sidewinder

Linn Records HDCD from 2001. Had a nice chat with the band members last week where I bought this CD and they kindly signed it. Great guys, most pleasant and enthusiastic music makers. They are playing better than ever at the moment. I assume that is the Ashdown White Horse on the cover art?

Sorry to hear this, RIP. There was a time in the 70s and 80s that he seemed to be everywhere on record for those sessions recorded in LA. I have the feeling that I saw him once but not entirely sure where - possibly with Gerald Wilson? Yes, very distinctive trumpet sound.

UA mono Japanese Riverside

Excellent 2LP set - as is all of that series. Time to dig it out, in fact !

I saw a very good talk a few weeks ago given by the American producer of the Russian version of Sesame Street. An unlikely show if ever there was one - and somehow it lasted until 2010. Cultural translation problems galore with that one.

An absolute masterclass in arranging on these 2LPs. Plus The Doors’ rip-off tune ‘Jambangle’ on the Gil disk.

On the other hand, in 2005 he played to a full house in Jazz Britannia at The Barbican, with his big band and in the small group. The BBC show I witnessed was a full house too. Local Sunday pub lunch gigs on home turf I would suggest, maybe aren’t representative of the full picture. Similarly, I saw Mike Westbrook playing to less than 10 people over the past year at a small venue, yet he had packed houses at Ronnie Scott’s recently. There’s no doubt that his profile dropped big time in the 80s and I recall only that Hep LP with Don Weller coming out at that time. Maybe his bio will shine some light on this but the sale of Argo to Polydor caused quite a bit of grief in the late 70s and maybe this led to a lowering of profile in terms of recording. As the bio makes clear though, he was extremely active, including involvement in youth music education.

‘Blue Spirits’ and ‘Breaking Point’ from this great set.

The best I’ve seen for this one was £15 I think from HMV in their early 2023 sale. Unfortunately, I already had it !

The period from the late 90s to about 2005 and ‘Jazz Britannia’ saw a big raising of profile for that period of British Jazz. I recall a JazzUK mag interview with Peterson, Michael Garrick and Don Rendell. Garrick was gobsmacked at the resurgence of interest in those old recordings, most of which sold around 1000 copies or less. Still got that article filed away somewhere. Those two ‘Impressed’ compilations were great. My vinyl copy of Vol 1 came from Graham Collier as thanks for help given. Wish I’d asked him to sign it ! Vol 3 as I recall was download only supplied by Tony Higgins and was not unlike the recent Decca sampler set. I hope they get things rolling again at Decca with the ‘British Jazz Explosion’.

I wouldn’t say that Garrick is/was not well known in the UK - from the 60s he had a pretty high profile in what was admittedly a fairly low key scene, when compared with e.g. the pop world. It is true though that his profile did drop after the mid 70s and only came more to prominence in the 1990s onwards with the publicity generated from Gilles Peterson and crate diggers ‘resurrecting’ his earlier works as part of the British jazz resurgence.

Yeah, sadly not easy to find. When it came out circa 1975 it went pretty well immediately into the deletions bin and sold very poorly. One of his very best too !

👍

Another CD bought from Alan during the weekend.

No problem ! I was just wondering as to when the previous occasion was that I saw Norma and have the feeling that it was with the recreated Michael Garrick lineup for a BBC broadcast which had the same band as ‘Troppo’. Best part of 15 years ago now. Not long before that I saw her at Northsea with Kenny Wheeler and Kenny Werner. Henry Lowther was in that ‘Troppo’ lineup and as if by magic he was playing on Sunday night as part of a ‘Tribute to Humphrey Lyttelton’ large group. Henry in a more ‘traditional’ jazz style but good to see him in performance again in his 80s. Time to give the Argo LP Of ‘Troppo’ a spin !

Quick update for HutchFan on the Norma Winstone concert. Norma appeared in a trio with Nicki Illes, piano and Mark Lockheart, saxes. In fact, a not dissimilar lineup from the first time I saw her circa 1988 with John Taylor and Tony Coe. Norma was in great voice, with that sublime range, phrasing and great feel for jazz. A typically varied set too, including tunes by Ralph Towner, John Taylor and Joni Mitchell. One thing that struck me was her incredible timing and ability to hit some very unpredictable pitches on fast passages on unison with Lockheart. A super performance which got an excellent reception at the festival, one of the best over a very good 3 days. Other festival highlights for me - Get The Blessing, Perfect Houseplants, a Miles Davis Nonet recreation led by saxophonist Andy Panayi, Toni Kofi’s Adderley Brothers Tribute with Dennis Rollins and a fine Quintet led by saxophonist Dave O’Higgins and guitarist Rob Luft. Luft also appeared with the excellent contemporary group led by drummer Corrie Dick.

I sometimes get the feeling that for some of these folks, including the Hoffman crowd, it is like collecting baseball cards. A cult. I’m likely in for this box. Currently listening to the Hubbard box and enjoying it. If up to that standard, should be a good one. Have most of the music I think, except ‘Standards’.

Bought from Mr Barnes this afternoon. Good stuff.

That’s a really good box set, which I need to dig out again. I also have pretty well all (I think) of the Japanese pressing Nocturne series on LP. I think they were done by Toshiba. Norma Winstone is appearing tomorrow at Swanage I think in a small group including pianist Nicki Illes. I hope to catch it. Some really good vocalists at this year’s festival, not least Claire Martin with her group. I think she lives up the coast at Brighton so sort of home territory.

Starting tomorrow night, 3 days of British jazz on the Dorset coast at Swanage. Forecast looks reasonable and the marquee by the sea is back in action so bodes well. First up is Alan Barnes.

I saw them live about a week ago - it was very enjoyable. The band announced that Marshall and Babbington had now taken a very well earned retirement, with their places taken by Asaf Sirkis and Fred T. Baker (which is the lineup I saw). Both Sirkis and Baker, highly experienced in their own rights, fitted in well.

Resteamed

Frederiksberg I would say that if anything the Vocalion probably has the edge, maybe due to heavier vinyl. Not a massive differential though.

Made a point of avoiding that area like the plague on my drive through the general vicinity last night. The town is full of nutters at the best of times ! Grrrrrr...😂 That ‘Rough and Tumble’ is a good reissue. Amazon have been discounting it over here as well.

Outrageous that you guys have this site that ‘sells’ LPs for free. Some of us have to pay for them ! I hear they even had some Tone Poets in that offer.