sidewinder

Talking of the Surman/Warren 'Tales of the Algonquin', it is being performed at the Southampton event this weekend with Surman (very rare), really looking forward to it. On the previous day he will be performing with his quartet in a separate show with Alex H. on piano, so it will be a major Surman-Fest. I'll have to get hold of that 'Brass Project'. Another one which is a monster is that CD plus DVD of the NDR session with Skidmore, Kenny Wheeler etc and which kicks off with 'Once Upon A Time'. For my money, Surman is one of the greatest musicians to ever come out of this country. At a time when most were following the Gerry Mulligan influence, he took Harry Carney as the starting point and went with it.

Sorry,'fraid not. I will keep an eye open for another copy though.

Ha ! That would be the CD.. (Aforementioned West Coast Classics series)

Came out as a Japanese reissue on Fontana. I've got one upstairs... Also UK issue on Fontana I think.

He was another jazz fan, allegedly he cried during the blitz when he arrived back at his digs to find all his 78 records destroyed. There's a great clip of him in the BBC studio's in the audience of a MJQ concert. Big fan of Bill Evans, I've heard. As mentioned, he's also in the audience on 'Jazz 625' footage. He was in the specially invited studio audience too for the Rendell/Carr 'Live' at Lansdowne, apparently. The show has declined very badly. Like the BBC, sadly. Too many C-listers and full-of-themselves paper pushers on the show these days. Sad.

In red! Somewhere in the 70s, whoever owned Chess/Argo/Etc (or maybe somebody who didn't own it...) flooded the cutout bins with all these LPs that had B&W Xerox-y looking covers. Not remembering if this was the same batch that had same front and back covers, but there was that too. Anyway, you know how tricky xeroxing red could be back in the day. I've got a few of those Cadets and very tacky they look, although they don't sound too bad. Golson's 'Take a Number From One To Ten' and Art Farmer's 'Art' as well as the 'Big City Sounds'. Mole Jazz's deletions rack was full of them. Coincided with the 'Winter of Discontent' over here !

Just about everything Bill Barber recorded with Gil Evans, from Birth of the Cool onwards, was brilliant. His sound is also very distinctive.

George Wallington 'Jazz For The Carriage Trade' (Esquire, mono)

Remember seeing it on the box when it was first transmitted here - around '69 or '70. A highlight of the mid-week viewing at the time. The TV offerings at the time from the US were either this, 'Rat Patrol' or the latest Vietnam news footage. Surreal !

'Lorraine Geller at the Piano' (Japanese Dot)

No snow (we rarely get any) but some fierce storms blowing in from the Atlantic last night !

Woody Shaw 'Song Of Songs' (Contemporary OJC pressing)

Stuff Smith Verve, CD1

What a contrast with the in-town lineup back in 1989/90. I remember attending the Bermuda Onion with the likes of Elvin Jones, Louis Hayes, Phil Woods, Barney Kessell, Mongo Santamaria, Lee Konitz and Pharoah Sanders. 'Top O' The Senator' with Joe Henderson, Red Rodney etc.. Cafe des Copains for solo recitals by Stanley Cowell, Cedar Walton and many others. George's Spaghetti House for Moe Koffman, Ed Bickert etc. plus the likes of Miles on at Massey Hall. Sadly, that nirvana didn't last.. The Rex Hotel used to have a local Hammond B-3 group on for one or two nights a week, which was always fun. Lots of NYC-based groups passing through the town (often at the start of wider North American tours) back in that era.

Art Blakey 'Gypsy Folk Tales' (UK Pye) Still with original £3.15 sales label from when I originally bought it, a small fortune back then..

Maybe he heard the Konitz Verve 'Motion' session, or heard about ot from Konitz himself?

On vinyl many of these were originally issued 'direct cut' and always sounded particularly great sonically, to my ears. Much better pressings than the US Inner City releases of these titles. The Art Farmers and the Cedar Waltons can be recommended without reservation. As can the Clifford Jordan/Cedar Walton 'The Pentagon'. I have that Oliver Nelson on vinyl. Will have to dig it out again.

Fantastic - that one looks very tempting.

Doesn't he often appear at the Concord Club in Eastleigh, John? Often seems to be listed for there when I look at their listings. Caught a track of his on Jazz Record Requests the other day and immediately recognised his sound.

That's the one I was thinking of. They started off that performance as a trio and Braxton came on as a guest for one or two of the numbers. I remember him almost blowing the roof off with that contra bass sax on one of his solos, spurred on by Oxley.the roof and my head I think. Wasn't that to celebrate the reopening after the RFH refurb? Yes, I think you are right.

That's the one I was thinking of. They started off that performance as a trio and Braxton came on as a guest for one or two of the numbers. I remember him almost blowing the roof off with that contra bass sax on one of his solos, spurred on by Oxley.

Yes of course - not with Ornette but with Cecil at the RFH. 2007 would be about right. My mind is playing tricks !

Great prices for 3 great box sets !

Thanks for the info about the Braxton appearance - didn't know about it. Tuesday night would be difficult though. I remember seeing him at either RFH or Barbican with Ornette about 10 years ago so presumably that was his last previous UK appearance? It's years since I've seen Harold Mabern live. Every time - he delivers. Should be great !

I think I'll wait until the holographic Blue Note reissues come out before upgrading any more !