0250 Tony Crombie [Whole Lotta Tony] FLAC 12(34.28)

Contributed by azule serape, who writes:-
This was originally recorded for the Ember Mood Music Library as 'Jazz Themes', with all the tunes written and arranged by Tony Crombie, and that might explain the brevity of the tracks and the somewhat perfunctory themes. Some sound like they might have been lifted from a TV thriller background soundtrack and Tony did, in fact, compose music for many films and TV shows. He was a man of many talents which embraced a very wide range of music including a very short-lived, but financially successful, Rock and Roll Band (the Rockets).
Having said that, the musicians employed here were all first rate jazz musicians and there are some good solos here from the likes of Tommy Whittle, Bobby Wellins and, making his first appearance on BritJazz, Harold McNair, a contemporary of Joe Harriott and Wilton Gaynair.
Not an essential piece of British Jazz history but worth a listen for the McNair solos alone.
The lp was recently re-issued on cd but the music here, with a far superior sound, was ripped from the lp in FLAC with cover scans.

Harold McNair - alto, flute
Tommy Whittle - tenor, bass clarinet
Bobby Wellins - tenor
Gordon Beck - piano, harpsichord
Malcolm Cecil - bass
Tony Crombie - drums

01 Gut Bucket (Crombie) (3:18)
02 Keep It Light (Crombie) (2:18)
03 Look for the Real Thing (Crombie) (3:29)
04 Flute Salad (Crombie) (3:18)
05 Brazilia (Crombie) (2:27)
06 Stop That Man (Crombie) (1:22)
07 Round the 'Ouses (Crombie) (2:04)
08 Penthouse Party (Crombie) (3:13)
09 The Gang Busters (Crombie) (3:27)
10 Yodellin' (Crombie) (3:00)
11 Just Like Old Times (Crombie) (3:14)
12 Journey's End (Crombie) (3:18)

Label: Ember EMB 3336
Recorded: August 1961
Lineage: LP>FLAC

0249 Jack Parnell [Selection] FLAC 8(23.57)

Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
A selection of Jack Parnell Quartet tracks from 1946-1950 originally issued on this 10" lp.
Jack was at the forefront of British Modern Jazz in the early days and employed some of the best young modernists. Tommy Whittle, Ronnie Scott, Norman Stenfalt are amongst those heard here together with guitarist Dave Goldberg.
Dave was one of the best young modern guitarists in the late 1940s but earned a living buried away in the big bands, including Ted Heath, for many years and seldom had the opportunity to solo extensively. He never recorded under his own name either which is a great shame but there some BBC broadcasts around where he is featured with his own quartet. He died in 1969 aged 47.
He does get some solo outings of these tracks though.

Bobby Pratt - trumpet
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Ronnie Scott - tenor
Reg Owen - clarinet
Frank Horrox - piano
Norman Stenfalt - piano
Dave Goldberg - guitar
Sammy Stokes - bass
Charlie Short - bass
Jack Fallon - bass
Jack Parnell - drums, vocals

01 Quickie
02 Jukebox Jumba
03 Old Man Rebop (Wilson)
04 Sweet Lorraine (Burwell, Parish)
05 Scrubber Time
06 On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Mchugh)
07 On The Alamo (Kahn, Jones)
08 I'll Never Be The Same (Signorelli)

Label: Decca LF 1065
Recorded: July 29 December 30 1946 April 21 1947 February 2 1950
Lineage: CDs>FLAC

0248 Victor Feldman [Encore] FLAC 3(14.47)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
Getting towards the end of these Esquire eps now and this one features Victor with his trio and quartet from July 1955. Sound is the best we can do from a battered ep but, as usual, worthwhile because of the lack of re-issues in any format. It's the only way you'll get to hear it.
Victor was particularly busy in the recording studios during 1955 and by the end of the year he had emigrated to the USA although he did return to the UK from time to time to play and record.
FLAC from ep with cover scans.

Victor Feldman - vibes
Tony Crombie - piano
Tommy Pollard - piano
Lennie Bush - bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Taking A Chance On Love (Duke, Latouche, Fetter) (3:53)
02 The Man I Love (Gershwin) (4:05)
03 Diggin' For Diz (Handy) (6:49)

Label: Esquire 114
Recorded: July 11 1955
Lineage: EP>FLAC

0247 Malcolm Lockyer [Sweet and Hot] FLAC 13(38.54)

Contributed by delmonico, who comments:-
Recorded sometime during the 1950s this has the Octet playing a selection of mainstream standards recorded for this obscure label.
The musicians concerned (basically session men) were mainly connected with the dance bands of the day but it is all well played and there are some good solo moments in places.
Neither the label nor the sleeve indicates that there is an extra track on side 1.  Track 5 is 'East Of The Sun' (not mentioned anywhere) whilst track 6 is 'When Lights Are Low'.
FLAC with lp cover scans.

