jazz record Requests if a copy exists in the archive, could it be scheduled at some time as a special broadcast, so far no response other than the usual auto one. This really a request for anyone that reads this blog, do you have a copy, I am sure I, BJ and many others would love to hear one...

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  13. Rodney10 June 2015 at 12:11

    https://cjoint.net/?rinb97cwtq

    ReplyDelete

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