LondonJazzCollector: Recent Episodes
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Adventures in collecting "modern jazz": the classical music of America from the Fifties and Sixties, and a little Seventies, on original vinyl, on a budget, from England. And writing about it, since 2011. Travelling a little more widely nowadays, and at lower cost, but still 100% vinyl
Selection 1: Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere (Goulding/Janis)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/curtis-fuller_love-your-spell-is-everywhere_blues-ette_savoy-1958_reissue-sony-cbs-japan_1972.mp3Selection 2: Five Spot After Dark (Golson)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/curtis-fuller_five-spot-afterr-dark_blues-ette_savoy-1958_reissue-sony-cbs-japan_1972.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Five Spot After Dark (Golson) – 5:18
A2 Undecided (Sydney Robin, Charlie Shavers) – 7:09
A3 Blues-ette -(Fuller) 5:31
B1 Minor Vamp (Golson) – 5:12
B2 Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere (Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis) – 7:07
B3 Twelve-Inch (Fuller) – 6:28
Artists: Curtis Fuller Quintet
Curtis Fuller, trombone; Benny Golson, tenor saxophone; Tommy Flanagan, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Al Harewood, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, May 21, 1959, released February 1960
Music
Industry reception: Allmusic awarded 4½ out of 5 stars “Sessions in any genre of music are all too often described as “sublime,” but seldom has that description been better deserved than with this relaxed hard bop classic… “
Billboard February 29, 1960: verdict – Four Stars. Usual Billboard repetition of track listing and artist names to pad out the review, but crucially, “very attractive … spark with bright solos … a good jazz set”
LJC says: This album should be on prescription, active ingredient – Happiness. Fuller is great, Flanagan is superb, but this is Golson’s album, and he is on fire. His recent passing had me revisiting the Jazztet, and this Savoy album crossed my path. I hoped our friends in Japan would make a better transfer than the lacklustre reissues from Savoy Jazz. It’s quite acceptable, and the quality of music makes up for any sonic shortcomings.
Every track is outstanding. There are two Golson compositions, and the others show off his arranging skills, with his trademark of teasing out memorable melodies. Golson’s impassioned solos work up blistering speed with a distinctive sense of urgency, rhythmic and harmonic complexity – acrobatic scales, tumbling summersaults, and squawks grasping for the summit of the upper reaches before recovering the melodic theme. Lord, he has fast fingers! The Rollins and Stitt duet in Stitt’s Eternal Triangle on Sonny Side Up (Verve) comes close, in which Stitt is “like a runaway express train that’s just passed signals at red, gathering more speed and taunting Rollins to keep up” (LJC). I confess – I’m a speed junkie.
Tommy Flanagan’s piano solo’s are equally fleet, and elegant, fingers dancing over the keys like Bud Powell reincarnated: more power, Igor, lightening! Open the roof! In contrast to speed, Fuller romps, swinging at his own easy pace. Garrison’s nimble walking bass keeps the engine purring, supported by Al Harewood’s crisp snare-work. This is an absolute Boptastic classic album that should be on your turntable, send Golson off in style.
Vinyl: Sony/CBS Japan SOPL 50-SY reissue of Savoy ST-13006 (1972)
According to Discogs, the 1972 Sony/CBS edition was the first release in Japan, the first of many which followed. Soundwise, 1972 is just inside the classic era, United Artists, 1st generation Toshiba EMI, quality engineering.
Amazon Reviewer: “The (CD) remastering is excellent, although as ever with material recorded at the time, the drums don’t have the fullness that modern recording techniques give….” Ha! Our Amazon CD reviewer certainly hears well and brave to point it out. Right problem, apparently logical explanation but wrong! Many people have taken industry propaganda of “technical progress” at face value, but it’s not true, argues Peter Qvortrup, MD of Britain’s premier hi-fi marque Audio Note. 1950’s/60s recording quality vastly exceeded the playback quality of the day, with clumsy tonearm and mechanical autochangers, and only more recently has been revealed. Van Gelder Hackensack recording in 1959 puts many modern recordings to shame – dozens of RVG recordings on my shelf confirm. If you don’t compare, you don’t know.
More likely the Savoy distribution copy tape intended for remastering was tampered with early in the duplication process. The right channel, where the drums are located, has high frequencies cut, the cymbals which inhabit the top frequency-end are supressed: if you listen critically, only the faintest tsst tsst in the background. Van Gelder, who recorded the session, specially miked cymbals, and would never have done this.
Top-end suppression, blunting the attack of several instruments, is a problem which affects many reissues of crucial 50’s Savoy recordings – I have dozens with the exact same issue, though not all – some early ’60s Savoy fare better. The 1984 Savoy Jazz edition of Bluesette is simply dreadful. Played side by side, the CBS/Sony, if not fully dynamic, is vastly better.
I suspect an engineer early in the Savoy recording distribution process had a thing about about suppressing tape hiss, taking out high frequencies indiscriminately. Where’s The Terminator when you need him? Go back in time and take him out! (And while you are at it, take a fire extinguisher to the 2008 Hollywood Universal Studios backlot, rescue the Impulse catalogue).
CBS/Sony Japan pack in this archive-quality inner sleeve, nice luxury touch, not the sandpaper and polythene transfer inner.
Insert: for the benefit of Japanese readers – やあ!
Collector’s Corner
Feeling flush? Too much liquidity? One original 1959 Savoy Blues-ette on offer:
… at £1,717 shipping from Spain. Or you could go back in time, to 1929, for a shellac copy of Gloria Swanson singing the selection: Love, Your Spell is Everywhere.
It’s a great tune, really, love the way it was brought up to date for jazz.
US vinyl editions of Blues-ette were released about every ten years, mono and stereo initially, giving way to stereo only, following US home listening preference in format. Some earlier editions I guess are RVG stamped, which is what you want,
Savoy US label evolution (1959-84)
I’m not sure when that RVG lineage was broken. The original Savoy Records company ran from the early 40’s to 1974, when Founder Herman Lubinsky passed away. The Savoy catalogue was purchased by Clive Davis for Arista in 1975, sold in 1983 to Joe Fields of Muse, and sometime around 1990 Fields sold it to Denon Japan, who did nothing until spurred by parent company Nippon Columbia to monetize the catalogue through the Savoy Label Group The SLP was acquired by Concord in 2017. While the Savoy artist legacy is impeccable, the quality of Savoy recordings is rarely mentioned, and Craft reissues have been limited mostly to Blues output.
Japan went Blues-ette-crazy, with a reissue and fresh OBI every two to three years, and a couple in mono for the discerning connoisseur. (Original 1959 US stereo cover, top left, below)
LJC – Out and About. Seen in passing:
This week, hippest Hackney sends Londonjazzcollector into shock: where’s the public-access defibrillator? LJC pictured left, travelling incognito, to blend with Hackney natives, – or have we passed “peak beard”? Defying the complaint “there’s nothing on the shelves in stores nowadays“, not something you see every day, five Blue Note first editions …
… 1503, 1530, 1595, 4018 and 4041. Remarkable collection, prices ranging from £1,500 to £4,000, you can guess for yourself which two are at the upper end. Works of art you simply look at. The Elgin Marbles – you can’t even play marbles with. But these babies have utility, you can play them, hear Tina Brooks original True Blue in its original vinyl form, that is Something Else (which is also on the shelf). True beauty.
LJC
Selection: Introduction
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/henry-lowther-band_introduction_child-song_deram-sml1070-1970-ljc.mp3. . .
“Hey Henry, what do you want to call the first track, you know, the introduction?
Yeah, that’ll do.” The rest are apparently word-pictures that relate to a theme of children’s play.
Track List
A1 Introduction
A2 Trav’lling Song
A3 Plaything (Child Song And Anima)
B1 3/4 Skip (Trip Up)
B2 Between
B3 Puppet Song
Artists: Henry Lowther Band
Daryl Runswick, bass guitar, double bass, percussion; Mike Travis, drums, percussion; Mike McNaught, electric piano, percussion; Tony Roberts, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, percussion; Henry Lowther, trumpet, flugelhorn, violin, percussion, composer; recording engineer, Peter Rynston, Derek Varnals (A3), Stephen W. Brown, assistant engineer ; producer, Neil Slaven
Artists Highlights
Trumpet and violinist Henry Lowther’s career is marked by early collaborations with many big names in jazz, rock and blues. Notable appearances include The Keef Hartley Band – Halfbreed (Deram 1969), and The Battle of North West Six (Deram 1969); Van Morrison – Moondance (Warner Bros 1970); Mike Gibbs – Tanglewood 63 (Deram 1971); Elton John – Madman Across the Water (DJM 1971).
Lowther’s debut as leader, Child Song, was underappreciated at the time, his name well known to insiders but lacking name-recognition in the wider scene, and the window closed without a follow-up, leaving this album a hidden gem of the British Jazz Rock scene of the 70s. Reissued since a couple of times on CD but never again on vinyl, rendering the original in the extremely rare category.
The decades that followed saw Lowther as trumpet of choice on many top sessions, his horn-for-hire under the nom-de-guerre at one time, Tower of Lowther. Currently in his 80’s Lowther continues to perform with his band Henry Lowther’s Still Waters, releasing an album pre-Covid, Can’t Believe, Won’t Believe (CD, Village Life Records 171013VL)
Lowther’s playing and writing are reminiscent of the late, great Kenny Wheeler at his best. Described as a new British jazz classic …songs titles include the very-English self-deprecating title any night driver will recognise, to the rhythmic repetition of windshield wipers, “Lights of The North Circular”.
Music
“Lowther’s trumpet playing is obviously Davis-influenced, but he does his own thing very effectively within this style. I’m particularly impressed by his playing in the lower register, which is very strong and colourful… A very pleasant record, by a band which displays taste and feeling.”
Ron Brown, Jazz Journal, 1970
(Jazz Journal notes the 1970 album price, 39s 11d – which is equal to £32 today due to inflation. The reviewer’s expression “very pleasant record” also probably warrants an inflationary uplift, to something like “Wow! Amazing!” )
Henry Lowther was briefly a prominent trumpet voice in the British “jazz-convulsion” of the late ’60s and early ’70s, alongside Ian Carr, Harry Beckett, and Kenny Wheeler.
Lowther and Carr in particular recognized the potential, even the inevitability, of blending the new timbre of electric instruments with jazz’s traditional acoustic front line. The Fender Rhodes replaced the baby grand, and the chord-clipping Fender Telecaster appeared as a regular musical ingredient. Jazz rock employed larger ensembles, filled with a rotating roster of familiar jazz players as session-men. The 50’s jazz repertoire of Broadway show tunes was replaced by self-penned “compositions”, often melodic lyrical-leaning European folk themes, with quirky titles.
Lowther had a warm, expressive tone that was well-suited to irregular meters and melodic colouring, frequently preferring the flugelhorn. His occasional move to violin is not especially successful – that instrument had its champions, like Michal Urbaniak and Jean-Luc Ponty, but to my ear sits uncomfortably in this ensemble. Still, it’s different.
Comparing jazz fusion evolution across the water, the British scene lacked the iconic fearless leadership of Miles Davis, who shaped the US fusion genre by gathering around himself like-minded innovators willing to enthusiastically embrace tonal and rhythmic dissonance. Turn of the decade British jazz rock is an all together more timid affair, it’s not Live Evil, In a Silent Way or Bitches Brew, though for me that’s not a bad thing. Nor does it plunge headlong into incontinent-blowing free jazz, another good decision. A very pleasant record indeed.
Vinyl: Decca Deram SML 1070
Collector’s Corner
It has taken me a while to get my ear in gear, but I’m still travelling forward to the jazz-rock future, in 1970 vinyl style, though at 2024 prices. Unfortunately the floral shirt and loon-pants require a more trim waistline, I’ll travel incognito.
Securing an affordable copy of this album required both persistence and creativity, yet the result is gratifying. It’s akin to possessing one of the rarest original Blue Notes, a genuine delight that needs no artificial enhancement. Well, perhaps a large Scotch.
Child Song was issued simultaneously in Japan (1971) on vinyl, by label-in-the-know Vocalion on CD-only in 2005, and by obscure label Esoteric in 2013, also CD. How come our friends in Tokyo know?
Meanwhile bigwigs at Decca HQ are fretting over who they should feature in their Christmas 2024 offering. Grammy-award winning Gregory Porter and Samara Joy, again, on Decca/ Blue Note?
iSelection: One for Juan (J. Heath)https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/heath-brothers_one-for-juam_-the-heath-brothers-paris-76_srlp29_sam-records-fr_kevin-gray_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 One For Juan (J. Heath) 13:11
A2 Watergate Blues (P. Heath) 6:14
B1 Smilin’ Billy (J. Heath) 22:36
Full Production Credits (including essential detail omitted from the hype sticker): “Recording of The Heath Brothers “Jazz Vivant” radio show performance before a live audience at Studio 104, Maison de la Radio, Paris, on April 16, 1976,
Original stereo master tapes restored and digitised in high resolution by Ian Debeerst, re-mastered by Francois Le Xuan at Studio 101, and cut (from digital file) by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Mastering USA. 180g vinyl LP pressed in Marciac, France by Garcia & Co. Edition Limited to 3,000 copies”
Radio France’s Studio 104 was not some pokey little Parisian backroom studio. It was a large concert hall auditorium with over 1,400 seats. Radio broadcasts in France were preserved by the state cultural archive INA (Institut National De L’Audiovisuel), which has been source for more than a few Jazz archive discovery albums, some good recordings, some less so. This one is exceptional, the best of any I have heard.
For a clue as to the quality of the recording by Radio France, check the black and white insert photo of The Brothers included with the album – five dedicated microphones fixed around Tootie Heath’s drum kit (possibly six) , two in front of Jimmy, I assume to compensate for movement when playing, that’s how to do it.
Artists
Percy Heath, bass, cello; Albert “Tootie” Heath, drums, flute; Stanley Cowell, piano; Jimmy Heath, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute.Artist Highlights: Jimmy HeathAfter a promising career start with Dizzy Gillespie, the diminutive Jimmy Heath, 5ft 3″, enjoyed half a decade (1954-59) incarcerated on narcotics charges in Lexington (jazz celebrity finishing school) and Lewisburg Penitentiary. During the early 60’s, Heath recorded six albums for Riverside, whilst also working extensively as a sideman with many jazz luminaries.In 1975, Jimmy formed The Heath Brothers, recruiting brothers Albert, drummer who had spent much of the previous decade in Sweden, Percy, bass, mainstay of the Modern Jazz Quartet, adding pianist Stanley Cowell, unfortunately missing from the front cover illustration. The new group recorded mainly for Columbia, with one title naturally for Cowell’s Strata East label – Marchin’ On (1975). One of the longest surviving artists of the bebop era, Jimmy Heath followed the familiar path of academic tenure, teaching, collecting industry awards and Grammy nominations, and finally departed in 2020, at the ripe old age of 93.Music
Jimmy Heath’s powerful tenor playing is underpinned by his talent as a composer and arranger, solos always revealing direction and structure. Brothers Percy and Albert arrived with decades of experience under their belts, impeccable technique and confident inventiveness. Stanley Cowell was an intelligent and accomplished accompanist, and an attention-grabbing soloist in his own right. There are no passengers on The Heath Brothers train, only drivers.
My selection, Jimmy Heath’s composition One For Juan first appeared on Art Farmer’ s The Time And The Place (Columbia 1967), a studio recording claimed to be a concert at the Museum Of Modern Art, but with fake applause dubbed in. I dare say it’s never sounded better than on the Heath Brother’s Paris recording the following year, in front of a real audience.
One For Juan‘s companion track on Side 1, Watergate Blues, is a playful blues pastiche, an audience pleaser but more filler than killer. Heath’s Smilin’ Billy (Suite), occupies all of Side 2, originates from the Brother’s Strata East title Movin’ On (1975), a great extended exploration moving through a range of moods. With the difficulty of obtaining any Strata East original, its presence here, live, is a very welcome find.
Saving the best till last, the sonics of the Paris 76 session wildly exceeded my expectations, probably one of the best-sounding recordings I have the pleasure to own. I say this with a hefty portion of humble pie, as its tortuous production history passes through several red flags: tape restoration, remastering and high-resolution digitization before it falls into the hands of Kevin Gray to cut the acetate in preparation for vinyl. It sounds full and dynamic, and clarity which combines with and is not at the expense of gripping presence. The Discogs entry comments section, a section often blank, is heaped with similar praise (unedited). I am reassured, for once, its not just me.
Vinyl: Sam Records SALP 29
Insert:
Harry’s Place
Our time-travelling Jazz Paparazzi Harry M positions himself perfectly to capture The Heath Brothers several years before they were formed – Albert and Percy at Montreux 1970, and Stanley Cowell at Jazz Expo 1971. Set Your Calendars for 1975 for the band to get together.
Photo-credits: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
SAM Records vinyl limited edition (still in stock).
All SAM eventually go out of stock, but can usually be found on Discogs with the addition of the seller’s margin. Eventually, they run out even there. I am not in the business of promoting record sales, but I think highly enough of this recording, that it is worthy of LJC readers attention. Paris 1976 will not be coming back any time soon aqnd I am not even confident how 2024 will fare.
To close on some good news: SAM Records founder Fred Thomas is well after his heart surgery, and back in the shop in Paris.
Postscript : Jimmy Heath with Art Farmer, One For Juan:
LJC
Selection: Torsohttps://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/nucleus_torso_solar-plexus-vertigo-1971-original-1-pressing.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Elements I & II
A2 Changing Times
A3 Bedrock Deadlock
A4 Spirit Level
B1 Torso
B2 Snakehips’ Dream
Artists: “Ian Carr with Nucleus”
Ron Mathewson, bass guitar; Jeff Clyne, bass, double bass; John Marshall, drums, percussion; Karl Jenkins, electric piano, baritone saxophone, Chris Spedding, guitar; Chris Karan, percussion; Keith Winter, synthesizer; Tony Roberts, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Brian Smith, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Harry Beckett, trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks:A3,A4), Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler (tracks: A1,A2,B1,B2); recorded in London, England, 14 & 15 of December 1970, by Philips engineer Roger Wake.
Artist Highlights: Trumpeter Ian Carr moved on to a varied career in jazz writing (The Rough Guide to Jazz, teaching (Guildhall) and occasional performance, passing away in 2009.
Karl Jenkins and John Marshall left this first iteration of Nucleus in 1972, to join the ultimate British prog-rock band Soft Machine. Drummer Marshall passed away only last year in September 2023. Karl Jenkins, now Sir Karl Jenkins, still with us pushing 80.
Saxophonist from New Zealand, Brian Smith, cursed with the world’s most common forgettable English name (a quick internet search turned up over 200 Brian Smith’s), but tenor soloist on fire, great! Smith continues to enjoy his retirement in his home New Zealand.
Chris Spedding, dependable session guitarist over five decades, chops and picks away to add some rock special sauce. Spedding’s later highlights include touring with Roxy Music (Brian Ferry) and live on stage in front of Jeff Wayne’s Musical War Of The Worlds (Democrat polls put The Martians slightly ahead). Spedding still picking…
Music:
Microsoft’s A I co-pilot says: “Solar Plexus is a fascinating album with a mix of jazz, rock, and experimental sounds. Each track offers something unique, making it a compelling listen from start to finish“. A I pads out each sentence with generic hyperbole. Billions in development. “Billions? Astonishing value!” says A I. Rival AI ChatGPT adds: “Nucleus’s music remains an essential part of jazz history, especially within the fusion genre, and their LPs continue to be celebrated by jazz enthusiasts and collectors.” Blimey, who’d have thought it. (CoPilot flounces off).
LJC says: British progressive jazz rock 1970’s style, building on the breakaway from American jazz forms in the latter part of the ’60s by the Rendell Carr Quintet (and others) , continuing to forge ahead into jazz-rock territory, co-opting electric guitar, piano and bass to a frontline of acoustic brass and woodwind. Ian Carr’s guiding hand is never far from the tiller, navigating the Nucleus craft through rocky waters, contributing the occasional solo in that familiar Rendell Carr Quintet manner and tone. His presence is restricted to a couple of tracks on some Nucleus albums, but he still has an inspirational trumpet voice.
Nucleus recorded a dozen albums under the Nucleus name – occasionally incorporating Ian Carr and/ with Nucleus. They thankfully avoided the lure of jazz-funk, which seduced our great young tenor Dick Morrissey. Their formula is in the prog camp, experimental dramatic effects, symphonic melody lines, driving rock excursions, expansive tenor/soprano/ bass clarinet jazz solos, inevitably some drum solos (glances at watch, heads for the bar), intelligent stereo landscaping and solid Philips pressing.
Vinyl: Vertigo 6360 939
1970’s Vertigo titles feature eye-catching cover art, most unlaminated matt covers which often show ring-wear and tear, bared corners and seams. Removing historical price stickers tends to lift the artwork.
The iconic “small swirl” Vertigo original label is a delight to watch spinning on the turntable, whisks you away to the era of 60’s geometric op-art.
Philips replaced the swirl label in 1973 with the Roger Dean design “Spaceships” label. Collectors make a big deal out of Vertigo vs Spaceships, effectively common engineering and production, but if you are a collector, sentiment rules, the original pre-73 titles must be Vertigo swirl.
The matrix shows the familiar format and codes of Philips pressings in the runout (420=UK).
Gatefold:
Vertigo Inner Sleeve
Isn’t it cute? Unfortunately the sleeve inner lining is polythene, infamous for its tendency to bond with vinyl, which then contaminates the stylus tip, best kept away from the disc itself. But it’s a beautiful artefact.
Harry’s Place
1970-75, Montreux and Jazz Expo, Harry was there, and captured the Nucleus boys in action:
Brian Smith Jazz Expo 1970
Chris Spedding Jazz Expo 1970
Jeff Clyne Montreux 1970
Ian Carr Montreux 1970
Karl Jenkins Montreux 1970
John Marshall Montreux 1970
Kenny Wheeler Montreux 1975
Harry Beckett Montreux 1971
Photo-credits ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
The Vertigo label was launched by Philips in 1969, to specialise in progressive rock against rival labels Harvest (EMI) and Deram (Decca). Nucleus remained one of their feature artists for five years, along side hard-core prog-rockers Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, and jazz-leaning spelling challenge Colosseum. At the outset Nucleus was awarded first prize as Best European Band at Montreux, the unhappy fruit of which is a double album from Gearbox, featuring the extended yodelling of Leon Thomas, on leave from Pharoah Sanders. Odleoldoldeeaeoo. Played just the once, and quietly put away. Sorry Leon, not today. Or indeed, any day.
Vertigo’s Nucleus titles are quite hard to come by, and expensive – in three figures – when in top condition, which is not often. In 1970, looking after vinyl had yet to catch on.
The complete collection of eight Vertigo Nucleus recordings (1970-75) have recently been reissued by Be With Records, “remastered from original master tapes” held by Universal Music Group. These are a good inexpensive way into the Nucleus discography if you feel so inclined, though personally I favour original Vertigo pressings.
Nucleus Vertigo discography in chronological release order:
Reissue quality? Judge for yourself, for comparison, the selected track Torso from the remastered BeWith 2023 reissue of Solar Plexus:
Selection: Torso (remastered 2023)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/nucleus_torso_solar-plexus_1970-be-with-records-reissue-2023.mp3. . .
Jacket/ gatefold are facsimile Vertigo original artwork, little point in reproducing them here, but the labels are BeWith’s own design.
EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT: “Mastered from the Original Tapes” .
What is “the original tape”? A question not often asked by the vinyl community, who merely ask “is it from the original tapes”? The question is given more attention by HiFi tape enthusiasts – who pay a lot to collect tapes, and have to grapple with the problem of authenticity, generation-drop, and availability.
The first incarnation of recorded music is the original Session Tape. This contains material which will be discarded in preparing the final master mix tape: leader talking, false starts, abandoned takes, alternative takes, and of course the takes selected for the final album. Only rarely will the Session Tape be “The Original Tape” in question.
The session may be recorded on half-inch tape at 30ips, or any other speed and tape variety in studio use. In their raw state, the chosen takes will still need additional processing to meet the sonic constraints of the vinyl format.
The vinyl production process begins with cutting the acetate, which necessitates a Master Mix Tape source. This tape contains the final tracks in the agreed sequence, mixed down to a single two-track tape at a minimum of 15 inches per second, possibly compiled from single or multi-track session tapes, possibly recorded at various times and places. For vinyl preparation, it’s essential to equalize the track volumes and apply limiting/compression to manage excess bass frequencies which could cause the stylus to skip out of the groove. Additionally, any excessive vocal sibilance in the high-end frequency range must be addressed, along with other potential adjustments like frequency boosts, often around 10kHz. Typically, the master mix tape is created by splicing together several tape segments into one continuous reel.
The Master Mix Tape is considered the First Generation Tape, the sonic image that will be cut onto the vinyl acetate. It will generally never leave the studio/ label archive. Each play of the Master Mix Tape potentially degrades it and generally it is used very sparingly. It will usually itself have a safety, back up copy, and today, that safety copy may be in better condition than its original first generation parent.
For a variety of purposes, a working copy of the Master Mix Tape is made, a second generation copy, referred to as a Production Copy tape. This could be the source for cutting the original acetate, and the source from which Distribution Copies are made, copies which can be sent to other US plants for local manufacture, and for overseas distribution.
These Distribution Copies are considered a third generation tape: a copy of the Production Copy of the Master Tape Mix. As a practical example, a third generation distribution copy will have been sent by Liberty to its West Coast subsidiary Research Craft, destined to be the source for local acetate mastering for the West Coast market. Likewise, a distribution copy would be sent overseas for local album manufacture in Europe or Japan.
” analog tapes do not like to be copied to another analog tape“ (RVG)
A loss of fidelity/quality occurs when ever a tape is copied to another tape – information is lost in copying, and using a distribution copy tape for acetate cutting introduces potential mismatch in playback equipment, and different mastering decisions made by location cutting engineers. Which is why in my experience the US original pressings sound better than any overseas pressing, by a margin which sometimes may be quite small, but more often, quite large.
On the Hoffperson Forum it is a frequent thread as to whether pressings by x y or z plant are any good. Setting aside manufacturing defects like non-fill or dishing, the pressing plant tends to get the blame for any sonic shortcomings, wherever in the distribution chain they originate. Or they sound great to me
Tape Collector’s lament
Hi Fi tape enthusiasts will tell you tape is sonic nirvana compared to downstream formats like vinyl and CD. And reluctantly I have to agree. However tapes for sale can have a shady pedigree, may be third or fourth generation copies, or of unknown generation, “friend-copies”, Audio Club copies, high-speed duplicated commercial copies, or have a digitised source, with associated cut-offs and boosts, optimised for streaming services and earbuds. And you thought it was difficult to source “original vinyl”, tape enthusiasts ending buying a master mix tape of a band no-one has heard of, simply for the “sound quality”, because at least it’s available.
Are we any the wiser?
The marketing for modern audiophile vinyl reissues often fails to adequately describe what constitutes the “original tapes.” When Japan’s Disc Union sent Kevin Gray pre-mastered hi-res digital files for the DBLP Series, digitised from Blue Note copy tapes held in Japan, what exactly were those tapes, clearly not the Master Tape Mixes.
It’s reassuring to see major players like Craft and Tone Poet increasingly specify when they are cutting from a high-resolution (24-bit/192kHz) digital copy of “the original tapes,” although the exact position of these originals in the tape generation hierarchy remains unclear. It might be better for us to remain unaware, or perhaps they themselves are unsure. Nonetheless, this move towards greater transparency is a step forward, and to my ears, the results sound good, even if they may not match the original when available.
I am not an engineer, and if I have got any of this wrong , happy to be corrected.
LJC
Selection: Good Friday Blues (Red Mitchell)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/jim-hall-good-friday-blues-s-t-pacific-jazz-vogue-uk-issue-1960-mono-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List:
A1 Good Friday Blues (Red Mitchell) 5:59
A2 Willow Weep For Me (A. Ronnell) 6:26
A3 I Remember You (J. Mercer, V. Schertzinger) 7:28
B1 Bill Not Phil (Bill Harris) 6:12
B2 When I Have You (Red Mitchell) 6:31
B3 I Was Doin’ All Right (G. & I. Gershwin) 4:45
Artists: The Modest Jazz Trio
Red Mitchell, piano; Jim Hall, guitar, leader; Red Kelly, bass; recorded Los Angeles, CA, April 2, 1960, recording engineer Richard Bock.
Good Friday Blues: New Tone Poet Release September 5, 2024
Artist Focus: Jim Hall, guitar school of Charlie Christian and Barney Kessel, master of intricate chord-changes and interactive improvisation in artist collaborations.
Hall’s sympathetic tone found a natural setting in West Coast cool with altoist Paul Desmond; also a founder of the Jimmy Giuffre 3; masterful pairing with Bill Evans on United Artists Jazz Undercurrent, and Sonny Rollin’s come-back album The Bridge, and follow up What’s New? (1962).
After a spell recording for West Coast jazz landmark Pacific Jazz, which ran several years beyond the acquisition by Liberty, Hall turned to interactive improvisation with jazz violin, notably fusion luminary Jean Luc Ponty – who himself liked to hang out with Eastward-looking guitarists like John McLaughlin. In the mid 70s Hall embarked on solo albums with CTI, and in the role of composer, notably Concierto (de Aranjuez) with Paul Desmond and Chet Baker (1975)
Hall continued recording in the following decades, and reaped the recognition of his earlier career: touring Europe and Japan, guesting at numerous concerts and festivals, teaching on prestigious courses, and collecting Industry awards. He finally departed in 2013, at a respectable age of 83.
Music
Gentle performance on acoustic guitar, bass and piano. Classic Jim Hall, measured, lightly swinging not grooving, masterful improvisation within the traditional acoustic jazz guitar genre. Hall sets the album ambiance, and apparently the trio enjoyed playing through the night, not so much fire in the belly, more a relaxed cosy sleep-over. Surprisingly, instead of his familiar place behind the double bass, Red Mitchell lays articulate hands on piano. The absence of drums puts the time-keeping onus on bass Red Kelly, who I don’t know but a solid player in a sparse trio setting.
For a session apparently intended to record just the one title track, more a churchy gospel lilt than blues, the album offers an impromptu play book consisting of a couple of familiar standards, and tight trio winging it for the rest. No outstanding pick, to my ear.
Maybe I’ve been spending too much time at the opposite end of the decade, but for me, Good Friday Blues is lacking in the excitement of recent works on my turntable, that large ensemble stuff and a toe in the electric 70s, but that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea either. Jazz-brunch at the Tone Poet Cafe, from the a la carte menu, it’s your choice.
Vinyl: Decca Vogue LAE12278 – UK 1st issue of Pacific Jazz PJ-10
Seeing the Tone Poet release sent me scurrying to the shelves – I knew I had Good Friday Blues on my shelf in the shape of its UK release from 1961. Decca stuck to the more prevalent home-listening format at the time – mono – stereo appeared only infrequently and selectively on Decca’s other jazz label, London American.
Typical Decca – drilled VGMT matrix indicating the engineer code 1B – Ron Mason, Decca’s regular engineer for jazz recordings.
Collector’s Corner
Original 1960 Pacific Jazz mono release, deep groove, with a photo of The Modest Trio accompanying the liner notes, absent on the UK Vogue:
September 5, 2024, Tone Poet venture into Pacific Jazz territory with Jim Hall’s Good Friday Blues, replicating the tongue-in-cheek name “The Modest Jazz Trio” “+ insert” (sounds painful).
Pacific Jazz was swallowed up by giant Liberty in 1965, just before its Blue Note acquisition, and the PJ tapes will have been similarly well looked after in the hands of Liberty and onward, in the evolving chain of command, presumably to the present day, available to the Tone Poet team: I expect Kevin will have done his usual wide-stage panoramic presentation, interesting how that works out with just a bare-bones trio, no percussion.
The title was issued by Pacific Jazz in both mono and stereo (ST-10), though there is no stereo entry in Discogs apart from Japan, where the album has seen frequent reissues, no where else:
Bless our friends in Japan carrying the torch for jazz, at a time when American audiences drifted away, in pursuit of young men in tight trousers with interesting haircuts.
Professor Jazz says:
Professor Jazz
LJC readers and listeners who may have taken up or be considering the Tone Poet reissue have a timely content preview of the trio performance, and an insight into the quality of remastering by Britain’s finest record engineering company, Decca, New Malden.
Anyone taken the Tone Poet plunge, wavering, or deciding against? Interested to hear your thoughts.
LJC
Selection 1: Uh Huh
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis_uh-huh_-new-ideas_esquire-1961-ljc.mp3
. . .
Selection 2: Natural H
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis_natural-h_new-ideas-esquire-mono-1961.mp3
. . .
Selection 3: Tragedy
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/don-ellis-new-ideas-tragedy-new-jazz-esquire-rvg-1961.mp3
. . .
Track List
A1 Natural H. 4:33
A2 Despair to Hope 4:19
A3 Uh-Huh 8:15
A4 Four and Three 5:05
B1 Imitation 7:57
B2 Solo 2:17
B3 Cock and Bull 7:06
B4 Tragedy 5:12
Artists:
Don Ellis, trumpet; Al Francis, vibes; Jaki Byard, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Charlie Persip, drums, recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 11, 1961
Don Ellis’ third album as a leader, in a simple quintet format, none of the dynamics of his later twenty piece large ensembles. Ellis is the only horn, surrounded by an impeccable rhythm section – Ron Carter, Charlie Persip and Jaki Byard. The unknown is Al Francis on vibraphone.
Francis was simply a student of Jaki Byard, given a debut shot at the session. Vibraphone was a highly competitive field with giants, like Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson. Al Francis moved on to a life-long career in teaching, probably the right decision. He returned to the studio for just one further recording, Jazz Bohemia Revisited (1986) by performing group “Jazz Bohemia” featuring trumpet player Jack Walrath.
Music: New Ideas
Industry Reception 1961: Down Beat magazine award five stars “…brilliant in every respect. Ellis’ compelling music warrants complete attention if only for the freshness, ingenuity, and striking originality of its conception.”
Something comes along badged New Ideas, it must have been difficult at the time to say anything contrary. Who could be against new ideas? I always say be wary of the word new – everything was new once. The question is how Ellis’s new ideas stand, at a time when they are no longer new.
Certain conventions have generally applied to Western music – the components: melody, rhythm, harmony; the structure: beginning, middle and end; head, bridge, restatement, resolution; verse and chorus. What New Ideas did Don Ellis bring?
I struggled: nothing too revolutionary, the components and structures are still there. Time signatures remain fairly orthodox. Some tracks Ron Carter purrs away double time while the rest of the group coasts. The solos runs are largely are sequential, in turn, not a lot of interactive, nothing “free”. Don Ellis manages to sound like himself, no small achievement, just occasionally like a Miles Davis outtake.
The only thing which strikes me as “new” is the amount of space given over to the vibes of Al Francis, whose linear xylophone is never far away from the front line. I’m not au fait with the introduction of vibes to bop instrumentation. There are numerous vibraphone jazz players, of varying styles (lush sonorous tones, percussive piano-like, cool swinging), but I guess in 1961 in bop context the instrument was still new kid on the block. Don Ellis is unstinting in his praise of Al Francis: ” who I consider the most original of all the new voices on the instrument” (Liner notes, 1961) That’s put me in my place. If you think I’ve underestimated Al Francis, call me out.
The most enjoyable tracks on New Ideas, however, I find to be the most conventional. I’m not a great vibes fan except perhaps for Bobby Hutcherson, and Al Francis does little to win me over. Don Ellis went on to do much more interesting stuff in larger ensembles, Al Francis went on to teach Spanish.
Vinyl: Esquire 32 – 183, UK release of New Jazz NJLP 8257
RVG stamped source metal. A few surface scratches audible in the quiet sections, previous owner not careful.
New Ideas was one of the final Esquire releases before the company folded in 1964, after a run of almost 200 Prestige/New Jazz titles. Esquire specialised in quirky British alternative covers, but here’s one that got away, quite a modish abstract alternative.
Collector’s Corner
Original Prestige New Jazz NJLP 8257
Prestige reissue P 7607 (1969)
Prestige reissue P 7607 (1972)
Not graphically the most attractive second cover compared with the more abstract New Jazz original, and decorative font typography set on a curve, a design-cliché of its time.
Time to move on, Summer’s all but over, and Postie is bringing in some exciting new records to freshen up the turntable. Good times ahead
LJC
Selection: Orientation (stereo)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis-orchestra_orientation_live-in-32-3-4-stereo-pacific-jazz-1967-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Barnum’s Revenge (Ruben Leon) 4:36
A2 Upstart 9:02
A3 Thetis (Hank Levy) 8:27
Recorded live at Shelly’s Manne-Hole, Los Angeles, CA, March 27, 1967
B1 Orientation 11:20
B2 Angel Eyes (Earl Brent, Matt Dennis) 5:41
B3 Freedom Jazz Dance (Eddie Harris) 3:54
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Festival, Costa Mesa, CA, October 10, 1966
Artists
Don Ellis, Bob Harmon, Glenn Stuart, Ed Warren, Alan Weight, trumpet; Ron Myers, Dave Wells, trombone; Terry Woodson, bass trombone; Ruben Leon, alto, soprano sax, flute; Tom Scott, alto sax, saxello, flute; Ira Schulman, Ron Starr, tenor sax, flute, clarinet; John Magruder, baritone sax, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet; Dave Mackay, piano; Chuck Domanico, Ray Neapolitan, Frank De La Rosa, bass; Steve Bohannon, drums; Alan Estes, drums, timbales; Chino Valdes, congas, bongos.
Recorded by Bill Halverson, engineer at Wally Heider Studios’ LA, credits include mostly rock – Crosby Stills and Nash, Hendrix, Cream, Eric Clapton.
The recording date is listed as Pacific Jazz Festival, Costa Mesa, CA, October 10, 1966. (Source: Jazzdisco Pacific Jazz Discography 1965-6 – none mentioned on cover}
According to the concert promo below “The Don Ellis 21-piece Orchestra” were listed as performing on Saturday night October 8,1966. The festival closed the following day, on Sunday October 9, 1966 with heavyweights Dave Brubeck Quartet and Miles Davis Quintet. Recorded on Monday 10th? The festival was clearly held on October 7 – 8 – 9, there was no performance scheduled on Monday October 10.
“So, was it 8th October, or was it 10th October?” Perry Mason would never have missed a 48-hour hole in an alibi. “I put it to you, forty-eight hours gave you just enough time to slip away unnoticed, and dispose of the body…didn’t it!?”
Bandleader/ composer/ trumpet, Don Ellis’s career was cut short by his untimely death from a heart attack in 1978 at the young age of 44. Appropriately enough, he had for some time been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.
