I'm from England.. been listening to Jazz for a loooooong time. A big part of the reason I'm in America is that when I got the chance to come I took it, figured I'd get to see and maybe meet my heroes. Two years would be enough but I got the American habit.. got into debt, couldn't afford to go back That was 30 some years ago.
Growing up in England and getting into this music was an intense experience. I didn't have much money, LPs were just on the horizon. Most of my early purchases were 78's.. Was talking about this a dinner the other night, and fell off the chair laughing when my 24 year old daughter said " Dad what's a 78? "
When Lps came out they were 10" only ...my first was a Bechet Feetwarmers.. Had to save for a month or more to buy one.. so by the time I got a new one I knew the old one by heart. To some extent I miss those days.. you rally got to Know a record when you could only get one per month... maybe two at Christmas if my sister was kind.
The bad thing about this is that I wouldn't buy British Jazz records.. I supported them in clubs and concerts, but on record I wanted the "real " thing.. American Jazz, the Legends.. Hell I thought any record with less than 5 or 6 musicians was a bad purchase... less talent for the money.
Now years later, wiser and richer, I have guilt complexes.. I buy and Support and seek out British Jazz, and try to promote it whenever I can, hence the reason for this thread.
Britain has not produced a musician who has influenced Jazz to the extent of the important Americans.. but there has been, and are, some damned good music being, and been, made... we had/ and have. our stars.
I was pleasantly surprised that on the BNBB some British musicians were very well received.. so to exorcise my childhood guilt.. we have this tea party
there's more to British, and European Jazz than Tubby Hayes. I'm good on it up to about the 70's.. Bev if he's here. plus others can take you further...
Lets see where we go, I really would like to hip the mouldy' er Figs to British equivalents of Condon and Clayton, and hear from Bev and co on the wider British / European advances over the years.
No Posts.. hell I'll keep it surfacing.. it's guilt you know