BFT 246 The Reveal

[mjazzg]

Here goes, when I said I'd fill the BFT gap in September I thought to myself "how difficult can this be?" only to quickly realise that the majority of my collection couldn't be converted to mp3. Bandcamp to the rescue, an invaluable source over the last ten years became the basis for the BFT which meant everything featured would be relatively contemporary.

I then hit on the idea of focussing the selection around UK or UK-based players and that became the guiding principle.  The selection also highlights a number of important UK labels and proves that whilst the buzz may be about the London scene there's music to be heard across the UK.

Thank you to everyone who listened and everyone who commented. Several comments have made me listen to this music in a new light.

You have been listening to...

Track.1  Ed "Tenderlonious" Cawthorne - "Down In The Village" from "The Piccolo, Tender Plays Tubbs" [Jazz Detective Records]

https://tenderlonious.bandcamp.com/album/the-piccolo-tender-plays-tubby

Tubby had to represented somehow and I thought think this is one of the better contemporary tributes. Cawthorne plays Hayes's own piccolo on this ep. Cawthorne's been around for a while now and plays across a wide range of Jazz-adjacent genres alongside his more straight ahead playing. A couple of comments about the 70s sound I think he'd welcome.

This track and player was identified by @adh1907 perhaps with the advantage of local knowledge

 

Track. 2 Don Rendell Ian Carr Quintet - "Sailin'" from "Blue Beginnings" [Jazz In Britain]

https://jazzinbritain1.bandcamp.com/album/blue-beginnings

One of the best known and highly regarded groups of the British jazz scene.  The tune is better known from their "Shades Of Blue" album released a year later in 1965. The label Jazz In Britain has done some fantastic archeology in the last few years.

ID'd by @corto maltese

 

Track.3 Byron Wallen - "Harmony Of The Spheres" from "Indigo" [Twilight Jaguar Records]

https://twilightjaguar.bandcamp.com/album/indigo

Wallen's been a mainstay of the London scene for what must be 30+ years now, relatively unrecorded as a leader, this is self-released on his own label from twenty years ago.  I most memorably saw him perform in a brass quintet with Wadada Leo Smith

ID'd by @aparxa

 

Track. 4 Empirical - "Non Verbal Language" from "Indifference Culture" [Self released]

https://empiricalmusic.bandcamp.com/album/indifference-culture-ep

A high profile band on the UK scene for the last 20 years who have released a number of albums. I particularly like the alto player Nathaniel Facey and vibist Lewis Wright but all four are fine musicians who appear in other bands too.  A couple of comments highlighting the Steve Coleman influence which was not something I'd noted before.

No ID on this one

 

Track 5. Josephine Davies Satori - "Oddities" from "In The Corner Of Clouds" [Whirlwind Records]

https://josephinedavies-whirlwind.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-corners-of-clouds

Davies is a player whose economy I enjoy, she doesn't overplay or rush things and the same can be said for her two partners in Satori, especailly James Maddren on drums whose name is increasingly high profile and deservedly so

Not ID'd

 

Track 6. John Pope And John Garner - "Mopti" from "Water Music" [New Jazz And Improvised Music Recordings]

https://johnpope.bandcamp.com/album/water-music

Pope's a relatively recent discovery, based in Newcastle, and releasing interesting stuff on his own label.  He's also beginning to pick up dates with visiting players, at the moment with Laubrock and Rainey. I love everything about this album, the unusual duo of violin and bass, the choice of free jazz 'standards' and above all the clarity and feel of the playing.

The tune was ID'd early on by @Milestones and then this version, player and album details later by @corto maltese

 

Track 7. Harry Beckett - "Glowing" from "Joy Unlimited" [Cadillac Records]

https://cadillacrecords77.bandcamp.com/album/joy-unlimited

An integral part of the UK Jazz story is the players who have settled here from overseas, a very important example of which is the great Harry Beckett.  Possibly best known for his work with Graham Collier his solo output is always worth attention. This track also features the guitarist Ray Russell, another big favourite. Released by Cadillac records, a very important label in the history of modern UK scene.

Full ID on this by @clifford_thornton

 

Track 8. Joe Harriott Quintet - "Calypso Sketches" from "Formation Live '61" [Jazz In Britain]

In keeping with the overseas players who light up London and beyond we have possibly the most innovative of them all (big call that), Joe Harriott alongside Coleridge Goode and Shake Keane both of whom came here from the West Indies.  Harriott's quintet recorded two seminal albums in the early sixties and this recording is more archeology by Jazz In Britain of an earlier version of the group recorded for the BBC in front of a live audience.

