sidewinder

He was on TV just the other week on that film of the Charlie Watts Big Band. An eclectic sax section with Evan Parker, Ray Warleigh, Bobby Wellins, Peter King and Olaf Vas - plus a young Courtney Pine. The only Danny Moss recording I have I think is this LP, quite an obscure one. I believe that the lady he is featured with on the cover is his wife, singer Jeanie Lambe. Reminds me of my brief chat with Howard Rumsey asking about Lee Morgan’s engagement at The Lighthouse. His comment - ‘Were you there?’ If so, I would have been in short trousers..😂 This one is slowly growing on me - sort of.

This is extremely sad to hear but let’s hope that the great Mr Lewis’s condition can be corrected and that he is back behind his drum kit delivering his usual excellence. I think I saw him playing on a Small’s live feed just within the last 6 months and there was no obvious indication then of any problems. Maybe he was already battling it, in which case huge admiration. Didn’t realise he was still playing with Horizon as late as that. Fond memories of Mr Lewis with that group from nearly 30 years back.

With Tubby Hayes - and what sounds like the tack piano used for Parlophone’s Mrs Mills recordings !

Slide Hampton’s arrangements for this band are great - and what a lineup !

That Armstrong performance at Batley Variety Club (Yorkshire venue of the moment in the late 60s and flush with cash until it folded) was the last UK performance by the All Stars. I think it was that trip that a young Enrico Tomasso got presented with a trumpet by Louis at the airport, presumably Yeadon (Leeds/Bradford). Alyn Shipton in his book tells a story about his school mates driving up to see the Armstrong Batley gig from Hampshire in a Dormobile driven by a 17 year old who had just passed his test. Alyn’s Mum put the stoppers on him going, needless to say the guys travelled safely and had a wonderful time. Excellent !

Jubilee material by Med Flory, Lou Levy and Herb Geller on 2LPs

All 3 are favourites but the Taylor and Lowther are pretty special.

Enjoying working my way through this one. It is well written and Alyn has had some really unique experiences as both a musician and publishing specialist to get to know many musicians over the years, starting with the New Orleans veterans in the 1970s that he got to know as a young bass player. Fascinating and unique experiences ! Interesting to hear of his stories concerning the touring ‘One Mo’ Time’ show in London in 1981. Remember sharing a Ronnies’ table with very young pre-Wynton Herlin Riley back then and him mentioning being in the show, his first overseas touring gig I think.

Yeah, have that one - quite enjoyable. As are the Frankie Capp ‘Juggernaut’ LPs that Concord put out around the same time and with many of the same musicians. Must dig out..

NY mono

Yes, he definitely played London in the 1980s, I remember reading reviews about it. That probably also included UK tour dates. Didn’t catch any of those shows - no doubt involving the Bulls Head in Barnes. Where I did catch Teddy was in California (arm in sling not playing but leading his group) and a later rare NYC gig with John Hicks’ trio. i have photos of the ‘arm in sling’ gig somewhere.

No, not Friesen. This was in the mid 90s. Atillio Sanchi rings a bell - not sure if I got the name right. Stowell’s style holding the guitar is very distinctive. Almost as if he is playing a lute. The intimate style of music worked very well in a restaurant venue. From memory the meal was a fine steak ! Another good guitarist I saw in that period who liked to tour and play solo is Gene Bertoncini. I think he had local friends - a real virtuoso. Further refined my opinion on this Duke Pearson release after a spin on the RCM. It is better than previous issues - more fine detail comes through. Or maybe my deck is behaving itself ! The definitive issue.

I remember seeing him a few times in a restaurant venue accompanied just by bass.

Yeah, I’ve yet to be convinced too that the Japanese pressings are significantly inferior. Most of them sound pretty good to me. The London Jazz Collector site certainly seems to indicate TP significantly better than King. Surface noise and crackles rarely an issue with the Japan pressings. I have a number of TPs and some of these duplicate NY/Liberty originals. Although both are good, I don’t think I’ve heard one yet where I can say the TP is definitely superior in sound. At least, for my preferences. In fact, I generally prefer the sound of the originals, even with RVGs compression. I’ve avoided reported ‘warbling’ titles such Black Fire. Passing Ships played OK on my deck but that might be thanks to the unipivot arm and setup care required.

Lost in translation somewhere mid Atlantic. ‘Ruffled a few feathers’ then.

All Hell breaking loose on the Hoffmann Board due to this ‘Picture of Heath’ issue. I’m curious to get hold of a copy just to see if my deck comes up trumps !

‘Detectorists’ Xmas Special on BBC. Easily the best thing they have broadcast this Xmas - and possibly this year.

A highlight issue from the past year.