Ellis’s legacy consists of around twenty albums, selection below, kicking off in 1961 with albums for Candid and Prestige, later Pacific jazz and Columbia. Many feature high-energy jazz orchestra live concert performances including at Monterey, Montreux, and Fillmore Auditorium. “Large Ensemble” found its own natural setting in concert:
Some are tagged with the label “New!”, new directions in jazz, though old directions have withstood the test of time, those acclaimed as “new” not so much, such is the collateral damage of innovation. Ellis continued to pursue his trademark experimentation with time signatures, experimenting with electronic instruments, (ring modulator, electro-trumpet), branching out into film scores, notably the Freidkin movie The French Connection (1972)
tongue in cheek re-arrangements of pop songs, even performing the opening scores of Star Wars, sure to wake up a Concert audience. Ellis appeared on concert platforms opening for bands like The Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, perhaps his big achievement was being accepted as hip by popular audiences at a time when big band jazz was out of vogue.
Music
Industry Reception: All Music awarded Live in 3⅔ 4 ½ stars – perhaps the half star was an ironic reference to Ellis’s irregular meters. “One of the most exciting new jazz big bands of the period …The Don Ellis Orchestra play perfectly coherent solos in ridiculous time signatures… Fun music”. The Penguin Guide to Jazz called Ellis “entertaining and provocative“
Jazz History: Let’s do the Time Warp… Dave Brubeck’s album Time Out (1959) and Time Further Out (1961) were ground-breaking in their use of unconventional time signatures. Time Out, the first jazz album to sell over a million copies, featured Take Five in 5/4 time and Blue Rondo à la Turk in 9/8 time. Time Further Out also offered the memorable Unsquare Dance in 7/4. All on my shelf.
Accustomed to the standard four beats to the bar that dominated jazz and popular music at the time, Brubeck’s unusual rhythms captured popular imagination. 4/4 was, and still is, the most used time signature in jazz because it allows the most rhythmic variations inside the bar. 4/4 is also related to dancing: complex and irregular time signatures are difficult to dance to, unless afflicted by some degenerative neurological condition.
In the format of Large Ensemble jazz funk, Don Ellis took adventurous time signatures to extremes, incorporating meters like 7/8, 9/4, 19/8, even 27/16. Beyond being just a musical gimmick, irregular meters create a unique rhythmic feel, that challenges both the musicians and the listener. Mingus famously once said Everyone knows where the beat is, there is no need for anyone to play it. Ellis’s approach to timekeeping stood Mingus on his head: The beat is three and two thirds, just play it! I say, don’t follow the meter, follow the off-balance music that results.
If you can set aside any preconceptions you have of Don Ellis (I had none of his albums previously), dismiss unusual time-signatures as a gimmick, are not averse to a large ensemble format, are willing to ignore LP covers not made to last, in tatty condition – seam-splits! ring-wear! Bag a Liberty Pacific Jazz original, and you are courageously on your way to a great-sounding musical discovery adventure.
Time signatures aside, The Don Ellis Orchestra arrangements are given distinctive stereo recording treatment, credited to engineer Bill Halverson. At the time, Halverson was member of the Wally Heider remote truck recording crew (Live at Monterey 1966). Heider had decades experience of big band recording and most likely Heider’s experience, and his Remote Truck, was behind this recording at the 1966 Pacific Jazz Festival, not credited.
Though the mono is no slouch, I just had to seek out an original stereo copy, surprisingly hard to find in the UK. The stereo arrangement is comprised of four musical blocks: the band ensemble anchor, a side-placed conga-bongo percussion unit, a side-placed the soloist of the moment, and a floating brass section which moves, will-o-the-wisp, across the stage, call and answer. The dynamic choreography of stereo adds an exciting dimension to the presentation.
The compositions are highly original of which two are outstanding – Orientation and Thetis – and all grow on you with repeated play, even the Eddie Harris Freedom Jazz Dance. The audience enthusiasm is infectious, whatever day it was recorded, and the combination of the festival session with the Shelly’s Manne-Hole session makes a great complete listening experience.
Vinyl: Liberty Pacific Jazz ST 20123 – stereo edition of PJ-10123
Pacific Jazz label in Liberty era, later half of the 60s, now over fifty years old. No indication of who pressed this Liberty aside from an encircled number 2 in front of the matrix code. The mono edition (see Collector’s Corner) has a hand etched date: 6-10-67, which in American MMDDYY format is June 10, 1967, three months after the later Shelly’s Manne-hole session, which sounds about right in the commercial manufacturing cycle.
Gatefold: readable informative info, LJC readable sharp text
Collector’s Corner
It was one of those days when there is nothing that catches your eye in a store you had travelled a long way to. Rather than go home empty handed, I took a punt on an inexpensive copy of Pacific Jazz Don Ellis Live 3⅔ , mono. Ellis albums are frequently found in bargain bins priced in single or barely two figures, it lacks a collector cachet. I had seen this album more than a few times, but dismissed it unheard, not my thing. However Pacific Jazz had always sounded very good, I’m now more big-band tolerant and something intrigued me. Not for the first time, I heard an Album Calling.
Liberty Pacific Jazz PJ-10123: Live in 3⅔ /4 Time – mono edition
Mono edition: Orientation
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis-orientation_live-on-32-3-4-time-mono-pacific-jazz-.mp3. . .
You can easily make a comparison between the mono and stereo, hear what you think
Stereo Edition: Orientation
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis-orchestra_orientation_live-in-32-3-4-stereo-pacific-jazz-1967-ljc.mp3. . .
Bonus Track
Self-flagellation reader bonus: memo to self: don’t like big band, wrong, don’t like electric saxophone, wrong; don’t like tricksy time signatures, wrong, don’t like being wrong: right!
Anything else wrong LJC? Nope, that’s enough wrongs for one day. It’s a good day to start putting things right. A bonus track, Eddie Harris’s Jazz Freedom Dance, fantastic off-balance syncopation (Dance Warning, Irregular Meter!), grooving for grown-ups, the solo has wings, flies through the air, mesmerising!
Don Ellis Orchestra, Freedom Dance (Eddie Harris) in 7 (stereo)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/don-ellis-orchestra-freedom-dance_-live-in-32-3-4-live-pacific-jazz-stereo-1967-0g-ljc.mp3. . .
AFTERTHOUGHT: Sometimes unexpected detours, in the “wrong” direction, take you to a place of discoveries you would never have made following the “right” direction, that’s how life works. When you know well what you like, discoveries could be made among what you don’t like. With vinyl records, it’s an easy trade off. The value of the potential gain is much bigger than the value of the loss, and opens previously closed doors for yet more adventures. At worst, you’ve wasted a small sum of money, at best, you have opened up a whole new world of excitement.
Judging from the low price of Ellis albums in the pre-owned market, his work seems not especially sought after. I wonder if I’m on my own again, out on a limb. Don Ellis anybody? Comments welcome. Any recommendations? Hello?
LJC
Selection: Helen’s Ritual (Morgan)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/lee-morgan_helens-ritual_caramba_blue-note-liberty-1968-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 ¡Caramba! (12:24)
A2 Suicide City (7:32)
B1 Cunning Lee (6:13)
B2 Soulita (6:03)
B3 Helen’s Ritual (6:29)
The composition title “Helen’s Ritual” (selection) meant something to Lee. Mostly I avoid artist biography because of the disconnect between the man and the music. Helen likely refers to Helen Moore, his common-law wife twelve years his senior. Thanks to the movie I called him Morgan, we know more of Morgan’s chaotic, narcotic-centred life outside the recording studio. Helen’s Ritual must have been an important part of their relationship, which sadly four short years later, ended in tragedy. What is particularly macabre is that, at the time, he would have had no idea that he was dedicating the song to his future executioner.
Artists:
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Bennie Maupin, tenor sax; Cedar Walton, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Billy Higgins, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 3, 1968, released December 1968.
¡Caramba! was the hard bop album which edged Taru off the Liberty release schedule. Recorded a couple of months apart with a similar line-up, except Cedar Walton in place of John Hicks, and free of George Benson licks.
Maupin has enjoyed a lifelong career in music, clocking around fifteen albums with Herbie Hancock, and collaborations with a bewildering array of musicians including synth pioneer Patrick Gleason, an all Polish quartet, ethio-jazz Mulatu Astatke, Chamber Music America, hundreds of sideman contributions, a resumé which stretches many pages. Last I checked, Maupin is still with us, a sprightly 84, which he puts down to the quality of water in Philadelphia.
Music
By the late 60’s Morgan’s compositions are bold, increasingly Latin-tinged, less old-school bop, settling into “modal” form (strokes goatee) stretching out into extended improvisation – the title track over 12 minutes, long for a slow-groove boogaloo. The hardest task is to choose the track which stands out, The Pick, not always easy. For me it is Helen’s Ritual, a minor-key swinger, complexity in composition and an outstanding series of solos, unexpectedly including Cedar Walton, which found me asking: how the heck do pianists hands operate independently of each other.
As on Taru, ¡Caramba!’s strongest feature is the effective pairing of Bennie Maupin’s tenor with lee Morgan’s trumpet: rich febrile harmonies and texture, dynamic contrast with the rhythm section.
Morgan’s playing is peerless, burnished tone, unerring judgement where to put the notes, controlled navigation, just sit and listen, and follow unmistakab-lee Lee Morgan.
With George Benson absent, Maupin comes more to the fore on ¡Caramba! compared with Taru, with a little more fire, to my ear, a cross between Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter, though without their jagged and brusque tone, and still to develop his spiritual and jazz funk persona. This is early Maupin, for me in a good way, a fresh voice and not one I know well.
Given the vast expense high-tech has invested in Artificial Intelligence, I thought I’d give Microsoft’s Co-Pilot ($10 billion + investment) a chance to apply its talents to an analysis of ¡Caramba!, and give me a creative writing break. Take it away, Co-Pilot, earn your keep:
Tell me about Lee Morgan’s album ¡Caramba!
A I: Certainly!
Well, there you have it: “not essential” (a judgement plucked from All Music), give it a listen if you like this sort of music, and clean your room, slacker. Three tracks, you will be excited to learn, are each six minutes long. And in case you were wondering, the CD bonus track, a Cal Massey arrangement, is also six minutes long.
Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor is around seventy minutes long, which is much longer than ¡Caramba!’s thirty eight minutes, and showcases Beethoven’s composing work. The release of the 9th Symphony is a welcome addition for fans of Beethoven’s work, especially something to enjoy while cleaning your room.
AI, tell me how Beethoven’s work compares with that of other composers?
A I: Certainly!
Beethoven is estimated to have composed over 700 pieces, but only 96 hours music in total, many actual hours of music less than Bach, or Mozart.
The most productive classical composer was in fact Haydn, whose 340 hours of music dwarfs the 96 hours of Beethoven. Some say quality is more important than quantity, and some even argue Beethoven’s work is actually better than it sounds, but there is more than enough to listen to, while cleaning your room, leaving it really spotless. Would you like to know more about Haydn?
Not really, but thank you for asking, Co-Pilot.
A I: Oh. Perhaps you would like some really cool tips on cleaning your room? Consider a Roomba – the new models are all A I driven . .
If the future is A I, Dee Lawd help us.
Vinyl: Liberty Blue Note BST 84289 VAN GELDER stamp
Some things A I didn’t tell you. Caramba 1st edition Keystone labels, printed after the mid-1968 font change. Keystone changed from Intertype Vogue 18pt (artist name, album name and catalogue number) to Intertype Futura 16pt, found on titles 84287 and upwards.
The pressing plant is not definitive – a “114” pin-etching on both sides, I have seen this etching before, but can’t recall where, could be a contract pressing from a plant with spare capacity, as the late ’60s boom in record sales lead to capacity constraints and Liberty expanded their choice of plants beyond All Disc and Research Craft. Further investigation required. If you know more, do tell. A I is looking depressed. He wants to help, but can’t.
Gatefold:
The back cover is another masterstroke from Bob Venosa. A severed or disembodied arm holding a piece of a lace shawl, continuation from the front cover girl. Reid Miles would be turning in his grave (headstone chiselled in Ultra Bodoni/ News Gothic).
Collector’s Corner
Cover Art Director: Bob Venosa, former Columbia executive, established Forlenza Venosa Associates with fellow Columbia executive Sal Forlenza in 1966, favoured design house of Liberty Blue Note.
Graphic common style – dominant artist headshot set in various dark backgrounds, with low-key typography, decorative typefaces. A few “iconic” cover designs among them, perhaps Lou Donaldson’s Midnight Creeper cat-girl, Duke Pearson’s The Phantom; Eddie Gale’s Ghetto Music; a few turkeys, pick your own – Mobley’s Reach Out, smiling with Paris/Eiffel Tower backdrop.
Caramba – origin Spanish, translates as “surprise”, in a positive way. Among the most cheesy Venosa covers, the smiling “hippy flower-power chick”, no connection between the music and the cover art that I can see. Contrast Reid Miles intelligent design, and track record of hundreds of iconic covers.
2022 Reissued by Blue Note in its Classic Vinyl Series, or possibly further reissue August 2024 (below) This one I didn’t go for, having the original.
2022 Not without a few manufacturing problems – surprised at Optimal, who are generally first class clean plant output.
AI not withstanding, any thoughts on late-Lee welcome. Remember to click if you are human, though you may also want to click if you are not. A I is a fast learner.
LJC on fast charge.
Selection: Get Yoself Togetha (as on label, cover translates “Get Yourself Together”)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/lee-morgan-get-yoself-togetha_-taru-1968_-tone-poet-2024.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Avotcja One (John Hicks) 6:42
A2 Haeschen (German trans. “Sweetheart”) 6:10
A3 Dee Lawd (Dear Lord?) 5:50
B1 Get Yoself Togetha (phonetic-spelling street-talk ) 6:23
B2 Taru, What’s Wrong With You (Cal Massey) 5:16
B3 Durem 7:28
Morgan plays fast and loose with song-titles: jive-talk, street talk phonetic spelling, terms of endearment, ambiguous, obscure or words just made up. Durem? All compositions Lee Morgan except where indicated.
Artists
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Bennie Maupin, tenor sax; John Hicks, piano; George Benson, guitar; Reggie Workman, bass; Billy Higgins, drums, recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 15, 1968
Music
Lee Morgan’s Taru offers a musically balanced diet – two hard-driving boppers, two sidewinder-like swingers, and two ballads, nothing experimental, avant-leaning or further out. Morgan’s tone has rarely sounded better with Van Gelder at the dials, especially delicious in the two ballads. His fast paced bopppers folllow the rhythmic attack lines set out most successfully in the track Mr Kenyatta four years previously on Search For The New Land (Morgan’s album triumph) and variations on the same are more than welcome.
1968 saw many artists at a variety of crossroads, – expanding directions to fusion, electric, soul and funk, free. Morgan offered Liberty a safe commercial session, a pleaser for Morgan fans, but with one major novelty, the addition of George Benson on guitar.
Benson in 1968 was becoming a hot ticket, fresh from recording with Miles on the Wayne Shorter composition Paraphernalia (LJC review: Miles in The Sky, Columbia (1968).) Around the same time another very different style guitarist John McLaughlin was adding a electric abrasive rock elements to Miles Davis direction. Benson would soon take off in his inimitable smooth jazz guitar style, though here he is firmly in traditional jazz linear-picking.
LJC is not generally a jazz guitar enthusiast, and Benson’s presence was the main reason I had not pursued the1980 Blue Note Classic edition of Taru. Back in the 70’s I was never a fan of Benson’s playing. Living with the Tone Poet album a few days, Benson’s contribution, on only three tracks, is quite acceptable. It’s a personal thing, but I feel the guitar is surplus to requirements: there is plenty of excitement in the Morgan – Maupin/John Hicks quintet. That’s me off the Christmas Card list of The Bensonistas!
Bennie Maupin was another player still in formation, thumbing a ride on his way to Herbie Hancock’s shell-suit period and electric Miles in lamé pants. His tone is Shorteresque, adds nice harmonies with Morgan, his improv feels a little safe and predictable, but that’s probably just me again wanting the tenor to play more adventurously.
John Hicks is very flexible accompanist, fitting himself to each piece rather than offering a display of virtuosity, or in dynamic conversation with the other players as would Hancock. The ever-dependable Billy Higgins gives the boppers and swingers their essential propulsion, and his brushes add polish to the ballads. Reggie Workman is suitably “workman-like”.
Lee Morgan recorded prolifically for Blue Note well into the Liberty years, leaving a rich treasure trove of unreleased session tapes for later discovery. At the time, Taru was side-lined by Liberty to make way for Caramba! (inexplicably LJC has not posted), with the same line-up except Cedar Walton on piano, and without George Benson. Caramba! is overdue a spin on the turntable, weigh up the competition.
Vinyl: Blue Note Tone Poet of United Artists LT 1031
Newly commissioned cover art, as there was no original, aside from the white-framed Liberty UA Classic. Black and white graphic with single colour tint, a riff on Lee Morgan Vol. 3 (BLP 1557, pictured right). Strong typographic design, not bad for a Reid Miles lookalike. The centre labels are likewise an invention, what the Liberty would have looked like had it been issued at the time, not the UA blue label as was. Love the attention to correct period detail from the Tone Poets.
Kevin Gray mastered ( KpG@CA etching), the soundstage is the usual Kevin Gray wide panoramic, trumpet and tenor far left and right. Kevin works true to the original tapes, and I have to say I think this Van Gelder recording was not among Rudy’s best, not as clean and precise as I expect from Rudy, largely the way the piano has been recorded, a little dense and muddy. The rip histogram reveals the slightly congested mix, not as fast and dynamic as many I have seen.
There is also a brief moment of volume adjustment on-the-fly relating to the piano (Track 1 Side 1), which caught me by surprise. Nothing serious, but Van Gelder was a perfectionist, this should not have made it to the master. Another indication perhaps why this recording was held back, and others given preference. Or may be some other reason altogether.
Gatefold:
Also available in a Surgeon-General approved no-smoking edition. The gatefold artists at work pictures are unusual for Francis Wolff – in colour, beautiful.
Bennie Maupin pictured with Engelwood Cliffs Studios (1968) microphone in shock-mount
Collector’s Corner
Original first release 1980, remastered from Van Gelder tapes by UA engineer Tony Sestanovich. An edition that seems unusually rare in the field.
Then remastered in 24 bit for The Evil Silver Disc by the improbably named Ron McMaster, with alternative cover.The Tone Poet rules the roost (retail purchase, no conflict of interest) I had my eye on Taru as one title in the Tone Poet 2024 programme that I didn’t have, and wanted. More plays ahead, who knows, I may even warm to Mr Benson. “Give Me The Night “. . . guitar twink twink . . . .US Billboard Hot Soul Singles No. 1 (1980)
Any other takes on Taru, call me out.
LJC
Selection: Ringo-oiwake
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/yusef-lateef_ringo-oiwake_jazz-round-the-world_impulse-ipulse-mono-a56_ljc.mp3. . .
A Japanese folk tune, Ringo Oiwake (popularised in 1952, “A forked road in the apple orchard”, was featured by Herbie Hancock on his VSOP II Tokyo 1983 tour. As we say, taking Coals to Newcastle.
Selection 2: Trouble In Mind
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/yusef-lateef_trouble-in-mind_jazz-round-the-world_impulse-ipulse-mono-a56_ljc.mp3. . .
Down-home blues, tinkling ivories, with Lateef on oboe. Youtube offers an alternative lo-fi version visual performance
Track List
A1. Abana – 2:20
A2. India – 4:09
A3. You, So Tender and Wistful – 2:29
A4. Yusef’s French Brother – 4:10
A5. The Volga Rhythm Song” – 2:03
B1. Trouble In Mind (Richard M. Jones) – 3:12
B2. The Good Old Roast Beef of England – 2:31
B3. Raisins And Almonds – 3:05
B4. Utopia – 2:47
B5. Ringo Oiwake (Fujio Ozawa, Masao Yoneyama) – 4:18
Artists
Yusef Lateef, tenor saxophone, flute, bassoon, oboe, shenai; Richard Williams, trumpet; Hugh Lawson, piano; Ernie Farrow, bass; Lex Humphries, drums; recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, December 19 & 20, 1963
Music
I hesitated posting this Lateef title, it’s not a favourite, but in the interests of completeness, and with not else much coming in, I have given it a spin. LJC is not limited to just the albums I like, though it definitely leans that way. I try never to post records I dislike, of which I have a few. They are exiled to the sin-bin to be revisited some time in the future – tastes change.
All Music say: “Yusef Lateef’s first Impulse! date Jazz ‘Round the World anticipates the emerging vogue for global music, with a series of impassioned interpretations of traditional ethnic folk songs. Lateef proves that while music may indeed reign as the universal language, some speakers are far more fluent and eloquent than others”.
LJC says: Perhaps, in the early ’60s, foreign travel and culture still had an exotic allure. Today in London, the whole world comes to you, everyone you know is just off to or back from some exotic long-haul destination, Costa Rica, Vietnam or The Galapagos Islands, their camera-phone bulging with 500 pictures of themselves in front of a series of slightly different backgrounds. The traditional holiday picture postcard is no more, replaced by a jpeg and text to trigger envy, look at me, I’m having a great time!
Despite being allegedly my national dish, the “Good Old Roast Beef Of England” had me squirming. While many of my fellow countrymen are dedicated to the traditional Sunday roast, it’s not for me, I prefer foreign food and the tune did little to change my mind. Next up, Chopsticks. Take it away, take-away.
Lateef mastered an array of exotic instruments as well as a multiple mainstream ones, and he pulls off a jazzy originality of composition which mostly overcomes the Travel Agent’s shop window. It was his Impulse debut, and he went on to do better.
Vinyl: Impulse A56 mono Van Gelder
Jazz Around The World offers one of the most astonishing sounding Van Gelder recordings I own: a big room-filling loud mono cut which shows up lesser recordings. I think the music is not the best of Lateef, but the huge sonic presentation won me over. I suspect it is down to the vinyl being early off a fresh stamper, though there is no evidence of stamper usage apart from promo status, perhaps all copies sound this good.
There is a symptom of the mental health condition known as Audiophilia, which is probably on a spectrum, Extreme Hi-Fi through to Spotify on earbuds. Despite the entirely logical belief that the music is the only thing that matters, as CD-lovers will tell you ad nauseam, the quality of sound can defeat logic. Sheer engineering brilliance commands your attention, plays you like a Stradivarius, seduces you like Casanova, renders you helpless like The Death-Star, Resistance Is Futile. As Hoff-People like to say, Sounds Great To Me, in my case against thousands of comparisons.
The result is, I think, due to Van Gelder closing the gap between listening to live performance and listening to recorded/play back performance, delivering “musicians in the room”. Some recordings get close, some are a million miles way. This one is close.
Gatefold
Harry’s Place
Lateef, Montreux 1970, courtesy of the Harry M.
Photo-credit: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
I thought I saw a modern reissue of this Lateef album recently, but couldn’t find it in time for this post, It’s the dog day’s of Summer. Maybe follow up when I have more time.
I’m catching up Series One of Hannibal on Netflix, the remarkable Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lector.
Serial-Killers in The Room.
LJC
Selection: La Salle St After Hours (5:21)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/john-wright-trio_la-salle-st-after-hours_south-side-soul_1960_craft-2024-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 South Side Soul (Esmond Edwards) 5:02
A2 47th and Calumet (John Wright) 3:57
A3 La Salle St After Hours (Armond “Jump” Jackson) 5:21
A4 63rd and Cottage Grove (John Wright) 4:06
B1 35th St Blues (Wendell Roberts) 7:00
B2 Sin Corner (Armond “Jump” Jackson) 5:30
B3 Amen Corner (Wendell Roberts) 5:30
Artists
After recently working my way through the instrument credits of a seventeen piece big band, its a breeze crediting a trio in just one line: John Wright, piano; Wendell Roberts, bass; Walter McCants, drums; recorded by Van Gelder at Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 30, 1960.
Chicago jazz pianist John Wright made his reputation with five albums for Prestige in the early ’60s, leaning towards the blues and gospel side of jazz, all recorded by Van Gelder at Englewood Cliffs: South Side Soul (1960), Nice ‘n’ Tasty (1960), Makin’ Out (1961, quartet including tenor sax), Mr. Soul (1962), and The Last Amen (recorded in 1961 released in 1965).
Music
Prestige Soul Jazz is more closely associated with soul jazz organ combos: Richard Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott. Prestige’s sub-label Bluesville leant towards folk-blues, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Prestige of course had a some straight Blues artists where Wright’s playing fits more naturally, like Otis Spann.
South Side Soul is unmistakably steeped in the geography of Chicago, the street names and districts where Wright grew up and played the club scene, though he travelled to New York to record the album. Listening to Wright working the keys, echoes of the great Chicago blues pianists come to mind – Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree, Memphis Slim, Eddie Boyd, and many more I don’t recall – this was my music in the late ’60s. On some tracks, I keep expecting B B King to enter, Live At The Regal, but no singing and no guitar, the familiar straight and occasional variation on the 12-bar blues, some more churchy-gospel, some more down-in-the-gutter.
Interviews with John Wright document his working with many big name jazz musicians, as a jobbing club pianist. This debut recording session Prestige is referred to as “hard bop” or “the soulful side of hard bop”, Others draw parallels with Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal, neither of whom I know well enough to make the connection.
It’s a stretch to file it under Jazz, but on my preferred selection, La Salle St After Hours, Wright stretches himself a little more in the way of improvisation, and passion pounding the keys. The juke-box selection released at the time was the funkier Sin Corner and Amen Corner. If you are a jazz lover with a soft-spot for the Blues, this is a good choice.
In passing, Chicago’s La Salle St. was a film location for Batman and The Dark Knight. It was my privilege to visit Chicago in the late ’70s, and it left an indelible mark in my memory, including the serious mistake of wandering downtown, after hours. My presence here today I put down merely to luck, and a public-spirited Chicago taxi driver who rescued me from my poor judgement, strolling downtown after hours.
Vinyl: Craft CR00721, reissue of Prestige 1790
There are a lot of positive comments and general enthusiasm on the Hoff-person Forum about the recent run of Craft Original Jazz Classics editions. “(South Side Soul) is a stellar-sounding LP. This may be the best RVG job ever did recording a piano… Craft/Concord releases have been consistently fantastic IME.” Concord/Craft have a treasure chest of ’60s Prestige/New Jazz master tapes and are doing a credible job with AAA remasters, by Kevin and Co.
All-analogue mastering, cut from the original tapes. As is customary, cut rather quiet, so music grooves can be stacked towards the vinyl outer edge, to reduce record-centre distortion. Increasing the gain to compensate for low-gain mastering raises the noise floor, to the point where I have visible noise floor flickering in the rip histogram.
This is a strong original recording by RVG, as of course are most RVG recordings, and a clean quality mastering job credited to KG. I thinks it’s Kevin’s signature in the runout though it’s not sufficiently clear in my label-shot. There is a history of the Craft OBI saying one thing and etchings saying another: “Just picked up the Groovy LP- it credits Kevin Gray on the OBI, but MCL@CA (Matt Lutthans) is etched in the dead wax” . Closer inspection in due course!
Bless the French AV superstore FNAC, big difference in the new release offer price €36,99 and the regular price €48,77. I left the shrink on because, maybe in fifty years time it will…nah…because I couldn’t be bothered to take it off, and it preserves the price stickers.
Collector’s Corner
Public Domain status has given rise to a lot of questionable reissues of 50s/60s material in Europe, where copyright laws differ from the US. This 2021 European public domain reissue of South Side Soul, from Blue Sounds, Barcelona Spain: “newly remastered vinyl” (which means nothing), the usual “Audiophile” claim based on180gm vinyl weight (not to be taken seriously). No recording source mentioned, and not for sale in the US, but hey, it’s cheap.
Definitely to be taken seriously, the original Prestige 7190 released: August 30, 1960
Bergenfield fireworks labels: The original Prestige South Side Soul has collector appeal, with a mono promo topping the auction chart at $650, and a couple of others at the $500 mark, pushed by bidding frenzy.
Other John Wright titles for Prestige hardly appear among the top auction results, meaning South Side Soul is the one, and it still is an inspiration to some. A Hoff-person poster picks up the story:
“I went to the parents house for dinner. At one point, my step-father disappeared into the house and when he returned, he set in front of me a beautiful copy of South Side Soul. I could not believe it. It’s not even my birthday or Christmas or anything. He said one popped up on Ebay and he snatched it up. I’m still kind of stunned. I never thought I’d have my hands on a copy of this record. It even has RVG in the deadwax.”
That’s what I like, a happy ending: RVG in the deadwax.
Selection 1: When Your Love Has Gone
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/donald-byrd_when-your-lover-has-gone_-bnst-84007-day-at-the-races_div-ua-1975_ljc.mp3. . .
Selection 2: SudWest Funk
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/donald-byrd_sudwest-funk_-bnst-84007-day-at-the-races_div-ua-1975_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Lover Come Back To Me
A2 When Your Love Has Gone
A3 Sudwest Funk
B1 Off To The Races (aka The Long Two/Four)
B2 Paul’s Pal
B3 Down Tempo
Artists
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Jackie McLean, alto saxophone; Pepper Adams, baritone saxophone; Wynton Kelly, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Art Taylor, drums, recorded Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 21, 1958
Off to the Races was Donald Byrd’s debut on Blue Note Records. Byrd had an affinity with Pepper Adams’s throaty baritone, and over the following three years the Byrd-Adams Quintet paired the wide sonic range of trumpet and baritone on many of his Blue Note titles, including Byrd in Hand (1959), At the Half Note Cafe, Vols. 1-2 (1960), The Cat Walk (1961), the unreleased Chant (1961,Tone Poet 2019), and Royal Flush (1961). The Quintet hard-swinging rhythm section evolved according to availability, Duke Pearson replacing Wynton Kelly and later inducting the young Herbie Hancock: Byrd as a talent incubator.
Music
Off to the Races, say Blue Note, is “one of Donald Byrd’s most invigorating sessions of the late ’50s. Byrd switches between hard bop, ballads, laid-back blues, and soul-jazz. He is capable of sweet, melodic solos on the slower numbers and blistering runs of notes on the faster songs. McLean is just as vigorous and lyrical, contributing some fine moments to the record, as do Adams and Kelly: well-performed, enjoyable hard bop.”
The Byrd-Adams Quintet is a fascinating jazz-vehicle. The baritone is a quirky instrument: light and swinging in the hands of Gerry Mulligan, more swinging Serge Chaloff, unpredictable and quirky in Sahib Shihab and Nightmare on Elm Street in Hamiet Bluiett.
Pepper Adams is in a niche of his own, a coarse sand-paper tone, abrasive but at the same time lyrical, with melancholy trail-offs to his phrases that mark him out immediately – that’s Pepper. The counter weight in the brass front line is acid-toned Jackie McLean, playing his heart out, at the drop of a hat, that’s Jackie.
The star that shines brightest remains Donald Byrd, master of melody and composition, covering all bases in the register with a fat tone and vulnerable extended vibrato. Often Lee Morgan packs more excitement, but I wouldn’t be without our Byrd. I’m happy to finally fill the gap in my collection with this great Hackensack recording.
Vinyl: BST 84007 Division of United Artists
The stereo recording is classic Van Gelder early two track – left, right and centre, not the graduated super-wide soundstage Kevin Gray manages to pull off some Van Gelder tapes. Byrd is placed hard left, drums and other front-line soloists Pepper and Jackie hard right, Wynton’s piano and bass holding the middle ground. It works naturally with the distribution of a quintet, leaving no “holes”, as can happen with smaller groups.
Love the hot cut, almost right up to the label edge, no vinyl centre tracking distortion I can hear – a theoretical problem that has come to dominate modern cutting decisions without regard to the impact of avoidance-of-centre-distortion on overall listening quality.
4007 was issued at the time only in mono, and not released in stereo until 1966. This edition was remastered by United Artists house engineers in 1975, one of the few stereo editions in the unacknowledged “Blue Note Replica” series: a straight replica of the original mono release cover, minus the Blue Note Catalogue Request address on the back, and the addition of a small Liberty rectangle-and-ellipse logo on the front.
Harry’s Place
Jazz Paparazzi and avid Air Miles collector Harry M was in Copenhagen, 1969, and caught Sam Jones in his lens:
Photo-credit ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
4007 had been a gap in my Blue Note collection since forever, and I had never seen an original copy in the wild. The original release was only mono (47W63rd label, bottom left). There don’t appear to have been any further Blue Note editions, set aside the repress adding ® to 47W63rd labels, no NY label reissue. In 1966 Liberty issued a first stereo edition (Bert-Co label, centre) and around 1969-70 a Liberty/UA West Coast edition (right), also no Van Gelder stamp.
Recorded in December 1958, the original session tapes will have been two track but it seems Van Gelder never prepared a stereo master, and the Blue Note production line was saturated with subsequent Donald Byrd titles. Hence Off To The Races is a scarce, rare title. First Pressing Fundamentalists must have the original mono, normal collectors settle for the Liberty.
Fast forward to the present, a recent visit to a certain record store which has close links with Japan, Idle Moments in London’s Hackney/Shoreditch hipster enclave, turned up this unusually packaged Division of United Artists edition, complete with shrink and EMI Hype Sticker. I thought, wtf is this? The price showed the seller was aware of its collector interest potential.Air-Miles alert! As purchased, this record had crossed the globe, imported from the USA to Japan, and back to the UK nearly fifty years later, to LJC, South London. I had never seen one like this before, and my credit card looked rightly apprehensive.
The Blue Note logo (below, in orange) is the United Artists large b/note.
Hat tip Conrad! Google Image Translate: Japanese to English – “Directly imported disc”
“JAZZ RIGHT NOW” was a 1974-77 Toshiba Series, albums licensed from various US record labels – Muse, Prestige, Arista/Savoy and Blue Note – remastered in Japan, complete with OBI and Japanese insert.
Most were priced at 2,300 yen, some 2,000 yen, some 2,500 yen (Discogs entries) so our Donald Byrd Div UA “import” priced at 2,500 yen would be about right for 1974-77 Japan prices, an interesting metric for establishing provenance.
The hype sticker/shrink makes sense for an import, not Japan manufactured. If sealed in shrink before leaving the USA, no insert can be inserted, cogito, ergo sum. I have long held the view, pure speculation of course, the Blue Note DivUA replica series manufactured in the USA was intended for the Japanese market, but never got there. Well, looks like may be some did.
Liberty/Blue Note had a long established relationship with Toshiba. United Artists subsequent relationship with King Records did not get fired up until 1977, so it is plausible that a 1975 Division of United Artists Blue Note replica would be distributed in Japan through (EMI) Toshiba, not King, in the JAZZ RIGHT NOW series, consistent with the 2,500 yen price point at that time.
The Division of United Artists “replica series” was first issued in around 1972, followed by a second tranche in 1975 (some titles have a copyright date). Another rare stereo title from the replica series, 84024, matches the same engineer’s handiwork: precise neat hand etch in the first runout groove, catalogue number supplemented by the -1 suffix indicating a second mastering, this engineer did not leave his own initials like some (NB and EGK)
The Discogs entry for the 1975 Jazz Right Now edition has no pictures of either the cover or the labels. Game set and match, I conclude origin 1975 US export to Japan (emerges blinking from the rabbit hole).
After wrestling recently with big band titles, avant-leaning tinnitus music, and electic jazz rock, I felt a sense of relief to sit back on the sofa and bathe in the warm invigorating waters of Blue Note circa 1960, when everything sounds just right. I’ve missed it. Any thoughts or insights on Division of United Artists replica series, baritone sax, anything in this post, all comments welcome.
LJC
Selection: Rustat’s Grave Song
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/michael-garrick_rustats-grave-song_ther-heat-is-a-lotus-_argo-t-est-pressing-1970-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 The Heart Is A Lotus
A2 Song By The Sea
A3 Torrent
A4 Temple Dancer
B1 Blues On Blues
B2 Voices
B3 Beautiful Thing
B4 Rustat’s Grave Song
Artists
Clarinet: Art Themen (B1, B3, B4) Jim Philip (B3); double bass: Coleridge Goode (A4, B3, B4) Dave Green (A1 to A3, B1, B2); drums: Trevor Tomkins; Ian Carr, flugelhorn (A3, B4); flute: Art Themen (A1, A2, B2 to B4) Don Rendell (B2) Jim Philip (B3); Michael Garrick: harpsichord (A1, B3) piano (A2 to A4, B1 to B3); soprano saxophone , Art Themen (A4, B2), Don Rendell (B2); tenor saxophone: Art Themen (A3, B1), Don Rendell (A3), Jim Philip (B4); trumpet: Ian Carr (A1, A2, A4, B1 to B3); vocals: Norma Winstone (A1, A2, A4, B1 to B3)
Recorded at Decca Studios, Hampstead, 20-22 January, 1970, engineer, Kevin Daly, producer, Frederick Woods.
Michael Garrick small groups : notable Argo titles, (1965-72)
Norma Winstone’s influence on Garrick increased over time, and I have passed on some of these very rare and expensive albums for that reason. The Heart is a Lotus sits somewhere between instrumental compositions, and the “jazz and poetry” theme Michael Garrick was exploring with the work of some of the Liverpool Poets (as best I recall), a genre that doesn’t work for me at all.
Norma is still with us in her mid-80s, and performing, most recently associated with Canadian hip-hop rapper Drake.
Michael Garrick was a key player in the Rendell Carr Quintet mid to late-’60s party of unAmerican jazz activities, emphasizing British and European folk forms, and semi-classical sensibilities, absolutely sublime music, beautifully recorded. At the same time, Garrick began to experiment with his own small groups, piano-centric albums recorded mostly for the Decca Argo label, distinct from the EMI Lansdowne Rendell Carr titles. Since the musicians moved interchangeably between recording sessions, probably the defining difference between Garrick-led and Rendell Carr-led albums is the Norma-Factor.
Vocalist Norma Winstone has a “soft and nimble voice, combined with the ability to navigate challenging melodies and improvise wordlessly“. Mostly, you can interpret her vocal as another instrument, not story-telling narrative. The lyrics feel superfluous, but the playing on the recording remains remarkably fresh, and rarely equalled. Art Themen contributes an additional layer of complexity on flute and soprano saxophone, Rendell’s serpentine lines are sublime, and Ian Carr’s pungent flugelhorn harmonies lifts the common or garden trumpet to another level. You just have to cope with Norma, and Garrick’s ill-advised choice of harpsichord on two tracks. I’m not selling this well am I?
Gearbox released a prequel Prelude to The Heart Is a Lotus from a BBC radio recording session in 1968, which had a Norma-Factor of nil, she does not appear. It’s a nice clean studio recording but lacks the essential final track Rastat’s Grave Song, which for me is highlight of the commercial album and the reason I spent a stupid amount of money on the Test Pressing of the original. A haunting melody and harmonies spaced over five minutes, a twin to the Rendell Carr “Live” track Pavanne. Perhaps it’s not “jazz”, it’s magic, engraved on vinyl, five minutes of moving air committed to tape, which promptly disappeared for ever, save the tape.
Heart-Lotus was Garrick’s biggest selling album, 1200 copies according to his biography, illustrating how small the UK jazz genre had shrunk to by 1970. Taylor Swift sells that every thirty seconds. This album is rare, as are all Garrick’s Argo titles. My rule of thumb on the survival of vintage vinyl over 50 years is 10-20% in VG+ condition, on which basis, this TP may be the only one in existence. And TP’s came with no cover, hard gruel.
