sidewinder

50 years ago tomorrow ! The weather was better that weekend !

More like a Genesis LP on Charisma !

This is an excellent Monk release - well worth the effort. Maybe the UK’s new trade deals are kicking in?

Is it April 1?

A classic of its kind ! Excellent Turtle Records release of the Deram LPs, in good sound. Plus additional tracks !

Both of those are excellent too. Mike’s site was offering the Hat CD of Rossini (Swiss radio version I think) a while ago for £5, which was a bargain. Both the live version of the Rossini and the radio version are great. I have ‘On Duke’s Birthday’ on a 2LP set and that is very good too. Calling resident Westbrook experts Chris-T and Jazzscriven for further pointers.... Good move ! This recent archival 2CD release also captures some fine performances in excellent sound and with a good cross-section of his and Kate’s work, including stuff from ‘Citadel’.

BGO or the recent recording? Both very good really so you won’t be disappointed either way.

Yes, I have the Swedish recording on vinyl. It’s fine but my personal preference is the original studio version in the BGO CD reissue. I prefer the latter to my RCA LP version. Music-wise all are excellent. I think Surman plays better on the studio version. In fact, it is one of his best performances IMO. Even 10 years ago the BGO was hard to find. I chanced on a good second hand copy in a shop and even then it wasn’t cheap. Mike W.’s current Orchestra has been featuring numbers from this title in concerts over the past few years.

That aligns with my own recollections - he didn’t look too well at Swanage but he played a blinding set.

Although the Swedish performance of ‘Citadel’ is good, I’m not a great fan of the sound, which is a bit on the thin side. Prefer the studio version - the BGO issue is worth searching for.

Wasn’t cheap here either - £75 I think - and involved a Record Store Day scrum just to get at it.

Excellent !

Happy Birthday Mr Martino !

Very sad news - A classy player who played on diverse, important dates. We seem to be losing these few remaining and important players from the classic era at an alarming rate. RIP. Yes, Brownie - ‘impecable’ is spot on in the case of Mr Persip.

Very Happy Birthday Mr Shorter !

In fact, it is so good that getting a further vinyl reissue is probably superfluous.

That was a superlative reissue - glad to have snagged it.

Just recalled that the first time I saw him must have been circa 1980 at Ronnie Scott’s, when he was a member of Bill Le Sage’s ‘Bebop Preservation Society’, sharing the front line with trumpeter Hank Shaw. Some lovely tribute comments on that London Jazz News site. If I remember correctly he also demonstrated Bird’s Grafton sax when it was sold by Sotheby’s. Totally fitting.

Yes, Juno - looks like they are currently sold out though.

Just bought the blue vinyl version of this one as a RSD 2020 release.

This is very sad news, although I was aware that he had been ill for some time. Last time I saw him was at Swanage - about 3 or 4 years ago. His playing as usual was sensational, not putting a foot wrong and as BillF says - truly world class. Not only was he a world-class saxophonist but he was also world-class in the area of model aeronautics, I believe. RIP - irreplaceable on our local scene.

Fresh Sounds

Dec 1977 advert adds ‘From George Russell to Russell George’ and ‘From Bill Perkins to Bill Perkins’ (never heard of the second Bill). Cartoon has Ray as Santa Clause pulling out LP from the sack titled ‘Liberace Plays The Albert Ayler Songbook’.