British jazz reissues

[RogerF]

Mike Dutton's Vocalion label is reissuing in October some more long lost British jazz albums and one I hadn't heard of (Mirage with George Khan and Brian Godding), The ones I am particularly pleased about are the Michael Garrick, Ray Russell and Bob Downes (the latter of which I have been attempting but failing to buy on eBay for years).

for more details see here: http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/

Also now available on the Dusk Fire label is the excellent first release for the early 1970s recording of Mike Taylor Remembered (recorded but never released and featuring a host of British jazz stars inc Norma Winstone and Ian Carr).

[sidewinder]

I'm looking forward to the Michael Garrick - never heard that particular one.

The Bob Downes I have on an Openian LP which I think I picked up for £8.

It's definitely worth picking up.

'Turn Circle' I have on my orange-label UK CBS. A nice session - more 'traditional' than anticipated.

The 'Mirage' is one I've never heard of either. Lives up to its name...

[RogerF]

I'm looking forward to the Michael Garrick - never heard that particular one.

The Bob Downes I have on an Openian LP which I think I picked up for £8.

It's definitely worth picking up.

'Turn Circle' I have on my orange-label UK CBS. A nice session - more 'traditional' than anticipated.

The 'Mirage' is one I've never heard of either. Lives up to its name...

Found this quote from the Calyx website:

Towards the end of 1975, (Steve) Cook formed Mirage alongside Brian Godding, George Khan, Dave Sheen and John Mitchell.

After the latter's departure to National Health, the group recorded one album, Now You See It, for the Norwegian label

Compendium. "Mirage used to play every week at the Kings Head in Upper Street, Islington. Basically it was a jamming

band - we used to make most of it up on the spot. We also played at Dingwalls a couple of times. I think at that time I was

also playing in Mike Westbrook's Solid Gold Cadillac, where I met George and Brian. In fact at that time I was quite in

demand on the London jazz scene - I played with most of the people around. Another person I played with quite a lot

around that time was Michael Garrick".

[sidewinder]

Thanks - Yes, recall Godding and Khan being in the lineup for 'Solid Gold Cadillac'.

Norwegian 'Compendium' label eh? Talk about obscure.

[sidewinder]

Have ordered the Garrick - and also a few of the bargains listed in the jazz sale (Tony Crombie, Ken Moule, Shake Keane etc.) whilst they are still with us.

I see the Garrick CD also includes the tracks from the 'Garrick's Fairground' EP. The only copy of that I've ever seen went for over £100.

[GARussell]

I'm pretty sure I have the Mirage LP. I'll have to pull it out and give it a close listen.

[sidewinder]

My copy of the 'Garrick's Fairground - Mr Smith's Apocalypse' by Michael Garrick and chorus has arrived. This one is totally uncategorisable. Can't really compare it at all with Andrew Hill's 'Lift Every Voice' from a similar vintage. There's echos of English music hall, fairground organs and eclesiastical

music in all this - and some of it is not dis-similar to Mike Westbrook's vocal + brass projects and maybe bits of 'Solid Gold Cadillac'. This one will take a bit of digesting.

I see in the notes that the 'Garrick's Fairground' EP was John Peel's record of the week for one week way back when it was issued, then it completely sank without trace. Based on first listen, the EP is the finest thing on the CD, with some superb Norma Winstone vocal work.

Have also got hold of the 'Cold Mountain' - can't believe I've held off for so long before getting this.

Edited October 2, 2007 by sidewinder

[4%XB]

48 British Jazz reissues

[sidewinder]

48 British Jazz reissues

Hmm - looks like they mis-filed Jake Thakray.

Nice to see the Joe Harriott biography and the Coleridge Goode autobiography still for sale. Those two are great !

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Anyone familiar w/ Elaine Delmar's reish on Vocalion save for the title cut "Sneakin' Up On You"?

One of those names i had on a comp years ago and really like her voice. Would be nice to know that the disc might be as "groovy" as "Sneakin' ...".

[sidewinder]

Nope, don't know that one I'm afraid but I'll bet it's good. She is a class act and Ronnie Scott used to always book her in to the club during the glory days of that institution. Vocalion has some interesting looking Salena Jones CDs (originally on UK CBS) too...

[RogerF]

I know at least Sidewinder knows about this but thought folk might like to learn that at last, a Harold McNair album has been reissued on CD - 'The Fence' from 1970 with 5 extra tracks from his 1968 eponymous album.

[clifford_thornton]

The Bob Downes I have on an Openian LP which I think I picked up for £8.

It's definitely worth picking up.

$3 for me...

Compendium also issued Hugh Hopper's 2nd LP, Hoppertunity Box, which got the digital restoration treatment from Cuneiform recently.

