Joe Harriott

[The Rep]

I have been an ardent fan of Joe Harriott's for about fifty years and I agree with all the tributes that have been given in this column. I truly believe that there could never be too many good things said about Joe's jazz. I use to go and see him every saturday night in the early sixties. , at the Marquee Club. I think this must be where Medjuck ment when he said the Marquis Club. Abstract is an amazeing album and Joe's free form jazz was like no other, it was his own concept. On some nights Joe would hand out sketches for his quintet to work from. The quintet that that seem to bring the best out in Joe and his music were:

Joe Harriott - Alto,

Shake Keane - Mainly flugal but also trumpet,

Pat Smythe - Piano,

Coleridge Goode - Bass,

Bobby Orr - Drums.

The free form stuff did not always work but there were times when it was unbelievably good, beyond disciption.

There was a question asked earlier about an album in 1968 "Personal Portrait Joe Harriott" on Columbia, in the main it is pretty ordinary but for a duet track with Joe and Pat Smythe called "Abstract Doodle" which I like alot. Also there is so little of Shake Keane on record. I can recommend, not the album, but a track called "Fidel" from an album called That's The Noise". Writen by Shake, it has Bob Efford on tenor, Olaf Vas plays Flute, Goode on bass, Orr on drums and an incredily good Stan Tracey on piano.

I got carried away, sorry, I am doing this post to recommend an album of Joe Harriott's that has recently been issued and has not so far been mentiond"Live At Harry's 1963" the quality is not great as it came from a private recording, from a club on a circuit that Joe was playing, with a house quartet. Released on Rare Music and previously unreleased. What it does show is what a fantastic and individual bop player Joe was. I think if he had not frightend everyone with his radical free form jazz he may have been a an internationally known bop musician.

I would just like to say try and get a chance to read Alan Plater's book "Doggin' Around" it gives you a bit of an insight into Joe's later years and it makes me cry.

The Rep

[clifford_thornton]

Have to get that disc and the book you mention.

Thanks for your thoughts / reminiscences!

[blajay]

Bobby Orr - Drums.

Nice reflections. I had no idea Bobby Orr played drums.

[Peter Friedman]

Not sure if these Joe Harriott CD's that I own have been mentioned?

The Joe Harriott Quintet - Swings High - Cadillac

with Stu Hamer(tp), Pat Smythe(p), Coleridge Goode(b), Phil Seaman(dr)

Recorded June 20, 1967

Joe Harriott - Killer Joe - Giant Steps (2 CD set)

This 2 cd set is a compilation of material (35 tracks) by Joe as leader or sideman from

1954-1956

[sidewinder]

There was a question asked earlier about an album in 1968 "Personal Portrait Joe Harriott" on Columbia, in the main it is pretty ordinary but for a duet track with Joe and Pat Smythe called "Abstract Doodle" which I like alot. Also there is so little of Shake Keane on record. I can recommend, not the album, but a track called "Fidel" from an album called That's The Noise". Writen by Shake, it has Bob Efford on tenor, Olaf Vas plays Flute, Goode on bass, Orr on drums and an incredily good Stan Tracey on piano.

I got carried away, sorry, I am doing this post to recommend an album of Joe Harriott's that has recently been issued and has not so far been mentiond"Live At Harry's 1963" the quality is not great as it came from a private recording, from a club on a circuit that Joe was playing, with a house quartet. Released on Rare Music and previously unreleased. What it does show is what a fantastic and individual bop player Joe was. I think if he had not frightend everyone with his radical free form jazz he may have been a an internationally known bop musician.

I would just like to say try and get a chance to read Alan Plater's book "Doggin' Around" it gives you a bit of an insight into Joe's later years and it makes me cry.

The Rep

I'll have to get hold of that Alan Plater book. Didn't realise there was mention of Joe Harriott in there.

Must also give the 'Personal Portrait' LP on UK Columbia a spin again. Let down a bit by some of the string arrangements I think - a bit 60s MOR, by David Mack I think.

The 'Fidel' from 'That's The Noise' (Ace of Clubs) was on my BFT disk some time ago (60? - can't remember). Stan Tracey is inspired on that track, even though there is an out of tune piano.

[AndrewHill]

I've never seen an OJC of the Harriott Jazzland LPs.

They're fantastic, as is the Capitol/Columbia session Abstract.

Concerning Abstract, did Columbia and Capitol collaborate for the production of this session? I was looking at the cover at Amazon and saw no label indication on it. Can anyone fill me in why these two labels are involved?

Thanks!

HG

[clifford_thornton]

UK pressing was on Columbia, US on Capitol. The latter probably leased the tapes at the time.

