Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Esquire claimed that this music broke new ground and it certainly provides some interesting variations on 'time'. There is even a little of what sounds like free blowing in places by Kenny Graham.
Dizzy Reece has a very minor role here playing conga drums and Phil Seamen, who seems to appear on most of BritJazz posts, not only plays drums but vibes too and that must be a first.
Not wholly successful - S.O.S. is tedious and repetitive but Esquire must be congratulated for recording this session back in 1955 which would perhaps not have had the same commercial appeal as other recordings by this label. Is this maybe why it has never been re-issued in any format?
Kenny Graham - tenor
Victor Feldman - vibes, piano, drums, conga
Phil Seamen - vibes, drums, timbales
Ray Dempsey - guitar
Eric Peter - bass
Dizzy Reece - conga
Barry Morgan - marracas, timbales
01 Mogambo (Graham) (5:00)
02 Keep Happy (Squire) (6:03)
03 Algo Bueno (Gillespie) (5:32)
04 S.O.S. (Graham) (4:57)
Label: Esquire 10" lp - 20-064
Recorded: May 08 1955
Lineage: LP>FLAC
Thanks BB & BJ ... Baron
ReplyDeleteEarly Feldman always appreciated...thanks bluebird.
ReplyDeletemany thanks bluebird
ReplyDeletesunbop
Thanks very much for this. Very interesting - always good to hear how musicians from that time loved to push the boundaries.
ReplyDeletePhil Seamen on vibes? That's a must!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks.
I know this is not directly linked to this recording, but this request IS directly linked to the artist Kenny Graham.
ReplyDeleteWay 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...
https://cjoint.net/?rodkpcuebt
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