Record Reviews

DJANGO BATES ~ MUSIC FOR THE THIRD POLICEMAN AH UM 003 ~ UK ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1990 Released: 1990 This is a wonderful and completely obscure album by British pianist / composer / bandleader Django BatesFind albums by this artist, recorded with and octet comprising of saxophonist Steve BuckleyFind albums by this artist, cellist / bassist Steve BerryFind albums by this artist, drummer Martin FranceFind albums by this artist, guitarist Stuart HallFind albums by this artist, violinist Sarah HarrisonFind albums by this artist, bassoonist Robert JuritzFind albums by this artist and clarinetist Dai PritchardFind albums by this artist. Three additional guest musician participate on selected tracks. The album presents thirteen movements / pieces based on the book “The Third Policeman” by Irish writer Flann O`BrienFind albums by this artist. The album was released on the short-lived legendary Ah Um label. The album offers quite unusual instrumentation, similar to a small orchestra, as well as beautiful cross-genre compositions, which combine Jazz with Classical Music, cinematic, vaudeville, Irish Folklore and other influences, and is a superb example of Bates’ great talent as a composer / orchestrator. The music is quite complex and reflects the convoluted plot of the book, which of course is worth reading on its own merits. In some respects, one can look at the album as a soundtrack to a movie, based on the book, which alas was not yet filmed, but surely deserves to be, with the soundtrack already ready. The album is a great opportunity to discover a different musical personality of Bates, much unlike his more familiar Jazz image. It remains to be one of my favorite albums in his extensive recorded legacy. Overall, this is another hidden British Jazz gem, which took me years to find a copy of, but the wait was definitely worth it big time. If you can find a copy, grab it, no questions asked! Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 12/03/2025Posted: 12/03/2025

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

NICK PURNELL ~ ONETWOTHREE AH UM 006 ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1990 Released: 1991 This is the only album by British Jazz composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist, recorded with a dreamy large Orchestra, which included such luminaries as trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Julian ArguellesFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Django BatesFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist among others. The album presents ten tracks, all original compositions by Purnell and arranged by him. The music is absolutely dreamy large ensemble Jazz, based on superbly composed themes and perfectly arranged to utilize the superb lineup, that performs the music. Wheler, Taylor and Arguelles performs dazzling soli through the whole album, and many other musicians also get an opportunity to show their chops. Although there are many musicians taking part in this recording, the music is rather subtle and delicate, which is rather typical of the British Jazz approach to orchestral music, which emphasizes the ensemble spirit and strong harmony, without utilizing the full power and might available, in favor of style and elegance, somewhat similar to the orchestral work by Michael Gibbs and his ensembles. Overall, this is a lovely piece of orchestral British Jazz, sadly completely forgotten but absolutely worthy of being remembered. The album is probably not that easy to find, but if it crosses your field of vision, do not hesitate for even one moment, before you grab it! Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 11/02/2025Posted: 11/02/2025

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STEVE ARGUELLES ~ STEVE ARGUELLES AH UM 007 ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1990 Released: 1990 This is the debut album as a leader by British drummer / composer Steve ArguellesFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with his brother, saxophonist Julian ArguellesFind albums by this artist, guitarist / violinist Stuart HallFind albums by this artist, accordionist Kim BurtonFind albums by this artist and bassist Mick HuttonFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve tracks, six of which are original compositions by Steve Arguelles, five are by Julian Arguelles and one is a standard. The music is a brilliant and completely unique collection of tunes, which offer a cross-genre humorous mixture of Jazz, Folklore and vaudeville / Circus music, which is quite sophisticated, despite the external appearance and features superb instrumental performances by the quintet members. As such, this music eschews classification and is completely non-commercial, which explains why it was released on the miniscule legendary Ah UmFind albums on this label label. The Arguelles brothers contributed greatly to the process of shaping the British Jazz scene in the 1990s as members of such bands like Loose Tubes, Human Chain and other collaborations with Django Bates, with Steve becoming later a respected producer and owner of his record label. Overall, this is a charming reminder of the “new age” of British Jazz scene, which started in the 1990s and radically changed its character with the influx of new blood infused by the young generation, preserving the wonderful urge to innovate and discover new vistas. Not easy to find a copy of this jewel these days, but definitely worth an effort. Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 21/05/2025Posted: 21/05/2025

