adh1907

J J Johnson, JJ, Mosaic Singles CD. What a beautiful CD. Great sound, great players. Love the 2 McFarland arrangements.

Thanks very much Dan. I have registered with Aviary too. Made no difference.

I have tried numerous times to listen to these recordings, but I keep receiving the following error message: ‘The link for this media file has expired. Please reload the page to renew access.’ Are they only accessible within the US? Anthony London

Interesting, I must admit I have never heard of or seen this After the Bridge record. Seems to be mainly Japanese issues on Discogs. What’s the story here, who is on these sessions and why weren’t they released at the time?

So, totally wrong! Matthew Halsall?

Track 12 sounds like Nat Birchall with Rachel Gladwin on the harp. I thought it was off Sacred Dimension, which I have, but it appears not.

Interesting, I didn’t know about Tubby’s old piccolo. I may be confused on naming protocol! It’s a great tune though. Anthony

The first tune is Tubby Hayes’ classic ‘Down in the Village’. By the flute player, Ed Cawthorne, the group is called Tenderlonious. I find the bass a bit relentless on this version. But I may be too used to Tubby’s version and this may be aimed at a jazz dance crowd. Thanks for posting. And hopefully people will also check out Tubby’s version, live at Ronnie Scott’s.

I saw him playing ‘later in life’ and he was perfectly sober and professional. And playing very well. Anthony

I have a spare copy for any UK residents of Keeper of the Flame: Modern Jazz in Manchester 1946 to 1972 by Bill Birch. For the cost of postage and packaging. Bear in mind, it’s a heavy book. Exhaustive and some brilliant photos of visiting UK and US jazz artists. Anthony London

Bought this in the late 70s I think, it was readily available, even in the UK. Prefer Getz’s tone on these Sittin In dates, tough sounding, to the later smoother sound in the 50s. Mouthpiece change?

Thanks.

According to Byrd’s Eye View, Hindall Butts was under exclusive contract to Transition Records. As was Tommy Ball. There’s a long list in the booklet, but I have never heard of these two and nothing much turns up on the Internet. Intrigued. Anyone know anything about these two?

On my first visit to the Village Vanguard, I think 1988, I stood aside on the stairs to let Charlie Haden pass with his double bass. Made me understand what an intimate venue it was. I don’t know why, but I was surprised such a star (to me) was carrying his own bass. He was playing with Don Cherry and James Clay, possibly Billy Higgins on drums. Cherry sitting on the floor in hippy garb, James Clay in a sharp suit.

‘Sweet Blossom Dearie’, live at Ronnie Scott’s, 1967, with Tubby’s old rhythm section, Freddy Logan and Allan Ganley. Beautifully recorded, Fontana, mono.

Thanks, I’m guessing the ‘you must read the back of this album’ hype was Joel Dorn’s idea. It worked, as I remembered it for 50 years! Yes, the music seeped into us three kids. All now jazz fans. We loved the catchy stuff, Roland Kirk, Monk - Lulu’s back in town. After I got punk out of my system I returned to jazz and a deeper appreciation, I hope. Stick with it and in a few year’s time your offspring will be whistling "The Ragman and the Junkman Ran from the Businessman They Laughed and He Cried"!

Next in the pile. My Dad’s is a Vogue mono issue, price of 12/6. Sounds pretty good too. I have an original Contemporary (because I loved what I had heard). Great sleeve too. Always intrigued by Teddy Edward’s shirt on the reverse, v cool.

Running through my late Dad’s collection. As kids, i remember we all loved this when it was played as it was so wild (compared to Chicory Tip or Slade). ‘You must read the back of the album’ , great. How was this received when it was originally issued, I wonder.

Great write up, thanks! I must get there next year. Zoe is really maturing, I think. Emma Rawicz, never seen her with a big band. Will look out for that. Henry Lowther’s lip is keeping well. I remember Art Themen turning up late for a Stan Tracey gig way back and Stan explaining he was delayed due to his surgery work overrunning.

Listening to the CD of this excellent early performance of the Concert Jazz Band, the sleeve notes refer to this concert, July 1960, being videotaped by the ‘US information service’. Who are they and has the video ever emerged? It’s a great recording, the band is on top form. The Newport crowd sounds well revved up! A late night performance, perhaps. Anthony London

From my Dad’s collection. 60 plus years old record, sounding great. 22/6 LSD purchase price. Probably expensive at that time.

That sounds like a good line up for a UK jazz festival. I must look at attending next year. Stroud jazz festival is also getting more interesting by the year. I’ve been to Cheltenham a lot but it’s boring these days.

Sounds a good line up. More jazz than Cheltenham. Hope the Gulf Stream changes direction before then!

Last time I visited, Ray’s Jazz had been shunted into a unstaffed windowless corner of Foyles. Very sad.

Slimmed down! Love that. I can’t imagine the weight of 500 78s if you had to shift them! Well this discussion is sadly relevant for me as my Dad died a month back and has a large jazz collection accumulated since the 50s and the mention of 78s reminds me he used to have quite a lot of these too (a lot of Esquires). My mum will be moving out of the house so it needs emptying. I have been tasked with dealing with this. There are a few I might keep but I am trying to slim down my collection too. I may see if a local record shop has any interest in taking them all.