Neil Ardley's New Jazz Orchestra - Camden '70 Live

[RogerF]

Neil Ardley's New Jazz Orchestra - Camden '70 Live at The Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, London WC1 - Tuesday 26th May 1970 - Dusk Fire Records, Dusk CD105

This amazing piece of jazz archaeology turned up out of the blue and totally unexpectedly. Needless to say, as a Dusk Fire Records product, the quality and attention to detail (sleevenotes by NJO member and Observer jazz critic, Dave Gelly, and some rare photographs) this is a release not to be ignored for any Brit jazz fans. The NJO roll call here includes some of the key players of the time including Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Mike Gibbs, Nigel Carter, Derek Wadsworth and some guy called Jon Hiseman on drums who just happened to bring along the members of his rock band Colosseum who were playing at the gig that night and thought they would 'sit in'. So basically we have the NJO + Colosseum or Colosseum plus the NJO. Either way it's spectacular. Also, you get a lot of brilliant stuff here including George Russell's 'Stratusfunk', Mike Gibbs' 'Tanglewood' (for some reason the '63 is dropped here), Neil Ardley's 'Shades of Blue' and Jack Bruce's 'Rope Ladder to the Moon' with barely audible vocals by Clem Clemson. Then there's pretty much all the contents of the NJO's (still unreissued!) 'Le Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe' and a great joke end track 'National Anthem & Tango'. I would anyone interested in either jazz rock or British jazz generally would have to buy this one. Can't really be called a reissue because it's never been issued before, but what a find! Yet another fine example to vindicate the use of the epithet 'golden age' when referring to late sixties, early seventies British jazz. One notable absence is Ian Carr on trumpet, but he was busy at the time adding yet more gold to the age with his new band Nucleus. A very fine album indeed.

[sidewinder]

What a find - indeed. I'll be on to this one - and can the reissue of the studio 'Dejeuner' recording be far behind? Come on, Universal UK (and get your act together with 'Windmill Tilter' too).

[Jazzjet]

Neil Ardley's New Jazz Orchestra - Camden '70 Live at The Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, London WC1 - Tuesday 26th May 1970 - Dusk Fire Records, Dusk CD105

This amazing piece of jazz archaeology turned up out of the blue and totally unexpectedly. Needless to say, as a Dusk Fire Records product, the quality and attention to detail (sleevenotes by NJO member and Observer jazz critic, Dave Gelly, and some rare photographs) this is a release not to be ignored for any Brit jazz fans. The NJO roll call here includes some of the key players of the time including Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Mike Gibbs, Nigel Carter, Derek Wadsworth and some guy called Jon Hiseman on drums who just happened to bring along the members of his rock band Colosseum who were playing at the gig that night and thought they would 'sit in'. So basically we have the NJO + Colosseum or Colosseum plus the NJO. Either way it's spectacular. Also, you get a lot of brilliant stuff here including George Russell's 'Stratusfunk', Mike Gibbs' 'Tanglewood' (for some reason the '63 is dropped here), Neil Ardley's 'Shades of Blue' and Jack Bruce's 'Rope Ladder to the Moon' with barely audible vocals by Clem Clemson. Then there's pretty much all the contents of the NJO's (still unreissued!) 'Le Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe' and a great joke end track 'National Anthem & Tango'. I would anyone interested in either jazz rock or British jazz generally would have to buy this one. Can't really be called a reissue because it's never been issued before, but what a find! Yet another fine example to vindicate the use of the epithet 'golden age' when referring to late sixties, early seventies British jazz. One notable absence is Ian Carr on trumpet, but he was busy at the time adding yet more gold to the age with his new band Nucleus. A very fine album indeed.

Great news. Thanks Roger for posting this. Sounds like a must-purchase!

[sidewinder]

The Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, London WC1

Well, I used to live in Camden but I never heard of that place.

Did it morph into the Shaw Theatre at some stage?

[sidewinder]

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

[RogerF]

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

I went ot see a play there once around that time...'Zigger Zagger' - about football.

[Jazzjet]

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

More Holborn than Camden. I used to work just across the road from the theatre. About 5 mins from Holborn tube station.

[sidewinder]

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

More Holborn than Camden. I used to work just across the road from the theatre. About 5 mins from Holborn tube station.

Yeah, its amazing that I didn't know it, as I used to go to the college up the road (UCL). Frequented Southampton Row quite a bit in those days.

[Tony Pusey]

Wasnt the Shaw Theatre opposite St Pancras station? Or am I confused? used to get free tickets sometimes...

I used to work above the Oasis swimming pool in Holborn, at the Architects department of Camden Council, from1971 onwards.

[sidewinder]

Wasnt the Shaw Theatre opposite St Pancras station? Or am I confused? used to get free tickets sometimes...

I used to work above the Oasis swimming pool in Holborn, at the Architects department of Camden Council, from1971 onwards.

Yes, the Shaw is close to St Pancras.

[Jazzjet]

[JohnS]

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

I went ot see a play there once around that time...'Zigger Zagger' - about football.

Answering own question -

"Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London"

In the Borough of Camden then but not in Camden Town. Can't recall ever seeing this place on Southampton Row, how did I ever miss it !

More Holborn than Camden. I used to work just across the road from the theatre. About 5 mins from Holborn tube station.

Yeah, its amazing that I didn't know it, as I used to go to the college up the road (UCL). Frequented Southampton Row quite a bit in those days.

I don't remember this venue either. I know the Shaw, lots of good gigs there and the concert hall in University College (again lots of great gigs there). But that was in the pre Thatcher era when arts grants mean't that you could rely on a decent gig almost every month on top of the Camden Festivals. Those were the days.

[RogerF]

Well I have one for sale @$10.00 PPD. Paypal OK.

Thanks Roger but I've already got my copy ( via Dusk Fire ). And very good it is too.

Wasn't actually me that was offering it for sale, Jazzjet; Bigbandrecord quoted my original post about it. However, I am plugging this new reissue from Neil Ardley although, again I am not selling it, I just wrote the sleevenotes for this Esoteric reissue!

Harmony of the Spheres

Edited December 3, 2008 by RogerF

[Jazzjet]

Well I have one for sale @$10.00 PPD. Paypal OK.

Thanks Roger but I've already got my copy ( via Dusk Fire ). And very good it is too.

Wasn't actually me that was offering it for sale, Jazzjet; Bigbandrecord quoted my original post about it. However, I am plugging this new reissue from Neil Ardley although, again I am not selling it, I just wrote the sleevenotes for this Esoteric reissue!

Harmony of the Spheres

Sorry Roger - I misread the post. Great news about Harmony Of The Spheres. I've already got this in its original vinyl format so won't benefit from your sleevenotes I'm afraid!