Harriott was pretty quickly ID'd by @JSngry along with the tune. This recording was fully ID'd by @clifford_thornton

 

Track 9. Espial - "Many Colours Of Bamboo" from "The Act Of Nothing" [Discus Music]

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-act-of-noticing-172cd-2024

Chosen to represent the work of percussionist Martin Pyne but also features Josephine Davies from track 5.  Pyne works in more straight ahead Jazz groups but also writes for dance ensembles and always brings something very interesting to the table. This is a new group, their first recording, I hope they stick around for more.

Not ID'd

 

Track 10. Evan Parker Quartet - "A Blazing Star Or Comet" from "All Knavery & Collusion" [Cadillac Records]

Evan Parker had to be represented in any BFT I put together, I could do a whole BFT of his recordings easily.  This track also represents my more avant listening of which there is a lot. The recording features Alex Hawkins who posts here occasionally and the great Jon Edwards and Paul Lytton, an all-star UK free music scene line up.  Somewhat inevitably this didn't garner universal approval...but did intrigue more than one listener

Evan was quickly ID'd by @JSngry and the full ID came later from @corto maltese

 

Track 11. Bex Burch - "You Thought You Were Free" from "There Is Only Love And Fear" [International Anthem]

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/there-is-only-love-and-fear

I'm a sucker for tuned percussion and Burch is a new player on the block.  This is also the only appearance for International Anthem a label that I follow with interest, and a representative of the USA in this BFT at last!  I like the eclecticism of this tune, and album and folks' comments reflected that too with some enjoying different aspects of the tune but not many liking it all.

Not ID'd

 

Track 12. Andy Hay - "Hey Ra!" from "Another Sun" [self released]

https://andyhay.bandcamp.com/album/another-sun

Hay's a drummer based on the borders of England and Wales who runs his cottage industry of self releases for which he hand paints all the covers. Nearly everyone spotted the Pharaoh influence, it's hard to miss and Hay's music is rooted in what is now called "spiritual jazz" tradition.  Unlike many other contemporaries who tap into (or slavishly borrow) from the influences I find Hay's music very genuine in it's joy and respect for what came before. His bands are made up not of "big names" and are not from the dominant London scene either.

Not ID'd

 

Track 13. John Haycock & John Ellis - "Anamesis" from "Didymus" [self released]

https://john-haycock.bandcamp.com/album/didymus

Away from my Jazz listening I enjoy West African Kora music and Haycock is a Kora player so this was an automatic attraction for me to his music. He first came to my notice on a Andy Hay album (see above).  John Ellis has a high profile in the Manchester scene.  I love the fusion that goes on in this track, and the rest of the album.

Not ID'd (perhaps not unsurprisingly)

 

Track 14. Awen Ensemble - "She Moves Through The Fair" from "Cadair Idris" [New Soil Records]

https://awenensemble.bandcamp.com/album/cadair-idris

There's a long tradition over here of Jazz fusing with Folk, think Pentangle and Davey Graham and Awen Ensemble are just the latest to do that, very successfully to my ears. A young band, out of Leeds but with a very strong Welsh input manifesting itself not only in some of the music but also some spoken word elements in the Welsh language; a very powerful live sound.

@webbcity ID'd this as a folk tune but the artist and recording remained unID'd

 

Track 15. Reuben Fowler - "Pt.5 Ending" from "Between Shadows" [Edition Records]

https://www.discogs.com/release/5896985-Reuben-Fowler-Featuring-Tom-Harrell-Stan-Sulzmann-Jim-Hart-Between-Shadows

Released ten years ago when Fowler was in his early 20s this made a big splash over here for the promise it showed. He's since gone on to focus playing with Pop acts and MD'ing for some big names. This remains his sole leader date as far as I know. The album betrays his age sometimes but he does have Tom Harrell and Stan Sulzmann on board for some tunes so he must have impressed some old 'uns. Looking at the line up again it's noticeable how many went on to have well established careers on the UK scene.  Also included as the title seemed appropriate and to have an example of the the rich tradition of UK big band writing and arranging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by mjazzg

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, I have a few of these that I didn't identify at first... got busy and lost time to go back and play around with it some more. But a superb BFT for sure, much great listening here.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks for stepping in, hope you'll continue in 2025.

Speaking of, @tkeith - sign up for 2024 was started last September 11 so a tad late on 2025.

And hoping @webbcity is ready for his close up tomorrow.

[felser]

Thanks Mark, interesting BFT!  All of the cuts were new to me, though I'm familiar with some of the payers (Harriott, Beckett, Rendell/Carr) and compositions.  Great to have you onboard, and I hope you enjoyed the experience!  

[T.D.]

Thanks, fun BFT!

Lots of new music to me, a handful of familiar performers but nothing I have in the collection. Much to think about and explore.