Vinyl: Argo ZRG 3337/8 Decca New Malden Test Pressing
According to the seller, this test pressing originated from “the lady who cut it“. To my knowledge Decca engineers at this time were all men, including the engineer here, Kevin Daly, so I think the well-intentioned attribution actually refers to Norma Winstone herself, who would have been one of the small artist circle receiving a copy of the test pressing for approval, “the lady who cut it”.
Despite reservations about the amount of Norma on the album, a bit too much in my opinion, she was Garrick’s Muse, and there is just enough of the Ian Carr, Don Rendell, Art Themen contribution to have me reach for my credit card, I won’t see a TP ever again.
Argo commercial release labels – reproduced photographically from secondary sources
Collector’s Corner
While the record label executives sitting on tour British Jazz legacy tape archive partied at Glastonbury to Coldplay, another icon of British Jazz vinyl has turned up on Omega Auctions – Amancio D’Silva’s Hum Dono, two days to go.
Auction 16th July, 2024 9:00
JOE HARRIOTT & AMANCIO D’SILVA QUARTET – HUM DONO LP (ORIGINAL UK COPY – COLUMBIA SCX 6354)
Lot 553 Estimate
£1,000 – £1,500Current bid
£800 (1bid)
Buyer’s premium: 28.80% inc VAT ( Selling price is 28″% on top of the bid)
Description
JOE HARRIOTT & AMANCIO D’SILVA QUARTET – HUM DONO LP (ORIGINAL UK COPY – COLUMBIA SCX 6354). It’s grail o’clock with this amazing British Jazz rarity introducing the Joe Harriott & Amancio D’Silva Quartet with their 1969 LP Hum-Dono (original UK release, Columbia Lansdowne Series SCX 6354). The record is in lovely, glossy Ex condition with some very light hairlines/ surface marks though no heavier feelable scatches. Matrix (machine stamped): YAX 3882-1U & YAX 3883-1U. With original company sleeve. The original flipback design sleeve is in VG+ condition with light staining to the reverse though no rips/ tear/ seam splits and the spine is fully legible.
Blue Note Jazz Collector prices?
LJC
Selection: Blues For Pipkins
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/simon-spillett_blues-for-pipkins_dear-tubby-h_mister-pc-2023_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
1 Dear Johnny B 6:25
2 As Close As You Are 5:42
3 Take Your Partners For The Blues 5:43
4 Fish Soup 6:20
5 Star Eyes 4:06
6 Soft and Supple 4:55
7 Rumpus 6:46
8 Peace (H Silver) 5:15
9 Seven Steps to Heaven (V Feldman) 5:20
10 Solweig 3:32
11 Blues for Pipkins 6:30
12 She Insulted Me in Marrakech 7:17
Tubby Hayes original scores, as performed on British TV and radio broadcasts by his big band between the late ’50s and the early ’70s; or recorded in small group format but not big band; compositions restored and reconstructed by Mark Nightingale.
Artists: Simon Spillett Big Band
Sammy Mayne, Pete Long, Alex Garnett, Simon Allen, Alan Barnes, saxophones; Nathan Bray, George Hogg, Freddie Gavita, Steve Fishwick, trumpets; Jon Stokes, Mark Nightingale, Ian Bateman, Pete North, trombones; Rob Barron, piano; Alec Dankworth, bass; Pete Cater, drums; Simon Spillett, musical director and solo tenor sax; recorded at Trinity School, Croydon, London UK, April 3, 2023; engineered, mixed and mastered by Chris Traves
Music
No half-measures, tenor saxophone-Commander Simon Spillett has recruited a crack battalion of 16 musicians to perform these Tubby Hayes arrangements and compositions – eight Tubby originals along with Tubby’s arrangements of Horace Silver’s Peace (original on Horace’s Blue Note album Blowin’ The Blues Away), Raye/ DePaul’s Star Eyes (recorded by Charlie Parker among many others) Victor Feldman’s Seven Steps To Heaven (Miles Davis 1963 Columbia LP of the same name), and Ian Hamer’s Fish Soup (widely found on good restaurant menus).
London Jazz News (no relation) says:
“The reed passages, at times intricate and snakelike, are delivered flawlessly. The brass offer knockout punches with expert precision one minute and beautifully gentle melodic lines the next. The rhythm section swings relentlessly accenting the brass, at times, for even more impact. Each soloist positively shines”.
I am a huge Tubby fan with a collection of around twenty of his albums on vinyl, but as Simon knows, I am not an enthusiast of big bands, so this album is a bit of a challenge. First impressions based on one play through, there is a lot of work gone into this big collection of material, a lot to unpack, one listen does not do it justice. A number of tunes were immediately familiar, but hard to place by name or source, and I look forward to getting to know all of them better.
Vinyl: MRPC241 2xLP
The original recording was released on CD in 2023, and will have been assembled digitally, intended for CD. A vinyl release is a welcome edition for those of us for whom vinyl is the preferred format, (and, in my case, who don’t own a hi-fi CD player)
Pressed for Pete Cater’s MisterPC label, I assume by GZ Media, Czech Republic (a familiar “vinyl swirl” texture beneath labels). Flat vinyl with no imperfections I could hear, apart from the grooves loaded with a fair amount of dust, something not uncommon with certain of today’s pressing plants. Full-spin ultrasonic clean freshened it up. I am guessing GZ Media have mastered the vinyl from a digital file, I would not expect anything else, it’s a practical affordable solution.
Though the recording is nominally “stereo”, the mix is layered mostly in the centre, and I would have preferred a more ambitious instrument spread across the soundstage, as you find with large ensembles like Clarke Boland BB (SABA/MPS), George Russell (DECCA/Riverside), and any Kevin Gray Blue Note wide-stage panoramic stereo: more dynamic conversation between between different focal points in the room. Could be on my own here again, different strokes for different folks. Recording engineer Chris Traves is widely regarded as THE man in jazz recording circles these days, largely “for the warmth he brings in a digital age” (Simon says)
Typical of recently-mastered vinyl, the grooves are cut towards the large-diameter beginning of the record, avoiding the smaller-diameter end of record approaching the record’s centre. At a constant speed of turntable rotation, there is more vinyl surface per second of music towards the outer edge, and less cutting squiggle-room near the centre, which is apparently more difficult for a cartridge to track, though I can’t say I have ever noticed a problem with a properly aligned high-end cart. There may be a theoretical argument that Big Band works better on Compact Disc, but I’ll leave that argument to Hoff-person people
A further solution to avoid inner groove distortion is to spread the music over two discs, and my bugbear, cut quieter, limiting bass and high frequency energy, to allow grooves to be packed more closely together on the outer disc. For example, Side 1 packs 17 minutes of music but still manages a huge vacant six-lane runout spiral groove .
When I compensate for lower gain by turning up the volume, it increases the noise floor, and loses some of its clarity. Measures to avoid the “non-problem” of end-of-record distortion have unintended consequences which reduce the overall sonic performance of vinyl. Lone voice in the modern vinyl wilderness, as they all seem to do it this way.
Gatefold: graphics style, 1960s black and white memorabilia collage . As best I remember the 1960s, life was in colour, but looks more authentic in black and white.
Collector’s Corner
Simon Spillett has a website, which for the benefit of UK-based jazz lovers publishes his 2024-5 (quartet) live appearance schedule .He’s a hard-working lad who merits our support. Though I have some sonic reservations about the vinyl, it is a damn sight better than many I have heard, and it offers a unique collection of Tubby’s work. Hayes clearly relished the power of Big Band performance, as does Mr Spillett, and perhaps I have some catching up to do.
‘Dear Tubby H’ is evidently a project crafted with great skill and affection, and I anticipate that experiencing Simon’s Big Band live would indeed blow out any wax in the ears, more quickly than referral to an NHS Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic
New Arrivals at LJC
Craft Original Jazz Classics: John Wright Trio, South Side Soul ( Prestige 1960). AAA reissue – lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. It’s the blues, but no guitar, no singing, and piano not organ, bonus – Van Gelder recording, piano-in-the-room sounding very good.
LJC
Selection: Dedication (to Daddy Trane and Brother Shorter) 10:15
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/mankunu-quartet_dedication-daddy-coltrane-brother-shorter_mr-bongo-se-2022.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Yakhal’ Inkomo 08:51 ( which translates as Bellowing Bull)
A2. Dedication (To Daddy Trane And Brother Shorter) 10:07
B1. Doodlin’ (H Silver) 06:01
B2. Bessie’s Blues (Coltrane) 07:36
Artists
Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi, tenor saxophone; Lionel Pillay, piano; Agrippa Magwaza, bass; Early Mabuza, drums; recorded 23rd July 1968 ; engineer Dave Challen at Manley van Niekerk Studios, Johannesburg, S.A., produced by Ray Nkwe.
Listen out for Lionel Pillay piano – even if his name elicits blank looks, his piano contribution here stands comparison with the very best in America and Europe – ” an exemplary technique and a fine feel for swing, combined with a comprehensive understanding of harmony and style”.
Music
Critical acclaim: “The Mankunku Quartet’s 1968 album Yakhal’ Inkomo offers 30 minutes of jazz perfection. This compact, and to-the-point, album would sit comfortably in amongst some of the best works in the catalogues of any of the quintessential jazz labels such as Blue Note, Prestige and Impulse”.
“Rate Your Music” commenter:
“Ngozi’s tenor is what puts this album in its own tier for me. Although certainly inspired by the hard bop sounds of the early 60s, Ngozi is resolutely his own man, an impassioned and original voice on his instrument. Technically brilliant (he proves he can shred like Trane on his “Bessie’s Blues”), he makes his long, flowing lines sound so effortless that it took me a couple listens to really notice the complexity of what he’s doing. His sound is joyous and free, inspired and uninhibited, soulful and intricate, and enduringly memorable”
About says it for me. Great stuff I knew nothing about, happy to admit my ignorance, an album here worth following up.
Vinyl: WRC ORL 6022/ Mr Bongo Special Edition (2022)
David Buttle (aka Mr Bongo) commissioned renowned Abbey Road Studios mastering and lacquer-cutting engineer Miles Showell. The carefully worded description of source: “half-speed master from the audio taken off the original master tapes” – wtf is “. . from the audio taken off . . ” mean? No proof of custody of an original tape offered. I speculate the weasel-wording means a copy of the original tape – 2nd generation copy tape, or high-res digital copy, and not “lacquer cut from the original tapes”, which is the only wording that means anything.
The Mr Bongo edition is one of seventeen entries on Discogs, including rarest of the rare, a test pressing of the original World Record Co. release, which reveals the engineering pedigree, the South African subsidiary of EMI. The 1968 original edition is ranked “Holy Grail” status, other vintage African reissues date from 1974 and 1986, also South African issues.
Modern Reissue Production
Modern British DJ cognoscenti editions have been produced by Gerald “Jazzman” Short (2017 reissue, engineering by Colin Young Audio) and more recently by David “Mr Bongo” Buttle (2022 reissue, engineering by Miles Showell). Both are highly knowledgeable record producers, and highly conscientious about sources and engineering reproduction quality – and I don’t give that compliment lightly.
Below is the Jazzman Holy Grail Series edition limited edition, pre-owned market rate currently around double the price of OBI-draped Mr Bongo edition. Limited editions become more scarce over the years, and expensive.
Reissue production is a story in itself, in some cases glossed over to hide shaky foundations – cut from twenty year old low-res 16/44.1 digital file intended for CD. However there are proper studio recordings in the hands of modern skilled engineers, who cut a new lacquer, for the audiophile demographic (that’s me, if you were wondering)
What exactly are “Original Tapes”?
Set aside the notion there is one tape box, labelled “the original tape“. Tape comes in different stages according to purpose. Original tape could be the actual fifty year old physical studio session tape (songs in a different order to the final LP, false starts and all), or a back-up safety copy of the studio session (often running half the speed of the master tape), or the final remixed tape used to cut the commercial lacquer; a multi-track tape or two track tape fold down; a 2nd or 3rd generation tape copy of the Master tape, or high resolution 24/96 digital copy from the original tape, or some other source entirely. Licensing is no guarantee of access to original tape, though unlicensed certainly isn’t.
If you held an actual original session tape, which is irreplaceable, would you post it off to a studio thousands of miles away, and just hope you get it back, in good condition? An “original tape” may be in poor condition, oxide falling off, stretched by repeated overtight winding or degraded by repeated baking, not capable of delivering required quality source, and a secondary source may actually sound better.
All you can do is judge the sound quality of what you hear. If it’s good or good enough, for some recordings, provenance is moot.
Half Speed Mastering
Abbey Road Studios claim four restored vintage 1980s Neumann VMS80 cutting lathes, one of which is modified for half-speed mastering. Lathe-trolls, isn’t it beautiful?:
The Mr Bongo “Special Edition” credits an acknowledged expert in half speed mastering, Abbey engineer Miles Showell. In Showell’s own words: “By reducing the speed of the tape and the cutting lathe to half (16.66 rpm), the lathe cutting stylus has twice the time to carve the intricate groove into the master lacquer. Any difficult to cut high-frequency information becomes fairly easy to cut mid-range. The result is a record that is capable of extremely clean and un-forced high-frequency response as well as a detailed and solid stereo image.“
Showell argues half speed mastering produces better results than regular speed mastering, provided you have a quality source to begin with, and you have ample time and budget to do it. I argue half-speed mastering produces better sounding results than the opposite technique of doubling everything up to 2x45rpm LPs, a trend which gripped the industry a decade ago.
Collector’s Corner
Yakhal’ Inkomo was originally released in 1968 on the South African record label World Record Co., which resulted in it becoming an elusive and sought-after piece for American and European jazz collectors. First pressing copies can fetch over £1,000 on the collectors’ market. “It has been long regarded as one of the finest South African jazz albums”
An original pressing being “super rare”, and pursued by collectors, does not mean it is musically any good, it just means it’s rare. Some collectors are motivated by having something that few others have, and there is also sentiment, owning a piece of history. Some collectors never play their prized “sealed” record investment. There are many reasons why the original artefact is desirable, none of them “wrong”. My reason is the performance merit of the original pressing sounding better than later reissues, if you have a revealing TT, cartridge and tube system.
A sighting weeks back in a London store of a 1974 second issue of this album first caught my interest due to the eyewatering price being asked – just short of $300 USD. Who is this Mankunku, an African tenor player I had never heard of, whose album commanded such a princely sum for a 2nd edition?
A little homework unearthed Mankunku’s full name, Winston “Mankunku” Ngozi, which did not add any salience. You have to know your way around jazz history in this part of the world, and I confess my ignorance, aside from the expatriate South Africans we Europeans are familiar with – Abdullah Ibrahim/Dollar Brand, Chris McGregor/Brotherhood of Breath, Johnny Dyani, Hugh Masekela… that’s about it for me.
There are, of course, distinctly South African regional jazz forms, the carnival music of the townships with their emphasis on instruments of marching parades, and drum/percussion-led Zulu collective dance rhythms. But that is not the territory of the Mankunku Quartet.
Putting the Mankunku name and Yakhal’ Inkomo into Search quickly revealed a massively revered artist from exactly the right spot in jazz history: 1968. The DJ cognoscenti knew this including DJ Spell-check, Gilles Peterson, just not me. It also threw light on the different paths taken by musicians who departed Africa for more conducive Western shores like Abdullah Ibrahim, and those like Winston Ngozi, who stood their ground in their homeland and all of its troubles and indignities, and as a result, remained relatively unknown in the West.
A second insight was the remarkable musical connection between Afro-American musicians in America, framing jazz in the context of their African roots, and all the time actual Africans were drawing on the music being produced by their American offspring – like Coltrane. They were speaking a common language which was neither American nor African, nor African regional forms. Suddenly, the Mankunku Quartet album made sense, not as I first thought, South African Jazz, but the common expression of jazz, by equally talented musicians.
“Coltrane was looking towards Africa and India, while Winston and South African saxophonists Duke Makasi and Ezra Ngcukana were looking towards Coltrane. You can almost hear a cycle starting to happen between these musicians.”
Yakhal’ Inkomo may well be, as described, the “one of the best records in the history of South African Jazz”; it may well be “a symbol of the struggle against an oppressive racial system”; those things are important, but simply as music, does it stand up against the high bar of the best American Jazz? I think Mankunku passes that acid test head on, just listen to the music.
The Collector’s Dilemma
Original unobtainable $1,000 plus, $300 for a 2nd edition pressed in South Africa – a year into the Oil Crisis, vinyl quality unknown, less than perfect condition; or a modern audiophile reissue off the shelf. Between the two DJ cogniscenti candidate reissues I settled for Mr Bongo. At $30 you can’t go wrong, I have favourable experience of half speed mastering by Mr Bongo, and I’m very pleased with the result: a very fine music performance that sounds very very good.
Or at least good enough. I think there is something to this half-speed mastering treatment that works very well with the timbre of acoustic instrumental jazz and their strong presence in the upper frequency range. How well it works with Guns and Roses, The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, I’ll leave that to the Hoffperson posters to argue about.
LJC
Selection 1: Senufo Chant (7:57) – Upper Volta, Africa
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pat-crumly_senufo-chant_third-world-sketches_spotlite-spj531_1984-ljc.mp3. . .
Selection 2: Minds And Memories (4:23) – Argentina
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pat-crumly_minds-memories_third-world-sketches_-spotlite-spj531_1984-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Urban Urchins 9:32
A2 Minds And Memories 4:23
A3 Bhoodan-Ce 7:08
B1 Senufo Chant 7:57
B2 Ethiopia 7:10
B3 A Better Tomorrow 5:17
Artists
Dave Green, bass; Trevor Tomkins, drums, percussion; Simon Morton, percussion; Pete Saberton, piano; Dick Pearce, trumpet, flugelhorn; Pat Crumly, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, composer; recording engineer Peter Roberts at Wave Studios, Hoxton, London, former studio of bassist Peter Ind, recording date unspecified 1984.
Recorded at jazz bassist Peter Ind’s Wave Studios, which converted the same year into a live music venue, The Bass Clef, reinvented a decade later as The Blue Note, which after a few years of noise complaints, moved across town to Kings Cross and The Mean Fiddler premises, none of which adds much to the story of Third World Sketches.
Instant bio: Pat Crumly, tenor saxophone.
British tenor saxophonist Pat Crumly, not widely known, grew up in Oxford, active early years in the local music scene, following which he spent a period with the Johnny Dankworth orchestra. A talented player, Crumly became a close friend of the late Ronnie Scott whom Scott would ask to deputise for him at his Soho club when he was indisposed – “one of the saxophone players in this country that I most admire”, a recommendation which lead me to seek out this album Third World Sketches . Other Crumly works which followed sounded promising, but seem to exist only on The Evil Silver Disc, recorded after the demise of vinyl.
In the years following Scott’s death in 1996, Crumly co-fronted a quartet known as the Ronnie Scott Legacy Band with Ronnie’s regular pianist, John Critchinson. Ronnie leaves a great legacy, jazz and good guys go together.
Pat Crumly passed away in 2008, aged 66.
Cultural Notes
Hailing from the mid-’80s, Third World Sketches comprises six musical sketches apparently inspired by Crumly’s travels in Africa and the Middle East, his interest in ethnic music and culture, and a testament to his guile in extracting grants from The Arts Council Of Great Britain.
The Arts Council, now Arts Council England, was set up after World War II to promote British Culture, including music which almost no-one bought or heard, so needed subsidy, but carried desirable messaging.
Giving away money has always been a specialty of Government and Crumly’s roots in Oxford, Britain’s brain-central, made him an ideal applicant: carefully selected dedications, a perfect fit with post-Empire poverty tourism: Africa’s Upper Volta (a former French colony), South America under the heel of the Generals, great mystic India, the barrio and favelas of Brazil and Colombia (examplar affordable housing) and the uplifting spirit of the West Indies Calypso, Sir Humphrey couldn’t have asked for more.
Jazz musicians had a hard time of it in the 70s and 80s, as popular taste moved on and the spending power of teenagers majored on artist’s attitude, lifestyle and haircut; with record companies in pursuit. Any port in a storm, I am grateful to the Arts Council of Great Britain for the opportunity to appreciate this album, albeit forty years late, and to benefit from Arts Council funding, to which I am sure I contributed in some small way.
Music
Crumly’s Sextet blurs the lines between jazz-rock and modal jazz, built on a foundation of strong composition: good feisty jazz-rock from the 80s, bubbling electric bass fused with an acoustic brass front line including talented tenor saxophone, Pat Crumly. Whether there is any musical connection with “The Third World” is an unfair question: that was for the benefit of the grant application. Some Afro-percussion but no Argentinian Tango or Ragas from Bombay, no West Indian Reggae, no Algerian Rai or Ethiopian guys playing those amazing triangular electric guitars. Thankfully a World Music Disaster Incident was avoided.
Tony Williams Spotlite label provided Crumly, and others staying the jazz course, with recording opportunities, a small community, including several albums from Don Rendell, and another less well known British jazz-rock fusion group Spirit Level, who collaborated with expatriate American jazz trumpeter Jack Walrath. The emphasis is turbo-charged jazz, steering clear of the R&B-soul-jazz fusion, and with healthy disregard for “popular taste”.
Vinyl: UK Spotlite SPJ 531
Side A etched SPJ – 531 – A₁ PAG; Side B etched SPJ – 531 – B₁ PAG
PAG etched initials: signature of Peter Lawrence, a jobbing plating/metalware fabrication specialist active in the 1980s, credited with hundreds of British albums including the jazz reissue label Jasmine, Stan Tracy’s Steam label, Spotlite, and the oddly-named Greensleeves reggae label.
Lacking the promotion and distribution resources of the major labels, Spotlite albums remain obscure. They are generally very well recorded by experienced engineers, nicely pressed, have some great music, and in today’ s market, greatly undervalued.
Crumly’s final track , the calypso “A Better Tomorrow”, he illustrates on the back cover with a photo of an abandoned car door, adding a sceptical question mark to the title: “A Better Tomorrow ?” Indeed.
Writing On Cover alert: To Mary, Best Wishes, Pat. “Pat” is I assume Pat Crumly himself, signed to Mary in January 1993. Seems Mary decided not to keep the album, so it now has a new home via Discogs. So thanks, Mary, great record, you certainly made my Tomorrow Better, no question mark.
Harry’s Place
I thought I would outfox Harry with the slightly obscure Pat Crumly. Never one to disappoint, Harry managed to raise a photo of Crumly’s bass player, Dave Green, where else but at Ronnie Scotts, 1969.
Photocredit: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner – Modern Reissues
Currently there are many exciting audiophile reissues from the Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Classics corner, and new kid on the block Craft – Original Jazz Classics – making waves. Unfortunately almost all records I already have in original form, so good for others, especially good for Kevin Grey, but not so much me, and no plans for comparisons. Anyone wants to submit a review as a guest post I am up for proposals, but no grant on offer.
Verve/ Universal I’m less comfortable with their lack of candour as to sources, and the recent run of Impulse titles whose original tapes were, I believe, lost in the LA Back Lot fire, likely source early PCM-file digital sources of not especially high resolution. Alice Coltrane’s 1971 Carnegie Hall Concert evaded the fire thanks to a half speed back-up copy tape in the possession by Ed Michell; great line up, musically, of its time, but I’m finding it hard work, not to harp on.
On the new purchases front, another disappointment has been the Clifford Jordan Beyond Paradiso 1969 from the Netherlands (Radio) Jazz Archive. Famous venue, packaging looks great, but . . .
the live set features all the tracks eventually released on the landmark 1973 Strata East Clifford Jordan In The World but the live recording engineering is messy, leaves a lot to be desired, may be I was expecting too much.
Professor Jazz
It’s a dilemma for the LJC blog and jazz collectors everywhere. I can’t summon the enthusiasm to spend time writing about records that are not getting me excited, or don’t have an interesting story to tell. And if anyone writes a piece on-line criticising a record, people who love the record inevitably pile in on them. I don’t propose to buy modern reissues of records I already have and from experience sound better. So these are limits I have reached, perhaps time to put focus back on original mission, see where to go from here.
Thanks for listening. Hello, hello?
Switchboard: Call incoming, for LJC, I have The Arts Council England on the line. They would like a word. . .
Selection: Theme
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/george-r-ussell-sextet-in-kc_theme_decca-1961-stereo-ljc-1.mp3. . .
Selection 2: Rhymes (Carla Bley)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/george-r-ussell-sextet-in-kc_rhymes_decca-1961-stereo-ljc-2.mp3. . .
Track List
War Gewesen (David Baker) – 6:19
Rhymes (Carla Bley) – 4:27
Lunacy (Baker) – 7:15
Sandu (Clifford Brown) – 11:01
Tune Up (Miles Davis) – 8:05
Theme – 3:14
“Original Swinging Instrumentals” credited to a two-week engagement at the club “Blue Room” in Kansas City. Titled “in K.C.” despite being recorded in NYC; described as “Swinging” but a far cry from Kansas City jazz classic; titled “Original Instrumentals” despite not all tracks being “originals” – credits to Clifford Brown and Miles Davis, and specifically “Tune Up” credited to Miles Davis despite being written by Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. Apart from these instances, it is all “mostly accurate”.
Youtube Album Track Metrics (Plays)
Listening through the album several times I selected my favourite preferred track, Theme, which Leonard Feather dubbed “Every Man For Himself In F Minor“. People who know the album may have other preferences of course, and The Evil Silver Disk also offers bonus tracks, which some smartarse will inevitable put in the Comments. Hey LJC, CD’s got bonus tracks! (vinyl sucks!).
As a believer in evidence over anecdote I found it is possible to drill down to the play frequency metrics of Youtube album uploads, to find out which tracks are the most popular in terms of play frequency – and incidentally also report on the popularity of those bonus tracks. Allow us to judge if Decca were right to leave those bonus tracks off the 1961 vinyl release.
The most played track is indeed my first choice, Theme, with holds a significant lead over the second most popular track, the Carla Bley composition Rhymes. The least popular track, which I thought was well described by its title, was Lunacy, a real hotch-potch music-collage. Now as all music fans know, popularity isn’t everything, but it’s at least something, and it’s better than being unpopular. Play-frequency metrics also add to our knowledge of where the good stuff is to be found, topping the charts. Of the two bonus tracks, Kentucky Oysters is preferred over several of those on the album. Now, on with the post.
Artists
George Russell, piano; Don Ellis, trumpet; David Baker, trombone; Dave Young, tenor saxophone; Chuck Israels, bass; Joe Hunt, drums; recorded February 23, 1961, in NYC
Notable players: Chuck Israels, bass, better known as Bill Evans Trio replacement for Scott LaFaro 1962-66, Don Ellis, trumpet, associated with the New York Avant Garde scene and Third Stream, and experimentation with exotic time signatures
Music
Downbeat: “Russell, a kind of intellectual Thelonious Monk, has a remarkable little band that seems to get better with the passing months. It is about the most impressive assemblage of fresh young talent to be heard as a working unit anywhere.”
Leonard Feather (liner notes): “These sides reflect a lighter, more casual view of George Russell- The music is aggressive but not hostile, neoteric but not neurotic, ultra-jazz yet never anti-jazz. I wish that anybody, everybody, who wants to do something new in modern music could study with George Russell.”
All Music: ” This rewarding Decca LP has long been unavailable and expect to pay a premium price if you are fortunate enough to run across a copy of it.”
Like a lot of Russell albums, you need to be in the mood for pieces of forward thinking music, perhaps a little out of your comfort zone, probably not something to put on if a member of the family drops by, unless they normally reside in a locked room in the attic. Some listeners are more attuned than others to the avant-leaning experimental lanes of jazz, and I guess it was more shocking to the ears of 1961, accustomed to the commercial fare of big-budget movie themes, musicals, and velvet-toned crooners.
Theme is a short but exciting romp, not especially avant-leaning. A three minute sample invites an accompanying second selection, which is Carla Bley’s Rhymes, a more complex sequence of moods and dialogue.
I can listen to a lot more demanding music now than when I first climbed on board the great ship Blue Note. But every now and then I pop on one of my Cecil Taylor albums, to see if my widening tastes have moved, to embrace his unique take on music. Well, I’m afraid, still nothing so far…
Vinyl: Decca DL 74183 Full Stereo
Black/Rainbow “stereophonic” label. No credits are given for the recording studio or recording engineer. Bass is a strangely detached bottom-frequency add-on, and isn’t very well recorded to my ear. 1961 stereo engineering is mechanistic instrument placement, not quite just “left right and centre”, but not far off that, not the spaciousness of a Kevin Gray wide soundscape, nor the intimacy of Van Gelder’s musicians-in-the-room. I would expect the mono to be a good experience, but the stereo does enhance the dynamics of Russell’s scripted conversations between instruments.
Collector’s Corner
Mono, the more common format in 1961, black/rainbow label
Also mono – alternative Decca label design – promo? Deep Groove
Any thoughts on George Russell, Marmite?
LJC
Selection: The Lydiot
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/george-russell_the-lydiot_jazz-in-the-space-age_-decca-stereo-1960-ljc.mp3. . .
Selection 2: Waltz from Outer Space (note – some distortion present!)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/george-russell_waltz-from-outer-space_jazz-in-the-space-age_-decca-stereo-1960-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Chromatic Universe, Part 1 – 3:33
A2 Dimensions – 13:11
A3 Chromatic Universe, Part 2 – 3:47
B1 The Lydiot – 10:04
B2 Waltz from Outer Space – 6:59
B3 Chromatic Universe, Part 3 – 4:55
Artists
Alto Saxophone, Hal McKusick (A2, B2), Walt Levinsky (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Baritone Saxophone, Sol Schlinger (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Bass, Milt Hinton
Drums, Charlie Persip (A2, B2), Don Lamond (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Piano, Bill Evans, Paul Bley (A1, A3, B1, B3)
French Horn, Jimmy Buffington (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Guitar, Barry Galbraith (A1, A3, B1, B3), Howard Collins (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Tenor Saxophone, David Young (A1, A3, B1, B3)
Trombone, Bob Brookmeyer (A2, B2), Dave Baker ( A1, A3, B1, B3), Frank Rehak (A1, A3,B1, B3)
Trumpet, Alan Kieger ( A1, A3, B1, B3), Ernie Royal (A1, A3, B1, B3), Mark “Marky” Markowitz (A2, B2)
Recorded May to August 1, 1960, New York, USA
The appearance of Bill Evans is noteworthy, given “featuring” name-recognition on the cover, and paired with the avant-leaning pianist Paul Bley. George Russell was himself a pianist, but does not play, focussed on composition and arrangements. Bill Evan’s performance here is far removed from the intimate, lyrical Bill Evans Trio. He is given license for adventurous exploration in the spirit of future modern, which he grabs with relish. The line-up is also populated with other notables including Bob Brookmeyer trombone, Hal McKusick alto, and the trusty rhythm section of Milt Hinton and Charlie Persip, but tasked with delivering Russell’s compositions.
Cultural Notes
Wind back the clock to 1956 Hollywood, and Space is the Place, Robby The Robot, transistorised hunk rescues swooning beauty in skimpy costume, in cinemascope and Eastman colour: plots as old as the hills dressed up in cod-science fiction clothing.
Ted Gioia picks up the theme: ” In 1958, the world was hurtling into the future at a rapid pace. The US launched its first space satellite. IBM released its 7070 computer, Texas Instruments built the first integrated circuit. By the end of the next decade, the Moon landing would send the world into a frenzy”. Not to confuse space-actual with space entertainment, a fascination with “other-worldly” themes permeated popular culture, in benevolent or malevolent projection. In 1960 George Russell hitched his orchestral wagon to the futuristic-modernist mood with Jazz in the Space Age, announced by its decidedly retro-futurist cover art.
Music
Reception (All Music): “The three-part suite Chromatic Universe mixes free improvisation with written passages that have not only stood the test of time but still sound very fresh. The Lydiot focuses on the soloists, while incorporating elements from Chromatic Universe and other Russell compositions… the slow, somewhat mysterious Waltz From Outer Space, and Dimensions, described by its composer as “a sequence of freely associated moods indigenous to jazz… represents some of George Russell’s greatest achievements”
Professor Jazz says: George Russell championed a future music that was “free from the tyranny of chords and restricting rhythmic patterns” – well, musically, there goes the neighbourhood. He mastered the art of composing lines which sound improvised, leaving space for the soloist to actually improvise, leaving the listener standing firmly in mid-air.
A master of contradiction, Russell dismissed atonality in favour of pan-tonality, music which is not ‘in’ a key but moves in and out of discernible key centres, juxtaposing opposing tonalities. Forget familiar jazz patterns, ABBA, modal jazz repetition, 12-bar blues. In Russell’s Chromacity, expectations of resolution are continuously denied, a succession of asymmetrical phrases, passing fragments of Sun Ra ’50s jazz ensemble, a Mingus night-scene vignette, a conveyor belt of continuous change.
Mostly, it doesn’t swing, though occasionally it marches and romps, sometimes limps. Ultimately, was not to be the music of the future, which continued to prefer the comforting, familiar territory of rhythmic patterns, and chords which resolved. Prediction is difficult, especially when it comes to the future.
Vinyl: US Decca Stereo DL 79219
American Decca’s principal interest was in classical music recordings and commercially – like all the majors – popular film soundtracks. Decca prided itself on its technical innovation – the full frequency range recording [ffrr] technique (demonstrated on last week’s Namyslowski post), the “Decca Tree” microphone organisation, and the early use of stereo recording. The skills honed in recording orchestral classical music spilled over into Decca’s relatively small entry into jazz territory, a natural home for the large classically-influenced jazz orchestra The “radiophonic workshop” type effects of Jazz In The Space Age take maximum advantage of dynamic stereo mixing.
Pressed by Decca Records Pressing Plant, Pinckneyville, illinois. There is a little distortion audible in a few places, sounds possibly tape print-through, audio-perfectionists are excused.
Inner sleeve proudly announces Decca albums: “A New World of Stereo Sound”, (also available as “regular”)
Collector’s Corner
Decca support a two plant solution: in addition to Pinkneyville illinois, also copies pressed at Decca Records Pressing Plant, Gloversville, Fulton County, New York; heavy deep groove, label shows total timing of each side
PROMO
MONO
For this recording, I think stereo is the preferred format.
LJC
Selection: Piekna Lola (Beautiful Lola)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/zbigniew-namyslowski_piekna-lola_lola_decca-lk4644_mono-1964_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Piekna Lola, Kwiat Polnocy (Beautiful Lola, Flower Of The North)
A2 Leszek I Ludwig (Gulgowski)
A3 Piatawka (“In 5/4 Time”)
A4 Blues Shmues
B1 Rozpacz (“Despair”)
B2 Tkotkonitkotko
B3 Wozny – Najwazniejzy (Gulgowski)
B4 Ol’ Man River (Kern; Hammerstein)
Artists: Zbigniew Namysłowski Modern Jazz Quartet
Zbigniew Namysłowski alto saxophone; Tadeusz Wójcik, bass; Czesław Bartkowski, drums; Wlodek Gulgowski, piano; Producer Mike Vernon; recording engineer Vic Smith Decca Studios, 1964
Name check: pronounced in Polish Namy – swov – ski: where L-kreska (a sloping line through the L) is pronounce “W”, and W is pronounced “V”. Polish is fiendishly difficult for the anglophone, for example, the city of Lodz is pronounced “Woodj”. As a result, Poles second language is often English or its distant transatlantic cousin, ‘merkin.
“Lola was recorded during a visit to the UK, in 1964. Namysłowski caused quite a stir, as few in Northern Europe were aware of the state of the jazz art in the Soviet bloc countries. Namysłowski was very good indeed, with a hard, emotional tone and the kind of intensely personal passion one associates with Jackie McLean“. (All Music)
“Namysłowski honors three traditions, of jazz, of Polish, of himself . Anyone who misses Namyslowski is missing a unique source of creativity in 20th century. Namyslowski is a giant !” (Willis Connover, whose Voice of America radio broadcasts were the inspiration of many musicians enduring political and cultural suffocation by the post-war Soviet Empire)
Namysłowski’s discography includes more than 30 original records, released in many countries. He passed away only recently, in 2022, at the age of 82.
Music:
The Modern Jazz oeuvre has no shortage of talented alto players, but Namyslowski is one worthy of attention.
At this early stage of his career, having formed his first quartet only the previous year, the format is distinctly European/ American. Just one standard, the original songs have a strong melodic/ compositional backbone, Namyslowski’s alto voice is clear and articulate, without overbearing influences. If he has Jackie McLean’s passion, he doesn’t follow Jackie’s acid tuning, he has his own voice, with maybe just a Polish accent. The improvisations are controlled and fluent, perhaps more European than American.
Because of Namysłowski’s unmistakeable Polish origin, the name is the giveaway, some have linked folk music heritage influences: cue woodcutter with feather in cap, girls in embroidered beaded tops, coloured ribbons and flouncy skirts. Maybe in other works, but in Lola, Connover’s Voice of America is the main ingredient. Is it “Polish Jazz”, or merely jazz played played by Polish musicians?
The quartet is solid and tuneful, with their own swing, and the whole album is a refreshingly enjoyable ride, which grows on you with repeated play. (Travel essential vocabulary: Poproszę jeszcze jedno piwo – Another beer, please!)
Vinyl: Decca LK 4644 mono
Solid dimensional British Decca “Full Frequency Range Engineering”
Collector’s Corner
British tenor player extraordinaire Simon Spillett’s latest recording, Dear Tubby H, released 2023 on CD , is scheduled for vinyl edition in the next couple of weeks, on Pete Cater’s Mister PC label
“Bravo Simon Spillett and Pete Cater for making the best big band album of the last ten years. The solos are first rate, the sound and packaging superb, and the ensembles are tighter and more exciting than the 60’s band” (John Altman, Hollywood film composer)
Recorded in early April 2023 this seventeen piece A-team British big band presents killer charts composed by or associated with Tubby Hayes, none of which were ever recorded on any of Tubby Hayes’s commercially released albums
Credits: Pete Cater, producer; mixed/mastered by Chris Traves and Sound Performance – musician, trombonist, and recording engineer with big band and stage show orchestral recording pedigree.
Pressed in Czech Republic (likely GZ media) Well, they are available. I am told the likes of Optimal and Pallas have waiting lists longer than our National Health Service. This will be a must have for fans of Tubby Hayes, British Big Band, Simon Spillett, jazz on vinyl, audiophile hi-fi, and LJC.
Nie dotykaj tego pokrętła! – Don’t touch that dial!
Hi-Fi Hospital update: valve problem identified, rip taken stage before the main amplifier so not affected, valve replacements Tung-Sol 5687 ordered, hopefully hi-fi will make a speedy recovery, just in time to invite Dear Tubby H! to the turntable.
LJC
If you can improve my Polish, corrections welcome.
Selection: We have come to Save you frOm Yourselves – Live In New York City – approaching forty minute continuous excursion by the Hamiet Bluiett quartet
Full album here on Youtube. Due to hopefully temporary problems with domestic hi-fi, to be replace with high quality rip in due course. The full India Navigation live experience is magnificent.
