sidewinder

I see that Blossom has recently got a ‘Complete Fontana’ CD set out. First CD issue of ‘Soon It’s Gonna Rain’ plus two CDs of new outtakes. Tempting !

Have to say - this Pure Pleasure version sounds better than the Black Lion ever did. Or maybe it is a function of the system I’m playing it on? The sleeve and vinyl quality are superior, for sure. That Black Lion I picked up second hand anyway so when sold to Mole it was 3rd hand. Over the years I’ve actually sold very few LPs. All those DMM Blue Notes, I’ve still got. Maybe not a bad thing as some of them are now attracting crazy prices.

I have that KAPP 2LP set somewhere in a Japanese pressing I think. Will have to dig it out. Overdue spin for this 2LP gem in the Pure Pleasure version. I used to have this on a Black Lion double LP but sold it for something like £2 to Mole Jazz about 40 years ago. What a moron - I guess it indicates how tastes change over time. To me, this sounds as good as or better than the Black Lion, which had different cover art as well.

Very nice shot ! I remember seeing the Bancroft bothers, Phil and Tom, with their band at the Bath Fest, must be best part of 20 years ago now. Alas, that festival (as far as jazz is concerned) is now history.

Bergenfield NJ mono pressing

Not tonight but I have just booked to see Ron Carter with his ‘Foresight’ quartet in London during November. It will be a travel challenge to get in but Ron is worth it ! Never seen Ron Carter to date so should be great (and it will mean that I will then have seen all members of Miles’ Second Great Quintet play). Have just been watching Ron’s documentary film on PBS - hugely impressive.

I would agree that ‘Split’ makes probably more sense as a title. Shame that there’s no more insight as to how this one came to emerge as a straggler German Liberty issue (possibly only getting as far as maybe a handful of prototypes) and yet was shelved at home base in NYC until the 90s ‘Rare Groove’ issue. It seems to me that the death around that time of Francis Wolff may have added to general confusion with the communications to the German ‘outpost’ (and its office of Geeks !). Maybe the answer lies in Germany - perhaps worth asking at the JazzInstitut Darmstadt?

I had a copy of that one in my hand the other day and in the end I backed off because it looked cheaply made. £35 as well so full Tone Poet pricing. In the end I went for the Belgian Jazz 2LP set and glad that I did. Tone Poet this series isn’t.

Excellent !

I will be very interested to hear of the feedback which comes from this. The LP is still sat in my shelves as a curio. What we need is the jazz LP equivalent of ‘Antiques Roadshow’ with Mr Cuscuna in the chair.

Nice one !

Thought this 2LP set looked interesting - everything from Clark/Boland to Placebo. Board member Clifford gets a credit on the inner sleeve.

I think JazzMessengers.com also stock both labels. Been really enjoying this 2CD set by the late Trevor Tomkins. I think I caught at least one of the sessions when originally broadcast on Radio 2 FM but never thought I would hear these again. Sound is pretty good - seems to have been recorded off of FM stereo radio broadcast. A quiet ‘gem’, reminds me a bit of the Henry Lowther Quaternity set, with guitarist Phil Lee in both groups. Versatile reed player Jimmy Hastings and that excellent trombonist Chris Pyne are featured in this one. This sort of release is, to my mind, what JiB are all about.

Blimey !

The CD will do for me. Audio is, I hear, more bootleg than audiophile, although more than acceptable. Arc mono version. Initial play of the vinyl had some annoying swishing noise, seems to have been resolved with VPI treatment.

Small paper stamp to show that import taxes have been paid.

Yes Bill, as you say that must have been one of the first Blue Notes to be officially imported into UK on vinyl, with its stamp on the back. Those with the double sided deep groove as imports are small in number. Off the top of my head I can only think of ‘AT’s Delight’ as also in that category.

I’ve also got that very same Pathe Marconi LP somewhere in my racks (with its poster).

Yes, I suspect you are correct. Having said that, I like their reissues, the Shirley Scott was good.

I seem to remember about 20 years ago some story of the disks only turning up in LA area stores due to suspected factory pilfering. Not sure if that was true - having said that I did see some turn up on eBay e.g. Blue Mitchell. There was also the board member I believe who lost his boxes due to offspring using them as DIY kids project source material. Worst nightmare !

Coming up on deck a bit later - Max Roach ‘Members Don’t Git Weary’ mono reissue on Arc Records and ‘Joy’ by the UK 70s band Joy on Cadillac Records (a welcome reissue). I am bemused as to why the Arc reissue of Yusef Lateef ‘Detroit’ is nearly twice the price of the Roach and is IMO a lesser session. A case of the better it is, the less you pay.

What a life and career - RIP. Strange coincidence last night to be playing the video of that TV show with Bill Evans posted on Marc Myers’ site, thinking what a survivor he was.

The whole thing is about 300 pages. Just about right, I think.

I agree. Those disks spun again primarily to be reacquainted with ‘Mr Natural’. Reminded that that one is a bit meh, I don’t think the group lineup sounds fully happy and the McCartney cover is mundane, although Stanley does his best. The other two albums are fine - ‘Another Story’ is particularly good. It was for good reason I think that ‘Mr Natural’ was originally shelved. Can’t understand why it has been resurrected in the Tone Poet vinyl series.

There is a full chapter on the Gonsalves solo - about 10 pages. One of the strengths of the book looks to be in the wider context setting. There’s good coverage of Columbia Records’ evolution and Duke’s recent history up to that point. Plus plenty of Newport ‘56 photos and eyewitness accounts of course.