Record Reviews

DIRECTIONS IN JAZZ UNIT ~ NEW DIRECTIONS IN JAZZ 1963-64 RHYTHM AND BLUES 090 (Barcode: 5060331753018) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1963 - 1964 Released: 2022 This is an archival album presenting live recordings by the British Jazz ensemble Directions In Jazz UnitFind albums by this artist, led by vibraphonist / pianist / composer Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist. Those include a performance for the German NDR TV in Hamburg in 1964 and three (two in 1964 and one in 1963) sessions recorded by the BBC, altogether thirty-one tracks. In 1961 Le Sage formed a quartet with saxophonist Ronnie RossFind albums by this artist, bassist Spike HeatleyFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony CarrFind albums by this artist, which was the foundation later to be expanded into the Directions In Jazz Unit, which also included saxophonist / flautist Johnny ScottFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / clarinetist Bob BurnsFind albums by this artist and the Freddie Alexander Cello EnsembleFind albums by this artist (a string quartet), a revolutionary lineup by any standard at the time. Le Sage, Ross and Scott composed most of the music performed by the ensemble, which additional contributions by other members of the ensemble and an odd standard here and there. The music certainly includes the clear signs of the British Jazz making giant steps towards the emancipation from the American Jazz tradition and forming of an independent, unique new direction, which in the few short years to come would revolutionize British Jazz entirely. The unusual instrumentation used by the ensemble, with obvious European music influences, and the arrangements that are clearly more elegant and “relaxed”, as well as highly sophisticated, pave the way for the change to come. The quality of the original compositions is excellent from start to finish. Although the recording is in Mono, the sound quality is excellent and every note of the music is perfectly audible, except for the 1963 BBC session, which lacks the clarity of sound of the rest of the material, but is still quite acceptable, especially in view of the historic importance of this material. Overall, this is a wonderful time capsule of the early days of modern British Jazz, which is a delightful trip down the memory lane, and quite an educational perspective of the history of the British Jazz chronology. Kudos to the Rhythm And BluesFind albums on this label label for digging this material from the depths of the vaults and releasing it, keeping the memories alive. There is nothing more important than keeping our dying Culture alive, as long as we can.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 01/10/2022

CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

MARTIN DREW / TONY LEE ~ MARTIN DREW BAND / STREETS OF DREAMS VOCALION 8462 (Barcode: 765387846220) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 - 1979 Released: 2009 By the late 1970s the fantastic British Jazz scene, which thrived during the previous two decades producing some of the most revolutionary music ever and breaking many barriers of conceptual approach to Jazz, was unfortunately suffering badly. Many different factors contributed to this phenomenon: musical, social, economic and so on, but the situation "on the ground" was getting pretty desperate, with major record labels almost completely banning Jazz material from their repertoire of new releases, contrary to their traditional support of Jazz music. This new development opened a new opportunity for small independent British labels to step in and provide a platform, which would enable British Jazz musicians to record and release their music. One of such labels was the tiny, but excellent Lee LambertFind albums on this label label and this album is a long overdue reissue of two of the albums original released by that label in the late 1970s. Drummer Martin DrewFind albums by this artist presents an album recorded by his quintet / sextet with superb musicians: saxophonist Brian SmithFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist, bassist Ron MathewsonFind albums by this artist and percussionist Chris FletcherFind albums by this artist. Pianist Tony LeeFind albums by this artist presents an album recorded by his quartet with bassist Tony ArcherFind albums by this artist, drummer Martin Drew and congas player Tony UterFind albums by this artist. Both albums are full of excellent musicianship and great ideas. The music includes mostly Jazz standards but there´s nothing standard about the way they are performed here. Both albums are excellent examples of how mainstream Jazz can be of high quality and completely devoid of boredom. Highly recommended!

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

TONY KINSEY ~ INTRODUCING / JAZZ AT THE FLAMINGO SESSION VOCALION 4213 (Barcode: 765387421328) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1956 - 1957 Released: 2003 Drummer / composer / arranger Tony KinseyFind albums by this artist was one of the brightest stars on the modern British Jazz scene at its inception. Founder member of the Johnny Dankworth SevenFind albums by this artist in 1950, Kinsey later started to lead his own quintet and the first of the two albums included on this wonderful reissue is his debut recording with that quintet. Featuring a double saxophone front line the quintet included saxophonists Don RendellFind albums by this artist and Ronnie RossFind albums by this artist, pianist / vibraphonist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist and bassist Pete BlanninFind albums by this artist. The second album is a live recording done just a few months after the debut and features the same rhythm section with two different saxophonists: Joe HarriottFind albums by this artist and Bob EffordFind albums by this artist. The music is mostly Jazz standards with few originals by Kinsey, Le Sage and Harriott, but the arrangements are completely different from the usual Bebop approach, adding some Cool and European tradition into the mix. The result clearly shows the seeds of the complete revolution and emancipation from the American Jazz that would follow just a few years after these recordings were made. Clearly Rendell and Harriott are such virtuosi players that they could blow any American saxophonist off the stage with ease. This is some of the best European early modern Jazz and the beautifully remastered sound just makes everything perfect. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