Track List
A “Sobre Una Nube / Na Likolo / On a Cloud” (Part 1) 18:12B “Sobre Una Nube / Na Likolo / On a Cloud” (Part 2) 19:30Translation: Sobre Una Nube is Hispanic for On a Cloud, Likolo translates from Congolese, Central Africa as Sky or Heaven, and in English, “On a Cloud”. All three mean roughly the same thing, and not noticeably three different compositions.Artists
Don Pullen, piano; Famoudou Don Moye, drums; Fred Hopkins, bass; Hamiet Bluiett, baritone saxophone, recorded live at Axis, Soho, Lower Manhattan, New York City, August 15, 1977.
Bluiett found early exposure touring with the Charles Mingus Quintet in the ’70s, before advancing under his own name, for the decidedly non-mainstream labels India Navigation, Soul Note and Black Saint.
A five-decade evangelist for the baritone saxophone, Hamiet Bluiett created “a fresh, innovative approach to playing the the instrument. With his five-octave range, circular-breathing technique and uncanny combination of power and precision, Bluiett reinvented the circumscribed role of the baritone saxophone in small group, large ensemble and solo settings” ( Downbeat Obituary).
Hamiet set out his stall in an earlier Downbeat interview: “I’m tired of trying to fit in with trumpet music, tenor music, alto music, soprano music. … We’ve got to play what this horn will sound like. … So, what I’m doing is redesigning the music to fit the horn. …“
His baritone reaches high into the upper register, areas usually inhabited by the soprano; less free jazz than an outspoken vocabulary in the mainstream tradition, a perfect recipe for Bob Cummins avant-leaning late ’70s India Navigation label, documenting the Manhattan loft scene:
and the early ’80s Soul Note label:
From the late ’80s and ’90s onward Bluiett continued to record for release on CD for avant-diaspora labels unknown to me, Justin Time and Just A Memory (Canada), DIW, Black Fire, TUTU (Germany), Mapleshade, and Half Note, among others. I’m not sure any of this music would ever be “popular” but you have to admire Bluiett’s commitment to his art.
Music
Though listed as containing three “songs”, effectively it is a 37+ minute continuous live concert performance of Bluiett’s Quartet, with a 30 second break to turn the LP over from Side A to Side B. Each player is given feature solo improvisation space, supported by the other players, not missing a beat.
Don Pullen opens with an abstract canvas, which leads the quartet to establish a soulful groove. In the best Pharoah tradition, the listener is lulled into a false sense of security. Cracks begin to show as Bluett’s baritone begins probing the upper register, delicately placed hints of dissonance which intensify, evolving ultimately into hair-raising chaos. The reins are handed to soloists, concluded by appreciative applause. Finally, the groove returns to earth, goodness is that the time? – glances at watch, time has been stolen.
If you were to sample the album randomly, you wouldn’t get it – it’s the whole cloth, each moment depends on what preceded it, and what follows, freedom in the context of structure, don’t touch that handset or playlist, exercise the discipline of active listening from your front-row sofa. Got to love India Navigation for capturing and preserving this music.
Vinyl: India Navigation IN 1039 (recorded 1977 issued in 1979)
Collector’s Corner
Reminder of the 1970s, different world. Fifty years later they may now have lung cancer … but seen here, no mobile phones, tattoos, obesity or gender dysphoria, and they seem happy enough.
What’s this got to do with Hamiet Bluiett? Nothing really.
Bluiett is or was entirely unknown to me until now. He was a player in the late ’70s World Saxophone Quartet, alongside tenorist David Murray, who I have heard, but have not found especially likeable. Is there anything in Bluiett’s large discography anyone can recommend – on vinyl? I’m out of my depth, wandering like a lost tourist in the unfamiliar New York Loft Scene; the ’70s are a mixed neighbourhood, and it’s starting to get dark…
LJC
Selection: TCTB (Parker, Swindell)
https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/leo-parker_tctb_let-me-tell-you-bout-it_blue-note-blp-4087_mono-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List: BLP 4087
A1 Glad Lad 5:17
A2 Blue Leo (Parker, Ike Quebec) 5:06
A3 Let Me Tell You ’bout It (Robert Lewis) 4:18
A4 Vi (Lewis) 4:41
B1 Parker’s Pals 6:21
B2 Low Brown (Yusef Salim) 5:49
B3 TCTB (Parker, Swindell) 6:26
Artists: Leo Parker Sextet
John Burks, trumpet #1-8; Bill Swindell, tenor sax #1-8; Leo Parker, baritone sax; Yusef Salim, piano; Stan Conover, bass; Purnell Rice, drums, recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 9, 1961, released late November 1961.
Let Me Tell You ‘Bout It … was Parker’s debut album for Blue Note (1961, age 36), introduced to Alfred Lion by Ike Quebec in his talent scout role. His actual recording debut dated back over a decade, to 1947 age 22 as Leo Parker’s All Stars (many 1st generation boppers, the stars included Dexter Gordon, JJ Johnson, and Charlie Rouse), reformed soon after as Leo Parker Quartet (with Oscar Pettiford) and Leo Parker and his Mad Lads – the Lads in question being players of increasingly lesser fame.
Parker spent much of the ’50s off scene, probably in a narcotic haze, and Blue Note presented a short-lived come-back effort, “apparently clean”, before his final departure the following year, 1962. Ironically, Parker’s early 50’s 10″ records today sell for almost double his usual Blue Note auctions.
Music
Trade reception: Billboard December 25, 1961
You trudge through a New York blizzard to a news-stand for your Christmas day edition of Billboard, Ho Ho Ho!, to find poor Leo’s debut Blue Note rated only “Moderate Sales Potential“, three out of four stars, and, unlike a four star Lou Donaldson, Leo didn’t warrant a write up.
With many of the tracks have you check you haven’t inadvertently switched the turntable to 45rpm: fast tempo with instruments trading fours and eights, typified by my selection, TCTB, street-talk for Taking Care of The Business. Leo’s baritone trades the numbers with Bill Swindell’s tenor and its a helter-skelter chase, rooted in more old school bop than modern.
It is always useful to check out which tracks from the LP were picked out for release as singles for juke box play – finger on the popular pulse of the day:
A: Let Me Tell You ‘Bout It, and B: Blue Leo, neither of which hit the spot for me.
Revisiting the album reminds how far the musical compass of jazz was to shift from the early ’50s to the early ’60s – Post Bop and further out, Modal jazz, Afro-futurism, New Thing, Total Freedom. With any artist’s untimely departure, people often wonder what might have been. In Leo’s case we’ll never know, he may have surprised us – Alfred Lion saw potential, gave him a comeback.
Vinyl: BLP 4087
Mono, RVG, Plastylite, Van Gelder Scully three-ring runout lock groove
Collector’s Corner
A brief glance through the reissue history of 4087 shows the expected Liberty (1967) and EMI (1983) reissues, plus the usual suspects – reissues by Tokyo and CD’s, but unless I missed it, no modern /audiophile presence at all. No Classic Records, no Steve Hoffman or Kevin Gray remasters, no 180gm from original tapes, nothing, Leo’s music seems to have little traction with the audiophile crowd.
What’s it Leo’s debut worth today? One exceptional condition review copy clocked just over $1,000 – around twice the previous high – due to being apparently almost unplayed, probably the The Billboard reviewer’s copy, and a cover with corners so sharp … Pythagoras himself would raise an eyebrow.
Interesting bidding tactics, $1008: a safety margin $8 against a naïve $1,000 round number bid, avoiding a bid collision and ensuring a win. But also locking themselves into that high price if there is another bidder also placing a moon-shot $1,000 bid, banking on a substantially lower final price against a realistic second placed bidder. I think I have played all of those tactics at one time, usually to my detriment.
A further rummage online turned up this French Pathe-Marconi Blue Note Test Pressing from 1983,a feuille de production – Zut Alors!, something I’d never seen before. They say there’s a first time for everything – probably not the first time you’ve heard that.
Garcon, otra cerveza, por favor!
Future Posts
Updating my blog database, I count 247 Blue Note records with LJC reviews out of a catalogue of over 350, maybe 400 and something, depending on when you stop counting, plus all the Cuscuna discovery. If you have a favourite I’ve missed, and you would like to see given the forensics, give me a shout, I ‘m happy to consider suggestions. Of course, no guarantees especially the 28-odd Jimmy Smith I don’t have…
LJC
Selection: The Stolen Moment (Nelson)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/eddie-lockjaw-davis_the-stolen-moment_-trane-whistle_-esquire-32-174_prestige-1960-mono-ljc.mp3. . .
The original version of “Stolen Moments“, here titled “The Stolen Moment“, recorded several months before the more famous Oliver Nelson version on Impulse A-5. Trumpet solo from Bob Bryant anticipating Freddie Hubbard, and Nelson steps in on alto. Since everyone knows the Impulse Blues and The Abstract Truth version, it’s interesting to hear the original arrangement, also by Oliver Nelson. Lockjaw lets it rip, and in the background, Melba Liston et al bopping on trombone.
Track List
A1 Trane Whistle 6:19
A2 Whole Nelson 3:35
A3 You Are Too Beautiful (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) 5:11
B1 The Stolen Moment 7:54
B2 Walk Away 5:27
B3 Jaws (Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis) 4:36
Artists
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, tenor saxophone; Clark Terry, Richard Williams, Bob Bryant, trumpet; Melba Liston, Jimmy Cleveland, trombone, Jerome Richardson, George Barrow, tenor saxophone, flute; Eric Dolphy, Oliver Nelson, alto saxophone; Bob Ashton, baritone saxophone; Richard Wyands, piano; Wendell Marshall, bass; Roy Haynes, drums; recorded by Rudy van Gelder, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, September 20, 1960
Oliver Nelson’s co-arranger Ernie Wilkins cut his teeth in five years with Count Basie in the mid-50’s, and eventually jumped ship for Copenhagen, Denmark, where he stayed forever, eventually forming The Almost Big Band, an approximately half Danish thirteen piece
What’s the origin of Davis’s nickname “Lockjaw”? Who cares. It’s an unwritten rule of showbiz that when you have a common last name, you need an original middle-name to distinguish yourself from the others. Miles Davis cornered the “Davis” market.
Music
Also an alumni of the Count Basie Orchestra, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis was a tough, raw tenor, whose throaty tone leans towards Coleman Hawkins and Paul Gonsalves, with a shot of tenor battle-mate Johnny Griffin. Davis mastered the essential survival skill of standing proud against a fearsomely-arranged roaring big band.
Big Band is something of an acquired taste, which I have only recently got more into, and only after some significant improvements in the hi-fi department sharpened up the previously muddy presentation of too many musicians at full-tilt. This album will give your speakers a mighty workout, perhaps not one for late-night listening.
Originating in the 30’s and 40’s swing/dance band phenomenon, Big Band needed reinventing for the the bop era, with its more austere budget, away from the dance hall setting. The challenge was to address the improvisation potential of the small combo, and the ability to score and arrange fewer instruments to simulate a larger ensemble, without incurring the cost of “three of everything”. The composer/arranger emphasizes composition, which is the strength of Oliver Nelson’s pieces, composed and arranged with ample room for a bigger improvised contribution from the soloists.
Davis’s Trane Whistle has its roots in the traditional two or three-of-everything power Big Band, with its multiple sections scored with military precision, while the Oliver Nelson influence introduces a stronger role for composition, with dominant melody and harmony, less-big big band.
That’s the problem with this bloody music, you keep learning.
Vinyl: Esquire 32-174, UK issue of Prestige PRLP-7206.
Esquire title issues usually followed on six months to a year after the original US release. I don’t consider Esquire “reissues” as such. They are not remastered by another engineer from copy tape, the usual system of international distribution, which yields a lesser sonic quality product. They are pressed with original US Prestige metal, exactly as Van Gelder mastered it, but in UK by Decca New Malden, not Abbey Mfg. New Jersey. Any sonic difference is how early in stamper-life any copy is, some fresher, some less so.
Cover and liner notes as per original Prestige 7206. Early 1960’s household dust in abundance, previous owners obviously lacked that essential hi-fi accessory, the domestic Hoover (vinyl pictured below before a good ultrasonic scrub).
The Van Gelder metal has Rudy’s signature RVG stamp. The serious vinyl aficionado will also note Van Gelder’s signature Scully lathe pre-set three ring lock-groove. Drop that minor detail into the conversation next time you are in a record store. Speak Runout. Ha! train spotters, eat your heart out.
Harry’s Place
Our resident time-travelling jazz-paparazzi, Harry M, bagged a lot of Lockjaw’s big band scattered between Newport, Montreux, Sydney and London’s Ronnie Scotts, 1969 to 1972. Big Band Bingo!
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Ronnie Scotts 1970
Oliver Nelson, Montreux 1971
Clark Terry, Ronnie Scotts 1971
Roy Haynes, Newport All Stars, Sydney 1972
Jerome Richardson, Mel Lewis – Thad Jones Big Band, Ronnie Scott’s Club, London 1969
Photo-credits: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
Original Prestige 7206 Eddie Lockjaw Davis Trane Whistle, on Prestige Bergenfield Fireworks label:
1971 PR 7834 Prestige reissue ditches the Trane Whistle title, now the album is titled Stolen Moments.
Just for fun, Stolen Moments rip, from the Impulse original Am Par Edition, mono A-5 The Blues And The Abstract Truth:
Selection: Stolen Moments (Impulse A-5 mono)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/oliver-nelson_stolen-moments_blues-and-the-abstract-truth_impulse-a-5-mono-1961-ljc.mp3. . .
A less-Big Band arrangement, broadly similar arrangement by Oliver Nelson, apart of course from the soloists contributions, the mysteriously absent trombonists section, what happened to Melba?, and the equally mysterious arrival of Bill Evans on piano.
Always something new to learn, and this lesson draws on the fundamental process of learning by making comparisons, observing two different way of presenting a piece, highlighting the contribution of the arranger as distinct from the performers.
LJC
Selection 1: Spracklin’
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/04/barney-wilen_spracklin_guilde-du-jazz_1957-france_sam-records-2024_ljc_.mp3. . .
Selection 2: Papiermento
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/04/barney-wilen_papiermento_guilde-du-jazz_1957-mono_sam-records-france-2024_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Moving Out 2’48
A2 Brainstorm 4’40
A3 Lloyd’s Brother’s Tune 5’21
A4 Crystal Ball 7’51
A5 Spracklin 3’23
B1 Up In Alsace 4’33
B2 Dink 4’12
B3 Blue Hubert 5’11
B4 The Office 4’21
B5 Papiermento 5’00
B6 Snakes 2’56
Artists: Barney Wilen Quintet
Hubert Fol, alto saxophone; Lloyd Thompson, bass; Al Levitt, drums; Nico Bunink, piano; Barney Wilen, tenor saxophone (age 20); recorded in 1957 in Paris, France. At the time, Wilen was under contract to the French label Vogue, and there are scant details of the session.
Bio Highlights
Wilen was a citizen of my favourite French city, Nice, where the walkways of Parc des Arenès du Cimiez, in the Belle Epoque quarter – original site of the annual Nice Jazz Festival and Winter haunt of Queen Victoria – are dedicated to jazz musicians: Allée Miles Davis, Ellington, Dizzy Gilespie and Allée Barney Wilen.
“When Miles Davis heard Barney Wilen for the first time during a jam session at the Club Saint-Germain in Paris, he exclaimed (expletives probably deleted): “This is the best (insert expletive) tenor saxophone I’ve heard in Europe … much better than many current stars in the States.” “
Miles chose Wilen for his soundtrack to the film Ascenseur pour l’Echafaud – Lift to the Scaffold ( Louis Malle, 1958), and subsequently Wilen joined Blakey and Monk on the soundtrack to Les Liaisons Dangereuses ( Roger Vadim, 1960). Wilen also appears on another French film noir, Un Temoin Dans La Ville – A Witness in the Town
Barney Wilen was not quite 21 years old when he recorded with three veterans of MJQ Modern Jazz Quartet (Jazz Sur Seine, Philips1958). Surprisingly mature and self-assured, he interprets several Django Reinhardt compositions, along with a few by his French contemporaries and a pair of his own works. It is not so much “French Jazz” as “Americans in Paris” – generally a good thing, particularly when driving tanks.
Wilen later became interested in rock, and ethnic fusion, drifting away from the jazz scene, only to return in the ’90s, in his final years, passing in 1996.
Music
Jazz swing voice, formidable technique, Wilen’s flowing melodic lines and fresh lyrical tone is always a delight. The music is very American-European hybrid, uplifting, and it does indeed swing.
Vinyl: 2024 reissue
Repressing of the previous Sam Records 2018 edition of J1239 Barney Wilen Quintet, Guilde Du Jazz (1957); pressed by Schallplattenfabrik Pallas GmbH – 25545; lacquer cut by Benjamin Joubert.
The SAM reissue shows some limitations of the original recording technology but it is very acceptable listening, and despite Sam man Fred’s hopefully brief incapacity due to urgent heart surgery, the album managed to make its way through manufacture and release.
Liner Notes in French, what else? It’s France. They are funny about protecting their language – from English. Bien sur ,”Jazz Hot”
Insert:
Double insert black and white print using an original photo of Young Barney from the session, by JC Bernath.
Collector’s Corner
Original Barney Wilen Quintet, Guilde du Jazz, 1957
One original which is not on my wants list, the Discogs entry shows another victim of The Curse of Sellotape – the only product in the record collecting inventory that is actually more evil than The Evil Silver Disc.
Illustrated an English tin, in France probably Le ruban auto-adhésif en cellulose
I once actually had a record cover gratuitously edged on three sides with black mesh duct tape, which I ripped off, on account of the cover looked better ripped bare than duct-edged. Sellotape was a more common repair for side seam splits. If you are lucky, after fifty years it merely falls of leaving a nasty yellow residue. On laminated covers Sellotape can often be removed completely but on plain board, basically you are snookered.
The likelihood of finding a French 1957 vinyl in playable condition must be somewhere very close to zero. Most I have seen look not unlike a skating rink, and sound worse than they look. I bought a 10″ vintage copy of Ascenseur pour L’échafaud in a Nice street market primarily for the cover, for wall decor – the record was continuous crackle with a hint of music, but it does look good on the wall. To play there is always the excellent Miles Davis Jazz Track album (which I must get around to posting!)
LJC
Selection: Let’s Get To The Nitty Gritty (Silver)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/04/horace-silver-quintet_lets-get-to-the-nitty-gritty_silvers-serenade-blue-note-4131-mono-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List BLP 4131
A1 Silver’s Serenade 9:21
A2 Let’s Get to the Nitty Gritty 7:24
B1 Sweet Sweetie Dee 7:34
B2 The Dragon Lady 7:04
B3 Nineteen Bars 6:21
Artists: Horace Silver Quintet
Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Junior Cook, tenor sax; Horace Silver, piano; Gene Taylor, bass; Roy Brooks, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 7-8, 1963, released July/August 1963
A month before this recording session, in April 1963, several of these tracks were also recorded at Englewood Cliffs by an expanded line up, Horace Silver Tentet, including Kenny Dorham and Jimmy Heath. For some reason that session was rejected, possibly conflicting artist contractual obligations, and only the Quintet versions released, on BLP 4131.
Horace had been one of the founding voices of bop and its transition to hard bop in the early ’50s, recording with all the pioneers Stan Getz, Lou Donaldson, Coleman Hawkins, Howard McGhee, Sonny Stitt, Art Blakey, Art Farmer and Miles Davis, This experience was absorbed, informs his response to rhythmic and harmonic opportunities with the keyboard in front of him.
The Cook-Mitchell front line eventually went their own way, Silver tethered Joe Henderson and eventually Woody Shaw, as ever, impeccable taste. Horace Silver retreated in the 70’s and 80’s, returning to recording in the ’90s, eventually earning the epithet, Horace Silver, The Hardbop Grandpop. Silver’s legacy is an essential part of the classic “Blue Note” catalogue.
I remember Horace’s passing in 2014, age 86, at which time I had posted on each of his Blue Note albums except this one; an omission now made good.
Music
Industry reception – Billboard:
Billboard August 23, 1963
The Billboard “review” : lists the names of all the musicians in the quintet, lists the titles of all the songs on the album, in quotes, adds comment that “people who like Horace Silver will find lots here that they like”. Summary: First Rate Wax. Review put to bed, next album please . . . (rolls eyes)
A little more insightful: “These five Silver tunes epitomize his compositional style: captivating melodies, sophisticated harmonies, and intricate rhythms with an unerring sense of swing” (Tone Poet); “Funky, soulful, finger poppin’, bluesy, grooving and relaxed all in one” (Amazon reviewer 2012 CD edition); “Silver’s naturalistic trumpet sounds carpal” (Whoops Juno? Silver’s piano’s not bad either, if slightly carpal) wtf is “carpal”?; “Horace’s piano smiles, always a happy sound” (LJC)
Everything revolves around the piano, an all-encompassing rhythm section which gives the horns the opportunity to build on the the groove. Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook are perfect for the Silver Quintet, swinging without taking over, or showing off, but adding well-judged solo improvisations, everybody working together, uplifting.
The timely 45rpm single release for juke box paired Silver’s Serenade with Let’s get Down To The Nitty Gritty. The Serenade feels like it belongs on board Hancock’s Maiden Voyage, while Nitty Gritty is a pacey marching song blues-walk in which Junior Cook stands in for Hank Mobley, Blue Mitchell understudies for Freddie Hubbard. I think Amazon’s reviewer got it about right, “finger-poppin’ !“.
Vinyl: BLP 4131
Mono vinyl, NY labels, VAN GELDER mastering stamp, Plastylite pressing, no DG, Cohen says original pressing should be DG Side 1.
Inner Sleeve: Type 4 (4070-4130; Dec’62 – Sep’63)
4131 was released between July and August 1963 (timing of Billboard musical spotlight reviews). Type 4 inner sleeve (Don Wilkerson Preach Brother, Col1, row 5) within the period of use of this design though on the wrong side of the catalogue number range cited for this inner, by one. May be original pressing, given the fluid nature of consumable items at the pressing plant, notwithstanding the absent DG side 1 (see comments below)
OK, cover’s a bit grubby, and the corners aren’t exactly sharp, but it sounds g r e a t, because that’s what Van Gelder mono does.
Collector’s Corner
Our friends at Tone Poet have a very nice gatefold of Horace’s Silver Serenade just out April 2024, a coincidence I’m sure. Stereo I expect.
Nice though the gatefold is, I have already also got a stereo copy – pressed for Liberty from Van Gelder’s stereo master. I guess 1967 because Liberty have printed fresh “Division Of Liberty” labels, printed by the old Blue Note supplier Keystone Printed Specialties, according to the fonts used. There is also a generic Liberty inner sleeve. The one unfamiliar thing is a ghostly hand etching “114” in the runout both sides.
Not seen that on All Disc pressing (Update) – apparently, various three digit number combinations have been seen on All Disc pressings. This 114 close up captured on my mobile. The etching is scratched, not very noticeable unless you look hard, clearly not present on the Van Gelder original metal. One for pixel-peepers, but look harder.
LIBERTY STEREO (1967?)
Listen to Selection 2, Liberty Stereo : Let’s Get To The Nitty Gritty
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/04/horace-silver-quintet_lets-get-to-the-nitty-gritty_silvers-serenade-liberty-84131-stereo-ljc.mp3. . .
The other thing that is odd is the Liberty stereo is about 20% lower gain/volume. I’ve left the volume setting the same between the mono and the stereo, for comparison. Must be a feature of the original Van Gelder stereo mastering. Was this Van Gelder anticipating Kevin Gray mastering choices? This may be one of the few times I have ripped the mono and stereo edition side by side, and noticed the difference in output strength. Odd.
So, any Tone Poet aficionados comment on this latest release by Poet-People? Floor is yours.
Gossip Corner (new!)
Shock horror, Mobile Fidelity in sudden outburst of honesty. Have lessons actually been learned?
Putting aside the marketing word-salad, probably confected with the help of Bing Co-Pilot GPT AI Chatbot, I read “DSD 64 ” (Digital Stream Data) intermediary stage between 1957 source tape and remastering 2024 for vinyl. Whatever the word-salad says, the final product is mastered from a digital file, plain and simple. Informed consent, at least you now know what you get from MoFi. Have the Hoffperson crowd weighed in?
NEWS UPDATE April 21, 2024
“We are heartbroken by the news that our dear friend, the revered producer & Blue Note historian Michael Cuscuna has passed away at age 75.”
“It would be impossible to overstate Michael’s importance to the Blue Note legacy, which he worked tirelessly to fortify for nearly 50 years going back to the mid-1970s when he began a series of reissues & archival discoveries that brought to light numerous treasures from the Blue Note vaults.He continued to release Blue Note catalog reissues on his own Mosaic Records during Blue Note’s dormancy in the early 1980s & was by Bruce Lundvall’s side as the label was relaunched in 1985. Plainly stated, Blue Note Records would not exist as it does today without the passion & dedication of Michael Cuscuna. He was recently awarded a DownBeat Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more about his life & work: downbeat.com/news…“ Many people spend their time trying to enrich themselves. Cuscuna managed the trick of enriching us, immeasurably. That is a rare achievement, we are all grateful to you, Michael, let the Blue Note music play.
LJC
Selection: After Tea (Hayes)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/tubby-hayes-after-tea-_the-couriers-of-jazz_london-american-1958-mono.mp3
. . .
Track List
A1 Mirage 5:20
A2 After Tea 7:50
A3 Stop The World, I Want To Get Off 3:40
A4 In Salah (M. Allison) 3:50
B1 Star Eyes (Raye, DePaul) 4:10
B2 The Monk 4:35
B3 My Funny Valentine (Rodgers-Hart) 4:45
B4 Day In, Day Out (Hart, Mercer, Bloom) 5:30
Artists
Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, tenor saxophone; Terry Shannon, piano; Jeff Clyne, bass; Bill Eyden, drums; recorded November 1958, released in April 1960 according to magazine reviews.
Music
A front line of two tenor saxes, both with similar formidable technique and tone, is a challenge, especially because it’s a collaboration, not a tenor-battle. Another famous two-tenor outing, Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore’s Blowing in From Chicago, recognising Gilmore from Jordan is a piece of cake, given Jordan’s distinctive vibrato. You think Tubby has the edge in speed and gymnastics, but just when you are sure you have cracked it, Ronnie (you thought) surprises you. I don’t remember hearing Ronnie this hot before, the two must be urging each other on.
With rapid fire high energy and no directional cues in mono (aside for two tracks where Tubby switches to vibes) the give away is probably to acquire a stereo copy, hear who is on which channel. But that would take out the fun. “Which twin is the Tubby?”
Aimed at an American audience, the album covers a selection of American show-tunes, the delightful Mose Allison tune “In Shalah”, plus some of the boy’s own compositions, one dedicated to an English stage play. Tony Hall apparently considered this the Jazz Couriers best album. Well, I say all of them.
Vinyl: Decca/London American, Silver/ Crimson LTZ-L.15188
Pressed by Decca, New ~~Jersey~~ Malden.
Collector’s Corner
Twelve years ago, I acquired the US Carlton edition from sorely-missed Intoxica Records, Notting Hill, at the time casting envious eyes on this black and white British edition, with little understanding of how “rare” translated into actual money. A rude awakening quickly followed:
Here follows the curious tale of Carlton Records New York, Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes Jazz Couriers, apparently “Recorded by CARLTON, New York”. Not all is what it seems. Because the recording is credited to the American label, I assumed naively the US edition was “the original”, recorded in New York. The Decca London crimson/silver label shows clearly that Decca licensed the recording from Carlton, catalogue number LTZ – L. 15188 (Decca identify the licensee by the letter code)
LTZ-C Savoy
LTZ-D Dot
LTZ-J Jubilee
LTZ-K Atlantic
LTZ-L Carlton
LTZ-M Chess
LTZ-N Bethlehem
LTZ-P Imperial
LTZ-T United Artists
LTZ-U Riverside
Carlton didn’t fly the Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, and the rest of the crew to New York. The session was recorded at Decca’s West Hampstead London studio, with engineer Michael Mailes at the controls (Hat-tip Simon Spillett)
A legal shell game was facilitated by Decca Producer Tony Hall with the help of an American lawyer Mannie Greenfield, who sorted out the finances with Carlton Records, rewarded with sleeve credit as co-producer. Likely Carlton nominally paid for the session and owned the recording, and by sleight of hand, Decca paid through the back door a fee for licensing it back from Carlton, a money-go-round which sold more records and more importantly, opened up the possibility of Tubby Hayes breaking into the US market.
Carlton was primarily a Country music label, famed for albums by Kenny Rodgers, not known in jazz circles, and not the best platform for Tubby. Hayes would return to New York in Autumn 1961 for a second sortie, better targeted by recording with well known American jazz players.
US Vinyl: Carlton LP12 116
Selection: After Tea (Hayes) – US Carlton Edition
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/04/tubby-hayes-after-tea-_the-couriers-of-jazz_carlton-usa-1958-mono.mp3. . .
The Carlton record is remastered in the US presumably from a copy tape, roles reversed. The runout shows a stamp CT – and cursive initials A R C (Allentown Record Co. Inc. Pennsylvania?); stamped “CT” , initials generally understood to mean Columbia Terre Haute, or in this case, CarlTon? I’ll go check my huge Kenny Rodgers collection – ha ha. Your guess is as good as mine.
Interestingly, the Carlton was also issued in Stereo, quite advanced for 1958. The UK release is mono only, still early days in British ownership of stereo record players. (I got my first stereo record player in 1967!)
My American Carlton edition is in better condition than the British Decca edition. The Carlton mastering and pressing sounds unexpectedly good. What to make of the comparison? Though both editions have similar groove width and volume, making the most of the vinyl area right up to the label, the US edition is a fresh mastering, not common metal, as the cutting lathe trail off/lock-groove has a different pattern. Sonically, they are unexpectedly close, both sound very good, and the music is great. I’d call it a draw. But I look enviously at that Carlton stereo …
HINDSIGHT 20:20:
It shows how difficult it was for Brits to break into the US jazz market with just “talent”: you need name recognition and word of mouth, and the right label, maybe Carlton just wasn’t the right vehicle. Tubby’s appearance on Blue Note’s Blues In Trinity (BLP 4006 Dizzy Reece) didn’t make it either. No matter, America’s loss was our gain, Tubby stayed home.
No matter, water under the bridge, from a safe distance we can just enjoy the music, and marvel at out best tenors on display. As for After Tea, well, play the long game, London visitors are queueing today at The Ritz, for English afternoon tea, an unexpected win.
POSTSCRIPT:
Recommended, seen elsewhere: In search of Bolton Dupree, Part Two (Ted Gioia substack), poignant conclusion to the fate of one of the best trumpeters ever (The Fox, and Katanga!). Dupree honed his skills behind bars, a casualty of the war on drugs – or rather on addicted musicians, soft targets unlikely to shoot back. But as Bolton himself reflected, prison probably saved his life – from drugs. Just deprived us of a great musician.
LJC
A never before heard series of live recordings, provisionally titled “MILES to go“, has been discovered in an abandoned filing cabinet in a derelict Los Angeles building, let at one time to Fantasy Records.
The recordings were commissioned by music entrepreneur Alfred Weinerstein. On the back of the success of Miles Columbia club dates, Live at The Blackhawk, and Live at The Plugged Nickel, the newly discovered recordings were intended to introduce Miles to a more diverse blue-collar family audience, through popular fast-food joints.
The plan was that after evening sessions in Greenwich Village clubs, Miles would take the quintet downtown to perform an impromptu live set for diners queuing for burgers or pizza, recorded by Van Gelder’s mobile recording studio truck.
Several unmarked tape boxes were found in the back of the dusty filing cabinet. The McDonald’s session had apparently reached the stage of Van Gelder mastering. A test pressing, made at Prestige’s regular pressing plant Abbey Mfg. in New Jersey, was discovered inside a jacket.
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/miles-davis_live-at-mcdonalds_miles-to-go_ljc.mp3. . .
According to Miles hand-written notes, the complete series was planned to include live sessions at Pizza Hut, K.F.C., and further venues would later include Dunkin’ Donuts and Wendy’s.
Miles Unknown “Public Service Programme” . . .
Among other papers found in the abandoned filing cabinet, it seems Weinerstein had been approached by New York City mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. who was up for re-election. Jazz fan Wagner invited Miles to perform a number of live sessions at select public venues, in a programme to modernise the image of essential but under-appreciated New York City services. Provisional venues discussed for The Quintet included the Chief Medical Examiner’s mortuary service – Live at The Morgue, and the city cremation services at Fresh Ponds Middle Village, Live at the Crematorium.
The clock ran out on negotiations when the Quintet had to travel at short notice to Europe, to perform the Jazz Festival du Monde, Antibes, France, in late July 1963. The proposed public service sessions were never realized, as Mayor Wagner was subsequently unseated by Republican Rep. John Lindsay, who unfortunately for Weinerstein, had a preference for Country music.
MILES to go, gone
The MILES to go programme was finally abandoned by Weinerstein after Columbia, who held Miles under contract, withdrew the courtesy agreement for Miles fast food appearances, to play only in more prestigious high-ticket venues.
Of interest to serious collectors, covers for the MILES to go volumes had already been prepared for Weinerstein, and sample copies were found in the cabinet, which have never been seen – until now.
PLP 700001 MILES to go Volume 2: Live At Pizza Hut
PRLP 70002 Miles to go Volume 3, Live at K.F.C.!
Live At Kentucky Fried Chicken, “it’s Finger Lickin’ Good!”, wrapped up the first series,
Mosaic Records preserve the “Fast Food” sessions
Michael Cuscuna’s Mosaic Records have done their usual scholarly job assembling a Limited Edition three album box set, MR3-101 The Complete MILES to go, pressed on tomato-red 180gm vinyl, complementary ketchup sachet and serviette included for the full evening dine-in experience.
Ten copies of Mosaic’s The Complete Miles to go Special LJC Edition are up for grabs exclusively for LJC readers.
Simply click the Like button at the foot of this post to automatically register your chance to win a copy of this unique Miles Davis Quintet Fast Food Collection.
Ten lucky winners will have their boxset delivered direct to their door by Deliveroo (mainland US and Canada only; other territories, UPS). With the box set, Mosaic sponsors, Pizza Hut, will include a 12″ pizza with a choice of toppings.
Entries must be registered before 12 noon April 1, deadline extended for readers in corresponding international time zones. But you have to be in it to win it. Don’t forget to click that Like, and Good Luck!
LJC, to go
POSTSCRIPT
Jolly good fun, guys, approaching 4,000 impressions for this day.
Selection: Bad Girl (Conover)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/leo-parker_bad-girl_rollin-with-leo_1961_ua-lt1076-1980_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 The Lion’s Roar 4:54
A2 Bad Girl (Conover) 6:17
A3 Rollin’ with Leo 6:25
A4 Music Hall Beat (Illinois Jacquet) 4:56
B1 Jumpin’ Leo 4:30
B2 Talkin’ the Blues 6:30
B3 Stuffy (Coleman Hawkins) 5:41
B4 Mad Lad Returns 4:35
Artists
Dave Burns, trumpet; Bill Swindell, tenor sax; Leo Parker, baritone sax; John Acea, piano; Stan Conover/ Al Lucas, bass; Purnell Rice/Wilbert Hogan, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 12 and 20, 1961
Leo Parker cut one Blue Note album as leader, 4087 Let Me Tell You ‘Bout It featuring many of the same players on Rollin’ With Leo, but this session fell off the edge, recorded in 1961 but not released until 1980 (LT1076) and again by EMI/Capitol Manhattan in 1986 (DMM).
Leo Parker came up through old school big bands, Billy Eckstein and Dizzy Gillespie, recording along side Coleman Hawkins and Illinois Jacquet, both of whom turn up here in the song title credits. A bop baritone with a fiery buzz-saw tone, Parker acquired the nickname “Mad Lad”, not especially flattering. His name is not widely known as his short career was dogged by narcotics problems, and he died of a heart attack the year following this recording, age only 36.
Music
The selection “Bad Girl” is an irresistible tom-cat prowling blues walk, a raunchy bump’n’grind piece written by the bass player, Stan Conover. The horn solos are a marvel of economy, placing notes in exactly the right unexpected places – trumpet, tenor, piano, and finally Leo on baritone. The players are all unknown to me, likely jobbing session men known to Parker from his big band days. For all that, it’s a lovely recording, Van Gelder at ease, impeccable stereo, excellently mastered by United Artists or maybe Capitol engineers in 1980, from the 1961 original tapes when no one knew it mattered. In a world chasing trophies, Rollin’ With Leo is an under-valued delight.
Vinyl: Blue Note LT 1076 (released 1980) blue Label
The United Artists blue label/ black or white note appeared first in 1973, and remained in occasional use even into the ’80s early EMI years. There were a series of changes in the corporate legal boilerplate around the outer circumference of the label, tracing the recording ownership transition through various legal entities – United Artists Inc, United Artists Music and Records Group, and finally Capitol EMI. This 1980 blue label is absent any reference to United Artists, credited instead to Liberty Records – now a subsidiary division name under new owners Capitol EMI Industries. Simples, for a lawyer.
Collector’s Corner
BST 84095 never made it out the door but Van Gelder actually prepared a (stereo) master: what a collector’s item, where the only Blue Note “original” is a test pressing.
The 1980 LT Series retrieved the session, then 1986 EMI Capitol embarked on vinyl’s answer to The Evil Silver Disc, with even more evil – Direct Metal Mastering.
The Teldec DMM process cut cost by cutting the number of steps in vinyl manufacture, compromising sound quality, but marketed the process as a technological advance. Nice cover art, microphone as the hero, shame about the vinyl.
POSTSCRIPT: insider comment, this recording is slated for a Tone Poet release next year. Good choice.
Selection: In a Capricornian Way (Woody Shaw)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/booker-ervin_in-a-a-capricornian-way_tex-book-tenor_tone-poet-2024_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Gichi (Kenny Barron) 7:27
A2 Den Tex 7:38
A3 In a Capricornian Way (Woody Shaw) 5:52
B1 Lynn’s Tune 6:16
B2 204 10:21
Artists
Booker Ervin, tenor saxophone; Kenny Barron, piano; Woody Shaw, trumpet; Jan Arnet, bass; Billy Higgins, drums, recorded June 24, 1968, Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
This title brings to two the Booker Ervin Blue Note collection – following on from the excellent Liberty BNST 84283 The In Between (“Tyra”!)
Music
Booker’s biting tone and urgent delivery still gets me excited, but the extra treat here is the presence of Woody Shaw, including the classic Woody composition In a Capricornian Way. Booker and Woody each have a strong and distinctive voice, in harmony or counterpoint, bringing variety and texture to the music, while Billy Higgins forward propulsion ensures no one gets left behind.
The session also bears some affinity to the Randy Weston African Cookbook album, with a familiar earthy Booker Ervin stew.
Vinyl: ST 84314 Tone Poet 2024
Remastered directly from the original tapes by Kevin Gray, whose initials do appear in the runout, though not captured in the HDR photo. Characteristically Kevin Grey, cut quiet and grooves stacked toward the outer circumference of the disk.
