0182 Don Rendell [Playtime] FLAC 10(43.38)

Contributed by delmonico

The leader did most of the writing for this group but there is plenty of material by the sidemen too, both compositions and arrangements. The group cohesion is exceptional in the ensemble passages and the soloing is of a high standard throughout. BJ
"This is the best record by the best of Don Rendell's bands. Unfortunately the group is no longer in existence and its absence from the local round of club dates has been regrettable in the extreme. If it is possible to produce an identifiably British style of jazz which is at once fresh, inventive, swinging and tasteful, then the music heard here is perhaps the best answer to the problem. Never vulgar or insincere, it is nevertheless virile and ideally suited to the performers. An important factor is that the arrangements were written by members of the band, each man being familiar with the capabilities and temperaments of his fellows. Bert Courtley's Packet Of Blues is a case in point, with the group providing an ideal setting for Bert's Clark Terry-like trumpet. (A beautifully played accelerando passage by the full ensemble is a particularly noteworthy part of the arrangement.) Don is his usual consistent self, his control exemplary and his use of dynamics always intelligently interpolated. Ronnie Ross plays excellent baritone on most of the tracks, but he takes a good alto solo on This Can't Be Love. Eddie Harvey performs on valve trombone and piano with equal facility. Bass player Pete Blannin and drummer Andy White (the most suitable drummer to have played with Rendell since the departure of Don Lawson) complete the personnel. The informative sleeve notes are by the leader."
Gramophone October 1958

Bert Courtley - trumpet
Eddie Harvey - valve trombone (01-04 06-10), piano (01-08)
Ronnie Ross - alto (04 08 09), baritone (01-03 05-07 09 10)
Don Rendell - tenor
Pete Blannin - bass
Andy White - drums

01 Hit The Road To Dreamland (Arlen, Mercer) (4:44)
02 Packet Of Blues (Courtley) (5:38)
03 My Friend Tom (Rendell) (4:12)
04 It's Playtime (Rendell) (3:51)
05 Tickle Toe (Young) (3:11)
06 The Lady Is A Tramp (Rodgers, Hart) (5:11)
07 Dolly Mixture (Ross) (4:24)
08 This Can't Be Love (Rodgers, Hart) (3:40)
09 By-Pass (Harvey) (4:06)
10 Johnny Come Lately (Strayhorn) (3:49)

Label: Decca LK4265 DFE6501 Vocalion 4284
Recorded: March 13 (01-04 06-08 10) 14 (05 09) 1958
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0181 Ronnie Scott [Orchestra Esquire EP 81] FLAC 4(11.00)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
This is last recording session of the Ronnie Scott nine piece Orchestra from April 1955.
By this time, Ronnie was moving away from his Lester Young sound and sounds very 'modern' here. A great band with few recordings and a nice version of John Lewis' 'Sil Vous Plait' which seems to be the only other recording of this tune since Lewis wrote and played it in the Miles Davis Nonet back in 1949.
Phil Seamen, who seemed to be on everyone's recordings in the 1950s, drives the band along with his usual verve.

Hank Shaw - trumpet
Ken Wray - trombone
Derek Humble - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Pete King - tenor
Benny Green - baritone
Victor Feldman - vibes, piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 S'il Vous Plait
02 Pearl
03 This Heart of Mine
04 Jordu

Label: Esquire EP 81
Recorded: April 13 1955
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0180 Ottilie Patterson [With Chris Barber's Jazzband 1955-1958] FLAC 18(1.02.26)

Contributed by Piers. We are posting this album here as a tribute to Ottilie Patterson who sadly passed away recently. A visitor reminded us that her passing had not been marked at this blog. The item has been posted on another blog and Piers has kindly given persmission for it to be duplicated here.

Pat Halcox - cornet
Chris Barber - trombone 
Monty Sunshine - clarinet
Johnny Duncan - guitar
Lonnie Donegan - banjo
Dick Bishop - banjo
Eddie Smith - banjo
Jim Bray - bass 
Micky Ashman - bass
Dick Smith - bass  
Graham Burbridge - drums
Ron Bowden - drums
Ottilie Patterson - vocal

01 Poor Man's Blues
02 Make Me a Pallet on the Floor
03 Trouble in Mind
04 Careless Love
05 I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate
06 Ugly Child
07 I Can't Give You Anything But Love
08 New St Louis Blues
09 Beale St Blues
10 'Taint No Sin
11 Jailhouse Blues
12 Shipwreck Blues
13 Lowland Blues
14 I Love My Baby
15 Kay Cee Rider
16 Just a Closer Walk with Thee
17 Trombone Cholly
18 Lawdy Lawdy Blues

Label: Lake LACD30
Recorded: 1955-1958
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0179 Joe Harriott [Joe Harriott With Strings] FLAC 2(9.00)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
A two track ep featuring Joe's Quartet with strings from 1955. This seems to have been the badge of respectability back then - if you played with strings then you were a legitimate musician
The only person who pulled it off that I can recall was Stan Getz and Eddie Sauter with 'Focus'. Everybody else played nicely, stuck to the melody and nothing too exciting happened.
Joe is no exception here - but Joe could play anything with anybody and still sound good."
FLAC with cover picture, track details and pdf file.

Joe Harriott - alto
Max Harris - piano
Maria Korchinsky - harp
Sammy Stokes - bass
Phil Seamen - drums
Dave McCullum - violin
Sid Camine - violin
David Katz - violin
Louis Rosin - viola
Fred Alexander - cello

01 I'll Remember April (3:53)
02 Easy to Love (5:07)

Label: JTE 106 (ep)
Recorded: May 27 1955
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0178 Ted Heath [Ted Heath's 100th London Palladium Sunday Concert] FLAC 11(32.34)

Contributed by Brufan

Ted Heath - leader
Bobby Pratt - trumpet
Duncan Campbell - trumpet
Stan Reynolds - trumpet
Ronnie Hughes - trumpet
Don Lusher - trombone
Jimmy Coombes - trombone
Ric Kennedy - trombone
Roy Willox - alto
Les Gilbert - alto
Danny Moss - tenor
Henry MacKenzie - tenor, clarinet
George Hunter - baritone
Frank Horrox - piano
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Ronnie Verrell - drums

01 Lush Slide (2:15)
02 Birth Of The Blues (2:27)
03 Fascinating Rhythm (2:20)
04 Our Waltz (2:53)
05 Theme From Moulin Rouge (1:25)
06 Viva Verrell ((3:32)
07 Henry Ix (2:07)
08 Mood Indigo (2:53)
09 Sheik Of Araby (2:09)
10 Holiday For Strings (1:42)
11 How High The Moon (8:22)

Label: London LL1000
Recorded: February 14 1954
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0177 Alan Clare [The Improvisations of Alan Clare] FLAC 4(14.09)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
What a lovely tone Alan Clare has. Here he is in a trio setting on one of the very few recordings made under his own name.
The ep is not in the best of shape and whilst the sound has been restored to some extent there are background pops etc. remaining.
Any further restoration would distort the original sound.
FLAC with cover scans and pdf file by Doc Sausage.

Alan Clare - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Tony Crombie - drums

01 Duke's Joke
02 Autumn In New York
03 Love For Sale
04 Things Ain't What They Used to Be

Label: Decca ep DFE 6368
Recorded: August 23 1956
Lineage: EP>FLAC