sidewinder

About 14-15 years ago at a gig put on over here by Soul Brother Records with Eddie Henderson playing their 70s classics. Eddie with a bank of wah wahs ! Even bought a signed copy of Bartz’s Soul Brother 2LP set after the gig. So - rare event but does occasionally happen. Bartz was predictably great by the way.

Good man !

Happy Birthday Brad !

Happy Birthday !

In my view, easily the best thing on TV this week (not too difficult now that that damn Strictly has started ), her story was presented with great dignity and it was moving to see that phone ‘reunion’ with the old band. Much more than a Betty Davis music doc - it had lots to say about fame, the vagaries of show business, burnout, life after stardom and the effects of time and change. Here’s hoping she gets wider recognition for her influence and plenty of royalties both from the film and CD sales to make up for the past. That ‘Rock & Roll Britannia’ shown afterwards was interesting too, with Tony Crombie and Ronnie Scott doing rock & roll with Tommy Steele and the massed saxes of Lord Rockingham’s XI in action with Red Price and Benny Green. Priceless !

Yep, I remember seeing Woody’s band play ‘La Fiesta’ around that time. The band had Lyle Mays on keyboards i think.

Love that Verve Elite Edition series !

Betty Davis documentary coming up on BBC4 TV tonight at 10:30.

I’m expecting to hear that both will be pushed back even more to early December along with the new Universal set of Tubby Hayes ! Hopefully I’m being unduly pessimistic though.

I have a US Inner City and a French East Wind of this one - think I bought the Inner City in 1979 as a Mole Jazz deletion. A gem ! - Cedar’s trio is also outstanding, as per usual.

Yes, like Ian Carr he used his English degree very creatively in the music mix - plus adding unique influences from the English Chorale tradition, folk, madrigals and Far-East exotica. Too bad he wasn’t more recognised in his homeland ! Not to be missed on those Argos is his use of Norma Winstone’s voice - inspired. Glad to say that I caught the lineup with Lowther/Themen/Winstone/Green/Tomkins and Don Rendell during the early 2000s on a very rare reunion. They did a follow up at the BBC Maida Vale studio not long after but I missed that.

A sad day. RIP, another very fine pianist.

All of those Garrick Argos have been expertly transferred to CD by Vocalion. Not to be missed, considering that this was their first time on CD from master tapes (I think) and that the original LPs sold less than 1000 each in many cases. I read that ‘The Heart is a Lotus’ was the biggest seller at not much more than 1000 copies.

There seems to be an extra tax put on jazz books. Twas ever thus ! Been trying to find the Dameron bio at reasonable price but £26 for a paperback is also too much.

First time I saw Elvin was without piano I think but with guitarist - Japanese I think. La Barbera was on tenor, an incendiary group (and Elvin was on fiery form).

What a giveaway - that one is an absolute corker. Along with ‘Troppo’, one of his best. Kings Cross Station impromptu photo session in uniform - apparently one of them was spat at by an old lady walking across the platform. Platform 9 3/4 to Hogwarts ?

Very sad and shocking news, so soon after Harold Mabern’s passing. Such a tasteful and versatile pianist who could excel with a wide range from Jackie McLean to Carla Bley. RIP.

An excellent read ! Looks interesting - probably a very good accompaniment to the Mosaic set.

Dec 6th release is showing on the pre-order page.

and in pretty acceptable sound, considering that it was recorded live at the Rendezvous Ballroom, Balboa Beach. Some of the best Shorty Big Band material on this one plus the bonus of the two Gellers (Herb, Lorraine, not Uri ) in the lineup.