John Stevens on the Vertigo label

[Head Man]

There are many excellent albums by the drummer John Stevens that have been reissued on CD. I'm thinking particularly of two he made with Bobby Bradford; one on Emanem, live in Paris in 1973 and one reissued recently on nessa (thank you, Chuck). However none of the albums he made for Vertigo Records in the mid-70s - "John Steven's Away", "Somewhere In Between" and "'Mazin' Ennit" have ever seen the light of day on CD.

Does anyone know what happened to Vertigo Records? Who now owns the rights to reissue their albums?

[sidewinder]

Didn't Vertigo originally come under the Philips/Polygram imprint? - in which case the rights would now reside with Universal Music Group.

[mjazzg]

I've only recently been starting to fill the huge gap in my knowledge that is John Stevens' discography. i've the two CDs you mention, Headman and I'm intrigued to know more about the Away discs.

Now I know they're not on CD but how do they compare stylistically to the Nessa or Emanem (my only points of reference) or indeed to any other contemporary bands?

sorry to widen the thread, not an attempt to hijack, honest!

[Head Man]

I've only recently been starting to fill the huge gap in my knowledge that is John Stevens' discography. i've the two CDs you mention, Headman and I'm intrigued to know more about the Away discs.

Now I know they're not on CD but how do they compare stylistically to the Nessa or Emanem (my only points of reference) or indeed to any other contemporary bands?

sorry to widen the thread, not an attempt to hijack, honest!

Stylistically they're nothing like the nessa & Emanem discs; more jazz-rock than plain jazz. But jazz-rock the way you'd expect John Stevens to play it, if you know what I mean. It's similar to the sort of music that Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith and perhaps Ray Russell were making at about the same time and it's a great shame that none of it is currently available.

[mjazzg]

Thanks Headman.

have you come across this site?

http://www.vertigoswirl.com/index.html

certainly done their research but I didn't investigate to see if there's an answer to your initial question

[sidewinder]

mjazzg - thanks for the link to that 'Vertigo Swirl' site. This one is new to me - lots of great info on there.

[mjazzg]

mjazzg - thanks for the link to that 'Vertigo Swirl' site. This one is new to me - lots of great info on there.

a pleasure, enjoy. not much of a birthday present but something. many happy returns (oops here comes a moderator...)

[Head Man]

Thanks Headman.

have you come across this site?

http://www.vertigoswirl.com/index.html

certainly done their research but I didn't investigate to see if there's an answer to your initial question

What a great site - thanks for the link, mjazzg. It always astonishes me what people put up on the web. Unfortunately there's no trace of John Stevens on it. The matrix numbers of the three albums I mention above are: 6360-131/135/141, none of which are mentioned. Perhaps they will get added later.

Anyway, I'd forgotten how many groups recorded for Vertigo; Jon Hiseman's Colosseum, Graham Bond, Ian Carr & Nucleus...and not forgetting Manfred Mann, Rod Stewart & Status Quo(!). Lots of the albums have been reissued on CD, so I wonder why the John Stevens never have? I seem to recall that all the Ian Carr & Nucleus albums got released by BGO a few years back, so I wonder whether they might be interested in putting them out. I'll drop them a line to find out.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Head Man

[A Lark Ascending]

I've been digging around with John Stevens of late - up to now only had recordings of him working with John Martyn and his Folkus group of the 80s. Of course I was aware of him and SME but have been digging around a bit.

Those 'Away' discs - which I remember from back in the day - seem nowhere to be seen apart from one issued by bassist Nick Stephens:

http://www.loosetorque.com/integration.html

I know a fair bit of rock from Vertigo was issued on CD, including this retrospective box set. But no John Stephens there:

The one that intrigues me but is also out of print is Birds of a feather, (Byg 529), a 1971 date including Julie Tippetts.

[Head Man]

Those 'Away' discs - which I remember from back in the day - seem nowhere to be seen apart from one issued by bassist Nick Stephens:

http://www.loosetorque.com/integration.html

Nice find, Bev. I think I'll treat myself to that!

I was also surprised to be reminded that "Bob Downes - Electric City" and "Keith Tippett - Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening" were first released on Vertigo. Both of those have been reissued on CD but not by any of the major companies.

[Jazzjet]

mjazzg - thanks for the link to that 'Vertigo Swirl' site. This one is new to me - lots of great info on there.

This site has some pretty exhaustive information on John Stevens :

John Stevens

[A Lark Ascending]

mjazzg - thanks for the link to that 'Vertigo Swirl' site. This one is new to me - lots of great info on there.

