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

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

0151 Johnny Grant [Introducing Johnny Grant] FLAC 4(10.35)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Vocalist Johnny Grant sang with the Ronnie Scott Band in 1953, later with Tony Crombie's Big Band and The Kirchin Band (previously featured on this blog). And then he seemed to disappear. I can find no trace of him in later years.
The arrangements here are by pianist Norman Stenfalt but the sleeve notes are coy about who else played on the date. The Tubby Hayes discography suggests that the musicians are Tubby Hayes, Derek Humble, Jimmy Deuchar, Ken Wray, Stan Tracey, Lennie Bush and Tony Crombie but this has not been confirmed.
I suppose that Grant sang in the style of the day with a wide vibrato but this sound now seems dated. It's pleasant enough but I guess that this not often seen ep from the late 1950s (1957/1958?) is a bit of a collector's item rather than being music of any significance. There are no band solos. 
Does anyone know what happened to Johnny Grant?

Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Ken Wray - trombone
Derek Humble - alto
Tubby Hayes - tenor
Stan Tracey - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums

01 You'd Better Know It
02 Darn That Dream
03 Zing Went the Strings of My Heart
04 Then I'll Be Tired Of You

Label: Saga ESAG 7004
Recorded: 1957/1958?
Lineage: EP>FLAC
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19 comments:

  1. Jazzjet30 March 2011 at 21:10

    Johnny Grant's a new name to me. He certainly attracted a great line-up on this one. Many thanks.

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  2. Anonymous30 March 2011 at 21:42

    Looks like Johnny died in 1970. Unsure to post info page or not.

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  3. Anonymous31 March 2011 at 08:54

    Looks as if Johnny died in 1970. I followed a link from his Myspace page, probably created by his son Marcus Ballard.

    http://www.takethepebble.co.uk/TTWeb2010/Main/page28.html

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  4. BritJazz31 March 2011 at 09:19

    Thanks for the pointer, jazzuk. I couldn't get the link to work but maybe others can. Interesting background.

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  5. Anonymous31 March 2011 at 09:58

    Here's the text from the web page

    http://textsnip.com/4b0324

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  6. BritJazz31 March 2011 at 11:41

    jazzuk - yes, thanks. I got that far but the link to "Johnny Grant" on that page no longer current. Sorry - didn't explain fully. I see it now, where it says he died in 1970. A wealth of background to be sure.

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  7. Anonymous31 March 2011 at 13:05

    ...btw there's an interesting photograph on the Myspace page taken at Johnny's wedding with Tubby Hayes, Annie Ross etc.

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  8. bluebird1 April 2011 at 13:16

    @jazzuk - Thanks for that information re Johnny Grant - found his myspace site but not the link to his son which you have now provided.
    Must have been quite young if he died in 1970.

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  9. Anonymous1 April 2011 at 14:52

    Perhaps his son may volunteer some more info.

    This can be handy...add /view/flipcard to a blog name, i.e.

    http://britjazz.blogspot.com/view/flipcard

    Natty!

    You may have to allow scripting or whatever.

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  10. BritJazz2 April 2011 at 19:19

    @jazzuk - very neat - thanks. No problem using here. Will be handy.

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  11. simon spillett9 April 2011 at 09:58

    These tracks will shortly be released on a new Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes;London Pride - which collates some of the rarer Hayes appearances from the late 1950's (half never on CD before). The personnel of these tracks was mooted some time ago in the Tubby Hayes discography, but definitely does not include Tracey and Deuchar. The vibes playing is by Tubby and the searing dance band trumpet is most likely the work of Jimmy Watson.

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  12. BritJazz9 April 2011 at 15:34

    Looks like the personnel is a work in progress then. Amended in accordance with your info, Simon - thanks.

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  13. Animated27 April 2011 at 21:25

    Very interesting to read your discussions, though we agree that it seems very difficult to pin down the actual personnel. Although Simon says the line-up does not include Stan Tracey, we can point you to http://www.howardm.net/stantracey/disc1.php which contradicts this. As you say, the sleeve notes of the EP “...a rhythm section that has not played together since it backed Johnny in the Ronnie Scott Band five years ago” suggest that Norman Stanfelt may have played - as he was on piano when Johnny sang with Ronnie Scott - but given that Stan Tracey was also able to date the EP, it would seem unlikely that he should mistakenly claim to be part of the recording.

    We await further clarification, and would also be interested in views on some recent footage that appears to show Tony Crombie and his Rockets from the 1957 film ‘Rock You Sinners’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwkxsYXB-uk Brighton Rock
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWnz4SGpG3w&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL Let’s You and I Rock.
    We actually wondered if Johnny is the main singer here, and hope someone will help clarify this. We are really keen to find out more about Johnny’s undocumented career, and don’t know Johnny’s discography after ‘Introducing Johnny Grant’, except for this listing at http://vzone.virgin.net/davidh.taylor/bigbands.htm The Harry South Big Band - May 6th, 1964 (BBC "Jazz Club" Broadcast introduced by Humphrey Lyttelton)
    Ian Hamer, Greg Bowen, Les Condon (tp), Jimmie Deuchar (tp,mell), Bobby Lamb, Keith Christie, Johnny Marshall (tb), Ken Wray (vtb), Alan Branscombe (as), Roy Willox (as), Ronnie Scott (ts), Dick Morrissey (ts), Joe Temperley (bs), Tubby Hayes (ts,fl), Terry Shannon (p), Phil Bates (b), Bill Eyden (d), Johnny Grant (vocal*), Harry South (arr/cond).
    Sound Of Seventeen/Day In, Day Out*/Alone Together/Raga/Willow Weep for Me*/Save Your Love For Me/The Goblin/Time Will Tell*/Closing Time.

    Other puzzles include Johnny’s recording of ‘All of Me’ (included on Decca’s 2008 collection of British Rock and Roll 1957 -63) http://pintandomusica.blogspot.com/2011/03/british-rocknroll.html for which we can find no documentation. It would be great if someone could help identify the band!

    Here is a link to Johnny’s wedding picture, which includes a couple of family members behind the bride. http://www.myspace.com/johnnygrantuk/photos/2000538 Other guests we think include Tubby and Lennie Breslow, but we’d welcome help with the ID.

    Thanks

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  14. BritJazz2 May 2011 at 22:17

    @ Animated Rock.

    Can you post an email address so that we can get back to you and share some information re JG.

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  15. grumpy24 May 2011 at 12:56

    The mystery continues.

    I'm looking forward to the new Jasmine CD, with some hopefully, unknown Tubbs!

    I also beg to differ with BJ's assessment of Grant. OK, it's not jazz but I find his singing very appealing, as good as a lot of contemporary US singers, and I'd love to hear more from him.

    Many thanks bluebird.

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  16. jeronimo10 June 2011 at 11:50

    Thanks a lot for this rarity...
    Perhaps I have some of his sides with Dankworth, is that possible?!?

    j.

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  17. Simon Morley10 June 2011 at 13:48

    thanks, Grump

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  18. BritJazz11 June 2011 at 13:48

    jeronimo - don't know anything about sides with Dankworth I'm afraid. Tell us more if you can please.

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  19. Rodney10 June 2015 at 20:02

    https://cjoint.net/?acvmabmky8

    ReplyDelete

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