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

Friday, December 17, 2010

0123 Pat Hawes [Doug Dobell Presents Pat Hawes And His Band] FLAC 7(27.08)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
This is the Pat Hawes Band from 1957 and I must confess that I'd never heard of any of the musicians here except Pat. He recorded little as a leader but recorded prolifically with the likes of Humphrey Lyttleton, The Crane River Jazz band, the Christie Brothers and Cy Laurie.
He was, for many years a contributor to, and reviewer for,  'Jazz Journal' during the 1990s whilst continuing to play piano with a number of Dixieland style groups. He was a great champion for the American pianist Jessica Williams and was responsible, through his support and record reviews, for her recognition in the UK.
On these sides however Pat plays in a more mainstream style.
This one's for grumpy.
FLAC with cover scan and track/personnel details.  A better cover picture would be appreciated.

Ken Reece - trumpet
Pete Webb - trombone
Harry Salisbury - tenor, clarinet
Pat Hawes - piano
Brian Parker - bass
Tony Ward - drums

01 Wabash Blues
02 Bluesbeck
03 Happy and Satisfied
04 Taps Miller
05 A Smooth One
06 Lullaby of the Leaves
07 Blues for Midgets

Label: "77" Records LP 6
Recorded: July 24 1957

Monday, December 13, 2010

0122 Vic Ash [Clarinet Virtuoso] FLAC 4(12.45)














Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
Another rare chance to hear Vic Ash as leader with these 1955 quartet recordings. Eddie Thompson is the pianist again.

(01 02)
Vic Ash - clarinet
Eddie Thompson - piano
Barry Hamilton - bass
Allan Ganley - drums
(03 04)
Vic Ash - clarinet
Eddie Thompson - piano
Bill Sutcliffe - bass
Benny Goodman - drums

01 Good Bait
02 Dream A Little Dream Of Me
03 I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
04 Love Me Or Leave Me

Label: Columbia SEG 734
Recorded: January 03 (01 02) October 20 (03 04) 1955
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Friday, December 10, 2010

0121 Chris Barber [Chris Barber in Concert] FLAC 11(41.27)

















Contributed by gonzo

Pat Halcox - trumpet
Chris Barber - trombone
Monty Sunshine - clarinet
Eddie Smith - banjo
Dick Smith - bass
Ron Bowden - drums

01 Bourbon Street Parade
02 New Blues
03 Willy the Weeper
04 Mean Mistreater
05 Yama Yama Man
06 Old Man Mose
07 Mood Indigo
08 Bearcat Crawl
09 Lowland Blues
10 Panama
11 Finale: Bourbon Street Parade
           When the Saints Go Marching In

Label: Nixa NJL 6
Recorded: December 15 1956 at the Royal Festival Hall London
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Monday, December 06, 2010

0120 Ted Heath [Our Kind Of Jazz] FLAC 9(32.55)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writers:-
Ted Heath ran a fine big band for many years and had enormous success both in the UK,  the USA and Europe - but he never claimed to have a jazz band or that he played jazz.
He played to suit the public taste of the day and if they wanted novelty numbers, attractive singers and danceable music with the odd jazz solo thrown in , then Heath played it. It was purely a commercial outfit.
He did employ many of the up and coming jazzmen in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. It was a good training ground, paid well and they travelled in style. There was plenty of regular work but they didn't stay too long.
This is one of the very few albums he made which could be classed as jazz and it was recognized as such amongst the jazz fraternity. Ronnie Scott, Don Rendell and Tommy Whittle, who had all played with the band at some time, rejoined the regular Heath band here as guests on one track together with Ronnie Ross who appears on another track. Other former players appear as guests throughout the lp and on one track there are as many as 8 in the trumpet section.
A fine swinging album from 1957/1958.

Ted Heath - leader
Bobby Pratt - trumpet
Bert Ezzard - trumpet
Duncan Campbell - trumpet
Eddie Blair - trumpet
Don Lusher - trombone
Wally Smith - trombone
Jimmy Coombes - trombone
Keith Christie - trombone  
Ronnie Chamberlain - soprano, alto
Les Gilbert - alto 
Henry MacKenzie - tenor, clarinet
Red Price - tenor
Ken Kiddier - baritone, bass clarinet
Stan Tracey - vibes, piano
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Ronnie Verrell - drums

01 Four Fours
02 I'll Remember April
03 Sometimes I'm Happy
04 Ringside Suite
    Weighing In
    Seconds Out
    Lady Admirer
    Below The Belt
    Fighting Finish
05 Stompin' At The Savoy
06 Waterloo Bridge
07 Just You Just Me
08 Out Of Nowhere
09 Taboo

Label: Decca LK 4262
Recorded: November 1957-February 1958
Lineage: LP>FLAC

Friday, December 03, 2010

0119 Tommy Whittle [A Touch of Latin] FLAC 4(13.55)

















Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
A scarce ep , and the only issue, on the short lived Saga label. Tommy with his Quintet including Harry Klein.
Note that the tracks do not play in the order as the sleeve indicates. They are reversed on each side.

Tommy Whittle - tenor
Harry Klein - baritone
Eddie Thompson - piano
Ken Sprang - bass
Jackie Dougan - drums

01 Dearly Beloved
02 You Stepped Out of a Dream
03 Broadway
04 Poinciana

Label: Saga ep ESAG 7008
Recorded: July 17 1958 London
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

0118 The Christie Brothers [Together Again] FLAC 4(13.22)

















Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
The re-formed Stompers five years after they disbanded at the end of 1953.
Keith joined the 'modernists' after the Stompers broke up and played with all the greats in the UK but here he is back to his roots with his brother Ian.
John Lewis' composition, 'The Golden Striker', is an interesting choice although I believe that Chris Barber also recorded it.

Dickie Hawdon - trumpet
Keith Christie - trombone
Ian Christie - clarinet
Ronnie Duff - piano
Nevil Shrimshire - guitar
Alan Duddington - bass
Pete Appleby - drums

01 The Golden Striker
02 One Hour
03 The Glory of Love
04 Five Years Later

Label: Parlophone ep GEP 8719
Recorded: August 18 1958
Lineage: EP>FLAC

Monday, November 29, 2010

0117 Tubby Hayes [The Jazz Couriers] FLAC 3(12.27)

















Contributed by Azule Serape, who writes:-
One of the most successful, but short lived, groups in the history of British Modern Jazz featuring two giants of the tenor sax playing in 1957. No further comment is required.
Nice sleeve picture too.

Tubby Hayes - tenor
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Terry Shannon - piano
Phil Bates - bass
Billy Eyden - drums

01 The Theme
02 Oh My! (Ganley)
03 A Foggy Day (Gershwin)

Label: Tempo ep EXA 75
Recorded: August 15 1957
Lineage: EP>FLAC