This site has some pretty exhaustive information on John Stevens :

John Stevens

I was reading that over the weekend.

If anyone deserves a biography! Hugely influential musician, complex character (it seems).

[ep1str0phy]

Speaking of obscure John Stevens, those trio albums with Trevor Watts and Barry Guy (No Fear, Application Interaction And...--not Amalgam proper, but similar) are amazing--some of the most muscular free/post-free music ever recorded--but grooving. It's striking how someone so throughly involved in formulating a new language with the SME was able to juggle so many different projects and stylistic detours.

[RogerF]

The Away albums are pretty much diametrically opposite musically to any of the SME stuff. But naturally the main link is Stevens himself. His drumming was fascinating at any time. Not as ascetic as Tony Oxley but not as rocky as say, John Marshall. The Away albums certainly deserve to be reissued as they epitomise Stevens' dalliance with freebop - well more than a dalliance as he made several albums minus the electricity in that vein [eg, Freebop on the Affinity label]. Another in this ilk was the album he made with Jack Bruce and Dick Heckstall Smith in 1995; This That (Atonal ACD 3017) which may still be available on CD with some serious eBay hunting or direct from Germany. He also did a couple of albums with Allan Holdsworth (Touching On) but these are not approved by Allan Holdsworth (see his website - The Real Allan Holdsworth). Another one that needs to be reissued is the album he made with Ian Carr, Jeff Clyn and Trevor Watts; Springboard. Now that was a brilliant album.

Edited September 5, 2011 by RogerF

[Jazzjet]

Speaking of obscure John Stevens, those trio albums with Trevor Watts and Barry Guy (No Fear, Application Interaction And...--not Amalgam proper, but similar) are amazing--some of the most muscular free/post-free music ever recorded--but grooving. It's striking how someone so throughly involved in formulating a new language with the SME was able to juggle so many different projects and stylistic detours.

Also worth hearing are an album known as 'Oliv' for the Marmalade label under the SME name. Heady days, with the SME recording on Giorgio Moroder's short-lived label alongside Brian Auger and Blossom Toes. Also, 'Karyobin' on Island and 'Springboard' on Polydor, with Ian Carr and Jeff Clyne. Stevens was certainly a busy man.

[sidewinder]

SME recording on Giorgio Moroder's short-lived label alongside Brian Auger and Blossom Toes.

Giorgio Moroder? 'SME meets Donna Summer'

[Head Man]

SME recording on Giorgio Moroder's short-lived label alongside Brian Auger and Blossom Toes.

Giorgio Moroder? 'SME meets Donna Summer'

....in your dreams

[Jazzjet]

SME recording on Giorgio Moroder's short-lived label alongside Brian Auger and Blossom Toes.

Giorgio Moroder? 'SME meets Donna Summer'

Whoops! That should be Giorgio Gomelsky - got my Giorgio's mixed up.

Still, I ilke the idea of Donna Summer and SME. Maybe in a parallel universe.

[RogerF]

Yes 'Oliv' is another one which should be reissued. Derek Bailey is on that one too!

[Head Man]

In response to my e-mail suggesting that perhaps BGO Records might be interested in reissuing the John Stevens' Away albums on Vertigo, this is what Andy Gray, who runs BGO Records, had to say:

"Hi David,

Thanks for Email, I have been considering these for a while and am going to try to license them.

Regards,

Andy"

So perhaps they will see the light of day again, after all.

[A Lark Ascending]

That sounds good. Nice to have something to look forward to.

[As in 'a new reissue or release to build up some anticipation' - re-reading the above it came across as a cry of despair!]

Edited September 6, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[sidewinder]

BGO (along with Vocalion) are an absolute Godsend on the Brit jazz reissue front. Maybe they can also get hold of 'Hum Dono' and 'Springboard'?

[A Lark Ascending]

BGO (along with Vocalion) are an absolute Godsend on the Brit jazz reissue front. Maybe they can also get hold of 'Hum Dono' and 'Springboard'?

And 'Cleopatra's Needle'!

[sidewinder]

And 'Cleopatra's Needle'!

Well, the Japanese have already issued that one so there is hope.

Give it 50 years (2018?) and if it has not come out by then maybe I will do my own issue.

Edited September 6, 2011 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Going back to Stevens, he'd be an ideal Jazz Library subject. Still lots of people who played with him in his glory days and many more taught by him.

Martin Davidson would be perfect.

Edit:

Interesting interview with Stevens here from 1987. You can see why some found him 'difficult'!

http://richard-scott.net/interviews-with-improvising-musicians/334-2/

Edited September 6, 2011 by A Lark Ascending