adh1907

Met my brother in law last night who was at this concert and claimed there was a lot of tension in the air, particularly around Billy Hart not being introduced and then playing really loud. Any truth in this? He may have misread the situation.

Visited this afternoon ( and the Blue Note shop nearby, no stars just Tony Higgins Brit jazz reissue supremo). Picked up Philly Joe Jones, PJs beat with Bill Barron on tenor. UK original issue, £10. Lots of West Coast jazz which they are finding hard to shift! There’s a Tubby Hayes Tubby’s Groove Tempo issue on the wall which they are open to offers at around £150.

I remember Blue Note opening the pop up store in Coal Drop Yard a few years back. Odd they don’t publicise this. Must have been great to bump into Charles Lloyd! Buy anything from honest Jon’s opposite? This, rather than the Portobello Road branch, is now their jazz shop. Usually a few interesting items.

Swinging with Zoot Sims, Prestige 10”. Just friends, Bill Perkins, Art Pepper & Richie Kamuca, Pacific Jazz. A Toshiba reissue but such a great recording, puts similar period Blue Note recordings in the shade.

Blimey. “When he passes”.

A month in the country, JL Carr. Quirky and moving. Loved it. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/aug/08/jl-carr-month-in-country Anthony London

Great track! In the comments Don’s brother Dave (mentioned here) notes that the recording has been speeded up. Would love to hear more from this gig (speed corrected). Gary Levebre seems to have the tape.

Baker and Gullin seem uninspired on those clips. Shame.

Witches and devils, Albert Ayler 1972 UK Polydor issue, bought today from a Camden Town record shop. The label and inside the gatefold sleeve are stamped ‘file copy’. In 50 years of record buying, I have never seen that before, anyone know what that means? Anthony London

Oh yes! She mentioned that, she had seen the slogan on an advert, was transfixed by it and thought it would be fun to use it for a composition. A good piece, I will look out for it. Thanks Hoppy.

I love her version of this Stevie Wonder tune. I was initially thinking the way she approaches the lyrics, not a straight reading at all, was jazzy but I agree with one of the previous posters, it’s more gospel.

Shelly Manne & His Men at the Black Hawk, Vol 1. Poinciana such a great live sound. Shelly’s drum solo, so good. Play loud. A rare chance here to crank it up on the stereo! Anthony London

I must admit to having seen the name often but not knowingly heard her music before this week. My loss. Errolyn has been the featured composer of the week on BBCRadio 3 this week ( so 5 one hour programmes, 2 to go). Her music is brilliantly diverse but always captivating, a mixture of jazz folk and classical music, but then you all probably know that already. Trained as a dancer in NY. Lives in a lighthouse in Sutherland Scotland! Definitely worth a listen. Open to any recommendations for her recorded music. Anthony London

The Quietus article posted earlier in this thread by TD ( which I found fascinating, thanks TD) goes into the Sun Ra/ Carla Bley conflict in some detail. Here it is again: https://thequietus.com/articles/29717-carla-bley-interview Anthony London

Alyn Shipton’s recent book on Mulligan looks more interesting. An original piece, not cut and paste: http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/writing/the-gerry-mulligan-1950s-quartets/

There was a very interesting article by Val Wilmer in a recent Jazzwise about this London production.

Great record, love the Max Romeo version

There’s a mono copy of Insight on the wall of a Shoreditch record shop currently for sale for £69.99. I listened to it today on their downstairs turntable (after buying a dozen beigels at the nearby classic Beigel Bake) but concluded that it was crackling throughout and no better than my stereo copy. I have never come across a decent copy of this record. I wonder if the CD reissue was sourced from Prince Lasha’s tape and is worth tracking down. I love this record, it has a very strange vibe, what with the harp, Stan Tracey and Prince Lasha on top. Anthony London

In the announcements in today’s Guardian is an acknowledgment from his partner, Maxi, wishing “heartfelt thanks for all the wonderful messages, tributes and outpouring of love and support on the death of her adored husband.” Very touching.

RIP, I haven’t heard much of him in London in recent years but I remember seeing Jabula a lot years back. I also attended a workshop run by him at the Islington Arts Factory, late 80s, early 90s where he was a very patient and inspiring tutor. I think he rehearsed a Dudu Pukwana tune with us.

BBC radio 3 Jazz Record Requests, presented by Alyn Shipton, focused on Fats Navarro on 24 September. Not yet listened but it appears from the playlist that my request for Street Beat with Parker didn’t make the show! Navarro and Parker trading fours is I think one of the peaks of bebop:

RIP. He was probably the first drummer in the UK to introduce rock rhythms into the jazz world. I love his work with Graham Collier, for example, Aberdeen Angus:

Reminds me that there’s a good film of Getz with Coltrane playing Hackensack, 1960. Love the smile they give one another at about 25s in. Wildly contrasting styles at the time. Getz sticks to his stuff. Not so long after this, most tenor players were copying Coltrane. As an aside, did Getz ever take on board any Coltrane-isms? I am not aware that he did.

RIP. Glad to have seen him twice in London, once at the Jazz Cafe , possibly late 90s, where he introduced himself as ‘Barry White’ after his first ferocious tenor work out. Then the Red Rose Club where he played a lot of piano and alto and less tenor. I think this was recorded by Radio 3 for a Jez Nelson broadcast.

He’s playing Kings Place London on Nov 17. I may attend but ticket prices seem steep, at around £30.