[sidewinder]

I know at least Sidewinder knows about this but thought folk might like to learn that at last, a Harold McNair album has been reissued on CD - 'The Fence' from 1970 with 5 extra tracks from his 1968 eponymous album.

I've only heard one track from 'The Fence' but it is an intriguing jazz-rock album that seems to be influenced by 'Bitches Brew' and with early Keith Tippett in a rockish vein. Well worth picking up (it's on my list) but I wish they had enclosed the cool envelope on the front with the orange (or was it yellow?) balloon as per the original LP. Every LP copy I've ever seen has been missing that damn ballooon.

Edited October 27, 2007 by sidewinder

[Niko]

any opinions on this item?

not the most british of records but it has Deuchar, Keane and others and it can be had cheaply...

from dustygroove:

A very groovy take on the work of Jimmy Webb -- a sweet instrumental set from German maestro Kurt Edelhagen -- featuring a host of hip jazz players from around the European scene, and some great arrangements by Quincy Jones! The tunes are all hits by Jimmy -- but they're redone wonderfully by Quincy -- who brings in a slightly more soulful approach overall -- one that finds all the best spaces between the notes in Webb's originals, and uses them to create a wonderfully subtle sense of groove. Instrumentation includes trumpets from Jimmy Deuchar and Shake Keane, trombone from Jiggs Whigham, saxes from Karl Drewo and Wilton Gaynair, organ and celeste from Bora Rokovic, and bass from Peter Trunk -- plus some added strings -- and Quincy gets some help on the arrangements from Tom Scott and JJ Johnson, in ways that aren't entirely clear from the notes. Titles include "Sunshower", "Galveston", "Didn't We", "Up Up & Away", "Where's The Playground Susie", "Wichita Lineman", and "Honey Come Back".

[Late]

Harrison James Music?

[Head Man]

Harrison James Music?

They can't be legit. Does emusic vet who puts music on their site?

[A Lark Ascending]

Anyone recognise this:

Coming up for reissue soon.

A 'first time on cd' re-release from 1978: Modern Jazz Trio TRITON - Alan Wakeman, Paul Bridge, Nigel Morris.

http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_1383/cd_id_1827

I only know Wakeman from his sideman appearances with Westbrook and Collier. Very impressive there.

Edited May 5, 2012 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

Never heard of it. Looks interesting ! (didn't Nigel Morris record with Harry Beckett around that time?)

[clifford_thornton]

Sounds up my alley...

[A Lark Ascending]

Never heard of it. Looks interesting ! (didn't Nigel Morris record with Harry Beckett around that time?)

Nigel Morris's bio is here. Strange the direction he eventually took:

http://calyx.perso.neuf.fr/mus/morris_nigel.html

[sidewinder]

Just checked the 'Simply Not Cricket' book and apparently this LP came out originally on Graham Collier's Mosaic label (the UK label, not the US reissue label that is). Strange that I've never seen it before - must have come and gone like a rat up an aqueduct !

Never heard of it. Looks interesting ! (didn't Nigel Morris record with Harry Beckett around that time?)

Nigel Morris's bio is here. Strange the direction he eventually took:

http://calyx.perso.neuf.fr/mus/morris_nigel.html

Fascinating. Yes, 'Isotope' - I remember him in that. Then Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited I think. What a strange turn of events - life certainly throws some curve-balls..

[A Lark Ascending]

Think I saw Morris in this band in '74:

Stomu Yamash'ta's East Wind - Gary Boyle (guitar), Brian Gascoigne (keyboards), Hisako Yamash'ta (violin), Hugh Hopper (bass), Sammi Abu (vocals, congas & flute) and Nigel Morris (drums)

Saw Isotope once at the Reading Uni students' union - not sure if he was in it then.

Edited May 5, 2012 by A Lark Ascending

[Head Man]

Anyone recognise this:

Coming up for reissue soon.

A 'first time on cd' re-release from 1978: Modern Jazz Trio TRITON - Alan Wakeman, Paul Bridge, Nigel Morris.

http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_1383/cd_id_1827

I only know Wakeman from his sideman appearances with Westbrook and Collier. Very impressive there.

Thanks for the heads-up, Bev, I've just ordered it from the Jazzcds website.

[RogerF]

This Triton release seems very interesting. Wakeman played with (late) Soft Machine for a while and was quite ubiquitous on the Brit jazz scene in the 1970s. Good player. Will look out for this - thanks Bev.

Edit: This seems to be available as an MP3 download for only £4.14 on Amazon.co.uk - bargain of the year? Triton

Edited May 7, 2012 by RogerF