[king ubu]

There's a thread (without any substantial discussion yet) on "Killer Joe" here:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=32920

And another one about a biography, "Fire in His Soul" by Alan Robertson (again no discussion yet):

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=5117

I love "Free Form" and "Abstract". Also heard some of his other albums (hard to find, I guess...). Less sure about the Indo-Jazz stuff... it's not bad really, but somehow mostly it doesn't seem to really work out well, the music's not integrated well, I think. My favourite indo-jazz fusion will likely remain "Karuna Supreme" with John Handy and Ali Akbar Khan, on MPS.

[sidewinder]

And another one about a biography, "Fire in His Soul" by Alan Robertson (again no discussion yet):

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=5117

Great book - not to be missed. I've read it about 5 or 6 times now.

[BillF]

And another one about a biography, "Fire in His Soul" by Alan Robertson (again no discussion yet)

Try "What are you listening to right now?", p.5242.

[king ubu]

And another one about a biography, "Fire in His Soul" by Alan Robertson (again no discussion yet)

Try "What are you listening to right now?", p.5242.

p. 1967 în my book (do set the diplay option to 40 posts per page, makes the board far more readable!)

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...&pid=969835

Reading that exchange made me bump this thread here yesterday, but of course I over-read the remarks about the book...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

(do set the diplay option to 40 posts per page, makes the board far more readable!)

I can't see how to do that - when I hit the options button, I only get a choice between outline, standard and linear.

MG

[king ubu]

Sorry to keep derailing this thread, but here is how to do it:

Go to "My Controls" on top, choose "Board Settings" (bottom left), and then there's "Number of posts to show for each topic page" where you can change the value to 40.

-------------------

To say something on topic as well: how about "Movements" and "Southern Horizons" - have these ever been out on CD? The later in particular is a hell of a fine album, and a great cover to boot!

[The Rep]

Bobby Orr - Drums.

Nice reflections. I had no idea Bobby Orr played drums.

Ah ha, spotted the deliberate mistake! , I am very sorry, put it down to my age or trying to do two things at once. Of course it should have read Phil Seamem on drums. If it is any consolation I now feel very silly.

Cheers Ray

[BillF]

Bobby Orr - Drums.

Nice reflections. I had no idea Bobby Orr played drums.

Ah ha, spotted the deliberate mistake! , I am very sorry, put it down to my age or trying to do two things at once. Of course it should have read Phil Seamem on drums. If it is any consolation I now feel very silly.

Cheers Ray

Funny, I'd never heard of Bobby Orr the ice hockey player, just Bobby Orr the drummer. I suppose it all depends on your background.

[AndrewHill]

UK pressing was on Columbia, US on Capitol. The latter probably leased the tapes at the time.

Thanks Clifford.

[Teasing the Korean]

UK pressing was on Columbia, US on Capitol. The latter probably leased the tapes at the time.

Thanks Clifford.

You probably know this, but UK Columbia was a part of EMI, hence the Capitol connection. US Columbia was CBS in the UK.

MG once provided a very interesting history of labels with the Columbia name, either here or on that other board.

[clifford_thornton]

I knew that about Columbia, but when did Capitol fall under the EMI header?

[Teasing the Korean]

EMI bought Capitol in the late 50s. Frank soon led a mass exodus to Reprise, and brought Dean, Keely Smith, Nelson Riddle, Les Baxter and others. Nat King Cole stayed.

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, thanks.

[randyhersom]

I'd say Bobby Orr was one of the five most famous players in NHL history, certainly top 10.

Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr, Bobby Clarke

[BillF]

I'd say Bobby Orr was one of the five most famous players in NHL history, certainly top 10.

Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr, Bobby Clarke

Alternative list: Alan Ganley, Ronnie Stephenson, Bill Eyden, Bobby Orr, Phil Seaman

[colinmce]

I finally found a copy of Free Form while browsing in Philly and grabbed it. Only been through it once so far, but I enjoy it very much. Glad to finally get my hands on it.

[Shrdlu]

Go to "My Controls" on top, choose "Board Settings" (bottom left), and then there's "Number of posts to show for each topic page" where you can change the value to 40.

An Indian in the British Army was confused by the following command: "Beds will be made up as laid down in Standing Orders".

["Soldiers, pairs, dozens forty-two." was another classic]

Apparently, I'm not the only one who has difficulty finding the right software tab to click. But, they did a great job with this board.

If you want a real swine, try that Windows thingy used to create documents. (Microsoft Office # n, or whatever it's currently called.) It has hundreds of hidden adjustments, and I was amazed to see that one default is to start each new line with a capital letter. Perhaps Gatesy should have attended Grade Two at my Primary School. A friend managed to find out how to stop that; the tab was extremely well hidden in a sub-sub-menu. Nice one, mate!

Let's now get the crane to put the train back on the rails.

[Shrdlu]

With computer technology/sampling advancing as it is, it can only be a matter of time before that sextet will exist.

I was listening to a long trance mix a couple of years ago, and suddenly, I heard a familiar gruff voice say "And now, we are going to feature our pianist, Billy Kyle".