0589 Ted Heath [In Concert Beaulieu Jazz Festival] FLAC 12(42.44)

Contributed by delmonico, who writes:-
In spite of the misleading title, this is not a live recording and the connection is that  part of side 2 of the original lp consisted of a suite of music, Beaulieu Festival Suite, which was written specially by Kenny Graham for Heath to play at that Jazz Festival in 1959.
These are later studio recordings of the Suite and the other titles here were said to be the most requested when the band played live dates but it is a well chosen and well played programme of good swinging songs
The Band personnel shown is not definitive but 'probable' based on the musicians usually in that Band in that period.
Stan Tracey was still the pianist in the band and can be heard soloing both on piano and vibes (an instrument he hated playing).
FLAC from re-ssue cd with the lp cover picture and track/personnel details.

Ted Heath - director
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, clarinet
Les Gilbert - alto
Henry Mackenzie - tenor, clarinet
Red Price - tenor
Ken Kiddier - baritone
Stan Tracey - vibes, piano
Ike Isaacs - guitar
Johnny Hawksworth - bass
Ronnie Verrell - drums

01 The Wailing Boat
02 Bags' Groove
03 Doodlin'
04 Exactly Like You
05 Baby Blue
06 Perdido
07 Woody 'n' You
08 'round Midnight
Beaulieu Festival Suite
09 Hunting Scene
10 Vintage Veterans
11 Beaulieiu Abbey
12 Montagu Manor

Label: Decca SKL 4079
Recorded: 1959 London
Lineage: CD>FLAC
Scans: Front inside and details

0588 Ted Heath [Fats Waller Album] FLAC48 13(29.44)

Contributed by Dave_Bruce, who writes:-
Another charity-shop find which, despite the disc being thicker than a dinner plate and the sleeve thinner than a baker's bun bag, offers very fair sound and excellent playing of that like-it-or-loathe-it 1950s Ted Heath Sound. (I like it.) There are certainly some distinguished names in the band.

01 - Honeysuckle Rose (2:14)
02 - Ain't Misbehavin' (2:33)
03 - Blue turning grey over you (2:07)
04 - Jitterbug Waltz (2:30)
05 - I've got a feeling I'm falling (2:15)
06 - Alligator Crawl (2:20)
07 - The London Suite - Soho (2:41)
08 - The London Suite - Limehouse (2:36)
09 - The London Suite - Piccadilly (2:01)
10 - The London Suite - Chelsea (2:46)
11 - The London Suite - Bond Street (3:01)
13 - The London Suite - Whitechapel (2:35)

Leslie Gilbert, Roy Willox, Henry Mackenzie, Danny Moss, George Hunter, saxes; Bobby Pratt, Duncan Campbell, Stan Reynolds, Ronnie Hughes, trumpets; Wally Smith, Don Lusher, Jimmy Coombes, Ric Kennedy, trombones; Frank Horrox, piano; Johnny Hawksworth, bass; Ronnie Verrell, drums. (Maurice Pratt replaces Wally Smith on tracks 3 & 5.) November 1953 - February 1954

0587 John Fiddy The Pride Of London Big Band [Gee Whiz!] FLAC 12(40.24)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
A fairly routine treatment of all original music by this 'one-off' band made up mainly from studio musicians.
There are few solos and these are not credited. It's all very well played but not terribly exciting.

John Fiddy - leader
Henry Lowther - trumpet
Dave Hancock - trumpet
Tony Fisher - trumpet
Ronnie Hughes - trumpet
John Barclay - trumpet
Chris Pyne - trombone
Chris Smith - trombone
Colin Sheen - trombone
Ken Goldie - bass trombone
Ray Warleigh - alto, flute
Ray Swinfield - trombone
Stan Sulzmann - tenor, flute
Danny Moss - tenor
Ronnie Ross - baritone
Brian Dee - piano
Clive Hicks - guitar
Alan Walley - bass
Terry Jenkins - drums

01 The Opener
02 Silken Lady
03 G's Jump
04 Monday Night Call
05 Swinging Wanderer
06 Mucho Macho
07 Meet Mr Big
08 The Late Show
09 Gee Whiz!
10 Conchita
11 Blue Angels
12 Rio con Brio

Label: Intersound ISST 177
Recorded: 1988 Angel Studios London
Lineage: LP>FLAC
Scans: Front rear LP cover

0586 Jack Sharpe [Catalyst] FLAC 8(50.43)

Contributed by bellawoods, who writes:-
A fine big band tribute to Tubby Hayes featuring some his compositions and arrangements and also some by others with whom Tubby had an association during his career.

