adh1907

Reactivating an old thread, but getting on top of my mess of CDs, I replayed 3 Frank Hewitt recordings. This track really jumped out, Night in Tunisia, sounds so odd and original. I almost thought he’s got the changes wrong but it’s so deliberate and different. Wow. Interesting story in the sleevenotes about Hewitt visiting Bud Powell, who was half naked and playing Embraceable You. Hewitt leaving and coming back hours later to Powell playing Embraceable You, half naked. Anyone still listening to this genius?

The other jazz connection is that the screenplay for the film ‘Smoke’ was written by Paul Auster and the main character Auggie was based on Augie who ran a jazz club on the upper West Side. Which subsequently became the Smoke jazz club (after Augie had to close down for tax issues I think). I used to visit regularly in the 90s and it was certainly an interesting place when Augie ran it (with his mother stationed at the bar).

So my Quad 99 CDP player starts playing up, making glitchy noises. While playing Bobby Jaspar’s Jeux de quartes, after one too many jumps, I give up and pull my old Marantz Ki signature out of the loft. Not touched for 10+ years. What should be in it but a CD of Bobby Jaspar’s quartets and quintets. Spooky. (I have hundreds of CDs. Not all of them by Bobby Jaspar, I should add.) incidentally the Marantz sounds great and not noticeably better or worse than the Quad.

If you mean ‘Everybody digs…’, Honest Jons seem to have copies for sale on line. I have a good OJC reissue so not going for this. Am tempted by the Amancio D’Silva reissue. Again, this is stocked by Honest Jon’s.

Listening to the Moncur select and finding I have two copies of disc one. I remember there being some cock up but can anyone remind me why the disc had to be reissued? I have searched and can’t see an explanation. Great set but a shame only part of ‘Bout Soul included.

Interesting. Not familiar with this, has it ever been released publicly? What’s the line up?

Anyone else notice the blip on El Barrio about 4.35 in, at the end of Joe’s solo. Like someone has bolted together two different takes. Though there are no alternate takes here. It’s there on the RVG CD issue too though more noticeable on the Mosaic. Wonder if it’s on the original LP.

Great record, particularly side 2. Marable’s intro on ‘the boy next door’ is sublime. Giuffre working through his Rollins phase I think.

Remastering on this box set is beautiful. Recommended.

I too have sprung for this, having been impressed by the remastering on the Sonny Clark box set. On its way from Barcelona.

Early ‘50s London, Windrush generation. Great book. Selvon is a skilled writer and even manages a 10 page sentence without losing the reader.

I am currently listening to ‘the Straight Horn of Steve Lacy’. Roy Haynes’ drumming is phenomenal and comes through loud and clear, given the brilliant recording. Credit to engineer Bob D’Orleans.

I have recently returned to the Dexter 6CD set and it sounds great to me. None of the hot RVG CD remastering. Would work better with Dexter’s ramblings on a separate CD. Also I find it maddening working out which session equates to which LP. I am inclined to get out a biro and deface the box!

Great photo. Bill looks a dapper youngish man there. Thank you for posting that. He will be much missed here. RIP Bill, fellow Manc.

Lars Gullin/ Rita Reys - Lullaby in Rhythm. Rita sounds v Chris Connorish. Love Lars not accompanying but soloing throughout.

Another hard bop classic, west coast style.

A classic hard bop date. One of my favourites. Jenkins disappeared?

I have given the record another clean and it sounds a lot better. The Stan Tracey tracks are definitely the best on the record. The last three on side 2 are v good. As an aside Clem Alford, Amancio’s sitar player seems to have stopped writing to our local paper. Or been banned.

Just got the Sam Records reissue, ordered direct from Paris. A lot of love has been put into this. Great music and pressing. Interesting to see Palle Mikkelborg in the trumpet section. Recommended.

Good to see Reggie Workman in the band.

The basement of the Spice of Life seemed larger than I remembered. Last visited in the ‘80s when it was a trendy place to go to find out where the warehouse parties were! Very good venue for acoustic jazz.

Simon Spillett and Pete Long recreating the Jazz Couriers and Tubby Hayes on top form today, at the Spice of Life basement club Soho. Absolutely rammed, which surprised me for a Monday lunchtime gig. I arrived before 12.30 and took possibly the last seat, near the stage. Seems to attract a regular friendly crowd. Simon introduced a roaring hard bop version of Southern Suite part 2, which I had only previously heard in its cheesy version on the Jack Constanza album.

Ugetsu is a classic. Was massive in London in the 80s jazz dance scene, particularly Ping Pong.