Updated: 01/06/2018Posted:

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CLEO LAINE ~ CLASSIC ALBUMS, 4 EPS & BONUS TRACKS REAL GONE JAZZ 421 (Barcode: 5036408154422) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1955 - 1962 Released: 2013 This is a reissue of four early albums by the British vocalist Cleo LaineFind albums by this artist, one of the most glamorous and widely known representatives of the British Jazz worldwide. She and her husband saxophonist / composers John DankworthFind albums by this artist were for many years the "Royal" couple of the British Jazz and they were eventually knighted (receiving the DBE and CBE respectively). Laine, a truly remarkable singer, is perhaps the last great British representative of the "classic" vocal Jazz school, created and developed by the great American female singers like Billie HolidayFind albums by this artist, Sarah VaughanFind albums by this artist, Ella FitzgeraldFind albums by this artist and so many others. Her great affinity towards the Blues and her wonderful feeling of the Swing made her a true star. She did not, however, cross over to the modern vocal Jazz approach, which developed in Britain (and the rest of Europe), which reinvented the role of the human voice and opened new possibilities. Laine stayed faithful to the "classic" approach, and represented it stunningly. On the recordings included in this set Laine is accompanied by the best British Jazz musicians active at the time and the time span (1955 to 1962) shows her rapid development from an unknown imitator to a full fledged luminary. The first album "She`s The Tops!Find albums with this title" presents Laine more as a Blues singer and shows her developing her chops and vocal abilities. The second album "ValmouthFind albums with this title" is the original cast recording of a West End musical theatre performance featuring Laine, showing her remarkable talent as an actress in addition to her singing career. The third album "Live DateFind albums with this title" is a live recording presenting Laine singing six songs with the Tubby HayesFind albums by this artist Orchestra and than Hayes playing three spectacular pieces with his quartet. The fourth album "All About MeFind albums with this title" is a wonderful vocal Jazz album recorded with the Johnny KeatingFind albums by this artist Orchestra and featuring his incredible arrangements, showing Laine as a fully developed Jazz Diva. In addition this set includes also four EPs (each with four songs) recorded with various British groups supporting her. The "bonus tracks" are in fact another full album, which presents her singing with the trombonist Keith ChristieFind albums by this artist and his quintet (not quartet as the packaging tells us), which includes John Dankworth on clarinet and alto saxophone, pianist / vibraphonist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist, bassist Bill SutcliffeFind albums by this artist and drummer Allan GanleyFind albums by this artist. This is the earliest recording included in this set. Overall British Jazz lovers and vocal Jazz connoisseurs should find this set irresistible, enjoying the newly available music, which has mostly disappeared into the abyss for way to long. Side Note The Real Gone JazzFind albums on this label label releases hundreds of album collections, which include usually between three to eight original albums in a two to four CDs sets. Most of these albums were recorded and released in the 1950s and early 1960s. These collections provide the track lists and lineups of the original albums, but no recording information, liner notes and any background information whatsoever. The label takes advantage of the copyright law in UK, which limited the length of the copyright protection of recorded works to 50 years, after which recorded works become public domain. In 2013 UK implemented a correction of the copyright law extending the protection of recorded works to 70 years (like the rest of Europe), but the correction does not apply retroactively, which means that recordings which entered the 50 years rule prior to January 1, 2013 (i.e. recorded before January 1, 1963) remain public domain. There are two great advantages to these releases: they are really inexpensive and they bring back to life many albums not reissued previously on CD, which means it would cost a collector an arm and a leg to get a copy of them. Many of these albums are absolute gems and essential pieces of Jazz history. The disadvantages are: the lack of proper information, original cover art, combining tracks of several original albums on one CD and the sound quality, which depends on where the label gets the source material. From my experience most of the releases have quite excellent sound quality but I have not listened to all of them and some people have complained about it.

Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 20/05/2016

CD 4 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

HAROLD MCNAIR ~ HAROLD MCNAIR / FLUTE & NUT VOCALION 8494 (Barcode: 765387849429) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 - 1969 Released: 2012 This is a criminally overdue reissue of the two albums recorded by the British Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Harold McNairFind albums by this artist for the RCAFind albums by this artist label, which have been unavailable for over forty years now. McNair, born in Jamaica, was one of many brilliant West Indian musicians to arrive on the British scene in the 1950s and 1960, greatly contributing to the creation of the modern British Jazz, which was at its peak when these two albums were recorded. Although McNair played the saxophone superbly, his flute playing was absolutely amazing and extraordinary, making him probably the best ever British Jazz flautist. He died from cancer in 1971 at a ridiculous young age of thirty nine, a tremendous loss of an amazing talent, lamented to this very day by those who knew him and his work. His rather limited recorded legacy is now radically expanded with the reissue of these two albums. The eponymous album was recorded by the Harold McNair quartet, with pianist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist, bassist Spike HeatleyFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony CarrFind albums by this artist. They perform nine pieces, five of which are originals composed by McNair, three are standards and one is a song written by the Folk-Rock singer / songwriter DonovanFind albums by this artist. McNair was a regular member of Donovan´s band, where he played alongside the pianist / composer / arranger John CameronFind albums by this artist. McNair´s performances on this album are perfect from start to finish. He uses the flute on most of the tracks and his immediately recognizable style is simply overwhelming. The "Flute & NutFind albums with this title" album features McNair accompanied by a Jazz Orchestra conducted by John Cameron, performing eight pieces orchestrated and arranged by Cameron, three of which are McNair originals, one a Cameron original and the remaining four are standards. In retrospect this is the best album McNair ever recorded, with his flute (and occasional saxophone) sounding absolutely marvelous and the beautiful arrangements adding a spectacular effect to the entire production. McNair recorded only one more album as a leader after this, called "The FenceFind albums with this title", before he died, which was released on the B&CFind albums on this label label. Parts of the first album included here were released posthumously by the same label as another eponymous album, and included also live material recorded at the Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist´s club. Beautifully remastered by Michael J. DuttonFind albums by this artist, these two albums sound fresh and wonderful, as if recorded only a short while ago. Musically they are some of the best Jazz flute music even captured and are an essential piece of the modern British Jazz legacy. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

BARBARA THOMPSON ~ FIRST LIGHT JAZZ IN BRITAIN 54 (Barcode: 5060774190524) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1971 - 1972 Released: 2023 This is an album collecting three archival live recordings / radio broadcasts by the late British Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Barbara ThompsonFind albums by this artist, which present her in various settings with the crème de la crème of the British Jazz musicians active in the early 1970s. As a result, it is a companion album to the tremendous 14CD Box Set “Live At The BBCFind albums with this title” by Barbara Thompson, released in 2020 by RepertoireFind albums on this label Records, offering material uncovered after the Box Set was released. This album, released by the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label, is a completely non-commercial release, with all profits from the album going to the Cure Parkinson’s Trust, a moving gesture by all the people involved, including Barbara’s and Jon HisemanFind albums by this artist’s daughter Ana GraceyFind albums by this artist and Jazz In Britain founder John ThurlowFind albums by this artist. We all still mourn Barbara’s and Jon’s untimely departures of course. The first two tracks present the Group EFind albums by this artist, which comprised of (in addition to Barbara) vocalist Pepi LemerFind albums by this artist, pianist Peter LemerFind albums by this artist, bassist Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist and drummer Laurie AllanFind albums by this artist. The music is Avant-Garde Jazz, with superb vocal parts by Lemer, who sadly is often forgotten, but was one of the most interesting Jazz vocalist of the period. The next three tracks present a suite for a Big Band, called “The Awakening”, co-composed by Barbara and Jon. The band features a dreamy lineup of eleven instrumentalists and a vocalist – no other than my beloved Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist – which reads like a Who’s Who of the modern British Jazz and is conducted by Neil ArdleyFind albums by this artist. The players are: trumpeters Ian HamerFind albums by this artist, Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and Henry LowtherFind albums by this artist, trombonist Derek WadsworthFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Don RendellFind albums by this artist and Barbara Thompson, cellist Charles TunnellFind albums by this artist, pianist Howard RileyFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeff ClyneFind albums by this artist and drummer Jon Hiseman. The music is absolutely brilliant and very typical of the Big Band recordings recorded at the time by Neil Ardley, Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist and others. The vocal parts by Winstone are, not surprisingly, my favorite jewels, but the entire suite is simply divine and the fact it was discovered and now released is no less than sensational. The last five tracks are by Barbara’s group JubiabaFind albums by this artist, which comprised of (in addition to Barbara) trumpeters George ChisholmFind albums by this artist and Ian CarrFind albums by this artist, Wadsworth, Le Sage, Peter Lemer, bassist Roy BabbingtonFind albums by this artist, drummer Martin DrewFind albums by this artist and percussionist Trevor TomkinsFind albums by this artist. It presents the early version of the band, which was essentially dedicated to combining Jazz with World Music influences, mostly Latin. As far as I am aware, this is the earliest recordings by Jubiaba captured on tape. Overall, this is an absolute jewel from start to finish and an absolute must to all British Jazz enthusiasts, and in retrospect one of the most surprising and important releases by the Jazz In Britain label so far. The Big Band piece alone is a beacon symbolizing the birth of the modern British Jazz, with everything it stands for: ingenuity, originality, groundbreaking musical thinking and enormous talent. Hats off to everybody involved!

Updated: 26/07/2023Posted: 26/07/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend