JSngry Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 A 1959 Tempo (U.K.) date reissued on Jasmine. Imagine the deliberate lyricism of Tina Brooks combined with the stoicism of Yusef Lateef, played with a tone that's halfway between Gene Ammons and John Gilmore and the "specificity of ideas" of J.R. Montedrose ca. IN ACTION, and that's what you got here. Sort of... This is not a "perfect" record by any means. The British rhythm section (Terry Shannon - Piano, Kenny Napper - Bass, Bill Eyden - Drums) does little more than keep time, which is a big pet peeve of mine for this era music, and at times their inertia combines w/the Jamaican-born Gaynair's deliberateness to produce a "stillness" of activity that is somewhat boring, but more often than not, what you get is a pretty damn interesting player who really doesn't sound ANYTHING like anybody else in front of a rhythm section that doesn't hurt anything, even if they seldom help it either (although to be fair, Shannon is never lost by Gaynair's more idiosyncrtic harmonic turns), and the results are a tantalyzing glimpse of a talent that should have been heard from more. This guy's not a "licks" player by ANY stretch of the imagination, he's defintiely an "ideas" player, and his ideas are very much his own, the good and the not-so-good alike. I think if he'd have either come to America or gotten more play in the U.K. (not sure why that didn't happen - where's P.D. or Bev?), he'd be a "cult hero" of sorts. In fact, from what little I can gather online, in certain circles he is, or at least this album is, in British jazz circles. Not a recommendation for those still getting grounded in "the basics", necessarily - I think you have to hear what he was so different from to truly appreciate how different he really was, if that makes any sense. But if you think you've heard pretty much all the distinctive variants of hard bop tenor playing, here's a refreshing splash of cold water to make you realize that there's at least one that you haven't. Gaynair's playing here fascinates me even in its less successful moments, and it might do the same for you. Check it out if you're into this sort of "unique" type thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relyles Posted February 23, 2004 Report Share Posted February 23, 2004 I have this sitting in my "unheard music" box. Thanks for reminding me that I need to pull it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 (edited) Do yourself a favor and listen to Africa Calling. A very big thank you to Chris May for his recommendation. Edited October 9, 2006 by B. Goren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 Haven't heard that one (but certainly would like to!), but have come across a Konnex side from 1982 called Alpharian that is certainly worthy. Gaynair's conception (& technique) had fully matured by this point, and the results are not to be trifled with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Storer Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 This is funny, Jim--I had considered putting a piece on my current blindfold test with Gaynair jamming in a sextet led by, yes, Johnny Griffin! I didn't, because it was something like 20 minutes long, so as a result the BFT has neither Gaynair nor Griffin. Instead of both. Which you would have preferred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 I still think you got Griff on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 IIRC Gaynair was on the German scene for a while, but I'm not sure if I ever saw him perform ..... or what the band was he played in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 I listened to this all through last week, or thereabouts, for the first time since about 1985. Glad to say I like it a lot better now than I did then. And even gladder to say that I didn't ditch it MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Referring to Mikeweil's posting, Wilton Gaynair was active on the German jazz scene in his younger days (late 50s, i.e. around the time of Blue Bogey record) as a member of the George Maycock combo. His only recorded legacy from that spell in Germany, however, was one single track with George Maycock on the „Berlin Calling“ LP (Bertelsmann 61161) featuring highlights from the „Jazz Salon Berlin“ festival in early 1959 in Berlin (one of those “Eurojazz“ LP’s that tend to fetch silly prices on eBay). Incidentally, the March, 1959 issue of the Swedish jazz magazine ESTRAD carried the following note on the George Maycock combo in its coverage of the Berlin Jazz Salon 1959: “The other surprise of the evening was a small, slightly rough negro band, the George Maycock combo that has had its home base in Europe for a long time, and it was mostly its rhythm section that accounted for the roughness. The trumpeter has a lively but somewhat bland, modern style but the tenor sax man came as a nice surprise. His style was no aping of John Coltrane but rather a parallel, surprisingly complete development. At any rate he became the evening’s topic number one and it can only be hoped that some record company will record him in the right setting. His name: Wilton Gaynair – an name to be remembered!“ Nice words, but unfortunately in a language unintelligible to almost all the jazzheads across the Big Pond! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I think if he'd have either come to America or gotten more play in the U.K. (not sure why that didn't happen If you think of the low profile even the great Joe Harriott with his ground-breaking 'Free Form' group had over here in the 1960s, it's not suprising - sadly - that Gaynair got lost in the noise. Lots of reports of him doing regional gigs over the country around that time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Referring to Mikeweil's posting, Wilton Gaynair was active on the German jazz scene in his younger days (late 50s, i.e. around the time of Blue Bogey record) as a member of the George Maycock combo. Ah - Geoge Maycock! He was pretty active but had a very mixed reputation. Thanks for posting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2022 Gaynair is all over this new 3 CD set of unreleased Kurt Edelhagen WDR jazz recordings, often enough in tandem with Karl Drewo. He's on board from the early 1960s through the early 1970s and sounds GREAT every time he's up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted May 1, 2022 Report Share Posted May 1, 2022 Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted May 1, 2022 Report Share Posted May 1, 2022 Blue Bogey Africa Calling (jumbled with the above album) On 2/22/2004 at 8:17 AM, JSngry said: Imagine the deliberate lyricism of Tina Brooks combined with ... the "specificity of ideas" of JR Monterose. This is what I most like about Gaynair's playing. Deliberate and specific ... without sacrificing swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted May 1, 2022 Report Share Posted May 1, 2022 I used to have a kind of noisy sounding Jasmine copy of Blue Bogey. Wouldn't mind getting a nicer-sounding reissue. Very good player. He's on at least one weird German fusion LP released via Ring in the '70s that I have yet to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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