Spring Heel Jack

[A Lark Ascending]

Not seen mention of this grouping very much. Given the range of guest musicians involved at different times I'd have thought the records would have a higher profile.

I bought one of their recordings about ten years back ('Amassed') and it had quite an influence on getting me listening to more free music. But I didn't follow up their other recordings.

I played it for the first time in ages a few weeks back and was really moved by it. Followed it up with two other recordings ('Masses' and 'Live') and have 'Songs and Themes' and 'The Sweetness of Water' waiting in the wings.

Don't know much about the core duo - Ashley Wales and John Coxon - but they appear to have been a drum'n bass pairing who took a left turn.

I really enjoy the dreamy, late 60s/early 70s soundscapes with really free playing on top, drifting in and out of tonality. The music is also mercifully free of the sort of arthritic pounding beats I associate with drum'n bass (I might be misinformed there).

Just wondering if anyone else had enjoyed these recordings.

Edited November 9, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[mjazzg]

Coxon/Wales made a pot of money remixing Everything But The Girl then took that left turn.

Wales used to progamme a weekly night at the lamented Red Rose Club that was always worth checking out - a marvellous free jazz "concerto" for Paul Rutherford was a highlight.

I think all the Blue Series albums are worth a listen. There's one, 'Live' with Matthew Shipp, Han Bennink, William Parker and Evan Parker that is a recording of a date on a tour of which I attended a fantastic London gig.

Coxon and Wales are/were behind the Treader label.

Wales seems not to be about on the London scene any more but Coxon is about playing with the likes of Wadada Leo Smith last year

edit to say I've just spotted Live amongst the covers in OP

Edited November 9, 2013 by mjazzg

[A Lark Ascending]

Thanks for the info, Mark. Didn't know most of that.

[Bluesnik]

Don't know much about the core duo - Ashley Wales and John Coxon - but they appear to have been a drum'n bass pairing who took a left turn.

I was surprised to hear about them here but Spring Heel Jack were a Drum'n'Bass (very smart drum'n'bass) group back in the nineties. Don't know what they're up to now.

[Bluesnik]

And that J Spaceman isn't that Jason Spaceman from eighties indie group Spacemen 3? And also from Spiritualized.

[mjazzg]

And that J Spaceman isn't that Jason Spaceman from eighties indie group Spacemen 3? And also from Spiritualized.

It is

[Leeway]

I have a few of their CDs, and I quite like them, but what has always amazed me has been the assemblage of musical talent they have put together for each album. Just check out the covers that A Lark Ascending has posted for example.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Leeway

[.:.impossible]

Bluesnik, you ought to check out that disc! I think you will be amazed based on your previous knowledge! I really like that disc.

[colinmce]

I confess I wrote them off back in the late 90s when I wouldn'tve recognized the names of their collaborators. The one with Wadada looks especially nice. I'll have to check these out sometime.

[A Lark Ascending]

As I don't know the 90s drum'n bass stuff I can't compare. But I suspect what you have here is very different. The duo provide the electronic textures but it's the soloists that occupy the foreground.

[.:.impossible]

I grabbed one of their Treader discs in the used bin one day years ago on the heels of the Live disc. I was very confused by what I heard. Not at all what I had expected based on the Thirsty Ear dates.

Edited multiple typos.

Edited November 11, 2013 by .:.impossible

[Bluesnik]

Bluesnik, you ought to check out that disc! I think you will be amazed based on your previous knowledge! I really like that disc.

I imagine you mean either the Live disc mentioned above by A lark ascending or the Songs & Themes album. I will give them a try. I imagine I will like them.

And that J Spaceman isn't that Jason Spaceman from eighties indie group Spacemen 3? And also from Spiritualized.

It is

I thought so. But I can imagine the duo from Spring Heel Jack crossing over into jazz territory easier than Jason Pierce from Spacemen 3. Anyway, he's always been really out, out.

[BFrank]

I picked up the live album a few years ago, but never really listened to it.

Got it on now.

Thanks for the thread.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Bluesnik, you ought to check out that disc! I think you will be amazed based on your previous knowledge! I really like that disc.

I imagine you mean either the Live disc mentioned above by A lark ascending or the Songs & Themes album. I will give them a try. I imagine I will like them.

And that J Spaceman isn't that Jason Spaceman from eighties indie group Spacemen 3? And also from Spiritualized.

It is

I thought so. But I can imagine the duo from Spring Heel Jack crossing over into jazz territory easier than Jason Pierce from Spacemen 3. Anyway, he's always been really out, out.

I think I remember a very cool trio a few years back with J Spaceman, Steve Noble on drums and Matthew Shipp on Farfisa...

I played a few times at their Red Rose nights - 'Back in Your Town', they were called...some fun gigs for sure!

[mjazzg]

Bluesnik, you ought to check out that disc! I think you will be amazed based on your previous knowledge! I really like that disc.

I imagine you mean either the Live disc mentioned above by A lark ascending or the Songs & Themes album. I will give them a try. I imagine I will like them.

And that J Spaceman isn't that Jason Spaceman from eighties indie group Spacemen 3? And also from Spiritualized.

It is

I thought so. But I can imagine the duo from Spring Heel Jack crossing over into jazz territory easier than Jason Pierce from Spacemen 3. Anyway, he's always been really out, out.

I think I remember a very cool trio a few years back with J Spaceman, Steve Noble on drums and Matthew Shipp on Farfisa...

I played a few times at their Red Rose nights - 'Back in Your Town', they were called...some fun gigs for sure!

Isn't that Shipp farfisa/Spaceman a recording somewhere? A dim memory suggests so

'Back in Your Town' was always an interesting and fun evening from the audience too

[Alexander Hawkins]

Come to think of it, maybe it is...although not one I have. I think the same residency yielded the John Butcher/Matthew Shipp thing which was broadcast on Jazz on 3...an interesting meeting, for sure!

[mjazzg]

Alex, it would appear that our memories serve us right (for a change in my case)

http://www.discogs.com/J-Spaceman-and-Matthew-Shipp-SpaceShipp/release/1625394

[Alexander Hawkins]

Ah, thanks! Hmmm...I feel sure Steve joined them on the live shows...I'll ask him.

[A Lark Ascending]

Here's a review of 'Masses' to whet your appetite. I think it conveys the overall nature of the music quite well:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/hhjw

And one of 'Live':

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jun/20/jazz.artsfeatures

And one of 'Amassed':

http://www.nthposition.com/amassedbyspringheel.php

This site here seems to fill out the history a bit. It seems to be translated from the Italian so it reads a bit odd in places:

http://www.scaruffi.com/vol6/springhe.html

Edited November 11, 2013 by A Lark Ascending