What no gatefold? Presumably by 1968 Francis Wolff was no longer documenting Blue Note sessions, so no photos.
Collector’s Corner
First release on vinyl? My first thought from the unfamiliar Booker cover, but no, this session was first released in 1976 on a double LP “twofer” BN-LA488-H2, Back from the Gig combined with a 1964 session recorded under Horace Parlan. Which is a pity, as I already have the Back From The Gig twofer.
Expensive way to acquire a nice new jacket! Given my perfect recall of every track title on all my 2,500 records I should have known that I already had this Booker Ervin recording, but for some reason … I didn’t. You might have thought Tone Poet might put a foot note “previously issued as “BN-LA 488-H2 Back From The Gig“. The only clue of previous issue is the copyright date ©2005 , which I guess would have been be a CD edition, no connection with the 1976 twofer. Caveat Emptor.
I should A:B the twofer, to hear what Kevin Grey’s mastering adds over and above United Artists house engineers. I hadn’t played the twofer for some time, but I recall it being exceptionally high quality sounding recording. But I haven’t got round to doing that yet. I expect the main difference will be the panoramic stereo presentation that Kevin favours, giving emphasis to the far ends of the stage, and more sonic detail, in exchange for less visceral presentation. On the other hand I could be completely wrong. I’ll update in due course.
And of course I expect the inky-black silent vinyl of Tone Poet’s RTI pressing to excel over 1976 vintage vinyl. Probably. I still find occasional pops on many new records, which benefit from thorough ultrasonic cleaning before play.
POSTSCRIPT
After twelve years writing about “Modern Jazz on original vinyl”, over 1,000 posts in total, there is only so much original vinyl to write about. The entire Blue Note catalogue is only 350 titles. I either have the original, a close subsequent pressing, or I don’t want the album, its not for me. I have not lately seen many originals I do want at an affordable price in acceptable condition. Bummer.
The best use of my time seems to be exploring some of the audiophile-quality reissues emerging in the last two or three years. This has the advantage that these current reissues are also available to others, should they be of interest. I have also explored the less well known vintage alleys and byways, including British and European jazz. You can explore these with me, as you please.
Thank you for your comments, which remind me I am not talking to an empty room. This will be my thirteenth year writing as LJC, you’d think I had more sense, but I’m still up for it. This music needs a voice, I’m happy to speak for it.
Andrew, LJC
Selection: Don No More (Wheeler)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/kenny-wheeler_don-no-more_windmill-tilter-craft-reissue-2022-ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Preamble 0:43
A2 Don The Dreamer 6:14
A3 Sweet Dulcinea Blue 3:40
A4 Bachelor Sam 5:18
A5 Sancho 4:47
B1 The Cave Of Montesinos 4:43
B2 Propheticape 2:26
B3 Altisidora 5:22
B4 Don No More 8:12
Artists
John Dankworth, saxophone, leader; Kenny Wheeler, composer, arranger, flugelhorn; Dave Holland, bass; John Spooner, drums; John McLaughlin, guitar; Tristan Fry, percussion; Alan Branscombe, Bob Cornford, piano; Ray Swinfield, Tony Coe, Tony Roberts, saxophone; Chris Pyne, Michael Gibbs, trombone; Derek Watkins, Henry Shaw, Henry Lowther, Les Condon, trumpet; Alf Reece, Dick Hart, Tuba.
Recorded March 1968 – studio not credited – and released in 1969 on UK label Fontana Records, a label owned by and generally pressed by Phillips.
With complex arrangements ranging from 15 piece ensemble to quintet sections and spotlight soloists, the real star is the original recording engineer, who passes without mention in the credits. Hat-tip to tenor-extraordinaire Simon Spillett for the info, David Voyde, house engineer at Philips Studios, Stanhope House, Marble Arch, London Pictured below, Philips Studios, Stanhope Place, 1968/9:
Kenny Wheeler short-bio:
Growing up in Canada before its transition to Trudeaupia, Kenny Wheeler moved to England in 1952, and his talent quickly found a place in London’s growing jazz scene, among leading lights Tommy Whittle, Joe Harriott, Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott.
Wheeler spent the first half of the ’60s as a member of the Johnny Dankworth Band (1959-65). Dankworth (never posted at LJC) was a well respected band leader, composer and saxophonist whose jazz orchestra employed many of the top British players, but who rarely made the jazz headlines, often side-tracked into recordings of a novelty nature, such as his orchestra conducted by British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Shakespeare lyrics teamed with Dankworth’s wife, singer Cleo Lane, and scores for lightweight films like Modesty Blaise (… girls with guns)
Emerging from the Dankworth Band, Wheeler mixed comfortably with the free-improv jazz players of the day, Elton Dean, John Surman, John Stevens, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, gravitating eventually to atmospheric-jazz landscapes of the German ECM label.
Wheeler composed prolifically over several decades, writing for both large and small ensembles, and his discography lists recording collaborations with just about every jazz player imaginable, and a bewildering number of record labels, have trumpet will travel. He returned to ECM to record his final album, Songs for Quintet, in 2013, and finally left the stage the following year, age 84.
Something must be amiss, Windmill Tilter, is my only Kenny Wheeler album. Listening to some ECM tracks, I hear nothing that excites me. What am I missing?
Music
Industry Reception of Windmill Tilter:
“A classic recording” (John Fordham). “Long considered a holy grail of British jazz”…
“Thoughtfully crafted outings and solos by Wheeler, McLaughlin, Dankworth and Tony Coe all combine to make this a fascinating exercise in modern big-band jazz of the late 1960s.” (Jazz Journal).
“Wheeler’s trumpet and flugelhorn were most distinctive in an introverted, melancholy mode, though he was equally capable of gliding to exhilarating altitudes. Wheeler was gifted with an eloquent instrumental voice and effortless mobility between styles and idioms.” (All About Jazz)
“Melodic lyricism coupled with an advanced harmonic conception that utilizes mode mixture and non-functional motion, as well as a rhythmic approach” (P. Rushka, 2014)
The story line of Miguel Cervantes’ Don Quixote (pub.1605), heroic Mr Bean-like encounters through La Mancha, with his simple companion Sancho, is a literary hook on which to hang the track titles, which doesn’t add much to the musical experience, but renders the album “distinctive” – it stands out from other albums. This album stands out on musical merit and recording quality.
Tilting at Windmills, as a modern allegory, sadly today it looks like the windmills are winning.
Vinyl: Decca 748057 (2021)
German vinyl manufacture by Optimal delivers a silent, flat and clean pressing. Discogs comments are mostly rapturous about the quality of vinyl manufacture and sound quality:
“The composition is excellent, and so is the performance. It sounds incredible, and the pressing is PERFECT. Vinyl is super quiet and presentation exceptional“.(Discogs, Dec 2021)
Remastered at Gearbox, Tileyard Studios at London’s Kings Cross. Gearbox engineer Caspar Sutton-Jones specialises in vinyl and analogue masters with vintage equipment and techniques. He usually signs his acetate “CASPAR”, though according to the runout etching, the final acetate/lacquer of Windmill Tilter is cut by “CARLA @ GEARBOX”. I assume Caspar and Carla are different people.
I’m confused as to the difference between mastering and cutting. The “original master tapes” are presumably a final mix tape compiled from the session tapes, ready for cutting onto acetate. I assume the original tape is not lost, as some sources claim, or maybe they found a back-up tape or a copy tape. After adjusting gain on tape playback, setting groove depth and width on the lathe (Is that “mastering” or “cutting”?), at some point someone presses the start button on the cutting lathe, and lowers the heated cutting cartridge, which begins cutting the rotating acetate. I assume it is end-to-end analogue, farm to fork, grape-to-glass, with no intermediate digital stage.
I still have a problem understanding “remastered and cut from the original master tapes”, but I trust this hype sticker is more accurate than those recently from Craft
The original recording is an outstanding piece of engineering, a finely balanced complex soundstage which sounds natural and effortless, a result which usually requires a great deal of effort. Gearbox have preserved these qualities admirably in remastering/cutting, whichever, thanks to “Carla”, take a bow.
Harry’s Place
Sunbury on Thames 1968, our resident jazz-paparazzi Harrry M was in leafy Surrey to see the impossibly young Kenny Wheeler, with flugelhorn, pictured here with Ronnie Scott
Photo-credit: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
The Fontana original 1969 issue vinyl can still be found, but with the quality of the Gearbox remaster, I’m not sure there is a lot to gain from an original of this recording. Of course I could be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time.
According to one source, Windmill Tilter “was for some time a collector’s item due to the original master tapes being lost“. More likely record company politics, who decides and who gets the credit for commercial results, no reality-testing feedback as to what could have been. Remember the Record Company Executive that famously turned down The Beatles? Whatever the truth, the album remained curiously out of print for over forty years, until remastered for CD in 2010 by BGO (Beat Goes On) Records, released just in time for Kenny Wheeler’s 80th birthday. Remastering for CD, BGO must have found a copy of the original tapes.
The CD proudly declares it is DIGITALLY RE MASTERED. They say that like it was a good thing. Sigh, the illusion of progress.
The full Windmill Tilter album is available on U-tube in low quality mp3. Free to view, but you will not have the immersive experience of listening to superb vinyl on a quality sound system which this recording demands.
The” British Jazz Explosion”?
The Decca/Gearbox 2021 edition of Windmill Tilter was part of the much heralded 1960’s “British Jazz Explosion”, of which I had high hopes, which seems to have ground to a halt under Decca management matriarchy, seem to have no interest in jazz. The latest release from Decca: Gustav Holst, The Planets, on pink vinyl. Erm.. pink vinyl….wow.
LJC Soapbox
I’m not a classical music fan, but I can buy a copy of the Deutsche Grammophon UK reissue of The Planets on mint black vinyl for between £5 and £10. British jazz fans are paying anywhere between £100 and £500 or more for some titles in the Decca jazz catalogue. Does that tell anyone something? Hello Decca? Anyone home?
Seen elsewhere
For anyone interested in modern culture (if not, you should be), Ted Gioia (“The Honest Broker”, occasional jazz-writer) has made a big stir with his Dopamine Culture piece, available free on the essential reading platform Substack:
“The fastest growing sector of the culture economy is distraction. Or call it scrolling, swiping, wasting time, whatever you want. But it’s not art or entertainment, just ceaseless activity. The key is that each stimulus only lasts a few seconds, and must be repeated.”
“Even the dumbest entertainment looks like Shakespeare compared to dopamine culture. You don’t need Hamlet, a photo of a hamburger will suffice. Or a video of somebody twerking, or a pet looking goofy. Instead of movies, users get served up an endless sequence of 15-second videos. Instead of symphonies, listeners hear bite-sized melodies, usually accompanied by one of these tiny videos—just enough for a dopamine hit, and no more. This is the new culture. And its most striking feature is the absence of Culture, or even mindless entertainment—both get replaced by compulsive activity.“
“Dopamine is an organic chemical synthesized in the brain, a neuro-transmitter which confers motivational salience – a “motivational magnet” that makes something a desirable and attractive goal, and causes it to be sought out” (Wiki)
This post contains around 1,400 words. A dopamine-addict can not cope with more than a few hundred words, maybe less, because they can no longer focus for the length of time necessary, and therefore will never be able to learn anything of any complexity about the real world. Hello, a future consisting entirely of dance competitions, cute pet shorts, and football goals.
One of Gioia’s suggested antidotes to dopamine culture, to break the hold of compulsive scrolling, is to “pursue immersive experiences in music” – listening for an extended period of time to music – 10 minutes or more. Though he doesn’t say so explicitly, it’s called listening to vinyl, even Holst’s Planet Suite.
The digital availability of infinite choice prompts compulsive scrolling through playlists in search of something better. Many of us have known for some time, sitting actively listening to vinyl improves our mental health. Now its a fact.
LJC
Selection 1: Bassism
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/sunra-bassism_futuristic-sounds-of-_savoy-1961_craft-2022-reissue-ljc.mp3
. . .
Selection 2: Jet Flight
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/sun-ra_jet-flight_fururistic-sounds-of_savoy-1961_craft-2022-reissue-ljc.mp3
. . .
Track List
A1. Bassism (4.07)
A2. Of Sounds and Something Else (2.54)
A3. What’s That? (2.15)
A4. Where is Tomorrow? (2.50)
A5. The Beginning (6.29)
A6. China Gates (Victor Young) (3.25)
B1. New Day (5.51)
B2. Tapestry From An Asteroid (3.02)
B3. Jet Flight (3.15)
B4. Looking Outward (2.49)
B5. Space Jazz Reverie (4.54)
“Of Sounds And Something Else”, sometimes (wrongly) transcribed as “Of Wounds And Something Else”. Are we out of Tippex?
Artists
Sun Ra, piano; Bernard McKinney, trombone, euphonium; Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute, ‘morrow’ (bamboo flute with clarinet mouthpiece); John Gilmore, tenor sax, bass clarinet; Pat Patrick, baritone saxophone; Ronnie Boykins, bass; Willie Jones, drums; Leah Ananda, conga; Ricky Murray, vocals on ‘China Gate’;
Recorded at Medallion Studios, Newark NJ., October 10, 1961 by Paul Cady – house engineer. Medallion Studios was a popular New Jersey venue for Gospel recordings, with a side line in avant-leaning jazz sessions for Savoy (Bill Baron, Paul Bley, Bill Hardman, Booker Ervin, all Cady recorded). Produced by Tom Wilson – jazz buff founder of the short-lived Transition jazz label and known later as producer of Bob Dylan and many other notables in the folk/rock genre.
Sun Ra recordings are more often lo-fi than audiophile, and this studio session is sonically among the better ones.
Music
“Simmering, swinging, riffing tunes full of deft counterpoint“. Sun Ra was both an artful jazz pianist and an unabashed showman, music ranging from big-band swing with an avant-twist, to theatrical costume performance with provocative dissonance, and everything in between including the kitchen sink.
With the Sun Ra discography extending to 150-200 records, it’s useful to be aware where any particular album fits. Ra archivist/curator Irwin Chusid describes Futuristic Sounds as Sun Ra’s last fully “File Under: Jazz” album, recorded at the tail end of Sun Ra’s Chicago big band period (1945–61), just starting out in New York (1961-68), when the “weird stuff” took over.
As Ben Young’s essay hints (see album insert), Futuristic Sounds had an ulterior purpose as a sampler and promo of Sun Ra material to help hustling for bookings on McDougal and Bleecker Streets. Imagine explaining Cruising the Spaceways/ Afrofuturism to a cynical gum-chewing New York booking agent. The result is eleven Sun Ra short cameos, and arguably one of Sun Ra’s “most accessible albums”, a subtle hint that some Sun Ra albums are not very accessible.
Personally, I find Sun Ra’s late ’50s big band jazz quite engaging: quirky melodies, clever arrangements, playful off-piste excursions, a lot of fun. Futuristic Sounds sits comfortably in that bag, but with pointers to the future more experimental Sun Ra. Beyond there is an an ocean of self-conscious weirdness at the boundary between music and theatre.
The next island of good musical content (in my opinion, of course, Ra purists welcome to disagree) appears unexpectedly in the late ’70s with the Lanquidity album, which reissue caused a stir in the hip-hop/hipster community that revered the persona of Sun Ra, but that is a story for another day. . .
Vinyl: CR00532 Craft Recordings (Concord) 2022
UPDATE March 9, 2024: The jacket states manufactured by Concord, Nashville TN, and the hype sticker credits Kevin Gray and RTI – “ALL ANALOG mastering by Kevin Gray“. I confess I missed Kevin Gray’s signature etching first time around, judging from the HDR photo, which didn’t show it up. I assumed Craft had done as with my Craft Wes Montgomery, contracted out European pressing, but I was wrong. Re-examining the vinyl again, tilting against natural window light, revealed Kevin’s hand on the vinyl. Should have gone to Specsavers. As a penance, I have brought the macro lens into service: for the record, Kevin’s signature. Apologies for leading anyone up the garden path.
Vintage Savoy reissues are often very poor, Savoy Jazz ’80s being especially weak, which led me to think original tapes may be long gone and merely legal rights to the catalogue passed through owners hands (as is the case with Strata East). However it looks like this tape survived.
Originally I was disappointed with Futuristic Sounds, perhaps unrealistic expectations but revisiting the record – after a lot of system improvements – I changed my mind. As they say, what’s the point of having a mind if you can’t change it? Consistency is over-rated. The musical content is exciting, and the sonics are pretty good, even though the stereo is a bit left channel vs. right channel, early days.
Inserts (1, 2)
Collector’s Corner
Sun Ra insider knowledge inspires record collectors and hipsters alike, with Saturn label originals fetching supersonic, even stratospheric prices.
Futuristic Sounds 1962 original Savoy release appears to be only mono. ” First pressing with full circle maroon labels & no P.O. Box address listed on back cover. Title is printed on two lines on the labels unlike later pressings where title is one line” (says Discogs entry). One copy of this original Savoy mono is on offer at $850 (Discogs).
If you are not picky, the 2nd pressing from 1963 is an MGM pressing, with the MGM “lazy Z” stamp, and the title typeset on one line (rolls eyes), sacrificed the opening “THE”: different pressing plant, different label printer, different compositor, drop a point size font, different typesetting, same music source, that’s how it works.
“Guaranteed to be free from scratches and mechanical defects”. Wish that could be said of all modern reissues.
Over the years, Savoy’s Futuristic Sounds recording has been licensed out to all and sundry, many reissues avoiding use of the original Harvey cover, which must have some copyright baggage attached, and some in Stereo, unlike the original issue. Added value, a gatefold cover with additional pictures appears.
Needless to say there followed numerous reissues on CD, but we don’t talk about The Evil Silver Disc here. And don’t mention “bonus tracks” either, even yet more evil.
I listened through the Youtube of Sun Ra Nuits de la Fondation Maeght , St Paul de Vence, France (1970), while writing this post. A vocal remake on my favourite Sun Ra piece “Enlightenment” (Hobart Dotson) left me at a loss for words, none suitable to print. Two volumes of Mini-moog and kitchen sink, enthusiastic applause from a stunned audience, the physical experience overcomes the music critical faculties.
I come back to Sun Ra from time to time, you never know, minds change.
Up and coming: RSD 2024 Jazz Vinyl Guide (a U-tuber)
WCB Jazz Vinyl‘s rundown on 28 jazz and jazz-adjacent titles for RSD 2024: 00:00 – Introduction 02:03 – Cannonball Adderley – Burnin’ in Bordeaux 04:09 – Cannonball Adderley – Poppin’ in Paris 06:03 – Monty Alexander Trio – Live at the Montreux Festival 07:11 – Chet Baker & Jack Sheldon – In Perfect Harmony 09:48 – Brother Jack McDuff – Ain’t No Sunshine 12:11 – Nat King Cole – Live at the Blue Note Chicago 13:45 – Manu Dibango – Manu 76 14:59 – Bill Evans – Everybody Digs Bill Evans 16:43 – Kenny Garrett – Who Killed AI 18:31 – Astrud Gilberto – That Girl From Ipanema 20:01 – Vince Guaraldi – It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown 22:20 – Yusef Lateef – Atlantis Lullaby: The Concert From Avignon 23:43 – Shelly Manne – Jazz From the Pacific Northwest 25:19 – 2 titles by Wojtek Masolewski – Spirit to All & Live Spirit 26:58 – Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer – But Who’s Gonna Play the Melody? 28:11 – Charles Mingus – Reincarnations 30:16 – Charlie Parker – Jazz at the Philharmonic 31:58 – Dave Pike – The Doors of Perception 33:41 – Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers – Yaina 35:05 – Sonny Rollins – Freedom Weaver 36:25 – Pharoah Sanders – Harvest Time 7″ 37:39 – Gil Scott Heron & Brian Jackson – Winter in America 39:03 – 2 titles by Sun Ra – Pink Elephants on Parade & At the Showcase 41:25 – Art Tatum – Jewels in the Treasure Box 43:35 – Jazz Dispensary – Freedom Sound The People Arise 44:06 – Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy – The Mighty Warriors 46:33
Coincidence! Small world! Includes two Sun Ra titles: Pink Elephants On Parade, and At The Showcase. The Yusef Lateef might be interesting, though the previous RSD 2023 Lateef’s Detroit Latitude 42° 30′ Longitude 83° (produced by Gilles Peterson, remastered by Bernie Grundman) I thought a sonic mess. Dave Pike – The Doors of Perception – I have the original, deserves a post.
LJC
Selection: Yesterdayshttps://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/dizzy-reece_yesterdays_sounding-off_st84033_toshiba_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 A Ghost of a Chance (Crosby, Washington and Young) 5:06
A2 Once in a While ( Edwards, Green) 7:30
A3 Eb Pob (Dizzy Reece) 7:46
B1 Yesterdays (Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern) 7:11
B2 Our Love Is Here to Stay (Gershwin/Gershwin) 6:21
B3 Blue Streak (Dizzy Reece) 7:56
The song Yesterdays dates from a 1933 Broadway musical Roberta. That song was somewhat overshadowed by another tune, the first musical health warning on tobacco products, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, stopping short of mentioning it also gets in your Lungs to assuage the tobacco lobby.
Yesterdays’ lyrics allow you to follow Dizzy’s intonation.
Word-of-the-Week, one I use often myself, sequestered, “like, wow man, yesterday was really sequestered – know what I mean?” No, me neither.
Yesterdays, yesterdays
Days I knew as happy
Sweet sequestered days
Olden days, golden days
Days of mad romance and love
Then gay youth was mine, truth was mine
Joyous free and flaming life
Forsooth, was mine
Sad am I, glad am I
For today I’m dreaming of yesterdays
Fox trot with vocal chorus. Not quite Taylor Swift, eh?
Artists
Dizzy Reece, trumpet; Walter Bishop Jr., piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Art Taylor, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 12, 1960, released late Summer 1960 on Blue Note 47W63rd label, deep groove +INC. and ®.
Dizzy is apparently still active as a musician and writer, at the age of 92.
Music
All Music describes Soundin’ Off as “a little bit uneven, but is never less than a solid pleasure to listen to”. The 1960 Billboard goes further:
The Billboard Oct 10, 1960
All About Jazz Interview (2006):
AAJ: I detected a real early change with Soundin’ Off in terms of your trumpet playing, it sounds a lot more vocal and notes sound more dissonant or tonally bent. I don’t know if that’s accurate, but it seems like the shift in approach.
Much of the interview reverses roles, with Dizzy asking the journalist questions, and drifting topic into Dizzy’s many other interests outside music, including his fascination with New York culture. Dizzy dwells on his past glories, adding little to what followed.
LJC says: I confess Soundin’ Off is my least played Dizzy album. The presentation is old school, front line solo trumpet with background rhythm section, everything focussed on Dizzy’s lyrical reading of mostly standards, like a vocalist. Reid Miles faultless intuition isolates Dizzy on the cover, a lone figure, with his trumpet.
Standing on the shoulders of the marvellous preceding album “Star Bright” (1959), Soundin’ Off feels a step backwards, needing an injection of something melodically and rhythmically more stimulating from the ensemble, but this must be the way Dizzy wanted it. Whatever the reason, Reece soon disappeared from the Blue Note active leaders roster. I suspect the new kids on the block, Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, took over the direction for Blue Note trumpet players, more excitement, with more commercial appeal.
Vinyl: ST 84033 Toshiba Japan reissue of ST 84033
I’m not sure it matters but there are very slight differences in the label of this Toshiba and the apparently same Discogs entry. Perhaps there are several Toshiba reissues.
Collector’s Corner
One for the First Pressing Fundamentalists: original pressing, mono DG/ 47W63rd label
Collectable value of 4033 remains high, with recent auctions fetching close to the $2,000 mark. Scarcity rears its head: no stereo edition of Soundin’ Off was released by Blue Note, Van Gelder never mastered a stereo, and there was no further reissue on the NY label, mono or stereo, nor a Liberty or UA. Business can be cruel, Soundin’ Off was side-lined, judged lacking in commercial potential. The original W63rd mono is all there is in the Blue Note catalogue.
It was left to Toshiba to fill the gap, with the Soundin’ Off first stereo release.
Dizzy actually recorded four Blue Note albums, not the three I was familiar with: A Dizzy Reece Blue Note that never was, Comin’ On, recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs April 3 and July 17,1960, not released until1999, and then only on The Evil Silver Disc:
Must be candidate for the Tone Poet?
Wiki notes Dizzy “found New York in the 1960s a struggle”. His star waned – a few leader outings in the 70’s for lesser known labels: From In to Out (Futura 1970), Possession, Exorcism, Peace, (Honeydew 1974), Manhattan Project (Beehive 1977), little else on record.
Dizzy with John Gilmore sounds interesting. The Honeydew red cover, love the design., sends all sorts of “chase me” signals. The Beehive album is often seen in remainder bins, unremarkable, an unsatisfactory tail-end to a once star-bright career. In his All About Jazz interview he constantly refers back to his earlier success, little about where too next. Perhaps Dizzy’s heart was no longer in it, or the hustle required to remain in the game.
LJC
Selection: Why Not? That’s What! (Pettiford) . . . Why Not? That’s What, allegedly a riposte to his old collaborator Miles Davis, who released So What on the seminal Kind Of Blue a year earlier. A few surface clicks on this much-loved track, … Continue reading →
Selection: Atarax (Färnlöf ) . . . Tracklist All compositions Lars Färnlöf except B2 Göran Pettersson A1 IntroduktionA2 Över Stock Och Sten ( Over Log and Stone)A3 Farfars Vals (Grandfather’s Waltz)A4 Puschkin ’55A5 FinaleB1 Päronet I Montecello (The Pear I … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Off The Wagon (Tubby Hayes) . . . Selection 2: Don’t Fall Over The Bridge (Tubby Hayes) . . . Track List A1. Off the Wagon – Tubby Hayes A2. Corpus (Ian Hamer)A3. Don’t Fall Over the Bridge -Tubby … Continue reading →
Selection: Peace (Horace Silver) . . . Track List A1 Autumn In New York (Vernon Duke) 4:15A2 Peace (Horace Silver) 5:35A3 A Child Is Born (Thad Jones) 7:40B1 It Never Entered My Mind (Billy Hart) 6:18B2 Close To You Alone … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Flight To Jordan . . . Selection 2: Si-Joya . . . Track List A1 Flight To Jordan 5.32A2 Star bright 7.49A3 Squawkin’ 5.00B1 Deacon Joe 8.43B2 Split Quick 5.11B3 Si-Joya 6.46 Artists Dizzy Reece, trumpet; Stanley Turrentine, tenor … Continue reading →
Selection: North Of The Soho Border . . . North of The Border, South of the Border, Disorder at the Border, song-title tongue firmly in cheek, Soho. Track List: A1. Six To One BarA2. Lush LifeA3. Costa FortunaA4. Last OrdersB1. … Continue reading →
Selection: The Magi (Tanner) . . . Track List A1. Zaltanica 09:47A2. The Magi 05:47A3. Kuba! 07:18B1. Poor Me 06:28B2. Bronson’s Blues 08:17B3. Rolon’s Groove 06:24 Artists Edgar Williams, bass; William “Smiley” Winters, drums; George Alexander, flute, trumpet; Al Tanner, … Continue reading →
Selection: Introduction To The Blues (Warren Smith) . . . Selection2: Sub-Structure . . . Track List A1 Sub Structure A2 Lament (What Does It Mean?) A3 Blues For E.L.C. Trumpet – Jimmy Owens B1 Blues For Monk B2 Hello … Continue reading →
Selection: Infinity (Morgan) . . . Track List A1. Infinity – 11:42A2. Miss Nettie B. – 9:20B1. Growing Pains – 8:06B2. Portrait of Doll (McLean) – 5:42B3. Zip Code – 6:31 Artists Lee Morgan, trumpet; Jackie McLean, alto sax; Larry … Continue reading →
Selection: Shirley (S.Turrentine) . . . Track dedicated to soul-jazz organist Shirley Scott, Mrs Turrentine 1960-71, Stanley’s sole writing credit on this album. Track List A1. Wahoo [aka “Stanley’s Blues”] (Duke Pearson) – 9:02A2. Shirley (Stanley Turrentine) – 10:46B1. Tacos … Continue reading →
Selection: The Other Side (Collier) . . . Track list A1 Flare-UpA2 Go WestA3 Where Fortune SmilesA4 Scarlet MineA5 Third Road B1 Flow Stream FlowB2 The Other SideB3 Rolli’s TuneB4 Fools Play Written by Graham Collier (A2, A5, B2, B3), … Continue reading →
A comment regarding Blue Note, Plastylite, and the all-listening “ear” has raised an important gap in our Blue Note knowledge, and possibly yours? We all know of the Plastylite ear as proof of authenticity pre-1966 Plastylite pressing. What is less … Continue reading →
Selection: Astral Travelling (Lonnie Liston Smith)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/pharoah-sanders_astral-travelling_thembi_impulse_-as9206_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Astral Travelling (Lonnie Liston Smith) – 5:48
A2. Red, Black & Green (Sanders) – 8:56
A3. Thembi (Sanders) – 7:02
B1. Love (Cecil McBee, solo) – 5:12
B2. Morning Prayer (Sanders, Liston Smith) – 9:11
B3. Bailophone Dance (Sanders) – 5:43
Artists
Astral Travelling: Pharoah Sanders, soprano, tenor sax, bells, percussion; Michael White, violin, percussion; Lonnie Liston Smith, piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, claves, percussion; Cecil McBee, bass, finger cymbals, percussion; Clifford Jarvis, drums, maracas, bells, percussion.
Tracks A1-3 recorded at The Record Plant (West), Los Angeles, California, November 25, 1970. Tracks B2-3 add Roy Haynes, drums; Nat Bettis, Chief Bey, Majid Shabazz, Anthony Wiles – African percussion; recorded Record Plant (East), New York City, January 12, 1971; Ed Michel, Bill Szymczyk, producers; released May 1971
Music
(Abridged summary from All Music): “Thembi is a departure from Sanders side-long, mantra-like grooves. It offers six selections with a wide range of ideas, in which Sanders romps through a variety of instruments including tenor and soprano saxophone, alto flute, an African bailophone, and assorted percussion. There is relatively little of Sanders trademark screaming tenor, which is limited mostly to the thunderous cacophony of Red, Black & Green“
The offering of Pharoah in bite-sized pieces makes Thembi distinctively one of Pharoah’s most accessible titles, without Leon Thomas yodelling, a small mercy.
The Record Plant was home to many of the most iconic rock and pop sessions of music history – Hendrix Electric Ladyland, The Eagles Hotel California, and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. It’s x12 and x16 multitrack studio equipment no doubt helped this Sanders recording find its room-filling atmospheric ambiance, with multiple percussion at all points of the sound field: an altogether immersive listening experience.
The Record Plant’s history includes an electrical fire in Studio C, in 1978, during which staff in the adjoining studio physically rescued irreplaceable original master tapes from the shelves of the burning studio. Unlike in the 2008 LA backlot fire, in which ironically much of the Impulse catalogue recordings were destroyed, no-one carried them to safety.
Lonnie Liston Smith’s excursion on the electric piano was allegedly his first encounter with the Fender Rhodes, which caught Pharoah’s ear, and is credited as the origin of the track Astral Travelling. Enthusiasts of Pharoah’s signature tumultuous-cacophony performances dismiss the track as “easy listening”, which I guess it is, Spiritual-Lite, compared with some of Pharoah’s more difficult listening.
Vinyl: Impulse AS 9206
Two-box Impulse/ABC logo, registration marks for Impulse! and ABC Records, producer credits to Ed Michel and Bill Szymczyk. Impulse post Van Gelder, the master has ,oved on, catalogue number hand-etched, no other vinyl credits. Nevertheless, it sounds great.
The covers of Impulse at this time were unlaminated and prone to show ring-wear, compounded by the record collector’s worst enemy, Sellotape edging on paper artwork – to protect the edge. Another case of a solution which is worse than the problem. The jacket was never meant to last over fifty years, just as well the vinyl survived more or less perfectly.
Gatefold:
Collector’s Corner
Vintage reissues follow the familiar pattern of ABC labels, the © year changing, a club edition, the label colour changing, moving to MCA Records in the late 70s and the progressive decline in audio quality before hitting the Compact Disc.
A modern reissue is credited to Universal UMe in 2018 – Verve Records – B0028597-01, Impulse!, UMe (Discogs entry). No further details, many sealed copies for sale, I suspect an official legitimate reissue but from legacy digital source, like Tauhid.
I think this is the source – not the CD itself, but the intermediate digital file (PCM) created in 1987 from the original tapes, from which the CD was remastered. Note the apology that “the CD may contain some tape hiss and other anomalies that exist with analog recordings“. Ha ha, “anomalies”, like full frequency range and sonic detail, filtered out along with that nasty “tape hiss” during digitisation. Industry mass-hypnosis: digital ( 44.1 kHz 16 bit) good, analog bad.
Note SPARS-code AAD – Analog tape recorder used during initial recording, mixing/editing, digital mastering. If the original tapes did not survive the following thirty years, no worries, the digital copy file survived (minus the breath of life).
A vintage vinyl pressing of Thembi is well worth seeking out, as I suspect there won’t be another from original tape sources.
LJC
Selection: Revelation (K Barron)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/yusef-lateef_revelation_the-phoenix-and-the-centaur_1960-riverside-rlp9337_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Revelation (Kenny Barron) 06:02
A2. Apathy 05:24
A3. Ev’ry Day (I Fall in Love) (Fain/Kahal) 06:57
B1. The Centaur & the Phoenix (Charles Mills) 05:35
B2. Iqbal 04:51
B3. Summer Song (Charles Mills) 05:25
B4. The Philanthropist 03:59
Artists
Tate Houston, baritone saxophone; Ben Tucker, Ernie Farrow, bass; Josea Taylor, bassoon; Lex Humphries, drums; Garvin Masseaux, Roger Sanders, percussion; Joe Zawinul, piano; Yusef Lateef, tenor saxophone, oboe, flute, woodwind [argol]; Curtis Fuller, trombone; Clark Terry, Richard Williams, trumpet.
Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York; October 4 & 6, 1960; Ray Fowler recording engineer; mastered at Components Corp, Denville, New Jersey by Jack Matthews on Hydrofeed lathe; Ken Deardoff, album design; Orin Keepnews, producer. Fellow Cannonball Adderley sideman Joe Zawinul on piano, and Kenny Barron, who as keyboard player, composer and arranger, would play a key role on Lateef’s Atlantic albums in the mid 1970s.Music
All Music say: On “The Centaur And The Phoenix – The Big Sound Of Yousef Lateef”, Yusef Lateef continued to explore music from the East, but also dips into the European classical tradition with the angular, Stravinsky-esque title track.
Lateef was always gently stretching the boundaries of his music, to absorb techniques, new rhythms, and new influences. Providing the structure and textures for these intricate compositions was Lateef’s largest ensemble to date.
The greatest miracle of the recording is the balance that Lateef achieves with this large group – they are always an asset, never a distraction, and even as they come on strong and powerful he remains in charge, somehow making his delicate flute, or oboe, tenor sax or argol, rise above it all, spilling out brightness, grace and joy.”
Vinyl: US Riverside RLP 9337
(DHarleySerlin, Discogs reviewer and occasional commenter at LJC says)
“Although I usually prefer Lateef’s recordings in mono, the orchestral setting of Centaur/Phoenix actually benefits from a stereo mix. The soundstage is gigantic and makes for a very satisfying listening experience.”
I’ll echo that, DHS. The wide stage presentation is a big part of the listening experience. Featured instruments are often positioned on the periphery of the sound field, but sometimes elsewhere, the ensemble is often recorded as a single block; the listener has to track this revolving cast of musicians popping up in a whack-a-mole sonic workout. Then, they have to grapple with the varied music content, and Lateef’s changing armory of instruments. This is fun not available in mono, though some may prefer it.
Harry’s Place
Through the magic of time travel, Harry transports us to Montreux 1970, where his lens captured Lateef and Clark Terry like it was just yesterday, analog film in monochrome, as on the LP cover.
Photo-credit ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner (updated)
Original mono and stereo editions: RLP catalogue number, deep groove (hat tip, Aaron)
Second issue mono and stereo: RM and RS catalogue numbers, not DG:
Orpheum Productions stereos 1966-8, different color labels, not DG
A public domain digital transfer merchant pops up with questionable-source release (Cornbread Records, pressing looks like the work of GZ Media, CZ), and a Spanish Fresh Sounds-related reissue label, Jazz Workshop, no original Lateef Riverside tapes, if they even still existed, never mentioned.
“Audiophile” Lateef Reissues
Yusef Lateef has seen increasing attention from modern reissue labels – some from digital sources, some remastered from original tapes. Arc UK claim original tape source for the Detroit album; German Speakers Corner have a sterling reputation for original tape sources – claim Blue Lateef is “remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head“. Dutch Music On Vinyl boasts large scale DMM manufacturing capacity, make no claim as to sources for this same reissue, and produce a large catalogue of albums sourced from hi-res digital files; Life Goes On Records is a European bootleg label, unofficial unlicensed editions, sourced from heaven knows what, MP3 download, in bandit territory, anything goes.
Lateef – Verve by Request/ Decca.
Lateef has a number of Impulse label albums. The fate of Impulse tapes in the LA back-lot fire is frequently alluded to in the mainstream music press. None of recent Impulse reissues own up to sources, which means they are most likely from PCM digital files which date back 30 years to the1990’s, when many music catalogues were digitized in preparation for CD editions. Forget the “newly-remastered” schtick, every vinyl reissue is, including digital sourced.
Verve By Request makes the familiar ambiguous claim, from original analogue sources “when available“. A friend who bought the Alice Coltrane El Daoud album dismissed it immediately as digital source, unlistenable. Seems analog sources are often not available, as the tapes are gone. Honesty as regards sources seems the industry’s biggest casualty, everyone hiding behind weasel words. If anyone has the insider story on Verve by Request, whispers among The Hoffmen, do tell. .
Decca have always been pretty straight-arrow with British jazz from preserved legacy original tape sources, but their association with Verve by Request casts a shadow over a trusted name.
Fortunately I have acquired Lateef Impulse titles as originals, including Psychicemotus, 1984, A Flat G Flat And C, and All Around The World. Eastern Sounds is the original Moodsville, but a bit crackly. Other Lateef Prestige I have on Esquire Cry Tender (32-139) and Sound of Yusef. (32-069). Great music, but what prospect for increasing numbers of reissues from digital sources? I see another Pharoah Saunders Impulse album on the horizon – Black Unity – following the same digital-to-vinyl formula.
I figure now is a good time to buy, beg, borrow or steal original vinyl while you still can, before the shelves are all stacked only with multi-colored 180gm toffee.
I read recently that Spotify is working on the next generation “DJ AI” – Artificial Intelligence will hereafter curate your musical choices. (I took an intelligence test once, fortunately the results came back negative). Personally, I reserve the right to make my own mistakes rather than have a circuit-board virtual DJ make them for me. I make mistakes sometimes, sure, but at least they are my mistakes. On reflection, mistakes have been my best teacher.
LJC. Hat sideways.