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MICHAEL GIBBS ~ THE ONLY CHROME WATERFALL ORCHESTRA AH UM 009 ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1975 Released: 1991 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by British Jazz composer / arranger / bandleader Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1975 on the BronzeFind albums on this label label. It is one of the earliest “reissues”, before the concept became widespread, undertaken simply to correct the blunder of releasing the album on a strictly Rock label, which made it to disappear almost instantly from circulation. The idea of reissuing it on the tiny, but legendary Ah UmFind albums on this label label meant to bring the overlooked gem to the Jazz audiences, where it really belonged. The move was only partially successful, since Ah Um had a very limited marketing abilities and soon disappeared from the market, taking one of the most important British Orchestral / Big Band Jazz albums into the abyss again. The album was reissued again a few years later by the proper archival BGOFind albums on this label label, where it is hopefully still available. Gibbs recorded the album with an incredible Orchestra / Big Band, which comprised of a fourteen-piece brass section, which included the crème-de-la-crème of the British Jazz scene at the time, including Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, Henry LowtherFind albums by this artist, Ray WarleighFind albums by this artist, Stan SultzmannFind albums by this artist, Tony CoeFind albums by this artist and Alan SkidmoreFind albums by this artist, to mention just the most prominent Masters, a string section, the Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and a bunch of Americans, which included saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist – a true “dream come true” setting. The music presents a seven-part suite like continuum, with five parts composed by Gibbs, one co-composed by him with Moses and Swallow and finally one composed by Catherine. The music, which was light-years ahead of its time, presents a dreamy multi-layered musical journey, full of exquisite melodies, complex harmonies, World Music influences, in short a plethora of musical worlds meshed together, with brilliant orchestral performances and breathtaking soli, mostly by Catharine, Coe and Mariano. I have cherished this album since the day I had it on the day of its release, and tried to herald its qualities repeatedly over time, sadly due to its obscurity few people shared my enthusiasm over the years. As much as I admire everything Gibbs created over the years, and he certainly managed to produce a substantial body of work over the years, this album was always my favorite piece of his work. Overall, this is one of the most important and significant Orchestral / Big Band recordings of British Jazz, which lost absolutely nothing of its grandeur, class and depth over time, and which manages to elate my state of being every time I listen to it. Thank you so much my Friend, for your lasting contribution to my sanity ;) Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 22/05/2025Posted: 22/05/2025

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STAN SULZMANN ~ FEUDAL RABBITS AH UM 011 ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1990 Released: 1991 This is a wonderful and completely obscure album by British saxophonist / flautist / clarinetist / composer / bandleader Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist, recorded with bassist Mick HuttonFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Patrick BettisonFind albums by this artist and drummer Steve ArguellesFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Sulzmann, one is by Hutton and finally one is a Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist composition. The album was released on the short-lived legendary Ah UmFind albums on this label label. The unusual instrumentation, which presents a double bass lineup, presents the electric bass as a lead instrument and the acoustic bass as part of the rhythm section. The music is based on melodic themes, masterfully, as usual, weaved by Sultzmann and the intimate quartet setting is ideal for this delicate, often fragile music, which is deeply touching. Sultzmann is of course brilliant as one might expect, but Bettison’s bass guitar parts are a delightful surprise, full of romance and wonderful feeling, in complete contrast to the Fusion oriented way the instrument is usually played. Overall, this is a hidden British Jazz gem, which took me years to find a copy of, but the wait was definitely worth it big time. If you can find a copy, grab it, no questions asked! Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 10/03/2025Posted: 10/03/2025

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KENNY WHEELER ~ KAYAK AH UM 012 (Barcode: 5017771001223) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1992 Released: 1992 This is a criminally little known album by the celebrated British Jazz trumpeter / composer Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, released on the short-lived and sadly forgotten Ah UmFind albums on this label Records, owned by Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist. Wheeler leads a splendid ensemble, which comprises of the absolute crème de la crème of the British Jazz scene at the time: saxophonists Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist and Julian ArguellesFind albums by this artist, French horn player John RookFind albums by this artist, trombonists Dave HorlerFind albums by this artist and Dave StewartFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist, bassist Chris LaurenceFind albums by this artist and American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist. Trombonist Chris PyneFind albums by this artist and pianist John HorlerFind albums by this artist are added on the four last tracks only. The album presents seven Wheeler originals, the last four of which create a suite. All the music was recorded during a one-day session, which is absolutely amazing considering the complexity of the arrangements, but of course all these musicians were absolute Masters of the trade. The music is obviously absolutely brilliant, as everything Wheeler ever created and most of it was never recorded by Wheeler again with other ensembles. He briefly describes the origin of all the compositions on the album in the liner notes, one of which is a wonderfully crafted tribute to Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist´s compositions, a rather unlikely connection, but nevertheless true. The playing is of course also magnificent from start to finish, with plenty of wonderful solos by the participants and a superb ensemble performance, typical of British Jazz at its absolute best. The music was also excellently recorded with wonderful separation and perfect sound quality, which of curse enhances the listening pleasure even more. Overall this is lost perfect gem which deserves a proud place in any serious British Jazz collection, and although quite difficult to come by these days, it is by all means worth the effort needed to hunt for it. Essential Kenny Wheeler! Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 11/02/2025Posted: 16/03/2019

