sidewinder

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.

From the 'Wisdom In The Wings' twofer. Stan Tracey Big Band from 1969.

One advantage of being retired these days is that you can stay as late at you want Swanage on Sunday before the drive back and then recuperate at leisure the next day ! The post-Sunday torture of previous festivals is avoided. So much good stuff - Sunday night ended with Zoe Rahman's 'Colour of Sound' Octet, a real surprise for me as she has taken on board influences from Tyner and Hancock mid-sized groups with the use of alto flute/bone/flugel and also added in those Abdullah Ibrahim and Bengali influences. Lovely ! I really liked this group and will definitely be buying the CD (sadly had run out of cash on the day so could not buy one from Zoe herself afterwards). I think this one was the last gig of a UK tour, very fine band of all-stars really (Mark Armstrong, Camilla George, Rosie Turton, Tori Freestone et al). Norma Winstone with 'The Printmakers' on Sunday afternoon was pretty wonderful, I can't recall hearing Norma sound better. Last year she brought the trio with Mark Lockheart and Nicky Illes and this year expanded it to the full band and to noticeable effect. Again, a group of all-stars - the interplay with Illes, Lockheart and guitarist Mike Walker was superb. Once again I was very impressed with drummer James Maddren - perfect for this sort of group. Saturday night was dominated for me by Emma Rawicz and her 21 piece (!) Jazz Orchestra in the Mowlem Theratre. Led with such confidence and maturity for a 22 year old, the charts were put together and conducted by Emma and with noticeable Kenny Wheeler, Gil Evans and I think Maria Schneider influences. Very individual though as I believe that she senses sounds by colours (can't recall what that is called). Obviously a huge talent - her tenor playing is top notch too. Some of the most interesting music, often low-key, was caught in Marquee 2 under the new 'The Sound of Jazz To Come' strand. I caught 'The Other Way' from Bristol on Saturday, who combine jazz with folk and prog rock to interesting effect. Also in Marquee 2 on Sunday were Alyn Shipton recreating the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and 'Matt Stockham Brown's 6161', another Bristol band sounding to me a bit like a combination of Mike Mower's 'Itchy Fingers' with electronica, a sound somewhat akin to 'Get The Blessing'. Some interesting music coming out of Bristol at the moment. Pleased also to see Greg Abate as special guest with 'The Sound of Blue Note' on Friday night. They did a very nice version of Duke Pearson 'Sudel' with the 3 part harmonies nicely recreated. Had a brief chat with the always friendly Greg A. and bought his first CD with Phil Woods from him. For the most part the weather also behaved and yesterday in particular was a lovely sunny Swanage day - idyllic really, apart from the football result which many there ignored anyway (seeing Zoe Raman's band in the Mowlem was a much better priority). Also great to see Henry Lowther with his 'Still Waters' band, playing superbly at 83 and with Tori Freestone guesting in place of Pete Hurt, to fine effect. Art Themen also his usual wonderful and inventive self with various groups, always seems to be ageless to me although I recall seeing him with Stan Tracey's Octet about 40 years ago and quite a few times at Swanage. All promises well for the 35th festival next year !

I remember these UA 10" LPs when they came out (or at least a few years later when shops over here listed them in Jazz Journal) and I've occasionally come across them in the years since.

Loads of good stuff scheduled - Tony Kofi, Clark Tracey, Gary Crosby plays 'Mingus Moves', Barnes/Newton, Nigel Price, Zoe Rahman, Lianne Carroll. As well as the Mowlem Theatre they are back to 2 marquees near the seafront this year, a welcome development. Personally I think Cheltenham has lost it - caters largely these days for Cotswolds loadsamonies who are not into jazz and the jazz content such as it is seems to be focused on the Parabola Arts Centre. Haven't attended for years. A shame also that Bath these days seems to have totally lost interest in its Jazz Weekend as part of the Bath Fest - the Cotswolds £ effect again I think. Back in the glory days it was Cheltenham, Bath and Swanage in quick succession.

'The Complete Max Roach Plus Four Mercury' box, 7CDs. Spurred on by the Max Mosaic thread and about time I gave this one another spin. CD1 - sounding excellent, first time I have heard this set since changing the pre-amp.

For once with Mosaic I am going to hang fire on this one for a while. TYQ looks like a good option though and they should hopefully get repeat batches.

Next weekend Friday through Sunday it is the Swanage Festival, Dorset again here in the UK - Looking forward to it, Greg Abate is back (hopefully selling more if his CDs) and there is a varied and good lineup including the likes of Norma Winstone, Henry Lowther's Still Waters and Art Themen's Organ Group. Young saxophonist Emma Rawicz is leading her jazz orchestra, looking forward to that one in particular.

Joe Pass 'For Django'. Another very good Tone Poet LP from the 20% off sale.

Horace Silver Quintet 'Silver's Serenade' (Tone Poet) Outstanding - this stereo version compares very favourably with my mono NY pressing. Might even be better !

Prepare to buy some more storage racks..

Yes, that corner area is uninviting and as you say, unstaffed. Sad - when it started out it was a lively shop run by Paul Pace and co. , the nice coffee bar next to it and with good CD and LP offerings. I remember buying the Hazel Scott Debut 10" from the 'Hen's Teeth' box. Heck, they even had good free gigs there by the likes of Empirical.