Selection: Fire Waltz
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/eric-dolphy-at-the-five-spot_fire-waltz_esquire-12-173_1961_rvg_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
- Fire Waltz (Waldron) – 13:44
- Bee Vamp (Little) – 12:30
- The Prophet (Dolphy) – 21:22
Artists
Booker Little, trumpet; Eric Dolphy, alto sax, bass clarinet, flute; Mal Waldron, piano; Richard Davis, bass; Ed Blackwell, drums; recorded at the “Five Spot Cafe”, NYC, July 16, 1961, engineer Rudy Van Gelder, released November 1961.
Music
Progressive front line over a more conventional rhythm section: Dolphy spirited and fiery, Booker Little more boppish, Mal Waldron plays the dark card, syncopating irregular chord permutations and voicings in the background – a work of art in its own right.
Dolphy switches between alto and bass clarinet, with its characteristic drainpipe or “milk-bottle top” tone, his trademark waves of rising and falling scales of varying intensity and direction, a saturnine spirit at play. Dolphy is a stylist for whom words seem inadequate to describe his music, when you can just listen.
The Five Spot session also offers a good slice of Booker Little, a talent who left precious few recordings. On At The Five Spot he sits midway between the modal rhythm section and the progressive twists and turns of Dolphy, crafting melodic ideas of his own invention, on the fly.
A month after the Five Spot session, Little recorded with Max Roach on the Impulse title Percussion Bitter Sweet, and in September 1961, recorded as leader for Bethlehem the album “Victory and Sorrow” (below, Bethlehem original, impossible to find, and 1977 reissue of indeterminate source and weak sonics, a poor legacy)
Little died the following month, in October 1961, age only 23.
Vinyl: Esquire 12-173 UK issue of NJLP 8260
Side A: NJLP-8260 A-1 Side B: NJLP-8260 B-1
Interesting, both sides are -1 matrix code, Rudy’s method of identifying a second mastering. Rudy needed a second shot at mastering the original Prestige/New Jazz release.
When someone else comes along, decades later, and remasters a session “from the original tapes”, are they using the original recording tapes to make a “flat transfer” – as found? Always a perfectionist, Van Gelder needed a second shot, perhaps the original tapes had some flaws, peak overloads, something not right. A useful reminder that the hallowed original tapes are just a starting point for the mastering engineer to make his own chosen interpretation. I guess not all masters from the original tapes sound the same as the original master – depends who’s wearing the hat.
Esquire, along with several other European jazz labels, were pressed with original Prestige/ Van Gelder US metal and not “remastered” from copy tape, as was the industry standard practice for overseas distribution. Artwork was however usually left to local initiative. Some Esquire covers are odd cartoons and line drawings, but the Dolphy cover lives up to the title (photo by Valerie Wilmer, British writer, music critic and photographer).
The Dutch Artone RVG edition, also with its own artwork:
Aside from the RVG stamp, there is often an AB etching on the metal, indicating manufactured at Abbey Mfg., but not in the case of this title.
Collector’s Corner
Original US mono edition: Purple New Jazz label. A Product Of Prestige Records Inc., 203 S. Washington Ave., Bergenfield, N. J. . Up to $1,000 in top condition.
The Esquire edition (and other European editions from original metal) makes a modestly priced alternative, for essentially the same pressing, at around a quarter of the price, or less.
Eagle-eyed LJC readers note: odd that a copy of Volume 2 should top the auction price for Volume 1. You do wonder if bidders are paying full attention, or getting carried away in the excitement, seeing what they expect to see, not what is actually there. Volume Two was released on the Bergenfield yellow/black fireworks label in October 1963
Esquire had I gone bust by the time Volume Two was released, and never saw a UK release from original metal. Both Five Spot volumes were subsequently reissued as OJC’s in the late ’80s, no doubt remastered from the original tapes by Gary Hobish or George Horn, I get confused as to the who and when of the GHs. Countless CD editions have appeared since, usually stereo, ~~but no proper modern vinyl reissue has emerged.~~
UPDATE Reader tip: Analogue Productions released a stereo reissue of the Five Spot session, according to Discogs “mastered from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray. 200-gram LPs pressed at Acoustic Sounds’ Quality Record Pressings, plated by Gary Salstrom“.
I was never a fan of AP titles from the Hoffman era, but I have not heard anything from them recently. This AP edition was apparently issued in early 2016, several years before Kevin Gray made the massive improvements heard today on Tone Poets. It is difficult to judge any reissue without a benchmark like an original pressing for comparison. The “sounds great to me” thing doesn’t add anything of value. I have an open mind, comparative opinions welcome.
Also, Japan editions? Comparative opinion?
LJC
Selection: “Blue Spirits” (Hubbard)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/freddie-hubbard-blue-spirits-st-blue-note-tone-poet-2023.mp3. . .
Hubbard’s melancholy opening lines and heartrending vibrato pair perfectly with Spaulding’s hippy-flute to give the title track a very Sixties flavour. That is Sixties in a good way. Throw in Hank Mobley and McCoy Tyner and you have a delight for the ears. An album put together from two sessions a week apart, with a slightly different line up:
February 19 session: Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Kiane Zawadi, euphonium; James Spaulding, alto sax, flute; Joe Henderson, tenor sax; Harold Mabern, piano; Larry Ridley, bass; Clifford Jarvis, drums; Big Black, congas, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 19, 1965
A1. Soul Surge (10:24)
B2. Cunga Black (5:15)
February 26 session: Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Kiane Zawadi, euphonium; James Spaulding, alto sax, flute; Hank Mobley, tenor sax; McCoy Tyner, piano; Bob Cranshaw, bass; Pete La Roca, drums. Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 26, 1965
A2. Blue Spirits (12:14)
B1. Outer Forces (9:35)
B3 Jodo (7:07)
Music
In the early 1960’s Freddie Hubbard laid down some of his most iconic Blue Note recordings – Goin’Up, Open Sesame, and the rest. By 1965, possibly his ninth album for Blue Note – the exact count isn’t important here – Freddie was looking to expand his platform with more complex arrangements and voices, bringing in the tuba alternative to trombone – Bernard McKinney, and James Spaulding on flute and alto. Big Black arrives with conga to add meat to the percussion, while counterweight to the trumpet Freddie welcomes stalwart tenors Hank Mobley and Joe Henderson to one of the two sessions that comprise the album.
Blue Spirits is an unusual album in Hubbard’s discography, which soon after took a sharp turn towards souls-jazz direction under the the Atlantic banner. In addition to his outstanding virtuoso-trumpet, Hubbard tests his composition and arranging skills – ambitious progression, and sails close to congestion in the ensemble. Van Gelder also has a task to manage the assembled voices, and as a listener, you need to flip between Henderson and Mobley as the track sequence is interlaced with songs from each session, with James Spaulding in both, just to keep you on your toes.
Though Freddie has been a regular visitor to my turntable, Blue Spirits was probably my least played of his Blue Notes, perhaps due to the density of the work, an overall muddiness of the collective septet/octet arrangements, and the absence of a “killer track” compared with other albums, not helped by Side One Track One – Soul Surge – a pedestrian repetitive soul-jazz formula which failed to bring me back for closer listening. That’s True Confessions of a Jazz Listener, apologies to anyone out there for whom Blue Spirits is their favourite album.
There was another problem: on my shelf was a mono and a stereo copy of Blue Spirits, both Liberty, fortuitously VAN GELDER masters – the mono a ~~west coast~~ All Disc pressing, the stereo a Keel Mfg. “serrated edge” pressing. Was there another reason why the album failed to enthuse me? I had an uneasy suspicion that all was not well, but on my own written advice, they should both sound great – but play was infrequent, which tells me something without looking for explanation.
Years came and went, and suddenly the Blue Note Tone Poet schedule announced “Blue Spirits” would be getting the Tone Poet treatment in May 2023. “Thankfully that’s one I don’t need!” I thought. But curiosity nagged: how would a Tone Poet Kevin Gray remaster stack up against a VAN GELDER metal stereo master? Nobody in their right mind would take this challenge, because they already know the answer, whatever it is. Who would be daft enough to buy both? Who indeed…
Vinyl: BST 84196 (Tone Poet Series)
Side One is just over 22minutes , Side Two just short of 22 minutes, fitting them each onto vinyl without over-packing the grooves will have given Van Gelder a few headaches, even Kevin Gray has lost some of his usual acres of spare runout groove area. The TP is as usual 15-20% quieter than the hotter original Van Gelder cut
Gray has mastered a characteristic ultra-wide panoramic soundstage from the original two track tape, which has benefitted the extraction of detail from the dense septet/octet mix. The result lifts the performance to a level I think is sonically superior to the original Van Gelder stereo mix. I am on record saying original beats modern remasters, most of the time, and I stand by that as a generalisation, but on Blue Spirits, the Tone Poet offers a significant audio performance improvement.
Despite their Van Gelder metal provenance, it is always possible there is a degree of weakness in the Liberty pressings that an original Plasylite pressing would not have. It may be the underlying source of the difference, and the only recording for which this comparison holds true, mere speculation. There may be other explanatory variables, who knows, but hearing is believing, explanation is a second best. If it sounds better, the explanation why is a luxury.
Gatefold: my hero Freddie with my other hero, a small diaphragm pencil condenser microphone in shock-mount, pictured in corner. When you hear Freddie, you are hearing that valve microphone at work, possibly a Neumann KM54a – by 1965 successor to the more bulky but magical U47.
Harry’s Place
Larry Ridley, bass. Exclusively at LJC, Harry M, the all seeing eye, at Jazz Expo 1969. Natural film grain, pure analogue process, no digital artefact (aside from screen web-format). You can see music happening, marvelous.
Photo credit © Harry M
Collector’s Corner
LIBERTY Van Gelder Stereo – third party pressing (140gm)
Serrated Edge: likely Keel Mfg, Hauppage pressing
As a nearby East Coast third party plant, Keel Mfg. could be supplied with Van Gelder stampers and Keystone printed labels with relative ease, providing Liberty with local additional capacity. Keel was the only plant I have come across which trimmed the excess vinyl extrusion around stampers with a tell-tale serrated tooth trimming blade.
The LJC Friendly Competition:
Van Gelder, with no hat – goes head to head with Kevin Gray, with a hat. Are hats the essential audiophile accessory? If you want to get ahead, should you get a hat?
- Blue Spirits – no hat – Van Gelder Master Stereo, Liberty Pressing circa 1966-7
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/freddie-hubbard-blue-spirits-st-blue-noteliberty-stereo-keel-mfg-press-1967.mp3. . .
2. Blue Spirits – with audiophile cap – Kevin Gray. Tone Poet Remaster Stereo from Van Gelder’s tapes (2023)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/freddie-hubbard-blue-spirits-st-blue-note-tone-poet-2023.mp3. . .
Decide for yourself the merits of a Van Gelder Stereo Master source compared with Kevin Gray/ RTI. They are both very good, but… on my system, especially since installing the Dynavector DVXT-1 cartridge, with its hyper-sensitive stereo presentation – the TP has the edge (to my ear). Perhaps its due to the audiophile hat.
Adding the TP to my listening repertoire has been an inexpensive bonus. A great recording that wasn’t getting much play has now been getting a lot of play, funny how that works. As for hats, I can never decide, peak sideways or backwards?
Any thoughts on Freddie, Tone Poets, or even the Royal Coronation hat, Charles III special monarch-exclusive Crown: kneel, subjects! The floor is yours.
POSTSCRIPT, MAY 17:
Viktor has tipped the Liberty/NY label mono as the best-sounding edition of “Blue Spirits”. Of course, this is sitting on my shelf along side the Stereo editions. I held back on the mono to keep the shootout like for like, stereo vs stereo, but it is only fair to allow the mono to throw its hat in the ring.
Blue Spirits – mono edition NY label, VAN GELDER
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/freddie-hubbard-blue-spirirts-blue-spirit-mobley-blue-note-4196-ear.mp3. . .
As always mono has a purity of its own, a central focus on the music without the “distraction” (illusion) of instrument position. It’s different, some prefer it.
L:JC
Selection: The Rebound
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/dizzy-reece_the-rebound_-84023-star-bright-1959-_bn-vinyl-classics-2023-german-press.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. The Rake
A2. I’ll Close My Eyes
A3. Groovesville
B1. The Rebound
B2. A Variation On Monk
B3. I Wished On The Moon
Artists
Dizzy Reece, trumpet; Hank Mobley, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Art Taylor, drums.; Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 19, 1959
One of Jamaica’s music-trained Alpha Boys, schoolmate of Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece moved to London for more opportunities in the late 40s, but found Europe more accommodating, returning to London in the mid 50s. Championed by Decca’s Tony Hall, he made a few now very collectable EPs and LPs on the British Tempo label, which have yet to have a modern audiophile release. Some say the Tempo tapes still exist, others say they are lost. Perhaps it is the current management of Decca who are lost.
Many of the 50s/early 60s British jazz fraternity turned to TV and film scores to help make ends meet, including this British crime caper Nowhere To Go, OST written by Dizzy released on Tempo EP, featuring Tubby Hayes. The film trailer can be found on Youtube but to be honest, I would not bother, not enough jazz, and not enough violence for today’s Netflix generation. (I’ve just complete all nine series of James Spader’s Blacklist, in which the body count per episode is many multiples of Alec Baldwin’s.
Musician’s big ambition was to break into the home of jazz, New York. The Musician’s Union still held a protectionist stranglehold, but artist exchange could be arranged, as luckily a few American jazzmen liked the idea of a residency in foggy London, at Ronnie Scotts, Soho, win win. At the close of the decade, Dizzy Reece stowed his trumpet below deck and headed for New York.
“Al Lion’s” Blue Note put a lot of effort into promoting Dizzy, with two singles in the Blue Note 1700 series, released for radio play and juke box. (Does anyone collect these? Why?)
In addition to various sideman roles, Dizzy earned three Blue Notes as leader:
4006 Blues In Trinity, recorded at Decca Studios London August 1958, one of the few Blue Notes not recorded in the US, released in the US as a warm up act in April 1959; 4023 Star Bright released January 1960, and the follow up title 4033 Sounding Off, released in August 1960. However the finest album from this period was Reece’s magnificent Asia Minor for Prestige/ New Jazz. Perhaps recording for the opposition was not a good sign of the relationship with “Al Lion”. (Strange the difference a diminutive first name makes, Al Lion, he’s Alfred)
You can hear Dizzy Reece blowing on Andrew Hill’s unearthed Blue Note masterpiece Passing Ships, Duke Jordan’s Flight To Jordan, and Hank Mobley’s final recording, 1969’s The Flip. Reece’s recording career seems to have petered out somewhere in the late 70s, after a partnership with new-thing tenor player Ted Curson, some occasional sessions with Clifford Jordan on Muse, then just the occasional appearance in Europe. A few personal interviews seem more interested in social matters than his musical experience and legacy, perhaps someone knows more. Our own jazz authority HenryBebop has a longer overview of Dizzy’s career in New York
Reece sessions are documented in a 3-CD Mosaic boxset. Mosaic (Cuscuna) seems willfully-blind to the vinyl revival and the deposing of CD, neither as convenient as download, nor of the audio quality of vinyl, destined to disappear. Mosaic still churn out CD box sets. Maybe Cuscuna will boldly join the Wax Cylinder Revolution?
Unbelievably, Dizzy is still with us (checks wristwatch) at the age of 92.
Music
Star Bright is a magnificent showcase of performances, by a dream team. Reece holds his own, with a tone “fat as butter”, generously allows plenty of space for Hank Mobley, who is in devastatingly confident form, for me the outstanding feature of this album. Throw in Wynton Kelly, and Paul Chambers, irresistible combination.
I have always felt Mobley plays better under pressure, boxed in and having to fight his way out. Too much space and he’s laid back. His solos here are peppered with rapid-fire cascades, flourishes and hoots, backflips, summersaults, twisting triplets, constructing ingenious escape routes, sliding backwards down the stair-rail kicking out the spindles, unpredictable stops and starts, all in Mobley’s chocolate-malt nasal tone. More Mobley? You can not have too much Mobley, not possible!
The Rake was the obvious choice for the single, with its pictorial swaggering walk, but The Rebound is seriously hot, with Wynton Kelly upping the rhythmic velocity, while Chambers is beaming in the background, taking it all in his stride. And all the other tracks contain great solos, not forgetting, from Dizzy Reece himself. This is such an exciting album, great stereo for 1959, who knew?
Vinyl: Blue Note Classic Vinyl BST-84023
Remastered from the original two-track tapes by Kevin Gray. Very wide soundstage, a delight in my listening room, with Hank playing somewhere beyond the right speaker, in my front garden, and Dizzy beyond the left speaker, in my kitchen. A look at the Audacity histograms shows the extreme channel separation and fast dynamic response. Reece is on the left channel, Mobley biding his time on the right, time off for a beer, the symmetry is Wynton’s piano, placed in centre. I am not an engineer, but I identify as one.
Considering late 1959 was still early days for Rudy’s two track recordings, Gray has worked magic with the stereo, and surprisingly it is cut quite loud. Optimal pressing Germany, inky black near silent vinyl. What happens when everything is done right, all thumbs up for this quality of vinyl.
Collector’s Corner
Prefer an original copy? There are a few knocking around, mono – the collector’s gold standard.
How would sir like to pay – Arm or Leg?
Too rich for me. Got to say the Classic Vinyl looks unbeatable value.
For some time, the Division of United Artists mono was my go to edition, as the above was out of the question
But I am so impressed with what Kevin has delivered with stereo, there is no shame in having both. For comparison, here is the same track The Rebound for comparison, in UA mono:
The Rebound – Division of United Artists undocumented 1972 Blue Note replica series:
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/dizzy-reece_the-rebound_-84023-star-bright-1959-_divua-mono-1972.mp3. . .
On some recordings mono works best, but with a quintet, a horn on either channel gives more dynamic interest than just layering. Share any thoughts of your own.
On the Horizon
OMG another must have release by Tone Poet today 5th May 2023. More Freddie! Do they not understand there is a cost-of-listening crisis? Strangely irresistable, I can’t say no.
Another stereo to go alongside my mono original pressing, I think. Turntables are made for spinning disks like this, What else: pottery classes?
LJC
Selection: Down Another Road
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/graham-collier-stockholmn-69_down-another-road-live_myonlydesire_gearbox_ljc.mp3. . .
Track list
1.Burblings for Bob13:40
2.Molewrench – Intro 00:13
3.Molewrench1- 3:00
4.Lullaby for a Lonely Child – Intro00:12
5.Lullaby for a Lonely Child 05:45
6.Down Another Road – Intro 00:22
7.Down Another Road 07:43
8.The Barley Mow – Intro 00:30
9.The Barley Mow 05:45
10.Aberdeen Angus – Intro 00:13
11.Aberdeen Angus – 09:17
Artists
Graham Collier, double bass; Harry Beckett, trumpet, flugelhorn; Nick Evans, trombone; Stan Sulzmann, tenor and alto saxophone; Karl Jenkins, oboe, piano; John Marshall: drums.
No engineers or studio mentioned, but I found this picture credited to Swedish Radio Stockholm 1967, looks like the boys in the editing suite, surrounded by analogue tapes, as they should be at that time. Clock on the wall says they are on their lunch break. Put the ciggie out, Sven.
Stockholm Radio broadcasts in1969 included Jethro Tull and The Jimmy Hendrix Experience on Scandinavian tour, recorded at the Konserhuset, Stockholm, who probably hosted the Collier gig.
Music:
Promo: “My Only Desire Records presents this previously unreleased recording of bassist/composer Graham Collier‘s seminal British jazz album Down Another Road recorded live in 1969 at Stockholm’s Jazz Day festival… Since it’s release in 1969, Down Another Road has become a cornerstone of British jazz, with the LP now a much sought-after rarity that regularly exchanges hands for over £200. It’s considered the revered composer Collier’s greatest album by many of its fans, thanks to its highly melodic, almost pop-like themes and irresistible ’60s groove.”
Press Reception:
“The phrase ‘Mastered and cut by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox’ is like a beacon for collectors, guaranteeing that sonic delights lurk within. Such is the case for the latest release from niche jazz historians My Only Desire Records…a superb live recording.” – Clash Magazine
“A terrific album, well recorded by Sveriges Radio, lovingly curated by My Only Desire Records and with a sparkling remaster by Casper Sutton-Jones from the audiophile Gearbox label. It sounds like it could have been recorded in 2023, which is fitting for such timeless music.” – All About Jazz
“The new live album is a gem – hardly surprising given the musicians involved…The tracks compare very well with their studio counterparts; as one might expect, the live Stockholm set tends to be a little freer, a little more fiery, perhaps a little funkier, but the ensemble playing is as tightly coordinated as one could wish.” – Notes and Observations by Geoff Andrew
“This is a superb historical document of the British Jazz scene and an excellent example of some of the most brilliant music created in Britain by the end of the 1960s, which was a true age of discovery and explosive development. Absolutely essential to all British Jazz enthusiasts and record collectors.” – Adam Baruch – The Soundtrack of My Life
LJC take:
Graham Collier Music is one of the treasures of British Jazz from the late 60s-70s: melodic, inventive, original, serious, and hardly a nod in the jazz-rock fusion direction of the time.
The original recording for Swedish Radio is effectively mono. “Live” concert-hall recordings like this are sometimes merely a live feed from the venue p.a. system, instrument balanced and mixed together for broadcasting, not a stereo-engineered recording. The result is sonically a bit muddy and lacking instrument detail, though it benefits from the energy that accompanies live performance. The band sticks quite closely to the recorded works, not bad, but I hoped for better. Swedish Radio lacked sonic ambition and the recording doesn’t compare well with Austrian Radio Jazz – the Wallen Bink Sessions – which offer much superior “studio quality” radio recording.
The verbal introduction to each track get a bit tedious – worthy, and I guess very British 1969. “The next track is from our new album…” dates pretty quickly, especially if you already have their new album, and repeated play. “The next track is dedicated to The Barley Mow, which is a pub in Berkshire…” Recommended on TripAdvisor? Wait, is Barley Mow an anagram of Bob Marley? Not quite, but close enough. Live intro’s need to have something that adds cultural context, like Cannonball Adderley: “…now that’s really hip, y’know what I’m sayin'”? or Pee Wee Marquette at Birdland: “Welcome … Mr… Art!!..Blakey!!! ”
Vinyl: My Only Desire MOD005 released February 24, 2023
Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox has plenty of experience mastering radio recordings from our own BBC. Caspar can cut great stuff – depending on the sonic quality of the original material. You appreciate what Van Gelder achieved ten years earlier, individually microphoning The Jazz Messengers instruments at Bohemia or The Jazz Corner of the World – Neumann mics, portable Ampex recorder, live, musicians in the room stereo mix, you in the front row.
Two LP’s at 33 1/3rpm, around 10-12 minutes a side, mercifully not 45rpm, but still heavy on carpet-wear. Cut a little quiet, as seems customary, vinyl sounds better cut hot.
The colour-solarized artwork – pink and green – hostage to visual-effects fatigue.
Gatefold: Harry’s Place ! Harry M’s original photos, you saw them here first at LJC
Collector’s Corner
The original Graham Collier Music album reviewed here, with original sample of the track dedicated to a pastoral country pub The Bob Marley.
Graham Collier: Down Another Road (1969) Fontana
Barley Mow from “Down Another Road ” – commercial release, Fontana 1969
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/graham-collier-barley-mow-further-down-the-road-fontana.mp3. . .
The original Collier Fontana album is rare and expensive; the Stockholm 1969 live sessions give you something close, for comparatively small change. It’s not a bad alternative.
Professor Jazz
Busy time here at LJC Towers, lots of new releases incoming, including this arrival, the wonderful Blue Note 84023 Star Bright, Dizzy Reece, released just days ago in the Classic Vinyl Series (pressed in Germany). Opening observation: I think is one of the finest Hank Mobley albums ever recorded:
Subject of a forthcoming post! If you want to throw in a spoiler, post your thoughts here first.
So much good stuff coming out, any other titles that have caught your ear…give us a shout.
LJC
Selection: Water From An Ancient Well (11:55)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/abdullah-ibrahim_water-from-an-ancient-well_-rvg-1985_blackhawk_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Mandela – 4:58
A2 Song for Sathima – 6:10
A3 Mannenberg Revisited (Cape Town Fringe) – 6:09
A4 Tuang Guru – 5:24
B1 Water from an Ancient Well – 11:55
B2 The Wedding – 2:38
B3 The Mountain – 3:19
B4 Sameeda – 5:56
Artists
Abdullah Ibrahim, piano; Carlos Ward, alto, flute; Ricky Ford, tenor sax; Charles Davis, baritone sax; David Williams, bass; Ben Riley, drums; Dick Griffin, trombone; recorded October 1985 Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., recorded and digitally remixed by Rudy Van Gelder; mastered by George Horn at Fantasy (US edition)
Music
Album listed in “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”, since reduced on government scientific advice to 983 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (with, without, or from Covid, or any other cause but definitely not a vaccine)
Water From An Ancient Well is an outstanding composition from this remarkable album. A wistful and lyrical extended melody, set out by Ibrahim’s piano and worked through by each soloist in turn, finishing with bass choreographing all the changes in solo: altogether spellbinding, compelling music.
On my limited exposure to Abdullah’s albums (four to date), he is a composer rather than virtuoso pianist, though some speak warmly of his solo piano albums. His compositions blend African roots music with American modern jazz, often from the vantage point of Duke Ellington, horn soloists in the school of Lester Young or Ben Webster, often played by working second generation players like Ricky Ford.
Compositions often have a fairly loose structure, with a beginning and an end, and a free hand as to what happens in the middle. His line-ups often include baritone saxophone and trombone, lending it a Mingus-like urban texture and richness.
With around sixty years of recordings under his belt, Ibrahim’s discography offers great variety of instrument combinations and group-sizes. Some works from the 80s and 90s are cinematic narrative, with atmospheric ambience, and memorable melody-lines, which brought him naturally commissions for film scores. Others dip in and out of primitive afro-percussion, township upbeat brass sections, or more European romantic pianistic explorations. Throughout, his work is linked by strong sense of composition, which remains one of his most defining talents.
Vinyl: Blackhawk BKH 50207 (European edition)
This edition re-mastered in Germany by Bellaphon, from tape or digital file since it has been “digitally mixed” according to the credits. Mid-80s vinyl, a few isolated clicks despite maximum cycle ultrasonic cleaning, possibly a legacy of time served in Westminster City Library from which it came. 80’s were not a great time for vinyl quality, thus deserves better. Despite everything, it still sounds good – unmistakable, Rudy’s Touch.
Collector’s Corner
I added this album to a recent listening session with a hi-fi buddy. He was well familiar with the recording on CD, but startled by the depth and sonic vibrancy of presentation of vinyl, a big step-up in experience. I recommend an upgrade to vinyl, or you don’t really know the power of this work.
The US vinyl edition of Ancient Well features the dreaded barcode on back cover, Made In USA on label, mastered at Fantasy Records, pressed by Wakefield Mfg. Phoenix. AZ. According to the Discogs uploader., this week’s fun-fact, Bellaphon did not introduce the barcode until the following year,1987Wakefield Mfg. had its own pressing symbol (left), another “W”, not one I have seen before. No evidence of George Horn (usually a very small GH etching) shown, nor a picture of pressing plant stamp.
It remains unclear which is the “original” issue, the German, or the American, given it was recorded in the US and each edition has a different mastering engineer. Either way, it is Van Gelder Studio recording that matters most.
Despite a long stream of reissues on CD, the album does not appear to have an modern official vinyl reissue since the mid 80s. Seems long overdue, especially due to its presence on the list of “837 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” ( totals further revised down on World Health Organization advice, due to globally reducing life expectancy.)
POSTSCRIPT
On the subject of life expectancy, we saw another light dim on the jazz legacy leaderboard with the departure of Ahmad Jamal, age 92. A good time to give the immortal Poinciana a spin:
Listen out for the new Jazz Detective series Ahmad Jamal Emerald City Nights, volumes 1963-4 and 1965-6. The similar provenance Cannonball Adderley Swinging at the Penthouse 1966-7 (Reel to REAL) credit recording engineer/Seattle radio DJ Jim Wilke, I’m guessing the same origin. Anyone any feedback on these issues, your thoughts welcome. A more worthwhile pursuit perhaps than “questionable” 60 year-old near mint Blue Notes, another of which just closed at over $1,800
AUCTION CLOSE:
All the buyer feedback for hwooso in the last month looks positive, and the buyer’s scores are mostly around 500, so not rookies, but not dealers either, and they seem happy.
LJC
Selection 1: Song #2 (9:28)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mike-westbrook-concert-band-love-song-2-love-songs_deram-1970-.mp3. . .
Selection 2: Song #4 (8:01)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mike-westbrook-concert-band-love-song-4-love-songs_deram-1970-.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Love Song No. 1 5:50
A2. Love Song No. 2 9:28
A3. Autumn King 6:09
B1. Love Song No. 3 12:14
B2. Love Song No. 4 8:01
B3. Original Peter 7:51
Artists:
Mike Osborne, alto saxophone; John Warren, baritone saxophone; Harry Miller, Bass, bass guitar; Alan Jackson, drums; Chris Spedding, guitar; Mike Westbrook, piano; George Khan, tenor saxophone; Malcolm Griffiths, Paul Rutherford , trombone; Dave Holdsworth, trumpet, Flugelhorn; Norma Winstone, vocals; Caroline Westbrook, lyrics.
Recorded at Tangerine Studios, Dalston, Hackney, London, March 13/April 15, 1970; Robin Sylvester, engineer (d.10/2022); Peter Eden, producer; Bernard Lee, executive-producer.
Westbrook is still with us and busy age 87, another survivor in a safe house in Devon, far from London’s Madding Crowd.
Music
Impossible choice, the concept of Love Songs needs a continuous 40 minute listening session; hypnotic modal pop-theme, poignant trombone solo, sparse plaintive lyrics, vocalese and alto saxophone entwined, 1970 British jazz enters the pop-age.
Love Songs? Pithy lyrics of love lost: “now you’re gone, and I’m alone.” Profound, eh? That’s how things usually work, two minus one = one, immutable law of physics. Fortunately, the music has more depth.
Westbrook lined up the best of the British jazz instrumentalists, less of a Jazz Old Folk’s Retirement Home, more a Young Folk’s Home. The brass section covers all bases: baritone, tenor and alto sax, and trumpet/flugelhorn. I’m particularly taken with the trombone, a surprisingly expressive voice, and quite moving, Malcom Griffiths, though there is another player also credited. Wary of electric fusion, Chris Spedding’s electric guitar is well-judged and integrated, a steely edge without rock theatrics. I even warm to Norma Winstone’s woowo-whoowoo vocalese, skipping over the spoken lyrics, and thankfully no nursery-rhyme poetry, she adds what is basically another instrument, in context.
Vinyl: Decca Deram SML 1069
In 1969 , Decca formed the Deram label, whose roster included Westbrook, John Surman, and Alan Skidmore alongside David Bowie and The Moody Blues. The label reflected how musical barriers were dissolving at the time. “For a short time, maybe 18 months, modern free jazz, blues, and progressive rock all coexisted together” (John Surman)
Worthy of a place on the vinyl British Jazz Shelf, Mike Westbrook’s Concert Band occupies a substantial section, but has not been well-served by the audiophile vinyl reissue industry. Concert Band titles pop up very occasionally among new arrivals, brushing three figures, and disappear equally quickly.
Solid engineering and quality pressing were the Decca hallmark.
Collector’s Corner
Original Peter (Multimedia event created by Mike Westbrook and John Fox 1970):
Bizarre musical and theatrical event, Cosmic Circus, involving high-divers, tight-rope, and carnival processions, which makes the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band look sensible in comparison. It explains why the album back cover incongruously features a gymnastic performer, and reminds us how incredibly young all these players were, big hair sideboards and moustaches, plus Norma Winstone and her shampoo-and-set.
With CGI yet to be invented, no tightly-choreographed dance troupe (Pan’s People were fully booked), the band lark about, put on silly costumes, and Hey Hey We’re not The Monkees, behave straight and silly at the same time, while the studio cameramen rove around looking what to shoot next. It’s all endearingly silly, rather too long, and very 1970.
His discography in these crucial years for British jazz is being covered at LJC, one acquisition at a time:
Celebration (1967) (Deram)
Release (1969) UK(Deram) acquired, to follow
Marching Song – Volumes 1 And 2 (1969) (Deram)
Love Songs (1970) (Deram) reviewed here
Metropolis (1971) (RCA Neon) – acquired, review to follow
Somewhere in the 80s Mike Westbrook founded Westbrook Records to release his own subsequent works, many found on Discogs priced in single figures, some vinyl quickly overtaken by CD and download. Few if any albums have the same traction as his late 60s British Jazz Explosion.
Selling music – as opposed to creating music – is such a fast-changing and competitive industry, subject to fashion and format-wars. Few jazz artists seem able to sustain their peak output, despite their listeners similarly heading towards the stair-lift and an early night.
I haven’t finished listening to the Sixties, only just starting on the Seventies. Artists output in the Eighties disappears down the Evil Silver Disk black hole. Performances in recent years seem to be large scale commissions for annual Festivals and Concert Venues. Not my metier, I’ll stick with musicians in my room, even if, with Westbrook and his Concert Band, it’s a bit crowded.
LJC
Selection 1: The Coaster
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/grachan-moncur-iii_the-coaster_evolution_blue-note4153-mono.mp3. . .
Selection 2 : Monk in Wonderland
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/grachan-moncur-iii-monk-in-wonderland_evolution_blue-note4153-mono_ljc.mp3. . .
I’m responding once again to a reader’s question, why I hadn’t reviewed Grachan Moncur’s Blue Note Evolution (4153)? It is a question I dread. I have it on my shelf, but the uncomfortable truth is I find it hard to review an album I do not personally enthuse over, and Evolution is one such album. I know there are certainly readers will not take my misgivings lightly. I remember some years ago I confessed to find Cecil Taylor unlistenable. In return I got a good kicking from a Taylor devotee, there is always one. You eat Life or Life eats you, nothing ventured nothing gained, (insert your own self-help homily of choice).
My preferred track from Evolution is The Coaster, which I find the most accessible title on the album. The dissonant outings like Air Raid and Evolution, I listen to from a sense of duty, but do not warm to.
It is the track Monk In Wonderland that seems to attract other jazz afficionados. I can listen very happily to Monk directly. Some musicians, such as Steve Lacy, became so obsessed with Monk that they sought to represent him in their own work, which seems an unnecessary when actual Monk work is so readily available. Certain music figures are sufficiently unique, that imitation and influence seems redundant.
I have ripped both tracks, a lot of bandwidth, but in fairness, you decide.
Track List
A1. Air Raid – 9:19
A2. Evolution – 12:24
B1. The Coaster – 11:39
B2. Monk in Wonderland – 7:54
Artists
Grachan Moncur III, trombone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; Jackie McLean, alto saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson, vibes: Bob Cranshaw, double bass; Anthony Williams, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 21, 1963; released March 1964
Music
The 60s found Moncur teetering on the edge of the Musical Bermuda Triangle: Far Out, New Thing and Avant Garde, plus an unhealthy interest in Monk, for a trombone player. Angular, dour, and free-ranging, Moncur is a challenging voice, many miles from JJ. and the swinging ‘bone. He enjoyed two albums as leader for Blue Note, a flag carrier for the Outside Tendency, which did not fit well with the more soulful direction of Liberty, and he left to find a more sympathetic home with Archie Shepp, where he remained on the Outside. Not unlike Roswell Rudd, fellow Outside Trombonist.
For his debut as leader, Blue Note assigned Moncur three familiar voices: Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean and Bobby Hutcherson. McLean plays like McLean, astringent tone, no stranger to the Outside. The familiar voice of Bobby Hutcherson is outside of his usual “ethereal” zone, mostly comping to cover the absent piano. The real enigma is Lee Morgan. All About Jazz nails the heart of it: “For a trumpet player who’s style was so distinctive it’s a little disconcerting to hear something so stylistically uncharacteristic”. I picture the three musicians wandering around Times Square, in the rain, each anxiously studying a guidebook, to the wrong city.
With so strong and pungent front line, a fourth Blue Note star Anthony Williams is somewhat rather in the background. I must play through again to pick out his contribution.
All Music cite Lee Morgan as saying his contribution to Evolution he “considered his best work”. Well, the only arbiter of Lee’s work is you, no appeal to authority, even if that authority is Lee Morgan himself. I mean, what does he know?
Not every piece of music requires classification, though most can be classified, a useful signpost. I classify Evolution as Experimental Jazz: searching for a change of direction, a new destination, not necessarily a successful experiment. It took many experiments to arrive at WD40 – at least 39 of which failed. Evolution is sufficiently tethered not be free jazz, it lacks the large modal open-canvas of post bop; it is not angry enough to be revolutionary, it’s not up there idling on the spiritual plane, and not soothing enough to be smooth jazz. File under Jazz: Experimental, good title as named, work in the process of evolution.
Vinyl: BLP 4153 mono
East Coast Liberty – second pressing, no ear, Keystone labels, VAN GELDER stamp, characteristically cut hot. Music aside, it sounds great, as Van Gelder should. Perhaps the stereo has a more theatrical stage presentation, but the mono here is intense, without respite, as befits the music. When Air Raid is underway, I advise to search for shelter.
Collector’s CornerIt is a rule at LJC that I do not promote the sale of records, but there comes a time where rules need to be set aside, and this is one such time. I got news today of a forthcoming auction which allegedly includes the personal collection of esteemed giant jazz writer and critic Ira Gitler. The collection contains many near-unique titles, a nose pressed against the shop window seemed the only natural response. I haven’t seen a list this strong since the infamous Nautiluso Scam in 2009.
You must decide provenance for yourselves, but I thought many readers here, after sinking their life savings in the Blue Note 180-rpm Wax Cylinder reissue set, would be interested to see what is on offer. I suggest, before you view, you have Cardiac Defibrillator paddles close at hand, and a signed deposition as to the division of your Estate should something unforseen arise. Consider including a small bequest to the LondonJazzCollector Foundation.
My reposting details of this auction is not a hoax. My next hoax will be April 1, 2024, when reality will be briefly suspended. This is what I received regarding the auction
Received at LJC April 6, 2023……………………………………………………………………………..
Hi Friends at London Jazz Collector,
My name is Ari Crane; Vinyl Record Consignment Director at Heritage Auctions; the largest collectables auction house in the world.
We have recently consigned the rarest Jazz collection I have ever seen which opens on April 17th with live auction May 11-14th.
I was hoping to share our video with you and your Team and hoping to WOW you enough to share with your followers.
Here is the YouTube video of the scarcest records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiELeMfvrXs
Here is the list with links to the rarest Jazz records I have ever seen many were New York Jazz writer & critic; Ira Gitler’s personal copies.