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JOHN TAYLOR / JOHN SURMAN ~ AMBLESIDE DAYS AH UM 013 (Barcode: 5017771100223) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1992 Released: 1992 This is an insanely beautiful album by the duo of British Jazz Giants: pianist / composer John TaylorFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / clarinetist John SurmanFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Taylor. As if the presence of Taylor and Surman was not enough to make this album perfect, the music was recorded at the legendary Rainbow Studio in Oslo with the brilliant Jan Erik KongshaugFind albums by this artist at the helm, which results in a sublime sound quality and clarity. The music is everything one might expect from these two Masters; Taylor has been one of the greatest songweavers of British Jazz and the compositions present here are surely among his best ever. The intimate duos with Surman, who by playing the soprano and baritone saxophones and alto and bass clarinets is able to create a plethora of diverse moods and ambiences, which turn these pieces into fully developed musical vistas, which express a whole world of music despite the fact of being "just" duets. The telepathic conversations between Taylor and Surman are mind blowing and serve as a classic example of the "Art Of The Duo" idiom, which is one of the most challenging as much as rewarding Jazz environments. The album is sadly criminally obscure among the British Jazz fans and collectors. It was released on the short lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label founded by musician / producer Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist, which in the early 1990s released sixteen superb albums, all of which are treasures of the British Jazz legacy. Although quite difficult to find today, they are all worth pursuing and highly recommended. For Taylor and Surman connoisseurs this is of course an absolute must have, but all true Jazz lovers should find this an absolute masterpiece and an essential part of any serious European Jazz collection. Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 11/02/2025Posted: 30/03/2019

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MICHEL GIBBS ORCHESTRA ~ BY THE WAY AH UM 016 (Barcode: 5017771102029) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1993 Released: 1993 This is an album by British Jazz trombonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist and his Anglo-American Orchestra commemorating the orchestra´s 25th Anniversary. The members of the orchestra include many of the top British Jazz players, like trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist, drummer John MarshallFind albums by this artist and the young (at the time) saxophonist Julian ArguellesFind albums by this artist and guitarists Mike WalkerFind albums by this artist and John ParricelliFind albums by this artist. The Americans include saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Gibbs, which span the entire 25 years period, some of which already appeared on earlier recordings and other that are performed here for the first time. Gibbs´ followers will find this album consistent with his earlier recordings and with his unique orchestral approach and sound colors. Gibbs treats the orchestra like a palette and paints bright sound vistas with zest and vivid imagination. As usual the pieces allow for extensive soloing, which on this album reaches many remarkable peaks. Gibbs´ affinity to Rock is also evident, as is his tendency to feature the guitar as one of the main ingredients of the orchestra with plenty of soloing, which on this album is performed by Walker, who has a profound Bluesy feel and sensitivity. Overall this is another superb album by a great Master of the orchestral Jazz idiom, who had very few parallels over the years and still dominates the scene today. This music lost nothing of its power or beauty over time and is a great document of the period, similar to the recently released album with the Gibbs Orchestra featuring John ScofieldFind albums by this artist from 1991 ("Symphony Hall, Birmingham 1991Find albums with this title"). This is one of the most obscure albums by Michael Gibbs, probably due to the fact that it was released by the short lived small independent British Ah UmFind albums on this label label, founded by musician / producer Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist, and has been available for many years. Wholeheartedly recommended and if you can dig it out somehow, don´t even think twice – grab it as it is worth its weight in gold! Side Note British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.

Updated: 11/02/2025Posted: 29/05/2018

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend