British Jazz Reissue Series UK Columbia

[AndrewHill]

Yet another casualty in the reissue business it seems and I definitely don't know a whole lot about this series. In fact, I would've never even known this series existed if it wasn't for the lucky find of a copy of Tony Oxley's Batised Traveler and it happened to have a sticker on the jewel box advertising that this was part a reissue series that will inlcude SBM remastering, original artwork and liner notes. It appears that Columbia UK was doing the reissue series. I only found out in the liner notes that Columbia was reissuing 4 Compositions for Sextet in the same series. Just recently, another board member was able to point me in the right direction to pick up a copy. Besides that, I have no idea what other titles are in this series, how many or how long the reissue program went on, but I assume that none of these titles are in print at this juncture. Dos anyone know what the other titles are? And if so, if you own any of them, what are your opinions of them?

[sidewinder]

These were UK Sony reissues from around 1999 - they only lasted a few years and then disappeared from the shelves. Most of these releases were of CBS/Realm LPs put out by CBS's UK office around 1968/69 which are themselves pretty scarce on vinyl (there must have been a hot-minute of enthusiasm for Brit jazz there that lasted 5 minutes until the sales receipts came in). Don't have a full list but the titles I'm aware of included:

- Frank Ricotti 'Our Point Of View'

- Ray Russell 'Dragon Hill'

- Howard Riley 'Angle'

- Tony Oxley 'Four Compositions' and 'Baptized Traveller' (but not, I think, 'Ichnos')

There may be some others. Also, several Derams (including the two Mike Gibbs LPs) were also issued here in the UK for the first time on CD around this time, I recall.

Incidentally, Ray Russell's very fine 'Turn Circle' was not I think issued in this batch but is now available from the excellent Dutton Vocalion.

I have a few of the original LPs (including 'Four Compositions', 'Turn Circle' and 'Our Point Of View') on LP and they sound . They generally have either green or orange CBS labels. The Ricotti and Russell are particular favourites of mine (in fact one of the tracks on the Ricotti almost sounds like proto heavy metal).

Incidentally, these LPs were not 'UK Columbia' issues but 'CBS Realm'. The Columbia name was registered to EMI in the UK during the 1960s and even in the 70s I remember seeing US CBS imports having the 'Columbia' name either marked out or covered up with 'CBS' labels (in fact I have quite a few of them).

Edited November 21, 2007 by sidewinder

[AndrewHill]

Thanks Sidewinder. I'm gonna check the availability of those titles you mentioned.

Concerning the "Realm Series," The Baptised Traveler does have the Columbia "Realm Jazz Series' logo on the cover, whereas the 4 Compositions for Sextet does not.

[sidewinder]

There's a write-up on the original UK LPs in October 1969's 'Jazz Monthly' (list priced at 25/11d in the 'old' currency ) and the following is an interesting quote:

'Much of the jazz activity from the local C.B.S. is the result of the energy and interest displayed by Mr David Howells. I understand that the board of directors includes a solitary jazz fan, an event so rare in the major companies that it cannot go unnoticed!'

I guess we should also thank Mr Howells for releasing Prince Lasha's 'Insight' too.

Edited November 21, 2007 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

Concerning the "Realm Series," The Baptised Traveler does have the Columbia "Realm Jazz Series' logo on the cover, whereas the 4 Compositions for Sextet does not.

You are welcome ! Just checked the front of my 'Four Compositions' LP and it just has the usual CBS logo in the top LHS, no 'Realm Jazz Series' (which the Ricotti has, I think). So the CD cover is a straight copy of the LP.

Incidentally, I remember seeing the whole lot 'on special' for £5 in London's Tower some 7-8 years ago. I was buying Conns at the time so passed on them. What an idiot !

Edited November 21, 2007 by sidewinder

[Head Man]

This was a wonderful series and I support everything that Sidewinder has said. Get any that you can and you won't be disappointed!

In addition to the ones already mentioned there was a second recording from Howard Riley issued, called 'The Day Will Come' which again is first class; and a second from Ray Russell called 'Rites and Rituals'.The two Howard Rileys' are my own personal favourites.

Like Sidewinder, I would also recommend the recent Ray Russell on Vocalion. I believe it was his first recording and it is much more of a 'straight-ahead' jazz session than any of his subsequent releases.

[AndrewHill]

Thanks again guys I'm actually going to visit the store that had Oxley title and hunt myself in their bins. I may just get lucky and find other titles in their series

[sidewinder]

Good luck. Get hold of that 'Turn Circle' on Vocalion as well. Lovely session.

[brownie]

Most of the releases in that series are quite new to me.

Thanks for the recommendations!

[sidewinder]

Most of the releases in that series are quite new to me.

Thanks for the recommendations!

You would enjoy them I think, Brownie ! The vinyls are worth looking out for.

Do check out the Dutton Vocalion catalogue. Some rare and wonderful gems on there.

Edited November 22, 2007 by sidewinder

[AndrewHill]

That was really the point for me too; to learn the titles and hunt them down, this period in jazz is like a new un-explored area-I'm excited!!!!

[B. Clugston]

I bought both Oxleys in London about eight years ago. I was as surprised to see them on CD as I was to learn they were on Columbia in the first place. Both are great discs with quite the line-up from the burgeoning UK improv scene.

[analogak]

why did ricotti pick up the sax for the longest track on "our point of view"? why not stick with his main axe if it is to be the longest track?

[clifford_thornton]

Don't have much to add here. I have and enjoy all of the Realm titles mentioned, save the Turn Circle.

Realm also issued the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon split LP that was originally issued on Savoy and later also on BYG and Supraphon.

Also in this Columbia reissue series was Howard Riley's third as a leader, The Day Will Come, which is an excellent album. I have a number of orange-label CBS jazz records, including those of German and French origin. Some fantastic modern and avant-garde jazz titles under that moniker!

[AndrewHill]

This was a wonderful series and I support everything that Sidewinder has said. Get any that you can and you won't be disappointed!

In addition to the ones already mentioned there was a second recording from Howard Riley issued, called 'The Day Will Come' which again is first class; and a second from Ray Russell called 'Rites and Rituals'.The two Howard Rileys' are my own personal favourites.

Like Sidewinder, I would also recommend the recent Ray Russell on Vocalion. I believe it was his first recording and it is much more of a 'straight-ahead' jazz session than any of his subsequent releases.

Well I went to the store today that had the Oxley title, and amazingly enough, they had Ray Russell's "Dragon Hill" and "Rites and Rituals," which I snapped up faster than you can say CBS Realm Jazz Series :rsmile: So here are my first impressions:

"Dragon Hill" which is quartet date of piano, bass drums, and two tracks which are augmented with trumpet and saxophone is a pretty nice and straightforward date. You can sense that Russell though is really trying to push a more 'rough around the corners' guitar sound, which immediately hit me as "pre Last Exit era Sonny Sharrock" This one has the CBS Realm Jazz logo on the cover. I recognized none of the sidemen, but if anyone wants me to list them, I can.

But its "Rites and Rituals" that blew me away! Man, this album is heavy! Its a sextet album, with trumpet, sax, trombone, guitar, bass (electric on the first track and accoustic on all the others) and drums. Here, Russell clearly sounds like later-day Sonny Sharrock, but mixed in with Tauhid-era Sharrock weirdness too. The first track is a mother, there's so much going on here. This is positively a more-out date than Dragon Hill. I have to go, but if anyone wants any more details on these dates, like dates and sidemen, just let me know.

[clifford_thornton]

Rites and Rituals is bananas.

I have the Live at the ICA LP he did for UK Victor and Secret Asylum (Black Lion) which are out and even-more-out, respectively.

The latter has a mind-melting trio with drummer Alan Rushton and bassist Daryl Runswick...

Edited November 28, 2007 by clifford_thornton

[AndrewHill]

Rites and Rituals is bananas.

Yeah it is! I was listening to it in the car again last night and Russell basically sounds like he should be in a hard rock band at times; it even sounds like he's doing a little feedback too. This is terrific stuff!

[sidewinder]

A bit of an aside but I remember seeing Ray Russell in the Gil Evans Orchestra lineup, around 1983. As well as Russell, that lineup had John Surman, Chris Hunter, Don Weller (I think) and possibly also Frank Ricotti. Memory of the event is getting rusty these days.

[analogak]

secret asylum just got reissued on CD. it's ok. i don't think i think much of rushton as a drummer. very amateur british guy playing free jazz sounding. nothing really to recommend him...he's weak. he also killed the ICA album for me.

[clifford_thornton]

Really? I think he's better-recorded on the ICA record, but have no problems with his playing.

[analogak]

cliffe-secret asylum was originally on black lion? interesting....this CD reissue doesn't have much info. the cover is so dorky and happy and not consistent with the vibe of the music. well i guess maybe it is if russell thinks of his to me harsh and metallic playing as happy and excstatic.

anyway, rushton is way too busy, to my ears. skittering and annoying.

[AndrewHill]

So can anyone give me their impressions of Riley's Angle and Ricotti's Our Point of View? What are the lineups? etc.

[analogak]

the ricotta is pretty decent. always nice to hear chris spedding. it has spedding, bryan spring, chris laurence and riccota.

it sounds a lot like gary burton's stuff at the time but maybe a little less edgy. you know, the stuff with coryell, swallow and haynes/moses. i think there is even a burton tune and i have read spedding interviews where he admits to the influence.

the only issue is the longest track has the leader on sax? for some reason rather than his main axe(s). i am not sure what the reasoning was for this. it's a fine song but it just irks me for some reason. maybe at the time the leader enjoyed playing sax. he's fine. i would have rather heard him on vibes if the song was going to be the longest, though.

the songs in general aren't so long. laurence is on acoustic, not electric bass.

[clifford_thornton]

So can anyone give me their impressions of Riley's Angle and Ricotti's Our Point of View? What are the lineups? etc.

Angle has Barry Guy on bass, Alan Jackson on drums, and on one track, Barbara Thompson on flute. Sort of like a more "composerly" approach to what Bley was doing at the time. Excellent date.

The Ricotti has Chris Spedding on guitar (on fine form), Brian Spring on drums and Chris Laurence on bass. Gary Burton isn't a bad comparison, but this is certainly more ragged around the edges. I like it a lot.

[clifford_thornton]

cliffe-secret asylum was originally on black lion? interesting....this CD reissue doesn't have much info. the cover is so dorky and happy and not consistent with the vibe of the music. well i guess maybe it is if russell thinks of his to me harsh and metallic playing as happy and excstatic.

That's the original artwork. The other players are Daryl Runswick, bass; Gary Windo, ts/bcl/fl; and Harry Beckett, tp/flh.

It was on Black Lion in Germany as a single-sleeve (with no notes!) and in the UK on Intercord, gatefold with nice notes and personnel (same front/back goofball image).