Charlie Parker The Bird Blows the Blues Rare Original Mail Order Vinyl Record (Dial, DLP 1)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/charlie-parker-the-bird-blows-the-blues-rare-original-mail-order-vinyl-record-dial-dlp-1-/p/7306-47248.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Booker Little Out Front (2) Disc Test Pressing
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/booker-little-out-front-2-disc-test-pressing/p/7306-47224.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Carole Creveling Here Comes… Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Euterpean, ETP 101)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/carole-creveling-here-comes-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-record-euterpean-etp-101-/p/7306-47229.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Carol Ventura …Sings Rare Unreleased Acetate Regent Sound Studios
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/carol-ventura-sings-rare-unreleased-acetate-regent-sound-studios/p/7306-47232.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Hank Mobley …and His All Stars Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Blue Note, BLP 1544)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/hank-mobley-and-his-all-stars-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-record-blue-note-blp-1544-/p/7306-47134.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Charlie Parker Rare Dial First Pressings Group of (4) 10-Inch Vinyl Records
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/charlie-parker-rare-dial-first-pressings-group-of-4-10-inch-vinyl-records/p/7306-47290.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
The Birdlanders …Vol.2 Rare Test Pressing Vinyl Record (Period, SPL 1212)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/the-birdlanders-vol2-rare-test-pressing-vinyl-record-period-spl-1212-/p/7306-47219.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Lola Albright …Wants You Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Kem, 101)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/lola-albright-wants-you-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-record-kem-101-/p/7306-47231.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Ray Barretto Acid Sealed Mono Vinyl LP (Fania, LP 346)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/ray-barretto-acid-sealed-mono-vinyl-lp-fania-lp-346-/p/7306-47259.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Prince Lasha It is Revealed Mono First Pressing Limited Edition Vinyl Record (Zounds, L-71863)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/prince-lasha-it-is-revealed-mono-first-pressing-limited-edition-vinyl-record-zounds-l-7186/p/7306-47251.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Kenny Dorham The Arrival of… Mono White Label Test Pressing Vinyl Record (Jaro, JAM 5007)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/kenny-dorham-the-arrival-of-mono-white-label-test-pressing-vinyl-record-jaro-jam-5007-/p/7306-47257.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Dexter Gordon …Blows Hot and Cool Mono Rare Red Vinyl Record (Dootone, DL-207)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/dexter-gordon-blows-hot-and-cool-mono-rare-red-vinyl-record-dootone-dl-207-/p/7306-47250.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Kenny Dorham ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia Mono Vinyl LP (Blue Note, 1524)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/kenny-dorham-round-about-midnight-at-the-cafe-bohemia-mono-vinyl-lp-blue-note-1524-andlt-/p/7306-47176.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Charlie Parker The Bird Blows the Blues Rare Mono Vinyl Record (Dial, 901)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/charlie-parker-the-bird-blows-the-blues-rare-mono-vinyl-record-dial-901-/p/7306-47220.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Tommy Flanagan Trio Overseas Mono Vinyl LP (Prestige, PRLP 7134)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/tommy-flanagan-trio-overseas-mono-vinyl-lp-prestige-prlp-7134-/p/7306-47328.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Donald Byrd Byrd’s Eye View Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Transition, J-4A)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/donald-byrd-byrd-s-eye-view-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-record-transition-j-4a-/p/7306-47247.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Miles Davis Kind of Blue “Misprint” White Label Promo Mono LP (Columbia, CL 1355) 8/10 in shrink
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/miles-davis-kind-of-blue-misprint-white-label-promo-mono-lp-columbia-cl-1355-/p/7306-47254.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Various Artists Cool Gabriels Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Groove, LG 1003). 8/10 Warhol Cover
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/various-artists-cool-gabriels-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-rec/p/7306-47300.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Kenny Dorham Afro Cuban Rare 10″ Mono Vinyl Record (Blue Note, 5065)
https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/kenny-dorham-afro-cuban-rare-10-mono-vinyl-record-blue-note-5065-/p/7306-47094.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Miles Davis Blue Moods Mono First Pressing Vinyl Record (Debut, DEB-120)https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/entertainment-and-music/miles-davis-blue-moods-mono-first-pressing-vinyl-record-debut-deb-120-/p/7306-47255.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Very Best, Ari Crane
Heritage Auctions
T-1.214.409.1856
Consignment Director – Vinyl Records
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Personally, it’s too rich for me. I have no financial interest in the auction, beyond collector’s curiosity. I have no means of verifying the authenticity of this offering. Ira Gitler passed away four years ago, in February 2019. The auction promotion is reposted in good faith. Come on, you have to be interested.
Raise any concerns or suspicions here to alert LJC readers. KoB 1959 white label promo – in shrink? Maybe. I must add, of the many copies of KOB I have heard, the OG promo was the best, by a good margin.
You should conduct your own due diligence before making any financial commitments.
LJC
Remember the Cassette Revolution?
Every few decades technical advances have improved the quality and convenience of music audio formats. After the ground-breaking unbreakable microgroove LP, we saw the audio cassette, then the Compact Disc, and the Download, and Spotify. Innovation Never Sleeps. HiFi enthusiasts and jazz-hipsters alike were taken by surprise by launch of what some critics have hailed the Ultimate Audio Format Revolution: the Wax Cylinder.
Maximum Revolution – 180rpm
Industry experts confidently predict 2024 will be the Year of the Wax Cylinder. Coinciding with the launch of the portable Edison X wax cylinder player, advance orders for the new format look set to eclipse the vinyl revival of recent years, with sales of the 180rpm tube set to overtake the 180-gram audiophile vinyl disk by Christmas.
Growth in 180-rpm Wax Cylinder sales now forecast to overtake vinyl
The launch of the audiophile 180rpm wax cylinder has seen record companies scrambling to reissue their back catalogues in the latest most talked about innovation since the last one.
Blue Note backs Back-to-Wax, with a new Tone Poet “Waxing-Lyrical” Series
Mastering guru Kevin Grey is seen here at inCohearent Studios, putting the final touches to the first wax cylinder Blue Note reissue
Grey explains: “The 1900s wax cylinder technology has been brought completely up to date. The big advance is cylinder rotation speed. The improved melting point of modern wax permits rotation speeds of up to 180 rpm, four times the previous 45rpm maximum speed of vinyl, allowing massively increased dynamic range. Combined with modern brass-horn speaker technology, and cut from the original master tapes, we think the 180rpm wax cylinder is the future audiophile format of choice”.
Are there any concerns about any environmental impact of 180rpm Wax Cylinder technology?” Grey responded: The original Edison wax cylinder was made primarily from animal fats, including whale blubber, even baby seals. Our formulation is entirely plant-based wax substitute, 100% Vegan, and the cylinders are fully recyclable. The planet is in safe hands with this technology“
Just as the stereo revolution required listeners to invest in a stereogram, a 180rpm cylinder player is required to take advantage of the super-audio performance of wax cylinders. The cylinders are not currently compatible with conventional vinyl turntables, though a spindle-fitted right-angle adaptor and 4x platter speed turbo-booster is expected to be seen later this year.
Grey’s Blue Note Wax Cylinder production line, work in progress
Blue Note President Don Was today announced the entire Blue Note catalogue would be made available in this exciting new format in 2024, starting with the acclaimed Hank Mobley self-titled issue 1568, 180rpm Edition.
Competition Time
Be among the first to own this Wax Cylinder 180rpm Collector’s Edition of Hank Mobley’s iconic Blue Note 1568, and join Ten lucky LJC readers. Simply click the Like icon at the foot of this post to be entered automatically into the free prize draw. Ten lucky winners will be drawn at random from entrants after the deadline. The future could be yours today, but hurry! Competition must close noon, Saturday April 1. Yes, this year.
Let’s get Back-to-Wax! Get clicking, and good luck!
ADVERTISEMENTExclusively for LJC readers, special introductory offer! The ultimate sound quality Edison X 180rpm wax cylinder player Limited Edition can be yours for only $999 (RRP $14,999). Reserve yours now, and get with the 180rpm music revolution.
Selection: Poopsie’s Minor (Wright)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/leo-wright_poopsies-minor_soul-talk_vortex-atlantic_1970_ljc.mp3. . .
Poopsie’s Minor is a wickedly infectious rhythmic outing, simple blues structure with a hook in the tail. Gloria’s tasteful comping meshes seamlessly with Kenny Burrell’s chordal syncopation, forming a solid backcloth to Wright’s flowing aerobatics. Frankie Dunlop pushes everything along, the bass seat vacant as Gloria’s foot-pedals carry the lower register. How does someone play music with their feet?
Our friend Francois at Flophouse Magazine beat me to this review by a narrow margin, of around ten years, in 2013. Given the record is fifty years old, I’ll chalk that up as a “near miss”.
Track list
A1.State Trooper (Gloria Coleman) – 2:38
A2. Blue Leo – 4:43
A3. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Traditional) – 4:29
A4. Soul Talk – 5:22
B1. Poopsie’s Minor – 4:46
B2. Skylark (Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer) – 5:20
B3. Blues Fanfare – 6:28
Artists
Leo Wright, alto saxophone, flute; Gloria Coleman, Hammond B3 organ; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Frankie Dunlop, drums, Tom Dowd engineer, recorded NYC, November 1, 1963, first released in 1970.
Music
(Bio condensed from All Music): “A bop-oriented alto saxophonist, and talented jazz flautist. In addition to Dizzzy Gillespie and sideman work, Wright established himself as a leader in early ’60s, New York-based bands that included the likes of Ron Carter, Junior Mance and Kenny Burrell. He recorded best-known album, Blues Shout, for the Atlantic label in 1960.Wright toured Europe and decided to stay, eventually moved to Berlin, where he played in a studio band and worked freelance. He essentially retired from music around 1979, before re-emerging in the mid-’80s. Wright died in 1991, age 57, in Vienna, Austria. His autobiography, “God Is My Booking Agent”, was published posthumously the same year. (God is unable to take your call right now. Please leave a message at the tone and the Supreme Being will get back to you soon as possible. For more assistance, press 1 for Plague, 2 for Pestilence, 3 for Famine, or hold the line and an agent will be with you shortly)
Unexpected star of this album is soul-organist Gloria Coleman, wife of tenor-toting George Coleman, a pairing not unlike Stanley Turrentine and Shirley Scott. Gloria had limited success with an Impulse title of her own, A47 Soul Sister with fellow sista, drummer Paola Roberts. Not one you see often:Leo Wright belongs to the hard-driving alto school of Phil Woods, Lou Donaldson, and Sonny Criss: blues-drenched, soulful fleet runs, ride the rollercoaster wherever it takes you, and hold tight on those hair-pin bends, as fingers fly. Gloria holds her own with church-like gospel chording, some dramatic extended sustains, without overplaying or Jimmy-Smithing, death-by-Hammond B3. Burrell plays rhythm guitar with exquisite rhythmic timing. The laminated heavy cover is tactile and wonderful to hold. This album was an unexpected delight, more Leo Wright please.Vinyl: Atlantic/Vortex 2011 stereo
The recording is top notch, bright and detailed tonal range and dynamics, nicely crafted stereo sound stage. With the vinyl scene awash with mediocre transfers, mechanically defective pressings, and dodgy stereo, it is a pleasure to mount on the turntable a record made in 1970 that sounds a natural vinyl experience. Fifty-year old Vortex are good news, they knew how to make records, no hype-sticker required.
Harry’s Place
Harry M caught this fine shot of Kenny Burrell at Jazz Expo 1969. Personally, I loathe photos of artists “smiling at me” (a pretence, smiling at a camera). Burrell’s expression is authentic, pure concentration, he’s working, I can hear his music in this photo. Another great shot, Harry.
Photo-credit: ©Harry M
Collector’s Corner
The vinyl section in record stores today is full of hype-stickered modern reissues, prominent among them the DOL collection, many on coloured vinyl. What’s it all about?
To get a fix on what record buyers think, I clicked over to the Hoffman public square. Sample of Hoffmen comments, a thread about DOL (Russian unofficial vinyl, widely distributed in Yrup) but similar discussion can be found about WaxTime, Doxy, countless other budget reissue labels, mostly the same type of comments, for and against:
Man at C&A,Jan 30, 2018#65 “I’ve learned the hard way with DOL. …absolutely awful. It’s all reprocessed stereo and all sounds like it’s been transferred from either a poor quality cassette complete with drop outs and distortion or poor quality MP3. The sound is inconsistent. The sleeve looks great. The vinyl quality sadly is superb which makes it worse. The sound is so bad I hate it. … I wish they were the CD transferred to vinyl! I could live with that…. This is total crap.”MondoFanM Bought Chet Baker Sings yesterday. Sounded great to me, but I’ve never heard the original.
Another comment: Chet Baker / Chet (yellow clear vinyl) on DOL. Impressive. Don’t know what to say, was expecting garbage, but sounds excellent. Quiet vinyl too. And another: After wondering around about these reissues, I decided to give DOL a try… . I can’t tell about the sources, but the sound is really nice. Lacks a bit of low frequencies, but the sound in this album seems like this to me in every version I’ve heard, so that’s OK to me. The pressing quality is really good – surface noise is null, and the vinyl seems to be of a higher quality when compared to many other reissue labels.smoke Just playing their Ellington at Newport, and the news is good. …I’m hearing pretty glorious stereo on a nice flat piece of clean vinyl. I’d be curious to know if anyone has compared it to a regular pressing, but I’m very satisfied with the sound….
Pages and pages of comments, more of the same. In a nutshell, some people find them pleasing, quite satisfying, most often mention flat vinyl, no surface noise, but never heard an original. Others find them terrible, comment about the poor sonics and low-quality sources. The discussion is about whether these records sound good. Both types of comments are entirely valid from their perspective as listeners. If it sounds great – or crap – to you, it does, that can’t be disputed. When I started out, I had little listening experience, and certainly not of “hi-end” equipment, that was years to come, but the other week I spent three to four hours with a couple of pals listening to some of my original pressings, on this beast:A Vertere Acoustics turntable, creation of ex-Roksan founder Touraj Moghaddam, seriously hi-end. One of Touraj’s magic ingredients is total stability of power supply, no micro-fluctuations that cause micro-irregularity in platter rotation. You have to hear to believe the clarity in timbre that results. It doesn’t matter how good a recording is if you can’t get that information out, if it was captured in the first place. The information this turntable extracts from (original) vinyl is extraordinary. You hear more information about note attack and decay, colouring, dynamics, emotion, everything. The Vertere had analogue/tube audio amplification to match, the experience set a new benchmark for me in critical listening.A lot of energy is expended discussing the quality of records, I do so myself. Not much discussing the listeners, which is all a bit personal, and what does anyone know about the listener anyway? Some hi-fi forum commenters list their hi-end equipment, sonic bling, no guarantee of the judgement of the listener. Visit any hi-end audio show and notice the “rubbish” some “audiophiles” listen to listen to. Superb equipment can conceal an underlying lack of musical taste. This is how I think it works, opinion on hearing a DOL reissue:No offence intended to listeners of modest means, we were all there once. And of course some records are sonically crap, by any standard, no argument there. But you have to explain why different listeners report such a different account of what is ostensibly the same product, in this case “DOL reissues”. We all have the same ears, no? No. It is all about what those ears are attached to, stored experience. At one point, I had never heard an original pressing, nor a hi-end hi-fi. Budget reissues are cheap (but you can’t hear price) and some are appreciated for being “silent” vinyl (judging what you can’t hear, rather than by what you can); some worry about whether they are licensed ( licenses do not grant access to tapes – merely access to royalty-collecting lawyers). At the other end of the spectrum are serious hi-end audio listeners who tell me they consider Kevin Grey’s Tone Poet engineering is over-rated compared with certain other producers. Well, it’s a point of view. I have my own opinions, others are entitled to theirs.Yeah, just another Audio-Supremacist.I keep hoping to find original quality modern reissues, but am constantly disappointed, even by the best, mastered from original tapes. I have gone back to seeking out vintage originals, and find them very satisfying, on my hi-end equipment. Well, most of them. Sadly, good equipment reveals poor vinyl transfers, unlistenable. Bummer. Am I wrong on this? Do yellow vinyl digital-source DMM copies sound great? Call me out, floor is yours.LJC
A record collector Public Service Post.
There are some records which are essential, of which Sonny Rollins BN LP 1542 is one, but whose chronology is dogged by manufacturing detail which may be outside the day-to-day knowledge of your friendly dealer or Mom ‘n’ Pop record store. Look more closely at the US Blue Note manufacturing chronology of this title, which happens also to be one of Van Gelder’s hottest cuts. Enjoy a free illustrated guide, from 1956 to the last gasp of vinyl as a popular format in the mid ’80s. What it may lack in width, it should make up in depth; height, not so much.
Deep Dive warning, strictly for the serious vinylista. A previous rip from Music Matters edition to cue you in (I’ll update in due course with a new rip):
Artists
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Sonny Rollins, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Gene Ramey, bass; Max Roach, drums; recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 16, 1956.
January 1957 BN LP 1542 Test Pressing – Plastylite white label
1542 started life as a Test Pressing, rare as hen’s teeth, someone had to have it. I salute you, whoever you are.
The red overprint Lexington address stamp is unusual, I have not seen one with the Lexington address before, only 47W63rd. Note the change in Plastylite’s label format between 1957 and end of the line 1966 – “CLASS” – whatever that meant – discontinued, and “APPROVAL” added (“Blue Note Test”). The cursive attribution of Side remained constant, in the same hand, presumably the same Plastylite operator.
Plastylite Test Pressing white label, 1957 and 1966
Various Plastylite TPs
What is particularly interesting is the cutting/mastering date noted for the Test Pressing: 1-9-57, US notation January 9, 1957, three weeks after the recording session of December 16, 1956. According to Cohen via Schwann catalogues, the album was “released in January 1957″, which realistically is much too tight – the manufacturing timetable of Blue Note records was generally a much more lengthy process, with usually around nine months from session to release:
Perhaps announced prematurely in January 1957, 1542 reached dealers at the end of March 1957, as evidenced by music industry press coverage. Billboard routinely reviewed new releases to signal the sales potential for the benefit of dealers, and the weekly edition nails the date of release more accurately than the Schwann announced month. Dealers were recommended to give this record a big push:
March 1957 1542 First Commercial Release Cover detail: frame cover construction, blank spine, W63rd address, not Lexington as on the labels. Note, upright Rollins portrait cover design, not landscape as later issues
Lexington labels, among the last on the cusp of Blue Note’s address move to 47W63rd., obviously, mono and no INC or ®, deep groove both sides, several years before the arrival of non-DG dies. The album seems to have sold well, on the strength of music press coverage, and frequency of auction appearances, today, under the $2,000 mark in top condition, still someway below the most elite trophies.
In popular music context, in 1957, the nation was in the grip of Calypso-fever, with not one but three Harry Belafonte LPs in the best seller charts, and “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” riding high in the singles charts.
Around the same time, we saw the release of Miles Davis ‘Round About Midnight (Columbia six-eye CL949). But ruling the popular music roost were box-office movie hits, Oklahoma, The King and I, and My Fair Lady, neck and neck with the lip-curling young Elvis, surrounded by calypso-themed albums:
Rollins 1542 shows how some music lasts longer longer than some other music, passing cultural “flotsam and jetsam” – a good name for a Shoreditch vegan cafe, with beanie-hat dress code and 100% plastic-free recyclable utensils – planet-saving compressed cardboard forks and paper straws (I keep a private stash of plastic straws, they last indefinitely, unlike their paper mates ).
By 1958 Rollins had left Blue Note for greener pastures at Riverside, Contemporary and in the early 60s, RCA Victor. However Rollin’s growing stature meant reissues of 1542 continued to sell well, and generate revenue for the Blue Note label, if not for Sonny. The presses continued to roll.
1958-9: 47W63rd labels no INC/®
Portrait cover design, at the tail end of 1959 cover address no INC, 47W63rd.
This copy was not in great shape, nor a great picture, but serviceable for illustration purposes.
Mono 47W63rd labels both sides, no INC or ® either side, deep groove both sides. All the usual Plastylite and Van Gelder runout markings.
1960: Mixed Labels, 47W63rd +INC/® paired with Lexington old stock label
Cannibalising old stock labels from inventory was standard practice. Here a new Side 1 post-registration 47W63rd with INC/® is paired with a left-over Lexington Side 2.
The appearance of old stock labels can get buyers and sellers excited (“Lexington!!). Helpfully, it anchors the date of manufacture to the introduction of the newer label design, in this case early 1960 when Blue Note became a registered trademark. Old stock labels were used up before freshly printed new matching labels came into use. As expected, deep groove both sides, prior to the arrival of non-DG dies in early 1962
1960: Mixed Labels, 47W63rd +INC/® paired with old stock 47W63rd label no INC/®
Send out the lifeboats, Rollins capsizes! First appearance of landscape cover design, in which Sonny is pictured practicing the backstroke. This cover design change coincides with the the change in back cover address – addition of INC. to BLUE NOTE RECORDS INC. and the address change from 63rd to 61st.
Why the cover design rotation? Occam’s Razor – I suspect merely a printer error, where someone wasn’t properly briefed, and assumed priority to be the text. Or may be the original design was the mistake. This was physical manufacture, mistakes happen.
Using up old stock labels at the same time as fabricating new covers illustrates the different way in which cover and label stocks were managed. Labels were cheap to print, and printed surplus for future use. Labels could be commissioned soon after mastering, when track titles were finalised, long before record release. Covers on the other hand were expensive to fabricate, would be manufactured close to time of pressing and release, commonly 6-9 months later – when sales finally generated revenue.
The pairing of old and new 47W63rd address labels with/without ® neatly illustrates the difference between the heavy inked and the faint, fine inked label address. The old stock no ® label (pre-1960) name and address is finely inked; the post registration INC and ® label name and address is heavily inked. Something changed Blue Note’s printers, Keystone Printed Specialties, possible new paper stock with different absorbency. Printers understand these things, absorbancy and drying time.
1960-62: 47W63rd with +INC/® labels both sides
Landscape format cover, 43W61st address, which first appeared at the tail end of 1959 and continued through to 1966.
Cover photos courtesy of Joe H, NSW Australia.
Mono 47W63rd labels with INC and ®, both sides, deep groove both sides, most likely manufactured 1960-61.
Late 1961: another mixed label transition
A new NY label paired with old stock 47W63rd label with ®. Mixed labels suggests late 1961/ very early 1962, when the NY address label was first introduced.
By this time, the 47W63rd “old stock” label is the later +INC/® form. It was fairly recent new old stock, suggesting Blue Note were having difficulty keeping up with demand, using up old stock and hastily printing new labels.
1962-66: New York address label, NY/NY
Rollins cover remains landscape, Sonny still working on his back-stroke, the lifeboats have returned home, cover address remains 43W61st.
Classic NY label both sides, both +INC and ®, no deep groove either side.
Non-DG pressing dies first came into use at Plastylite in early 1961, with the last sightings of deep groove in late 1965. Over those five years, the tail end of 47W63rd to the NY label, the groove combination of new releases (and general repressings) ran the full gamut from DG/DG, nonDG/DG one side only, to both non-DG, with the gradual replacement of older dies with newer dies, until the final remaining DG die was discarded. As the stock of new dies expanded, the double non-DG permutation tended to appear more frequently towards the end of the period. The inner picture sleeve is the only part-reliable guide to the date of manufacture.
1965 Sonny Rollins leaves RCA Victor and finds home at the Impulse label; 1966 Blue Note changes hands to become a Division of Liberty Records, and in the absence of Van Gelder metal, Liberty Records sidelines mono and embarks mastering its own first stereo edition of 1542.
We know it is likely that in late 1956 when 1542 was recorded, Van Gelder was still experimenting with two track tape. He was also still running simultaneously a full track tape on his Ampex C200 alongside the two track.
The suspicion nagging me is that the first release of 1542 was mastered from the full track true mono recording, which is why it is so strong, and that at some point, the two track tape became the source of post-1966 stereo editions and mono modern audiophile editions (MMJ etc) as a fold down from the two track tape. Remember Van Gelder never cut a stereo master of this title, and all the reissues after 1966 were stereo apart from the rare Liberty East Coast pressed mono using the original old mono RVG metal.
What happened to the original full track mono tape? Perhaps if I go lie down and the question will stop nagging. Nope. Its coming back.
Let’s follow through the post Blue Note reissue chronology to see if it sheds any light.
1966: Division of Liberty Records mono edition
With RVG etching, East Coast pressing (Keystone label), Liberty manufactured cover, extremely rare, last sighting of Van Gelder mono master metal. This at least is not a fold down, it is a child of Van Gelder’s original full track mono metal master!
Mono with RVG etching, one for those in the know
1966 Division of Liberty Records Inc. first stereo edition
Bye bye Van Gelder, mastered by Liberty west coast engineer from two-track (likely copy tape, not original), labels printed by BertCo., LA. This stereo master would be father to many subsequent stereo reissues. I found just one Keystone Stereo Liberty label, among hundreds of auction results. With other titles, a Keystone label is a sure signpost of access to Van Gelder metal, but I suspect not in this case, there was no Van Gelder stereo master. However there is another nagging thought – did Liberty East Coast (All Disc) have access to Van Gelder’s original two track tape, as it was customary to despatch only copy tape to LA. It was not until much later the Blue Note tape archive moved to LA. Or do these two below share the same tape/metal master?
1968-71 West Coast Liberty United Black/Teal, label stereo
Likely this continues to use the West Coast Liberty Stereo master
1972 Division of United Artists replica series
Follows in the shoes of Liberty with a stereo edition, one of the very few stereo titles in this predominantly mono series. The stereo titles include recordings that were strictly full-track mono (faked stereo or false-stereo) or two-track not intended for stereo. Why was 1542 singled out for stereo? More convenient to reuse the Liberty stereo metal?
Were all the other mono editions in this series fold downs from two track or from the original full track? So many annoying unanswered question.
1975+ United Artists BlueLabel/ WhiteNote, pink cover alert!
Art Director, my office, now! UMARG fingerprints on the label, but that cover, who thought this a good idea – what were they on, and where can I get some?
Late-flowering United Artists edition, blue label white note, stereo.
1975+ United Artists Music and Record Group (again)
Just to complicate things, this edition the note is black, I concluded there is no sonic difference between black and white note. Some recordings sound better than others, some turn up on black note, others on white note, it is not a function of the label. United artists post-1975 corporate identity, continues a further stereo reissue.
1984-ish EMI Capitol Direct Metal Music-degradation.
Here the reissue trail is handed over to the audiophiliacs. I have previously reviewed the Music Matter 2×45 LP Edition, not to run over old ground:
Sonny Rollins Vol 1 (1956) Blue Note/ Music Matters edition
Collector’s Corner: LJC Ebay Seller’s Awards 2023
Nosing through hundreds of auction results for 1542, exhausted by the frustrating search for missing information, I was struck by some of the Ebay seller pictures, and I share here:
1. “Brutal Honesty in Vinyl” Offer
Full marks for candour: four minutes of playing time free from repetitive clicks, suit collector with acute tinnitus, or mercifully hard of hearing.
2.Least-informativeVinyl Posing Jig.
Yes, big and round, I can see it’s definitely a record, a Blue Note record. The rest … is for you to guess, like the brand of HiFi behind.
- Home Soft-Furnishing showroom ex-display model:
Taupe velour upholstery with period leaf swirl design, seats four at a pinch, collection possible, will throw in record if you are interested.
Extracts taken from my new book, How Not To Sell Records, currently in preparation, pre-order shortly.
BN LP 1542 Follow Up
If you have any vintage variations on 1542 not covered in this guide, give us a shout, pictures appreciated. If you learned anything useful, and would like to see more deep dives, you could hit the like button, even suggest other titles with an interesting past. If you fell asleep during the guide, too deep in the weeds for you, more music next week. Its all good.
LJC
Selection: Who Does She Hope To Be?
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/sonny-sharrock_who-does-she-hope-to-be_ask-the-ages_1991-hive-mind-uk-2011-sole-vinyledition.mp3. . .
Track List
Promises Kept 9:43
Who Does She Hope to Be? 4:41
Little Rock 7:12
As We Used to Sing 7:45
Many Mansions 9:31
Once Upon a Time 6:26
Artists
Sonny Sharrock, electric guitar; Pharoah Sanders, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Charnett Moffett, acoustic bass; Elvin Jones, drums
Many hands make light work. Recorded at Sorcerer Sound by Jason Corsaro, Oz Fritz, Robert Musso; mixed at Platinum Island Studios by Jason Corsaro, assistant Wes Naprstek; mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk; produced by Bill Laswell, originally released 1991 on Laswell’s Axiom label. Remastered at Church Road Studios, Hove, UK by Julian Tardo.
It claims to be stereo, mixed as a Wall Of Sound with just a tad of of instrument positioning. It’s also firmly in the digital era, 1991, transistor microphones, multitrack mixing, whatever. I wonder what those six guys listed in the engineering credits were doing all day in the studio apart from modelling Ray-Bans? Van Gelder did it all by himself, and I think better for it
Music
Ask The Ages was among Sharrock’s last recorded works. – he passed away just three years later, at the age of only 53.
One writer described Ask the Ages as “hands down, Sharrock’s finest hour, and the ideal album to play for those who claim to hate jazz guitar.” Whilst I am not a fan of every instrument, I don’t think I actually hate any, though a question mark hangs over the bagpipes, and French horn. What I do hate is vacuous statements, like that one.
“Who Does She Hope to Be?”,Wiki continues, is “a lyrical piece harkening back to the Coltrane/Davis Kind of Blue sessions that had inspired him to play in the first place”. Is this ChatGPT? It is certainly the stand out track , lyrical, quite emotional, I enjoy the suspense as it slowly unfolds, nesting Charnett Moffett’s articulate bass, but I can’t hear Kind Of Blue in there, a quite different aesthetic. It is multi-tracked electric guitar, with double-tracked fuzzy chordal counterpoint, in a misty sonic background, and a generous hat-tip to Carlos Santana in the solo lines.
Sharrock’s guitar signature tone is distortion, and he is known for his “heavily chorded attack, highly amplified bursts of feedback, and use of aggressive sustain“. In a world saturated with guitar players, of every imaginable style, amplifier overload was nothing new. ( I say that as a former guitarist) I’m not sure I would even describe it as jazz guitar, the improvisation and fretwork isn’t there. It belongs more in the collision genre that combined avant-garde jazz rock and hip-hop punk, add a generous helping of NY faux-nihilism. Nineties Neo-Brutalism.
Charnett Moffett was a prominent figure in the fusion genre, I have some LPs in the loft, his adept finger-work here on upright bass is a delight. Pharoah is in there too somewhere, though I think not on this track, whilst Elvin is everywhere, if possibly a little restrained.
Vinyl: Hive Mind Records HMRLP005 (UK 2019) 45rpm 2xLP
Vinyl reissue of 1991 recording, cut for vinyl presumably from a digital PCM source, mastered at low gain/narrow groove width. Sleeve note invites you to play loud, I guess to compensate for the low gain. Pressed on 2 x 45rpm LPs, when it will fit on one LP, no indication of the source, or where pressed, all very “Brighton DJ“.
Collector’s Corner
Original Axiom CD from the Bill Laswell stable.
The original cover art was at least true to the title “Ask The Ages“, symbolic figures of ancient wisdom. The inclusion of a crucifix was brave but perhaps a bridge too far for modern times. Touchy business, religion, as opposed to archaeology. This is what the LP might have looked like based on the CD Insert.
The reissue’s purely typographic design was undoubtedly a safer choice, though it illustrates the limitations of Bill Laswell’s dictum: “music as art and art as a weapon”. A weapon best aimed at people who don’t shoot back.
Oh oh, I spoke too soon. “Mr Laswell, I have a Mr. Tutankhamun’s lawyer on the phone. A Mr Ptah would like a word.”
This recording was recommended to me. I tried it, with an open mind, but it is not really my thing. I am not criticising the music, all music is good, but this is not to my taste. However, past experience suggest there will be Sonny Sharrock devotees out there. No reason why they should not get some airtime at LJC, they have put up with my tastes, jazz is a broad church, have your say.
Feel free to educate me if you think I am missing out. The search for good music should never stop at the boundary of what you already know you like. If it did, a dozen years ago I would have missed out jazz altogether.
On the other hand, if you are not into this Laswell-inspired Nineties genre, a bus to your preferred destination will be along shortly. Back to the mainstream next week.
UPDATE Exceleration Candid reissue (2022) verdict
Based on this one record, not good. It takes some talent to manufacture a warped 180gm LP, but Exceleration’s chosen manufacturing plant managed it. I watched the tone arm ride up and down, cart just tracking. No name credited, and I’m not surprised. Unforgivable.
We know Bernie Grundman re-mastered it, as his initials are in the run out. From what?
Sonics? Shallow, lacking any body or presence you might expect from a quality transfer from original tapes. Missing sonic detail, attack, bass-floor, air, nothing. I took it off the turntable after a few minutes, unlistenable. It is stereo alright, but honestly it might as well be a CD. Whatever the quality on the original tapes, it was lost in translation.
Exceleration may be marketing whizzkids, and Bernie Grundman is a big engineering name, but sonically, it sounds weak to me, like a digital transfer. I know it claims to be mastered from original tapes, (none shown) and it doesn’t sound like it to me. There is something wrong in the chain, I don’t know what, but it’s not right.
I hoped it might at least be decent listen, but I had to take it off after a few minutes. Maybe too cheaply made, quality sacrificed to make the low price-point. The debacle of Blue Note 75, also involved Mr Grundman, multiple errors in trying to manufacture at a low unit price, is this a repeat performance? My advice, give Exceleration Candid reissues a miss. If you can’t run to an original, seek out a decent Barnaby reissue.
If anyone else has taken a punt on other titles in this Candid reissue series, give us a shout. Maybe this is an odd one out.
Not been a very good week all in all, on top of three hours airport delay getting home, and it’s bloody cold here in the UK!
LJC
Selection: Fire (Henderson)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/joe-henderson_feat-alice-coltrane_the-elements_jazz-dispensary-milestone.mp3. . .
Track List
A1 Fire 11:07
A2 Air 9:53
B1 Water 7:33
B2 Earth 13:15
Artists
Joe Henderson, tenor sax, flute; Michael White, violin; Alice Coltrane, piano, harp, harmonium, tambura; Charlie Haden, bass; Baba Daru Oshun, tabla, percussion; Kenneth Nash, percussion, vocal; recorded at The Village Recorder, Los Angeles, CA, October 15 & 17, 1973, Rick Heenan, engineer; remixed at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, Ca; producer – Orrin Keepnews
Music
The Elements was a one-off concept album for Henderson, though similar musical arrangements are found on Ptah, the El Daoud, three years earlier. Henderson’s saxophone is often processed electronically with reverb effects and overdubs. The horn effects were something of a passing fad, without the staying power of the conventionally expressive instrument, but the combination of Joe, Alice Coltrane and Charlie Haden revitalises the zodiac-astral travelling formula.
The percussion layers work more successfully, with dynamic stereo mixing. Alice Coltrane’s dense drone-like layers raise the spiritual bar a few notches, as she pounds the piano chords, then strokes arpeggios on the harp. The introduction of Michael White’s electric violin dates the session as early 70’s fusion, when that instrument became increasingly vogue – Noel Pointer, Michal Urbaniak, Jean-Luc Ponty and Didier Lockwood – the French roots tracing back to Stephane Grappelli and the Hot Club de France swing.
Dim the lights, Elements is a long spiritual jazz listening session, partnering well with a long Pharoah Sanders title, to make a complete evening of astral travelling.
Vinyl: MIL 00001
The first Concord Jazz Dispensary excursion into audiophile space, lash Kevin Gray to his cutting lathe, warp speed ahead Scotty. This reissue of Elements is newly remastered from the original analogue tapes, and offers a tonally rich and dynamic presentation.
Etched K G C@A – Kevin Grey at Cohearent Audio. Gray’s trademark narrow groove cut leaves a large runout space, and reduced volume.
Collector’s Corner
The original Milestone issue remains exceptionally difficult to find, suggesting it achieved only modest sales in its day, or everyone who had got it doesn’t want to let it go.
The 2017 reissue itself also proved difficult to find. It was reissued in the US, and in Germany, by the increasingly active audiophile Enja label.
Horizon Scanning – Candid Reissues!
Kevin Gray has a rival: Bernie Grundman joins the original tape reanimation club.
LJC rips original mono Candid pressing (1961) – Uranus (Ervin)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/temp0-442.mp3. . .
Michael Fremer wrote: “Candid Records, founded in 1960 with Nat Hentoff as A&R director produced a catalog of great jazz and blues releases that also featured superb sound. A label relaunch was announced last week by new owners Exceleration Music with fine titles leading the way, mastered by Bernie Grundman. The press release didn’t specify if BG mastered from tape or from hi-res files so before posting this I asked the publicist to clarify. Good news! Bernie cut from tape! “
Exceleration Music” is an investment venture in indie labels founded by former Concord Music Group CEO Glen Barros, former Concord Records president John Burk, former Merlin CEO Charles Caldas, former INgrooves general manager Amy Dietz and former Epitaph Records general manager Dave Hansen.” There’s a lot of “formers” there. A new home for the classic short-lived jazz label Candid, be grateful for what you can get.
Original Candid issue (mono) “That’s It” at LJC
Candid originals are hot cuts. The Exceleration reissues seem to be all stereo. Candid were recorded in 1961 in both full track and two track, which augurs well for solid stereo presentation. Instead of drip-feeding them to market a few at a time, Exceleration seem to have put out most of the catalogue in one go (including titles from Kenny Barron, Abbey Lincoln, Donald Harrison Jr., Joanne Brackeen and others less familiar), but notably these classics:
I have actually bought a copy of the Booker Ervin, but it’s a while until I can play it. The acid test is how these reissues “from original tapes” stand up against the intermediate Barnaby reissues and other licensed editions over the years
Any comments on the reissue quality and Bernie Grundman engineering? Weigh in, please. Any other opinions on the Exceleration output?
LJC
Selection 1: Backlash (Pickett)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/freddie-hubbard-backlash-st-atlantic-1967.mp3. . . .
Selection 2: Little Sunflower (Hubbard)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/freddie-hubbard-little-sunflower_-backlash-st-atlantic-1967.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Backlash (Donald Pickett) 4:15
A2. The Return of the Prodigal Son (Harold Ousley) 5:42
A3. Little Sunflower 7:55
B1. On the Que-Tee 5:47
B2 Up Jumped Spring 6:43
B3. Echoes of Blue (Cunningham) 9:44
Artists
James Spaulding, alto saxophone, flute; Bob Cunningham, bass; “Killer” Ray Appleton, drums; Freddie Hubbard, flugelhorn, trumpet; Ray Barretto, Percussion; Albert Dailey, Piano. Recorded at Atlantic Studios, New York, New York, October 19 & 24, 1966, Adrian Barber, Phil Iehle, Tom Dowd, recording engineers; lacquer cut by Adrian Barber; producer, Arif Mardin – a Turkish-émigré like Atlantic co-founder Ahmet Ertegun.
Backlash was released in May 1967, the year in which Atlantic was absorbed into Warner Brothers. That year Warner launched the ill-fated airship Led Zeppelin, named after a famous rock band. Fact-checker! My office, now.
Music
With so many great Hubbard albums vying for attention, I pulled out this transitional title, hearing Freddie dipping his toe in soul/R&B boogaloo and Sidewinder Territory, enter spouse in shift-dress and beehive, hand-jiving, foreshadowing the ’70s Soul R&B commercial Freddie.