Tommy McQuater - trumpet
Jock Bain - trombone
Al Baum - alto, baritone, clarinet
Keith Bird - tenor, clarinet
Freddy Ballerini - tenor, clarinet
Malcolm Lockyer - piano
Jack Llewelwyn - guitar
Joe Muddel - bass
Jock Cummings - drums

01 C Jam Blues (Bigard, Ellington) (3:11)
02 I Fall in Love Too Easily (Styne) (2:30)
03 Swinging the Blues (Basie) (2:17)
04 There's a Lull in My Life (Gordon) (3:41)
05 East of the Sun (Bowman) (2:48)
06 When Lights are Low (Carter, Williams) (3:01)
07 I Hadn't Anyone Till You (Noble) (3:48)
08 Lying in the Hay (Mireille) (2:45)
09 Sand in My Shoes (Loesser, Schertzinger) (3:46)
10 Soft Winds (Goodman, Henderson) (2:24)
11 Who's Sorry Now (Kalmar, Ruby, Snyder) (2:48)
12 Sweet and Hot (Arlen, Yellen) (2:31)
13 A Sunday Kind of Love (Leonard, Belle, Prima, Rhodes) (3:23)

Label: Delyse Envoy lp VOY 9136
Recorded: 1950's

0246 Elaine Delmar [First Recordings 1959] FLAC 4(09.14)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
These are 20 year old Elaine Delmar's first commercial recordings dating from 1959, backed by the Leon Young Orchestra and taken from a couple of Decca singles.
Elaine had been singing and playing piano since she was 14 (she is the daughter of the late trumpeter/vocalist, Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson) and by the time of these recordings she was a very mature sounding vocalist. Whilst not strictly in the jazz vein, these are very assured and enjoyable early recordings from a future star.
FLAC from 2 x 45 rpm singles with track details and a 'cover picture'.

Elaine Delmar - vocals
The Leon Young Orchestra

01 I Loves You Porgy (Gershwin, Gershwin) (2:21)
02 Porgy (Gershwin, Gershwin) (2:40)
03 That Old Feeling (Brown, Fain) (1:53)
04 I Must Have That Man (Fields, McHugh) (2:20)

Label: Decca H-227 and H-241
Recorded: 1959
Lineage: EPs>FLAC

0245 Johnny Keating [The Johnny Keating All Stars] FLAC 12(36.16)

Contributed by azule serape, who writes:-
This was originally recorded for the US label Bally by Jack Kluger who wanted to showcase the best of European jazz for the American market.The first 5 lps for the label issued in the States during 1956/57 were 'Swedish Jazz', 'French Jazz', Swiss Jazz', 'Belgian Jazz' and this one which was called 'English Jazz'. It later appeared in the UK on the Oriole label and was then re-issued on this OOP cd by Harkitt.The tunes, which were recorded in 1956 and are all original compositions, are quite short but they feature some of the best of the British modernists at that time.
FLAC from OOP cd with booklet scans

Johnny Keating - conductor
Eddie Blair - trumpet
Bobby Pratt - trumpet
George Chisholm - trombone
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Don Lusher - trombone
Keith Christie - trombone
Jimmy Wilson - trombone
Ian Powell - tuba
Ronnie Chamberlain - alto
Don Rendell - tenor
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Bob Efford - tenor
Ronnie Ross - baritone
Jimmy Faulds - flute, oboe
Henry Mackenzie - clarinet
Ien Sanders - cor anglais
Danny Moss - bass clarinet
Bill Le Sage - vibes, piano
Damian Robinson - piano
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Ronnie Verrell - drums
Dizzy Reece [12] - bongos

01 Strictly For Kyx (Johnny Keating) (2:50)
02 Fair Diana (Harry Roberts) (2:38)
03 Quads Talk (Harry Roberts) (3:18)
04 Impromptu (Johnny Hawksworth) (2:55)
05 Ultraviolet (Johnny Keating) (2:23)
06 Gibraltar Rocks (Johnny Keating) (2:57)
07 Good Life (Bill Le Sage) (2:50)
08 Snowface (Bill Le Sage) (2:33)
09 Last Resort (Bill Le Sage) (2:30)
10 Lazy (Bill Le Sage) (3:50)
11 Eddie Blair's Picnic (Eddie Blair) (3:32)
12 Piccadilly Jumps (Ivor Mairants) (2:39)

Labels: Bally 12001 (USA) and Oriole f10708, 10709, EP7013, MG 20011
Harkit HRKCD 8105
British Jazz The Johnny Keating All Stars,
English Jazz Johnny Keating And All Stars and
Spotlight on European Jazz Vol 1 British.
Recorded: March 19 20 1956 London
Lineage: CD>FLAC

0244 Tommy Whittle Keith Christie [Lullaby & Rhythm] FLAC 4(20.49)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
Sadly, most of the material on the original Esquire label issued in the 1950s usually only appears now on well worn and badly treated lps and eps and it is difficult, if not impossible, to restore them to anything like their original sound.
But I'm delighted to say that this is an exception and the sound is as close to the original as one could hope for. It is ripped from my CDR which, in turn, was ripped from a very good copy of the original 4 track 10" lp (but not by me). It required little work to be done - just some very light click removal in places and tidying up between tracks. There is a tiny drop out/fade at around 1m 18s on track 1 which was on the CDR
The music is first class and a rare opportunity to hear Keith Christie at length in a modern setting with his co-leader, Tommy Whittle. A fine rhythm section with Derek Smith on piano adds to the pleasure and it doesn't get any better than this. Listen out for the 'Peanut Vendor' riff played by Christie in the out chorus of 'Broadway'.
FLAC from CDR/LP with track details and very small and not very good sleeve pictures - any improvements on these anyone?

Keith Christie - trombone, valve trombone
Tommy Whittle - tenor
Derek Smith - piano
Arthur Watts - bass
Eddie Taylor - drums

01 Lullaby In Rhythm (Goodman, Hirsch, Profit, Sampson) (5:16)
02 Lullaby Of The Leaves (Petkere, Young) (4:58)
03 Lullaby Of Birdland (Shearing) (6:06)
04 Lullaby Of Broadway (Dubin, Warren) (4:29)

Label: Esquire 20-068
Recorded: July 06 1956
Lineage: LP>CDR>FLAC