0054 Various [Bop-In' Britain The Learning Curve Volume 1] FLAC 25(1.12.01)

Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
A wonderful compilation of very early British Modern Jazz from some very obscure labels such as Bosworth and Paxton with other tracks coming from Decca and Melodisc. All were originally on 78 rpm discs recorded between 1949 and 1951 and were transferred to cd for re-issue.
Someone on the blog asked previously about pianist Steve Race in a jazz setting. Well, here he is in two different groups recorded in 1949.
Some musicians featured on the disc are Jimmy Skidmore, Tommy Whittle,  Don Rendell, Johnny Dankworth, Ronnie Scott, Ralph Sharon, Ronnie Ball plus many others.
For discographical followers, Howard Lucraft (the nominal leader of the date) plays guitar on some of the Steve Race tracks. He emigrated to the USA (yes, yet another one) in 1950 and later found fame with the West Coast musicians and as a jazz writer for Metronome and Melody Maker.
A second volume will appear here later.

(01-04)
Freddy Gardner - tenor
Johnny Douglas - accordion
Howard Lucraft - guitar
Steve Race - piano
Mickey Rome - bass
Roy Cooper - drums
(05-08)
Leon Calvert - trumpet
Johnny Dankworth - alto
Steve Race - piano
Pete Chilver - guitar
Jack Fallon - bass
Norman Burns - drums
(09-13)
Reg Arnold - trumpet
Johnny Dankworth - alto
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Bernie Fenton - piano
Joe Muddel - bass
Laurie Morgan - drums
Alan Dean - vocal (13)
(14-17)
Jimmy Deuchar - trumpet
Eddie Harvey - trombone
Johnny Dankworth - alto
Don Rendell - tenor
Bill Le Sage - piano
Joe Muddel - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
(18-19)
Jimmy Skidmore - tenor
Victor Feldman - vibes
Ralph Sharon - piano
Pete Chilver - guitar
Jack Fallon - bass
Martin Aston - drums
(20-21)
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Ronnie Ball - piano
Frank Donnison - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
(22-25)
Bobby Pratt - trumpet
Roy Willox - alto
Tommy Whittle - tenor
George Hunter - baritone
Frank Horrox - piano
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Ronnie Verrall - drums

01 Rebop Rebels
02 Quintessence
03 Boppin' the Boogie
04 Baltimore Bop
05 Vertigo
06 Marzipan
07 Bugle Call Bop
08 Microcosmo
09 Gone with the Windmill (Take 1)
10 Gone with the Windmill (Take 2)
11 Barbados
12 Elevenses
13 Ool-Ya-Koo
14 Lightly Politely
15 Strike Up the Band
16 Marmaduke
17 Little Benny
18 Burman's Bauble
19 Boptical Illusion
20 All the Things You Are
21 Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
22 Wit's End
23 Portland Place
24 Sam's Say
25 Night and Day

Label: Various
Recorded: 1949-1951
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0018 Ralph Sharon [Autumn Leaves and Spring Fever] FLAC 12(30.23)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Pianist Ralph Sharon was in right at the start of British bebop back in 1947 and played with all the usual suspects in the London clubs. He recorded with his own group as early as 1949 and continued to do so up to 1953 when he emigrated to the USA.  Other UK pianists were to follow him, Victor Feldman, Derek Smith, Ronnie Ball, Dill Jones, Eddie Thompson (although he did return). George Shearing  had gone in 1949 and Marian McPartland in 1948.
These were his last recordings in December 1952 and March 1953 before he left the UK and it was an interesting early 'themed' lp with songs about Autumn and Spring as the title suggests.
The trio is augmented on the 1953 tracks by guitarist Bert Weedon - a rare jazz excursion for him although he did play  on a Melody Makers All Stars date in 1955, which we shall see later.
Sharon played with all the greats later in the USA and had a very successful career (he still plays). He is probably best known later for his long association with singer Tony Bennett and was the accompanist of choice for many other singers.
Worth seeking out are the 5 trio cds (the music of Porter, Gershwin, Rodgers, Berlin and Kern) he made with Lenny Bush and Jack Parnell  for the obscure UK label Horatio Nelson whilst he was visiting the UK in the early 1990s.
Ripped in FLAC from lp with front and back cover scans and additional recording detail.

(01-03)
Ralph Sharon - piano
Joe Muddel - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
(04 08 12)
Ralph Sharon - piano
Jack Fallon - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
(05-07 09-11)
Ralph Sharon - piano
Bert Weedon - guitar
Jack Fallon - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums

01 One Morning In May (Carmichael) (2:37)
02 It Might As Well Be Spring (Rodgers, Hammerstein) (2:18)
03 Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (Loesser, Revel, Gordon) (2:18)
04 A Garden In The Rain (Gibbons, Dyrenforth) (2:38)
05 September In The Rain (Dubin, Warren) (1:58)
06 Falling Leaves (2:21)
07 Autumn Mist (Sharon) (3:14)
08 Spring Secret (Sharon) (3:27)
09 Early Autumn (Mercer, Burns, Herman) (3:08)
10 Indian Summer (Dubin, Herbert) (2:43)
11 Shine On Harvest Moon (Norworth, Bayes) (1:31)
12 March Winds And April Showers (Powell) (2:10)

Label: London LL 1339
Recorded: December 02  (01-03) 09 (04 08 12) 1952 March 05 1953 (05-07 09-11)
Lineage: LP>FLAC