Derek Watkins - trumpet
John Barclay - trumpet
Steve Sidwell - trumpet
Dick Pearce - trumpet
Guy Barker - trumpet
Chris Pyne - trombone
Pete Beachill - trombone
Geoff Wright - trombone
Dave Stewart - trombone
Andy MacKintosh - alto
Jamie Talbot - tenor
Dave Bishop - tenor
Jack Sharpe - baritone
David Hartley - piano
Chris Laurence - bass
Harold Fisher - drums

01 Milestones
02 You Know I Care
03 Sharpe Edge
04 Suddenly Last Tuesday
05 Keith
06 Souriya
07 Allisamba

Label: Frog CDFRG 716
Recorded: January 1987 Landsdowne Studio London
Lineage: CD>FLAC
Scans: Full

DONALD (DON) PERCY RENDELL 4 MARCH 1926 – 20 OCTOBER 2015

Another of the titans of British Modern Jazz has left us.

Don Rendell died in London aged 89 on 20 October after a short illness.

Born in Plymouth to parents who both were musicians, he played piano at the age of 5 and took up the alto sax in 1942 before turning professional in 1943. His first choice instrument was the tenor sax but he played all the reed instruments and also flute at various times in his career.

His grounding was in the ‘Palais’ dance bands of the 1940s before joining the Dankworth Seven in March 1950 and staying there for the next 3 years. He formed his own Sextet in 1950 and made his first recordings as leader in 1954.

Don was at the forefront of British Modern Jazz for over 50 years and played with all the greats including a UK and European tour with Stan Kenton in 1956 and a UK tour with Woody Herman in 1959. 

His associations with Ian Carr and Michael Garrick during the 1960s and 1970s were particularly noteworthy but he was mainly concerned with his own small groups from 1970 onwards and he recorded extensively for the Spotlite label towards the end of his playing career. He later combined his playing with teaching at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music.

He also gave private tuition and his advert offering his services could be seen in the Jazz Journal until quite recently.

Don was everything one could ask of a Musician.  A first rate instrumentalist, composer, arranger, teacher and above all, the perfect gentleman.

The short recording  included here (‘On The Way’ – his own composition) has Don with The Joe Palin Trio at the Avgarde Gallery, Manchester in 1973.

R.I.P. Don Rendell – we shall never see your like again.

0585 Tony Lee [Street Of Dreams] FLAC 7(41.26)

Contributed by bellawoods

Tony Lee - piano
Tony Archer - bass
Martin Drew - drums
Tony Uter - congas

01 Li'l Darlin'
02 Loss Of Love
03 Street Of Dreams
04 Dick's Mood
05 Love For Sale
06 My Funny Valentine
07 On Green Dolphin Street

Label: Vocalion CDSML 8462 (a double CD with Martin Drew [British Jazz Artists Vol 3] - see separate post) Lee Lambert LAM102
Recorded: February 1979
Lineage: CD>FLAC
Scans: Full

0584 Phil Seamen [Meets Eddie Gomez] FLAC 8(44.15)

Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Phil Seamen appeared on hundreds of recordings, very few on which he was the leader but this is one of them.
The Bill Evans Trio had just finished their engagement at Ronnie Scott's Club and the bass player, Eddie Gomez, took the opportunity to appear on Phil's recording date which took place on 22 July 1968, the day after the Scott's date ended.
Tony Lee's piano is not well recorded - he is very much in the background and there are a couple of tape flutters in places but Phil's thunderous drums are well to the fore.
You don't see Phil's picture on record sleeves all that often but this one does him no favours. He looks positively evil.

Tony Lee - piano
Eddie Gomez - bass
Phil Seamen - drums

01 Night Train
02 Salt Peanuts
03 Corcovado
04 A Foggy Day
05 Bluesette
06 Fish This Week
07 Autumn Leaves
08 Here's That Rainy Day

Label: Pantonic/Saga PAN 6306
Recorded: July 22 1968
Lineage: LP>FLAC
Scans: Front rear LP cover