Soho Scene '61: Jazz Goes Mod

[Hardbopjazz]

Anyone have this? If so, how is it? I'm interested in for Cedar Walton, Mal Waldron and Harold Vick. I can't find any information on this. Is it a compilation CD or something else?

Edited September 22, 2018 by Hardbopjazz

[mjzee]

It's a series from England (there's a Soho Scene '62, '63, etc.).  Each title has two discs: one of English jazz from that year, and one of American jazz.  None of it is licensed (think Proper).  Here's the back cover of this release, courtesy of Amazon:

[sidewinder]

I have one of these (the ‘62, I think). The focus is on the ‘Mod’ scene of the time and the type of music which might have featured at e.g. the Flamingo Club in London. So - hard bopish stuff with an R&B focus. Enjoyable combination but I find that the sound is a bit compressed. Probably due to CD length (these are very full sets).

Much of the US music comes from sessions on Prestige, Argo, BN etc. which would have been issued as 45rpms. for dukebox play. 

Edited September 22, 2018 by sidewinder

[Big Beat Steve]

I have the '61 and '62 sets. Sidewinder's description sums up fittingly what they are all about. Personally I would have preferred full sets with British acts only (as many of these no doubt are much harder to find in other reissue forms than the US recordings would be) but the US compilations have enough material outside the "usual suspects" to make this interesting to explore too. And the 2-CD sets do create a nice atmosphere that makes it easy to imagine the club sounds for us "latter-borns" (pending objections from "those who were there" and who are still around that "it was not like that at all", of course ).

 

[sidewinder]

The Sam Lazar tracks are nice - and were new to me.

[Hardbopjazz]

Thanks for the responses.