RayB

IIRC there were two weeks of recordings, one act per night. The Miles gig was a Sunday night and due to some problem earlier in the week Cecil Taylor also was recorded on that Sunday evening. Taylor had a quartet with Jimmy Lyons, Sam Rivers and Andrew Cyrille and played after Miles. Simon Spillett remarked that the green room couldn’t have been a pleasant place as Miles had sacked Sam Rivers in the past although it was about 5 years before. I remember being disappointed with the broadcasts as instead of featuring full sets, as it had done in the past, the BBC split the programmes into single numbers by individual artists. I’ve no idea how much of the material still exists.

I went to Ronnie’s a load of times, both the old club and the new one in Frith Street. It was mostly in the late ‘60s early ‘70s before i moved out of London and got a wife and a mortgage. Some great nights, I especially remember the Elvin Jones Trio with Joe Farrell and Wilbur Ware on bass. On another great night we saw the Clarke-Boland Big Band, a band which included Kenny Clarke, Johnny Griffin, and a host of other American and European jazzmen including Ronnie himself Miles only played there once - on 2nd November 1969 for a recording for BBC’s “Jazz 625”. That night he featured the ‘lost quintet’. The tapes have subsequently been erased in a act of unforgivable corporate vandalism.

My wife & I were waiting in the queue outside Ronnie's on Sunday to see Simon's tribute to Tubby gig and we found ourselves behind the writer & producer of the DVD Mark Baxter. From what he was saying to some other people it would appear that the BBC are not interested in showing the programme. It's possible that Sky Arts may take it up. This news is brought to you in the best traditions of British journalism, listening in on other people's conversations!

89 is a good age but still incredibly sad news, one more giant gone! I loved the Carr/Rendell group and as a youngster played Dusk Fire and Phase III until they were virtually transparent! I think I'll play them again now. Hope Ian & Don are together in heaven.

The book is a remarkable work, ten years in the making and it was worth every minute in my opinion. Simon told me that the publishers were apparently interested in another work, a book of essays which would be based on some of his sleeve notes, nothing set in stone but let's all hope, Simon is a very good writer with a clear and readable style and a depth of knowledge of his subject that puts many authors to shame. As regards the Vic Ash book, I saw a concert at our local jazz club about four years ago which featured Vic, Simon and Tommy Whittle as a front line (!!!) and amongst the merchandise available was the book. I bought a copy and got Vic to sign it for me, I didn't get a chance to ask Simon to sign it as well. I suppose that's life!

Amen to that Clifford, you posted that on my 70th birthday so my hearing ain't that good either. As long as it's listenable that's OK with me, good to have the music. As someone else said a while ago the best sound is live sound. But that's usually in a club with people chatting, glasses clinking and often a less than brilliant PA system. I can put up with a couple of clicks!

Got to laugh - as I write this I'm watching Dick Van Dyke murder the cockney accent in Mary Poppins. God knows what Elsa Lanchester does to it!!!

There are not that many Jazz forums out there in internetland that anyone should be happy to lose one. I've been a member of this one and AAJ for some time and although I don't post very often I read them every day, and I view my fellow posters on both boards as friends I haven't met. So please don't be mean spirited about AAJ many of the posters over there (and here) have recommended artists and albums that have greatly increased my listening pleasure in the music that I have loved for over 50 years.

Oh yes please.

Love John Surman who's album 'The Trio' is a masterpiece, and Ronnie Ross, the album with Bill le Sage pictured above was one of the first in my collection. I would also endorse Alan Barnes who handles the tenor and the alto like a master but I am always most pleased when he picks up the baritone. A young(ish) guy that I've seen a few times around the Essex scene recently is Mick Foster who's album 'Four Views' is very much worth a listen.

I have just heard that Vic Ash passed on 24th October. Vic was a terrific reeds player and one of the leading lights of the British modern scene in the 1950s, he was also the guy who taught our own Simon Spillett who co authored Vic's autobiography 'I blew it my way'. I met him once and he was a lovely man. Maybe Simon can give us some detail and maybe some stories.

I've already pre ordered my copy. The draft I've read is terrific and I'm really looking forward to having the finished book in my hands!

Tommy Whittle.

Pulled the trigger on my reply too quickly because the CD has just dropped into my mailbox. Whipped away by my wife as it's another Christmas present.

No I haven't, but the delivery estimate was 26th November to 16th December so not panicking just yet!! But my main focus is the Disques Vogue box which my wife's sister is giving me at Christmas so I won't start chewing the edge of the carpet until December 26th.