sidewinder

You got a truly great and obscene deal on that one, John (hi, by the way!). Those Tokyo jazz used CD stores were and are awesome. Up again for this very old but very entertaining thread. I've finally managed to source decent copies of both the Campi/Emanon CD boxes. Still worth getting I think because of the otherwise unreleased suites, especially in the first box, even though Rearward has since reissued some of the content in both boxes. Don't think I ever saw this one in the UK - must have been a German-only issue. Not on CD but strangely enough MPS under their new ownership did digitise it and put it on Spotify.

Strangely enough, 'Other Folks Music' has always been my favourite of the albums in 'Aces Back To Back'. Benefits from Hilton Ruiz on piano.

Gearbox did a good job on the Tubby Hayes Fontana box. I have pretty well all of the original LPs and think that the sonics of the box holds up fairly nicely in comparison. I'll have to give that Blakey LP another listen. From memory the recording quality is not great and yes, it was a bit of an informal live session and lacking that usual 'Jazz Messengers' discipline.

Sheila Jordan - don't think she recorded with him but she certainly knew him in the 50s and must have gigged at least informally.

Guitarist Dick Garcia (Montreal 53).

Yes, indeed they were. I remember seeing the first batch at the RFH around 84/85 after a Miles Davis concert and buying 'Inner Urge' on the spot. These titles were literally mythical in the UK at that point unless you could snag scarce UA imports some years earlier. Heck, I was even desperate enough to buy 'Sixth Sense' as a Liberty deletion cassette (still have it). The current vinyl reissue situation on Blue Note (plus related UA and Pacific Jazz releases) is literally a plethora of riches.

If I didn't already have a copy of this book I would have emailed you pronto Anthony ! A very interesting read with great photos. Our late and missed friend BillF also attended quite a few of the engagements shown I recall.

No problem. From my experience you can't really go wrong with the Tone Poets. Two very recent issues which I've been particularly impressed with are Bobby Hutcherson's 'Medina' and Wayne Shorter's 'Odyssey of Iska'. The latter also has an insert with new sleeve notes. Real attention to detail - the (again recent) Donald Byrd/Doug Watkins Transition titles also have facsimile Transition booklets. I just wish that this series had been around in the 1980s when the best we were offered was the Pathe Marconi reissues. One thing to mention is that the pressing quality of the Tone Poets by RTI in the US tends to be superior. Their quality control of late has been very good as well. Both series are in 180g pressings. They are cut by Kevin Gray so do differ sonically from original Van Gelders but I haven't found that to be a serious negative.

I have a few of the Classics and all seem to be made in Europe - I think they are pressed by Optimal in Germany. They sound fine albeit the sleeves are a bit skimpy. The Tone Poets IMO are better all round and more expensive - pressed by RTI in the US (as with the Music Matters series from some years back) and with tip-on sleeves and original photography from the Wolff photo archive (ex-Mosaic). I find this series to be generally outstanding and up to Music Matters standards. Note that titles previously put out on Music Matters have been issued as Classics and not Tone Poets. Honest Jon's and Juno have good selections of both series by mail order. The Blue Note UK store did have a recent 20% off sale but unfortunately it ended last night. Both if these are good series - the Tone Poets being top notch. Some of the older titles previously sold out have been given re-presses so worth keeping an eye open for these.

Agree that it is not his best - his music took a (sadly, not well documented) interesting turn with the electronic stuff/Zyklus with John L. Walters around 1980 which is documented in the two CDs with the book. I'll bet that the Gearbox LP will improve on the original so it is going to be tempting. An intriguing 'what if' might have been an Ardley collaboration with Walters and 'Landscape'. Maybe it would have made TOTP? Only sad though that I didn't get to see one of those 'Kakeidoscope..' UK tour dates. I seem to recall they did a reunion in the 90s/2000s.

Being a major label release in the original, it's a common LP to find in the racks over here. My Derek Jewell Ardley archive file includes contents of the 'Spheres' press pack which were included (or at least some of it) in the Viv Ardley biography of Neil.

I remember seeing Stowell play with just bass in a restaurant setting. As shown above, he has that unusual way of holding the guitar, almost like a lutier ( echoes of Julian Bream). The other solo guitarist I saw a number of times in similar settings was Gene Bertoncini. Funnily enough, I'm just listening to him on the Tone Poet LP of Wayne Shorter's 'Odyssey of Iska' - inspired casting.

He collaborated with and provided arrangements for the OTC sessions that included 'Ife'.

Nearly bought an original copy of this recently - usually like pretty well everything Teddy ever did so that is interesting to hear.

I remember seeing him do 'Ife' with Stern, Evans, Foster, Miller and Cinelu at the UK comeback performance at Hammersmith Odeon in 1982. Always wondered at the time if Paul Buckmaster might have been in the audience that night and that this might have been a 'dedication' of sorts.

Nice !

Sounds from reading the article that Jack Black would be very much at home in this place ! The Gringots of the record business. No doubt discogs sales must be a big part of their business model.

Quite amusing that the ones left to enjoy the last late concert, for once, are the retiree contingent, whereas the young ravers are all heading back to their abodes for the Monday toil. 😄

Booker Ervin 'Tex Book Tenor' (BN Tone Poet) Wonderful session and great that it is out at last on LP (other than the old 70s twofer, good as that one was). Sound is excellent.

From the Charles Mingus 'Changes' box. That King LP is good ! Saw Sheldon back in 1999 both playing and talking about the West Coast scene of the 50s.

I agree.

It's a great showcase for British jazz plus selected overseas players, I've been going regularly for years since the days when the emphasis was mainly traditional/mainstream plus some modern whereas now with the shift of time and new festival management under Paul Kelly the emphasis is more on modern/contemporary. You can get a 'weekend stroller' ticket - advanced super savers for next year have already sold out (within a couple of days) but the main ticket allocation goes on sale later in the year. There was so much to see and hear that it took me almost a week to recover ! Not mentioned above but also seen by me this year was a typically good performance by Alan Barnes and David Newton in duo (he gets better and better), Gary Crosby and his Sextet recreating the album 'Mingus Moves' in full and guitarist Nigel Price with Rollins-influenced saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos. I also caught a very good set by Henry Spencer's Quintet with Ant Law, half of the performance by 'Jivin' Miss Daisy' (solid lineup with trumpeter Enrico Tommasso) and a very good set by Clark Tracey's Quintet where altoist Simon Allen was outstanding. Missed a couple of bands including Yeti, Noemi Nuti Quintet and Thokozile so maybe next time with those. Thokozile is coming up with an open-air marquee gig at Corfe Castle courtesy Poole Soundcellar so maybe all is not lost with that one. Greg Abate will be returning to the UK for more gigs next week so there is more Abate coming up and yet another chance to buy CDs from him !

Have all of those - FOPP over here sold them off at £10 a shot back in the day. All very good.

Yikes - that is steep. Having said that, I am unfamiliar with US club prices these days. I've just advance booked a 2025 3-day weekend festival at £135, which must make it a bargain.

I have that second CD that they did, with Phil on oxygen. Very good club recording. The first CD is good too - Greg had just the one copy in his box, with case broken but I'm glad I got it. He's touring the UK at the moment so hopefully I will be able to catch another of his gigs. Swanage did a poll last year of which artist they would most like to see again this year and Greg won hands down.