I’m not usually so big on big band/stage band music these days, but there is still something about a tight, well played, forward thinking arrangement that can still hook me in on any given day. This LP from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s premier jazz ensemble from 1979 is a case in point. I picked this […]
Every Easter weekend since 1963 has seen the National Jazz Festival held in my home city of Tauranga, New Zealand. For a number of those early festivals through to the 1980s, highlights were recorded & released on a compilation LP. This one documents the sixth festival from 1968. Granted, although I haven’t actually lived in […]
Comped by Peterson, known by many, inspired by Dylan Thomas – I need to include the track Starless and Bible Black in this chart for the simple reason it is one of the most emotive, and tragically deep British Jazz cuts I’m aware of. Bobby Wellins whispering treatment on tenor sax is simply spellbinding, Tracey’s […]
Not a straight Jazz LP the group draw on their various influences in this Jazz/Prog/Blues mongrel recording. As a whole the album works well with the Jazzier moments shining through on several numbers. The track included here is called. “Don’t Make Me Cry” [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Originally released in 68 as “Lady Heavy Bottom’s Waltz” on Vogue. A great LP featuring – Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey, Ake Persson, Sahib Shihab, Francy Boland, Jimmy Woode, Kenny Clare, Kenny Clarke. Highly VG+ friendly with several Mod / Soul Jazz cuts and several boppy numbers. Known widely for the dance-floor track “Turks Bolero” featuring […]
Featuring Skidmore, John Taylor, Mike Osbourne and John Surman et al. This LP is made of lunacy I sold my previous copy of this and regretted not really giving it a fair chance, I’m pleased to have found another copy but I can see why I found difficulty with it. Predominantly the LP consists of […]
Looking at the cover it’s hard to understand how the baby faced Zbigniew managed to come up with this LP (Possibly the first Polish Jazz record recorded and released in the UK? He was also the oldest in the quartet). A recent bay purchase, I’ve been after a copy of this for quite some time. […]
Memorable for it’s cover (Which makes you pause and think “Did Wallace design this?”) as much as it’s contents. This LP can at times be a little too intellectual for my ears (Which are for the best part feral and emotive when it comes to jazz) nevertheless there are several tracks on this album that […]
Having won the Melody Maker best British Jazz Group poll in 67 the Rendell / Carr Quintet had gathered a reasonable following of fans despite the decline in popularity of jazz amongst music lovers as they continued to opt for other forms of experimental music. With the Summer of love upon them the Quintets response […]
The first of the Rendell / Carr quintet series, this LP features Colin Purbrook on keys (Garrick joined the quintet on Dusk fire) Overall a great LP but perhaps not quite as solid as Dusk Fire. Carr describes the aim of the LP in the sleeve notes stating. “What Don and I aimed at was […]
Patchy would be a kind description of this LP. The inclusion of Ardley’s Shades of Blue (Version of the title cut from the LP bellow) is what saves this album for me. “Shades of Blue” [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Fans of The Free Design’s songwriting might enjoy these early (mid 60s) Chris Dedrick compositions for saxophone quartet. His uncle Rusty Dedrick has a few cuts on it as well. The rich harmonies and chords that later shaped the Free Design vocal arrangements are here fully formed yet more angular in nature. There’s no date […]
I’ve got myself lost in this LP more than once. Perhaps it’s a romantic thing but I do seem to conjure up a sense of sophistication when I listen to French jazz. It seems even the cover has a touch more panache than comparable releases. Soul of Africa is a very listenable spiritual outing, which […]
Featuring the Jef Gilson Big Band recorded at the Salle Gaveau concert hall (Hence the title) The track Modalite Pour Mimi is a swinging, piece that features some great blowing over a lovely rhythm. The whole band seem absorbed in this groove which sounds unmistakably French. There is also a vocal version of this on […]
Having converted to Catholicism James attempts here to explore the religious ecstasy of “Mass” though the medium of Jazz. Weather your into Jesus or not there is a strong argument for the influence Jesus and his Dads book have played in many forms of music throughout the ages. As you may have gathered from the […]
Another spiritual work out for James, this live LP was recorded at Orchestra Hall & Paradise Theatre, a venue which was apparently due for demolition a few months prior to this recording. The cover notes don’t elaborate on quite how the venue swerved the wrecking ball but I quite like the idea that jazz was […]
The first time I heard this 45 with it’s slick vocals and great horns I started to jones. Possibly one of my favourite jazz 45’s [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This 45 Columbia version differs significantly from the Scat vocal / acoustic guitar led LP cut. One of my favorite Jazz 45’s that recently got crossed off the wants list. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
A decent hypnotic example of Ethio jazz. This track makes me want to a) Visit Ethiopia. B) Charm Snakes. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Crazy beatnik jazz from the 50s, heavy on the scat, bongos & humour. They have another EP before this one but I don’t know of anything else this group did apart from these two EPs on King. I suspect they both featured smilarly excellent cover art & the longer tracks (“Who Parked The Car” & […]
A very solid modal LP featuring Joe Harriott, Ian Carr et al. Following a lengthy search for a decent copy, I was fairly alarmed when this one turned up in a used pizza box! Somehow it made it to me without a mark, the vinyl un-played the cover smelling lightly of Margarita. Song by the […]
Another one comped by Peterson, Black Marigolds is probably not my favorite Garrick LP as a whole. However, I can’t escape my love for “Ursula” played by Don Rendell on Soprano and tenor Sax with Ian Carr on fluegel horn. “Ursula” [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Featuring collaborators Ian Carr, Don Rendell and Norma Winstone. I do really like this LP as a whole but somehow I feel there’s more in there that I haven’t picked up on. It seems to promise my expectations but I appear to be unable to track the true direction of the vibe on this LP. […]
Since there seems to have been something of a run on UK jazz on Waxidermy lately, here is an interesting 45 to share. Alan Clare was a UK pianist who had a pretty long career & a touch of mainstream success from the 40s through to the 80s. Most of the online discographies for Clare […]
I believe Choreo was a company that specialised in instructional dance records. This 45 has a couple of nice jazz tracks that feature somewhat quirky intros before hitting with some pretty nice jazz grooves. Does anyone have more information on the label, or know if they have other worthwhile releases? [Audio clip: view full post […]