sidewinder

Time to dig out my LP copy of ‘Insight’ on the UK CBS label. It’s not one you see here too often and was never reissued here - a bit of an oddity, in a good way. Don’t think I saw that Dusty CD reissue over here - will grab it if I see it. Nice find !

Just the live interview section seems to be available on the archive.

Remember seeing the Italian Instabile Orchestra at the Bath Fest quite a few years ago now. Back in the days when jazz was a significant element of that festival.

Strange, this mis-match between traditional/swing LP sets and modern jazz LP sets. If this set had covered the modern era it would probably be worth at least 10 times as much. I think my copy cost about £90-100 in NM. Must dig it out !

Yes, next time I saw him was in 85. The band with Scofield, Bob Berg and Robert Irving III. Fine performance - but Al was missed. Miles played quite a bit of organ. Teo captured Foster’s drums very well on ‘We Want Miles’.

Hidden in the sleeve - my programme for Kenny’s 75th Birthday tour. In addition to Konitz, I’d forgotten that Dave Holland was in the lineup that night.

That Jazzwise article and the cover has a couple of photos from Hermosa Beach and also what looks like the Last Session which I haven’t seen before.

Thanks - they obviously got their wires crossed.

Remember seeing him with his trio in that early Blue Note period. Can’t recall too much of it though !

Just read an article in this month’s UK Jazzwise magazine on Morgan and Live at the Lighthouse and it mentions that this new set will be 8LP and no mention at all of a CD version - presumably they got their information wrong? Or maybe this is a special UK expurgated version?

Yes, good call. Nice production by Teo Macero and like you I witnessed that tour where much of this material was featured. I think Al Foster’s drums were particularly well captured on the LPs.

Yes, Pete La Roca wasn’t happy with the planned US release and applied his legal skills at the time - Basra as a place was very much in the news. I have the European copy protect CD. It is fine. Slightly predated the planned US issue I think.

CD12 of this set. Wonderful Holland Park 1988 live evening open-air broadcast, very well captured.

Was lucky enough to catch both Conte and Lou live - same festival but not together. Both wonderful players. Conte I remember as being full of ideas and enthusiasm - with excellent trumpet technique.

That DiMeola evening sounds like fun though. Should keep a few bankers entertained !

Totally agree - Bill Holman was/is very under-rated on tenor. Is that ‘West Coast Wailers’ the one on the 1000Yen edition? My copy is in that excellent and great value series.

You would have been within booting distance of Decca’s studio then - where Garrick et al recorded all their great Argo and Deram releases in that era. Plus Tempo before that. Yes, Kilburn and West Hampstead do tend to merge. I lived just North of there for a while. That ‘Country Club’ I remember as the ‘Town and Country Club’ back in the day. Urban sprawl spreading !

Maybe I am confusing the events, Alex. I definitely saw you at Turner-Sims in a Quartet with Surman and you also interviewed him as part of that evening. So that must have been his birthday. Plus - I am sure your memory is way better than mine. You are right - the ‘Algonquin’ Group had one of the Hampshire Youth Jazz Orch (I think?) members on piano so must have been a different occasion. They did an excellent job with this tricky music. Both great nights Prefer Westbrook’s ‘Citadel/Room 315’ on RCA to the Swedish recording but must give it another chance.

I need his services.

Downes did an LP on Vertigo with that group, also reissued on CD but might be hard to find. He’s also in a similar setting on the Ray Russell Rock Workshop ‘Street War’, accessible via ‘Jazz In Britain’’s Bandcamp site. Bob Downes by the way lives in Germany - and has a site where you can buy some of his CDs, much of it with smaller groups. One masterpiece to check out is John Warren/John Surman ‘Tales of the Algonquin’ on Deram. That one has also been reissued on CD, most recently on Vocalion. A number of years ago I was fortunate enough to see Surman perform this superb suite with a local youth big band, trained up by John Warren. Board member Alex Hawkins was on piano. A memorable night ! Lots of Mike Westbrook CDs, films and articles to check out on the ‘Westbrookjazz’ website. Well worth spending an hour or 10 on there.

Do you happen to know which year that was, Medjuck?

Doesn’t Val Wilmer’s ‘As Serious As Your Life’ include a section on Sam and Bea Rivers?