0142 Jimmy Skidmore and Bertie King [Mainstream at Nixa Volume Two] FLAC 6(26.03)

Contributed by Brufan

Leslie Jiver Hutchinson - trumpet
Kenny Baker - trumpet
George Chisholm - trombone
Bertie King - alto
Jimmy Skidmore - tenor
Kenny Graham - tenor
Cliff Townsend - baritone
Max Harris - piano
Derek Smith - piano
Cedric West - guitar
Major Holley - bass
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
02 You Took Advantage Of Me
03 Coquette
04 Blue Interlude
05 Skip It
06 Lazy Afternoon

Label: Nixa NJT 506
Recorded: September 20 October 12 1956
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0141 Joe Harriott [A Guy Called Joe] FLAC 2(11.09)

Contributed by Brufan

Shake Keane - trumpet, flugelhorn
Joe Harriott - alto
Harry South - piano
Coleridge Goode - bass
Bobby Orr - drums
Frank Holder - bongoes

01 Liggin' (South) (5:38)
02 Caravan (Tizol, Ellington) (5:32)

Label: SEG 8070
Recorded: April 08 (02) 21 (01) 1960
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0140 Various [Blackstick] FLAC 10(40.52)

Contributed by Rodney and delmonico. Rodney writes:-
Simon Spillett mentioned this album on August 24 last year (see Vic Ash [Session for Four] - 0084); `Why not try and dig out his rare tracks Blue 'n Boogie and High Priest from the Nixa "Blackstick" album. Even Vic hasn't got them!`
So here is the album - Pye issue. A good balance of styles and variety to portray comprehensively one of the archetypal instruments of jazz. Strong playing from all participants and some very big names in there. All the clarinettists acquit themselves well, including Vic of course. I particularly noticed the tunes by the Tony Coe group but that may have been due to a style preference rather than the performances. I can't say I'd ever heard of Maurice Biella before and when I Googled the name just now I got five hits, all about bikes! Nothing in Tom Lord's "The Jazz Discography" either.

(01 09 12)
John Picard - trombone
Tony Coe - clarinet
Ian Armit - piano
Brian Brocklehurst - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(02 11)
Al Fairweather - trumpet
Sandy Brown - clarinet
Bill Bramwell - guitar
Arthur Watts- - bass
(03 07)
Archie Semple - clarinet
Fred Hunt - piano
Chris Staunton - bass
Johnny Richardson - drums
(04)
Dick Heckstall-Smith - soprano
Bruce Turner - clarinet
Harry Smith - piano
Brian Brocklehurst - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums
(05)
Sandy Brown - clarinet
Bill Bramwell - guitar
Arthur Watts- - bass
(06 08)
Vic Ash - clarinet
Maurice Biella - vibes
Stan Jones - piano
Arthur Watts- - bass
Allan Ganley - drums
(10)
Archie Semple - clarinet
Fred Hunt - piano

01 Bali Ha'i (Rodgers) (3:50)
02 Portrait of Miles (Brown) (4:49)
03 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (Stept) (2:50)
04 Lover Man (Davis) (4:12)
05 Tipsy (Brown) (1:53)
06 Blue n' Boogie (Gillespie, Papperili) (3:15)
07 The Needle (Semple) (2:29)
08 High Priest (Ganley) (4:10)
09 Sans Humph (Coe) (3:19)
10 I Cover the Waterfront (Green) (4:19)
11 Sugar (Pinkard) (3:19)
12 ⅝ths (Coe) (2:30)

Label: Pye Black Label NJL 20
Recorded: November 05 (04) 18 (03 07 10) 1957 March 26 (06 08) November 13 (02 05 11) 14 (01 09 12) 1958
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0139 Sir George Shearing O.B.E. [Tribute Selection] FLAC MP3 9(27.41)

13 August 1919 - 14 February 2011

British born pianist Sir George Shearing died at his home in New York on 14 February from heart failure.
There will be many obituaries written by others so BritJazz has decided to be brief and, instead, offer a selection of George's  pre USA music for you to enjoy.
Born blind, George never seemed to have a problem finding work in the UK and at one time, aged just 17,  was a member of Claude Bampton's Band of blind musicians. Their signature tune was aptly 'I'll See You In My Dreams' which was actually suggested by one of the band members.
Imagine the organisation required to transport a group of 20 blind musicians around the country to their various engagements. The band parts were first copied out in Braille and each musician had to 'read' and memorize his own part and then play it.
George emigrated to the USA in 1947 where he enjoyed a long and illustrious career firstly in jazz and then branching out into the wider entertainment world.
He retained his affection for his country of birth, visiting and playing here often, receiving the OBE in 1996 and being knighted by the Queen in 2007 for services to music.
George will be remembered for the vast library of music of all styles he left behind for others to enjoy in the future. The 'Shearing Sound' started a whole new trend in small group jazz music and his composition 'Lullaby of Birdland' has become a jazz classic.
In keeping with BritJazz policy the music, with one special exception, was all recorded before 1947 in the UK and full recording details are provided.
The special exception is, of course, 'Lullaby of Birdland' recorded by the classic Shearing Quintet in 1952 in New York.
How could we omit that?

Collective personnel:
Kenny Baker - trumpet
Harry Hayes - alto
Aubrey Franks - tenor
Harry Parry - clarinet
Roy Marsh - vibes
Joe Roland - vibes
George Shearing - piano, accordion
Leonard Feather - piano
Frank Deniz - guitar
Alan Mindel - guitar
Dennis Wright - guitar
Chuck Wayne - guitar
Sam Molyneaux - bass
Tommy Bromley - bass
Arthur O'Neill - bass
Al McKibbon - bass
Carlo Krahmer - drums
Ben Edwards - drums
Dave Fullerton - drums
Denzil Best - drums
Stephane Grappelli - violin
Beryl Davis - vocal

01 How Come You Do Me Like You Do
02 Stomp in F
03 Squeezin' the Blues
04 Dim Blues
05 Champagne
06 Riff Up Them Stairs
07 Five Flat Flurry
08 Don't You Know That I Care
09 Lullaby of Birdland

0138 Pat Dodd [Piano Magic] FLAC 12(29.49)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Pat Dodd (1909-1991), is another virtually unknown pianist. 
He played piano from the age of 6, accompanied silent movies at the age of 14 and then spent the next part of his musical career in many of the  Dance Bands of the 1930s in the London area where there was unlimited work for excellent sight readers such as Pat.  His first recordings were in 1930 with Percival Mackey and he later recorded with Freddy Gardner, Joe Daniels, Stephane Grappelli and Benny Carter in 1936.
He was the pianist with the Skyrockets (who recorded extensively) during the War  and continued with them afterwards in their long residency at the London Palladium starting in 1947 right through until 1955 when they disbanded.  He continued to work at the Palladium (he was the only Skyrockets band member to be retained) but was increasingly active in television and became a musical associate for ATV at Elstree Studios until retiring in 1975.
These trio recordings from the late 1950s, with Joe Muddel on bass and George Fierstone on drums, are all good tunes, nicely played but lacking that certain 'sparkle' to make them stand out.  The original source is unknown.
Jazz or just easy listening?

Pat Dodd - piano
Joe Muddel - bass
George Fierstone - drums

01 Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
02 The Very Thought of You
03 My Melancholy Baby
04 I Surrender Dear
05 As Time Goes By
06 Once in a While
07 Stars Fell on Alabama
08 Body and Soul
09 A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening
10 You Go to My Head
11 You are Too Beautiful
12 Someone to Watch Over Me

Label: Unknown
Recorded: c.1955
Lineage: Unknown

0137 Humphrey Lyttelton [Lightly and Politely] FLAC 4(14.10)

Contributed by Brufan

Humphrey Lyttelton - trumpet
Bruce Turner - alto
Johnny Parker - piano
Jim Bray - bass
Stan Greig - drums

01 Squeeze Me
02 Handful of Keys
03 Lightly and Politely
04 It's a Thing

Label: Parlophone GEP8580
Recorded: September 29 1955
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0136 Chris Barber [In Concert Volume Two] FLAC (44.26)

Contributed by Gonzo

Pat Halcox - trumpet
Chris Barber - trombone
Mony Sunshine - clarinet
Eddie Smith - banjo
Dick smith - bass
Graham Burbidge - drums
Ottilie Patterson - vocal

01 Bourbon Street Parade
02 Savoy Blues
03 Lonesome Road
04 Sheik Of Araby
05 Bill Bailey
06 You Took Advantage Of Me
07 Sweet Sue
08 Moonshine Man
09 You Rascal You

Label: Nixa NJL 15
Recorded: January 31 1958
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0135 Beryl Davis [Various] Var MP3 6(18.26)

Contributed by Chauncey

A small selection from recordings made in London to illustrate the early work of Beryl Davis.
The last track was also searched out separately and comes from a 78 so is quite scratchy.

George Shearing - piano
Django Reinhardt - guitar
Joseph Reinhardt - guitar
Eugene Vees - guitar
Joe Nussbaum - bass
Emmanuel Soudieus - bass
Dave Fullerton - drums
Stephane Grappelli - violin
Beryl Davis - vocals
Geraldo Orchestra

01 Undecided
02 Don't Worry 'Bout Me
03 Star Eyes
04 Heavenly Music
05 Every Night About This Time
06 Skylark

Label: Decca 180.024 and F8375
Recorded: August 25 1939 October 06 1943