Industry reception (All Music): “The first of Freddie’s Atlantic albums, this excellent set falls between hard bop and the avant-garde, often hinting at both… Hubbard and Spaulding made for an excellent team and there are plenty of exciting moments on this brief but potent set”.
The covers tell the story of Freddie’s trajectory under Atlantic. The expression on the 1967 cover sees him looking nervously into the future – the Atlantic marketing gurus have pigeon-holed him below the waistline, CTI begins to look like a good move.
1967 1968 1969 1970
The Backlash selection Little Sunflower was reinvented with a more lush, exotic arrangement five years later, on 1972 Milt Jackson’s CTI title “Sunflower” – “Freddie’s warm, vibrant fat tone, vulnerable tremulous vibrato, leading the melodic lines over Milt Jackson’s shimmering vibes, a delight” – LJC review. Interesting to contrast the two arrangements five years apart, the pared-down 1967 line-up still sounds great, less can be more.
Milt Jackson: Sunflower (CTI 1972):
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/milt-jackson-sunflower-cti6024-sunflower-1973-van-gelder.mp3. . .
Interesting to compare the CTI engineering – big fat mid-band – with the leaner Atlantic engineering, more musical to my ear.
Vinyl : Atlantic SD 1477 (1967)
First issue green/blue label, logo-box with black fan ®, runout AT etched, W with three dots above one below (signature of an Audiodisc blank acetate), Longwear Plating LW. Laminated cover.
Click alert. Atlantic farmed out vinyl pressing to a wide variety of plants, this one does not identifying itself. A few clicks cleaned out, but too many stubbornly remain.
Gatefold:
Collector’s Corner
Before acquiring the original green blue label, I previously had the later green orange label issue, from the early 70s. Putting them side by side, something jumped out. Send out for the vinyl detectives!
The labels are a different colour – yes, we all got that. Now examine the runout with an informed eye. Side ONE has a large wide band, which look like the famous Scully pre-set used by Van Gelder in the early days, that caused the tone arm to sway in and out. The runout groove of side TWO has three narrower bands, no sway.
Side ONE has a different runout lock-groove pattern to side TWO. Secrets Of The Deadwax – Bingo, Watson! Side TWO been recut on a different lathe, at a different time, possibly by a different engineer. Curiouser and curiouser.
Was it remastered by another engineer? Compare below the hand-writing. The number 6 has a different size bottom circle, and the letter A in ST-A has a rounded top compared with a pointed top. Discogs uploaders report the matrix code simply as letters and numbers, which are the same, unable to account for their different hand , or the different runout lock-groove pattern.
SIDE 2 has been remastered by a different engineer – in this case, by Robert Ludwig at Sterling Sound. Bob Ludwig was the engineer who famously cut the 1969 US release of Led Zeppelin too hot, causing groove skipping and many copies to be returned. The Zeppelin pressing was withdrawn, and recut. Sometimes there is a good reason why you might not want the original first pressing! How can we be sure the remaster was by Bob Ludwig? Well, the clue could be this stamp in the runout….side TWO only.
SIDE ONE of the second issue of Backlash is identical to the original issue SIDE 1, the same metal. Why SIDE TWO alone was remastered remains a mystery, one of the many secrets of the Lathe Trolls, those who toil in the darkened corners of Studios.
What of Adrian Barber, who cut the original Backlash for Atlantic? Barber was born in Ilkley, Yorkshire, and became The Beatles’ sound technician – first in Hamburg, and then on their first US tour, a promising start for a Yorkshire lad. He subsequently emigrated to the United States, where he became an in-house recording engineer and producer at Atlantic Record, producing numerous hits for Atlantic artists including The Velvet Underground, The Bee Gees, and Aerosmith – Freddie’s Backlash didn’t really register on the scales.
His career took a downward trajectory in which he succumbed to heroin addiction, and eventually disappeared to Hawaii, where he recently passed away, in poverty, in 2020. Sex Drugs Rock and Roll doesn’t often end well. I guess it doesn’t always help to know these things, but at least you know. However the mystery of Backlash SIDE TWO recut remains unresolved. I did compare the two editions, but only Side 1, which turns out to have been the wrong choice at the time – same metal. It’s not easy being a vinyl detective.
Even more spooky (looks over shoulder), digital ink still wet on this Freddie post, my mailbox this morning contained news of this new release : Freddie Hubbard – Little Sunflower – nine minutes 20 seconds exactly each side, at 33rpm, on yellow vinyl. Credits to Hubbard and Al Jarreau, Claus Ogerman 1979 arrangements, licensed from Sony by an opportunist entrepreneur, “Above Board Distribution”, on yellow vinyl, WTF?
The original of this 1979 reissue is itself an oddity – a copy below is asking $300 on Discogs.
A “Jazz Influencer“? I think my keyboard is bugged! The minute you write anything online, anything at all, Hi-Tech knows, and serves up an advert for you.
Freddie left us a great legacy, Blue Note, Atlantic, CTI, and may be others. The CTI catalogue has many fans, Polar AC, Red Clay, Straight Life, but what to make of this Atlantic period, and what after CTI – his Columbia years?
Any worth seeking out? Or just say hello to Freddie, I’m sure he’s reading your comments with interest.
Selection: Sotho Blue
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/abdullah-ibrahim_sotho-blue_ekaya_1977_ljc.mp3Track List
A1 Ekaya 7:40
A2 Sotho Blue 5:40
A3 Ntyilo, Ntyilo 4:27
B1 Bra Timing From Phomolong 5:07
B2 Ek Se Ou Windhoek Toe Nou 8:03
B3 Cape Town 6:54
Artists
Carlos Ward, alto saxophone, flute; Charles Davis, baritone saxophone; Cecil McBee, bass; Ben Riley, drums; Abdullah Ibrahim, piano; Ricky Ford, tenor saxophone; Dick Griffin, trombone; Rudy Van Gelder, engineer; recorded at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, November 17, 1983; Sathima Bea Benjamin, Producer (Abdullah’s wife 1965 to 2011).
Born in 1938 as Adolph Johannes Brand – the name Adolph soon lost its popularity for some reason – performed as “Dollar Brand” (the “Dollar” nickname attributed to purchasing jazz LPs from American soldiers) In the late 60’s Brand took the Muslim name Abdullah Ibrahim, joining Shafi Hadi (Curtis Porter), Sahib Shihab (Edmund Gregory), Rashied Ali (Robert Patterson), Yusef Lateef (William Huddlestone), Idrees Sulieman (Leonard Graham), Kiane Zawadi (Bernard McKinney) and briefly Art Buhaina Blakey. You may find this list useful in a future pub-quiz – add a copy to your smartphone. The name-thing is a distraction, it is the same music whatever the name, and in addition causes problems with your record collection filing system.
Brand/Ibrahim is still with us, age 88 at the last count.
Music
Brand became a flagship for “Cape-Jazz”, sometimes dubbed SAF-Jazz, a hybrid of African folk melodies and rhythms and European-American leaning compositions, housing a big band canvas of carefully picked soloists. He struck up a relationship with Duke Ellington, which advanced his career direction, and Brand adopted a similar more composer/arranger/talent-aggregator role than a front line pianist, not a Wynton Kelly or McCoy Tyner.
After relocating to North America, Brand often recorded with an entirely American line up, including the precocious tenor of Ricky Ford, Charles Davis (baritone) Dick Griffin (trombone) and Cecil McBee (bass), including recording at Englewood Cliffs with Van Gelder behind the dials, though the sonic quality bears the hallmarks of multitrack solid state equipment, by then found everywhere, lacking the intimate tube-driven sound familiar from 60s Blue Note.
The distinctive feature of South African jazz is upbeat repetitive brass lines, found in the so-called Township genre. Cape Jazz featured instruments that can be carried in a street parade, such as saxophone and trumpet, banjos, guitars and percussion. The repetition predicates a mood of street dancing rather than auditorium contemplation. Against this Brand weaves a big band construction of set pieces, heads, chorus, improvisational spaces, and return to theme.
Some of the best compositions are dedicated to places and territory, Sotho (Lesotho) Zimbabwe, Capetown, urban nightscapes of Mingus dimension, in which soloists emerge as briefly passing strangers. Somewhere in the background Brand is working the canvas.
Vinyl: AKAPA 005
It sounds great, wide-stage stereo, lots of air, delicate tonal and dynamic range, a lovely recording by The Master. Nothing in the runout gives any clue who cut the acetate, or where it was pressed. The US edition has all the trimmings (see Collector’s Corner) MASTERED BY VAN GELDER stamp, but my copy doesn’t have it. The gold label is of German origin. The trail-off groove is not Van Gelder’s usual Scully pre-set triple lock groove, so copy tape has been despatched to Germany, remastered locally for the European release. Bummer.
The closer you look, the more you see how casually the record industry did whatever was easier for them, without any concern about maintaining quality standards. Still, this copy still sounds good, tribute to the quality of the original recording.
Collector’s Corner
Ekaya Original US Pressing
US edition has etched matrix code in a different hand, an authentic MASTERED BY VAN GELDER stamp, Europadisc plating company symbol EDP. All of which is very very annoying.
You find these things out long after the event.
Dollar Brand recording history
In the 70’s and 80’s Brand/Ibrahim recorded on a large variety of labels, many of German origins, notably Enja. After the mid-eighties everything emerged on CD.
Having settled in America and recording widely there and in Europe, Brand’s music is a strange hybrid of wistful African “yearning for home”, tempered by the greater opportunities for the musician as roving ambassador for South Africa, at a distance. Any writing on music with its origins in South Africa inevitably gets drawn into the troubled history and politics of the Southern continent. Not enough seems written about the music itself, not just political protest and differing tribal traditions, but also an affirmation, a celebration of life, which is what music is and does – healing.
Recent recordings have featured solo piano sessions by Brand, issue by the British Gearbox label, so I assume a London presence.
I haven’t listened to enough to form a view of Dollar Brand’s long musical career, but I sense it is worth exploring. Though I have never travelled to Africa, I have joined in sympathetic spirit by exploring the wines of the South-Western Cape whilst listening to Brand: – Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde (trans. Heaven and Earth) Valley, Upper and Ridge – where wines the closest to French Burgundy are fashioned from the blank canvas of Chardonnay grown at high, altitude caressed by cool Atlantic winds.Newton Johnson, Cap Maritime, Hamilton Russell, familiar yet different, adventuring also to Chenin Blanc, both music and wine hit the spot.
Thoughts as always welcome, music or wine, we multitask here.
LJC
Selection: First Song In The Day (Hal Galper)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/cecil-mcbee_first-song-in-the-day_music-fromthe-source_enja_1977_re-pure-pleasure-uk-2022.mp3. . .
Composition by Hal Galper, “gifted bebop-rooted pianist with fluid and invigorating playing, solos distinguished by adventurousness and sophistication” (All Music) Recorded the same year by Galper with Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino, Cecil McBee and Tony Williams). (Now Hear This, Enja 1977)
Track List
- Agnez (With Respect To Roy Haynes) (McBee) 19:13
2.1 God Spirit (McBee) 08:15
2.2 First Song in the Day (Hal Galper) 17:20
Artists: Cecil McBee Sextet
Chico Freeman, flute, tenor sax; Joe Gardner, flugelhorn, trumpet; Cecil McBee, bass; Dennis Moorman, piano; Steve McCall, drums; Don Moye, percussion, drums; recorded (“under difficult conditions”) live at Sweet Basil, New York City, August 2, 1977; Bob Cummins, recording engineer; David Barker, mixing; Horst Weber, Executive Producer.
Artist Spotlight: recording engineer Bob Cummins was no stranger to jazz recording. He ran the India Navigation record label, which documented much of the avant-garde loft-jazz scene that blossomed in Manhattan during the 70’s and 80’s. At a time when the majors were focusing on electric fusion, Cummins created an influential underground scene virtually from scratch. He favoured live recordings for their spontaneity, and set up his recording equipment in legendary jazz spots including Ladies’ Fort, and Sweet Basil, the sort of clubs I imagine consumed large quantities of tourniquets and syringes during the intermission, or may be I’ve been listening too much to Music from The Connection.
MusicFirst Song In The Day is one of those rare recordings in which the music takes on a life of its own. A compelling, exciting modal composition, the sextet unite in live performance to keep you on your seat edge over seventeen minutes, during which, as always happens in moments of great music, time ceases to exist.
When music doesn’t work, time weighs heavily on your hands. During great music, time is suspended, both the musicians and the audience sense something special is happening. It’s a rare privilege to be there.
McBee powers below the surface, keeping everything driving forward. The drummers Don Moye and Steve McCall fastens onto McBee’s energy, embellishing it with asymmetrical strikes and accents.
Chico Freeman brought a fresh voice to the tenor. Often classed as a free jazz player because of the settings in which he often played, Chico spanned a wide range of styles from blues, bop tradition, and Coltranist-modern. (A search for Chico Freeman’s obituary drew a blank, because at age 73 he is still with us!)
Cecil McBee, pushing age 87, the bass who has played with just about everyone in the history of Modern Jazz, waits patiently to see what his obit. has to say about Mr. McBee (still in draft).
After decades of familiar tenor voices from the giants, the 70s welcomed something a little more dangerous, adventurous, and original, without falling into the free-abyss. All the soloists work seamlessly with the backcloth, Joe Gardner on trumpet, the professional but little-known pianist Denis Moorman, and drummer/ percussionists Steve McCall/ Famoudou Don Moye play their hearts out.
I can listen to this album again and again, First Song In The Day sounds good at any time of day
Vinyl: Enja 3019
Pure Pleasure (UK) remaster, pressed at Pallas, Germany
Engineer Bob Cummins claimed some difficulty setting up the recording. The drums are a bit dominant in the mix, but overall the engineering is hot and fresh, plenty of air, a wide stage, and not the “live” shortcut of leaching off the pa – mixed so the audience hears the same wherever they sit – which spoils a lot of so-called “live” recordings (like Montreux sessions)
Pure Pleasure fell in my estimation a few years ago, when they started reissuing Strata East and Nimbus titles on vinyl, with dead, wooden sonics. However this recording sounds fresh and lively, mastered I read by “Cicely Baston” at Air Mastering London (unverified). As usual PP omit to mention the source material for the remaster. Cicely’s bio includes the following snippet:
“Cicely started her career (2013) at Gearbox Records, using their all-analogue gear and vintage Scully lathe to master and cut releases for the Gearbox label.
No claim to original tape sources, I would guess the usual 25-year old PCM-digital file, remastered for vinyl. The first CD of this title was released 1997, for which purpose the original tape or a copy tape would have been commandeered to create a CD-ready digital PCM file. That’s most likely source, not the CD itself, which passes through different mastering process. Mastered quite dynamically, and cut loud, better than many I have heard. It sounds good to me, whatever the engineering technicalities. That is usually the sign of a good original recording in the first place, by Bob Cummins in 1977. In the immortal words of Michael Cuscuna, on remastering an RVG recording, ” just have to make sure you don’t f### it up”.
I have a couple of original Bob Cummins India Navigation live recordings (David Murray, and Chico Freeman). They are sonically much softer and more veiled than this Sweet Basil session. Whatever the “adverse circumstances” of this recording session, they haven’t done the recording any harm, on the contrary, it smokes. Maybe Cicely has given it some extra wellie.
Collector’s Corner
Aside from the original 1977 Enja, a current (German) reissue likely twin of the 2022 Pure Pleasure reissue, two vintage reissues pop up: Japan and the USA
Vintage copies of the above tend to be found only in their own territories, Germany and Japan, and they all tend to be scarce, if only because so few people seem to have registered what a great album this is. The bootleggers don’t seem to know about it, which is the benchmark for being “under-rated”: NEB, Not Even Bootlegged. The Pure Pleasure reissue was not easy to source, but worth the effort.
Great music, great sonics, on new vinyl, for little over £25. The answer to the Cost of Listening Crisis is here, now what exactly was the question?
“KOB Sharp-Shooter” New LJC Award
Andrew W shares this KoB score, a 1A/1B matrix six-eye DG mono rarity (Side 2 track error uncorrected) with a jacket Code 2 (Imperial Paper Box Corp., Inc. of Brooklyn, NY). You can smell the 1959 air in the jacket (cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and hair-spray . . cough.. splutter… . Beautiful.Laser-precision shooting accuracy with the humble assistance of the LJC KOB Matrix Code Case Study Great stuff, Andrew W., well done.
Now, about your search for an original Blue Train….
If you have made a rare and exciting score, and you would like the Vinyl Jazz Collector Community to know about it, shoot me a line, but it had better be good.
LJC
Selection: Love Dance (Bonner)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/woody-shaw_love-dance_s-t_muse-5074_1976_ljc.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Love Dance (J. Bonner) 12:37
A2. Obsequious (L. Young ) 9:28
B1. Sunbath (P. Stern) 6:33
B2. Zoltan (W. Shaw) 6:48
B3. Soulfully I Love You (Black Spiritual Of Love) (B. Harper) 8:13
Artists
Woody Shaw, trumpet; Billy Harper, tenor saxophone; Rene Mclean, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Steve Turre, trombone, bass trombone;
Joe Bonner, piano; Cecil Mcbee, bass; Tony Waters, congas; Victor Lewis, drums; Guilherme Franco, percussion.
Recorded November, 1975 at Blue Rock Studio, New York City, Eddie Korvin, engineer; mastered by Joe Brescio, producer, Michael Cuscuna;
Ⓟ Ⓒ 1976, Muse Records.
Music:
No greater tribute to Woody than from Miles: “Now there’s a great trumpet player. He can play different from all of them.” — Miles Davis. (English also spoken)
The Bonner composition Love Dance is a killer groove, monumental, anthemic, unstoppable. The piano/bass riff kicks off and I go Wylde Stallions twerking in my LJC Director’s Chair. Dadadadaa, Dada da, der du, duhduh. Repeat, repeat, hit me again, some more. I can not get enough of Love Dance on my turntable.
Woody finesses the arrangement with some ensemble passages, all the soloists rise to the occasion, Turre’s earthy trombone, Rene McLean’s acid tone like his dad, McBee pushing the bass, finishing with Billy Harper’s diamond-hard drill, that wicked riff keeps coming back like a good penny. Phew! Twelve compelling minutes and I’m exhausted.
The front line is strong, and the album includes three “percussionists”, to deliver additional rhythmic complexity. I’m warming to Rene McLean, who became a regular feature of Shaw’s line-up, when not performing with dad and The Cosmic Brotherhood. Talent doesn’t always run in families, but maybe hard work and practice does in this one. I picked up some nice Steeplechase titles with Rene as leader, not disappointing.
All the tracks are notable, some familiar titles from other albums. Shaw’s signature Larry Young title Obsequious for example is also found on the In The Beginning prequel Shaw album, his early playbook but not issued by Muse until 1983.
Overall, Love Dance is a must have – if you can find it!
Vinyl: MR 5074
Big stereo presentation. Pressed at Bell Sound, etching PRC (Richmond Indiana, plating/metalware) Muse are generally solid performers, especially the mid and later 70s releases. Later, things can get a bit messy, always listen first.
Collector’s Corner
I knew nothing of this album until we came face to face in the New Arrivals, and even, then the cover said to me: “Are you sure, LJC? .. that title, Luuurve Daaance … the wedding invitation card pink fonts … that shirt … What was the art director trying to say about this album? Whatever it was, it’s not the album I am now listening to. All Music gave the album only four out of five stars. Were they listening to the same album as me? I’m giving it six out of five, or I’m thinking, maybe seven.
For a terrific Woody Shaw album, and we love Woody Shaw here at LJC, its publishing history is criminally deficient. Released originally in 1976, with a simultaneous edition in Japan. Over twenty years later, in 1998, a DSD digital remaster – Extra-Evil Silver Disk – was issued in Japan, and then … pouff. Nothing. No vinyl reissue since 1976, making the original vinyl very scarce. If it came back, keep an eye on digital source files. Too much of today’s vinyl revival is actually a CD-revival on 180gm plastic.
I’d never seen it before in the wild, and I think I now know why. People in the know know, (and they know about the cover. This is not the “Love Dance” you are looking for, Luke. . .)
I am purposely ignoring the Mosaic Complete Woody Shaw Muse Vinyl box set. This seems to turn up only in Estate Probate Sales, with the auctioneer’s remark “appears unplayed“. Never seen the Shaw Mosaic vinyl box in the wild here. For those that have it, it must be a keeper, or they have taken it with them over to the Other Side.
It’s a pity Mosiac / Cuscuna hasn’t caught up with the vinyl revival, still churning out multiple CD sets. The OOP Shaw digital box (left) contains seven CDs. You would be better advised to compile your own collection of Muse original vinyl copies, which is what I have done.
Woody’s son seems active in promoting his dad’s legacy. Someone owns the publishing rights to Muse (Sony?). There is treasure there for whoever has custody of the original tapes, though on current Sony performance, if it is Sony, confidence is not high. Sony doesn’t seem to have much presence in the vinyl revival, another big company bewitched by digital formats and the search for the next Taylor Swift. Sony Legacy division released a six-CD box set of Woody’s 1977-1981 run with Columbia, The Complete Woody Shaw Columbia Albums Collection. Like, we need more Woody Cds? I suspect we vinylistas are on our own here. The Japanese pressing of Love Dance sounds promising, mid-70s Toshiba-EMI were good early days, they knew how to cut vinyl.
Vinyl House (UK) currently have a Muse Promo copy of Love Dance, on Ebay, auction closing this weekend. Collector note: promo/white label’s are quite common with Muse. I have a half dozen, they don’t sound any different to an ordinary commercial release. They are bulk promos, not test pressings. Some Muse editions found in Europe are actually manufactured in France, though this rarely gets a mention. They sound no different either. Vinyl House (UK) are the guys behind Mobley 1568 breaking the 7k barrier, EBay twitchers may want to take note.
On the back of Love Dance, its been something of a Woody Shaw revival week at LJC. revisiting the Shaw Collection. Columbia has some outstanding Woody titles, there is even an interesting title on German Enja label, Lotus Flower, just ignore the cod-Japanese references. However, a new release to avoid is this apparently promising-looking Resonance title, Larry Young In Paris 1963-5 ORTF Recordings, a “lost recording” that should have stayed lost.
Larry shares the stage with Woody Shaw and Nathan Davis, a powerful team, but unfortunately a poor quality live radio recording, with the engineer at a loss how to record a Hammond B3 live on stage, the result sounding like a washing machine. The recording was subsequently digitised by French state radio archivists INA, finishing it off.
I might get around to posting a selection from the better tracks.
Any Woody Shaw lovers out there? I couldn’t find anyone reviewing the Love Dance album, I suspect it is rare in the wild. Other Shaw titles or appearances of note? Throw in your sixpenny’worth
Thoughts welcome, flex those digits.
LJC
Sorry, no original 1568, send me if you have one surplus to requirements, ha ha. Four “affordable” editions of Mobley 1568: King, Toshiba-EMI, Classic Records, and Music Matters Jazz, a four-way shoot-out which addresses the perplexed, cash-strapped collector and audiophile questions of the day: Japanese or American pressings? King or Toshiba? At the dials, Bernie Grundman or Kevin Gray? You be the judge.
The only test is what you hear, not what you think about the companies, how you expect them to sound. Explanations and Expectations are no substitute for Experience. That is what this is meant to be about.Like many collectors, over the years, when I saw another edition of 1568, hope springs eternal, will it sound better than what I already have? You will never know unless you try, so you acquire. Then you find yourself running out of shelf space, and the real dilemma starts : more shelf-space, bigger house, or relationship counselling –
You have way too many records!
But… but, darling, there are 25 entries in Discogs. There are still 21 I don’t have!
Discogs Shmishcogs, either the records go, or I go!
I’ll call you a cab… your mother’s?
How they sound on the LJC home system: British-built Avid turntable and World Designs amplification incorporating Chinese PS-Vane valves, selective Japanese Furutech rhodium components, Dynavector XV1-T cartridge, powered by largely-British generated electricity – with the assistance of a little French nuclear power (when the wind is not blowing), and Norwegian gas (it’s more afjordable)
Strictly-Vinyl contest, some of these records are leaving home, there can be only one winner, that’s the one you want, but you have to find out which. We haven’t had a shoot-out in a while so let’s do it (headphones essential)
Artists:
Hank Mobley, tenor sax; Curtis Porter (Shafi Hadi) alto sax, tenor sax; Bill Hardman, trumpet; Sonny Clark, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Art Taylor, drums; recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, June 23, 1957.
Ten months later, The Billboard review, April 1958 :
The Contestants Line Up to play “Mighty Moe and Joe”
1. King Records, Japan (1981)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/mobley_1568_mightyt-moe-and-joe_king-jp-1981-ljc.mp3. . .
2. Toshiba-EMI, Japan (1984)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/mobley_1568_mightyt-moe-and-joe_toshiba-emi_1984_ljc.mp3. . .
3. Classic Records USA (2002)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/mobley_1568_mighty-moe-and-joe_classic-records-2002_up-gain_ljc.mp3. . .
4. Music Matters Jazz 33rpm USA (2016)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/mobley_1568_mighty-moe-and-joe_music-matters_2016_up-gain_ljc.mp3. . .
OK, the next part is down to you. I have no investment in the answer, I already got all four, it is down to you. Do you hear any differences? Decide which is one better, the best, but first some small print:
Observations
It takes nearly as long to set up a short clip as the whole track, so I have ripped the whole track for each edition. You might want to check how Sonny’s piano compares a few minutes in, not just the opening bars, but whatever works for you.
These editions were all mastered 25 years or more after the original session, from the original tapes or from analogue copies of the original tapes. I’m not sure about the source of the Classic Records, to me it sounds different to the other three, the histograms look different, more compressed and lumpy. The other histograms look very fast dynamic response. What’s BG done?
Our friends at Music Matters honour us with sight of the original Mobley 1568 Van Gelder tape box. So interesting, next time a re-issuer of any recording claims it is “from the original tapes” just say “Show me”. Bravo MM.
The box tells a story. Sticker says “Digitally archived by Capitol 192k/32 bit”, hi-res spec, no date. “Acetate DO NOT BAKE” (Microwave Instructions, three minutes at 800W). Barcode audit trail of tape movement dated 12-1-19, someone’s been busy. Rudy notes track-length totals per side and take number i.e. the Master tape is a selection (spliced, or copied?) from the actual session tapes. A “stereo” tape is also available, used later by Toshiba-EMI (1987).Technical Note: All four rips were run initially at the same input volume, captured “like for like”. However the resulting playback volumes differed markedly because the MM33 and Classic have been cut much quieter than the loudest, the King.
The US engineers have cut their grooves progressively narrower, quieter than the Japanese editions (compare size of trail-out groove areas). MM say the (narrower) grooves can be stacked more towards the outer circumference, away from the record centre where the faster vinyl spinning causes tracking issues, though I have never had tracking issue myself.
It is a common for listeners to favour the louder sample. It’s what they first notice, the quieter track is marked down. To compensate, I have increased the input gain on the Classic Records and the Music Matters 33 rips, to peak volume whilst avoiding clipping. This raises the noise floor, possibly other consequences of monkeying with dynamic range, but that is what happens when you turn up the volume on your hi-fi at home, a consequence of quiet cuts. All four rips should each play back equally loud. Not perfect, but good enough.
The four editions weigh between 120gm and 200gm vinyl weight. Does vinyl weight make any difference to sound quality? Absolutely none, just hype-sticker Window Dressing, 180gm is a convenient but false proxy for audiophile quality.
Voting – bummer, my host WordPress no longer offers the old free embedded Voting Widget, Poll Daddy (now Crowd Signal). It’s now all about making money, Tech CEO-salaries to pay, complex external WordPress add-ins that require plan upgrades, paid options. Comment is free. For now just comment if you have any observations, even just the batting order, best first, or none. I’ve added my preference at the end of the post.
Well, whatever next, LJC, The Masked Saxophonist? Now that is an idea! Moneypenny, get Spotify on the line, a sponsorship opportunity. And then Netflix, people must be bored with Ginger by now.
Collector’s Corner
Original 1568 labels, with the contentious long NEW YORK 23 address Side 2.
Popsike Top 1568 Latest Auction Results
In mid to late 2022, another two buyers joined the 1568 $7,000 Plus Club,** bringing membership to four. Perhaps suffering from “Long-Cohen”, a rare post-COVID diagnosis whose symptoms include keeping Fred Cohen’s Guide to First Pressings to hand at all times, Popsike permanently on screen, real time Dollar-to-Yen and to-Yuan tickers, and Emergency Cardiac Defibrillator paddles within arms-reach.
Doctors believe Long-Cohen is related to Obsessive Compulsive Ebay-Bidding Syndrome (OCEBS), which scientists hope one day to find a cure for, though I wouldn’t bet money on it.
The 1568 auction below tested the strongest willed – a promo copy (allegedly, label stamped “NOT FOR SALE”) from a Korean seller with unusual taste in pink posing-backcloth, vinyl pictured on an incorrect 1964 inner sleeve. It clocked over $7,000.
As a member of the Second Best Will Do (as long as it’s Not Digital) Fraternity, I have to admire the steadfast commitment of the First Pressing Fundamentalists, you know who you are.
Mobley 1568 seems to be holding its $7,000 value, I suspect a sign of emerging Panda-Power. Trips through London’s Mayfair since China opened borders, and New Year, sees Chinese super-rich elbowing out the Middle East Oil-State royals, consuming the finest of everything: fine wines, luxe hotels, designer accessories, a Harrods Account. ♪When Xi Rules The World ♫…
Comments welcome on Mobley Shootout, its open mic. Comment your batting order, sound best 1st. If they are all the same to you “=”, if you don’t care which is best, why have you bothered to read this far? Pretend. Just do it.
It is an equal contest – more or less
The Japanese pressings sound fuller (but weigh less).
Sorry, BG didn’t make it to the top three.
The music is wonderful, that’s not the issue, getting it on vinyl is something else, not all records sound the same. My order of preference (on full hifi) is 1, 2, 4, and then 3. The King is stronger than Toshiba-EMI, then the 2016 Music Matters 33 (shock! gasp!) and last, the 200gm Classic, which sounds to me like a pile of pants, sorry Bernie.
When first I reviewed my 1568 copies (ten years ago), I concluded that, for this title, the King bettered the Toshiba, and that opinion still stands. It does not necessarily apply generally, to every title in the Blue Note catalogue, nor other Music Matters or Classic Records editions of other titles. King is best except when it isn’t. The MM33 (2016) I think predates the significant improvements made by Cohearent in the last couple of years (those great Tone Poets).
You are welcome to disagree, someone always will. We’ve come about the Mobley Shoot-out. Don’t make any sudden moves.Warning, this test could infect you with Audiophilia, an untreatable condition which causes permanent state of comparative thinking, potentially ruinous spending on audio equipment, with debilitating side effects, such as record cleaning OCD. However, I think it’s worth the price of admission.
I know I should have run a randomised double blind trial, science-guys, but I don’t get “Big Audio” funding, Phd students or interns. Forget expectation bias, just listen, I have done the heavy lifting, end of the day its only mp3 quality. If you want to post your own shootout, I’ll listen, open mind.
My thanks to fellow Audiophilia sufferer, Bill D, for prodding me into this shoot-out. Yeah. Thanks…
More On The Horizon : Classic Vinyl Reissue Series – 2023 Release Schedule:
Any money left after pre-ordering Tone Poets, consider these “themed” candidates for your pocket (LJC review links inserted)
January 20, 2023 – The 70s
- Grant Green – Green Is Beautiful (1970)
- Bobby Hutcherson – San Francisco (1970)
February 17, 2023 – Hard Bop
- Jackie McLean – Bluesnik (1961)
- Horace Parlan – Speakin’ My Piece (1960)
March 17, 2023 – Post-Bop
- Herbie Hancock – Empyrean Isles (1964)
- Sam Rivers – Fuchsia Swing Song (1964)
April 21, 2023 – Hidden Gems
- Dizzy Reece – Star Bright (1959)
- Johnny Coles – Little Johnny C (1963)
May 19, 2023 – Bebop
- Miles Davis – Volume 1 BLP 1501 (1952-53)
- Fats Navarro – The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol. 1 BLP 1531 (1947-49)
June 16, 2023 – The Rebirth
- Robert Glasper – In My Element (2006)*
- Madlib – Shades of Blue (2003)*
*mastered from a digital source
July 21, 2023 – Soul Jazz
- Ike Quebec – Heavy Soul (1961)
- Lonnie Smith – Turning Point (1969)
August 18, 2023 – The Avant-Garde
- Anthony Williams – Spring (1965)
- Cecil Taylor – Unit Structures (1966)
The Classic Series runs alongside the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series which is produced by Joe Harley. Unfortunately I have almost all of them, but an upgrade of Dizzy Reece Star Bright is a possibility, an inspired choice, fabulous album, super-rare, a winner for me. But dependant on finding that extra shelf space …
LJC
Selection: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt (Lower Egypt extract)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/pharoah-sanders_upper-egypt-and-lower-egypt-part-ii_tauhid_ume-germany-2022.mp3. . .
(selection second half only)
Track List
A1. Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt – 16:12
B1. Japan – 3:22
B2. Aum/Venus/Capricorn Rising – 14:46
Artists
Pharoah Sanders, tenor, alto sax, piccolo, voice; Dave Burrell, piano; Sonny Sharrock as Warren Sharrock, guitar; Henry Grimes, bass; Roger Blank, drums; Nat Bettis, percussion; producer, Bob Thiele; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 15, 1966, released October 1967.
Recorded shortly after Sanders session under Don Cherry for Blue Note – Symphony For Improvisors 4247 and Where is Brooklyn? 4311. The album also marks guitarist Sonny Sharrock’s first appearance on a record, featuring splendid avant-garde comping
Music
Critical acclaim: One writer referred to Tauhid as “the first and best of Pharoah Sanders’s Impulse albums.” All About Jazz, called Tauhid “arguably the finest statement in [Sanders’] astral oeuvre,” After the hype, AllMusic notes that “Sanders’ tenor appearance doesn’t saturate the atmosphere on this session; far from it. Sanders is content to patiently let the moods of these three pieces develop”. Pitchfork gets to the heart of the album: “the pieces are suites that play like seances, with movements billowing and unfolding of their own accord. The group’s unity is powerful, creating a spiritual atmosphere that casts a spell from the opening bars.”
The centre piece of the album is the sixteen minute huge canvas of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, of which I have included the second half as a taste, and not the whole piece, for that you need to go find the whole album. The whole piece assembles very slowly, building an atmospheric landscape, sounds of nature painted largely by sound effects, which evolves through ethno-percussion organically into a rhythmic, hypnotic trance. Pharoah smears the landscape briefly with the tenor sax, until it fades as slowly as it emerged. What Rudy at the recording desk made of it I’m not sure, there must have been little much like it in 1966. It still sounds modern by experimental music standards four decades later.
Vinyl: released originally as AS-9138 – this official reissue by Universal in Germany, LC00236 06007 5397092
Originally recorded by Van Gelder, original tapes will have passed through his hands, into the custody of Impulse, and from there, who knows. No recording source is declared for this edition, no claim to mastering from original tapes. As an official release by Universal, who hold the rights, and would own the tapes if they still existed, one must assume the worst, that the original tapes no longer exist, and this is mastered for vinyl – albeit expertly – from an archive digital file.
Without an original for comparison, I can’t say for sure which might sound better, but I find this album quite a satisfying listen, nothing harsh or digital in artefact, nicely engineered, nice stereo dynamics, and just about silent inky black vinyl, that allows you to concentrate on the music without vinyl surface noise. Its a great album, that demands concentration and protected listening time.
I have some more thoughts about digital sources in Collector’s Corner
Inner Sleeve (insert copied from the original gatefold)
Collector’s Corner: the Tauhid release history
Impulse initial release of Tauhid on the orange /black label in 1967 was followed by regular repressing into the 70s with updated labels, initially with VAN GELDER metal, but as often seems the case, metal replaced by another engineer re-master with the black/neon logo label , possibly triggered by Van Gelder signing an exclusive deal with Bob Theile after he left Impulse. Ed Michel: “No more VAN GELDER for you!”
Over the last decade the album has not fetched record-breaking prices. Many of the later pressings sold for little over $30, it was not a trophy by market standards, and only more recently since Pharoah’s resurgence with Floating Points does it seem to have gained traction.
The story of Tauhid re-commenced in the early 90s, entering the era of the Compact Disc: “digitally re-mastered by Robert Stoughton at MCA Music Media Studios; ℗ 1993 MCA Records, Inc. & © 1993 GRP Records, Inc. Manufactured by Matsushita Universal Media Services, Pinckneyville, IL. a joint venture between Universal Music & Video Distribution, Inc. and Panasonic Disc Services Corp.”
The official digital copy of Tauhid dates from 1993, thirty years ago, using the technology of the time (and often still in use), LPCM (Lossless Pulse Code Modulation) the industry standard digitizing format for Audio CD (Red Book specification 44.1 khz/16bit published 1982 revised 1987). The source of the digital transfer in 1993 can only be the original master tapes, or at least a working copy tape of those original tapes.
The only vinyl editions since the late 70s are by Anthology (2017), a legitimate specialist vinyl reissuer of digital recordings, and an unlicensed reissue from the Russian bootleg label Audio Clarity (probably from a download). The rest are all periodic CD reissues, no indication of any technology advancement on 1993 CD Audio format. In any event, upscaling a 44.1khz/16bit file to higher resolution doesn’t capture any more information.
There is no evidence of the use of the original Tauhid tapes in the last thirty years. They have not suddenly been rediscovered, the Lost Tapes! story, just modest silence, the best we can honestly expect. What does still exist is a digital file.
PCM encoding format – Pulse Code Modulation, became the industry standard for sampling, electronic storage and transmission of audio data. PCM converts the amplitude of an analogue signal into binary code (zeros and ones)
The PCM digital data lends itself to near- unlimited digital processing of audio information: high and low pass filtering, dithering, compression, sound envelope shaping, white noise remapping, eliminating those pesky top frequencies “we can’t hear”. An example of signal processing in which low gain signal (a quiet bit) has noise added, to cover up other digital artefacts.
Finally, the processed PCM file can be output to any form of digital audio output: to CD (WAV or AIFF), reduced filesize for streaming (MP3), and most important, remastering to fit the physical requirements and limitations of vinyl mastering. Derivatives of PCM files also the bootleggers undeclared source for unofficial reissues.
The sound quality is only as good as the source capture in 1993. What was lost, between the original analogue tape and the audio-workstation PCM conversion, is lost forever. Modern equipment today can record digitally in much higher resolution, store more information, process it to advantage possibly, but sadly it can not go back in time. In the case of missing original tapes, this is where a lot of our music legacy rests. Not the “Which is best, analog or digital?” argument, but it’s digital or nothing.
Back to the bigger picture of the “vinyl renaissance”, and its audio sources according the Hype Stickers – first time on vinyl! 180-gm audiophile limited edition! from the original tapes!
I have done another of my thought-graphics … simplified for clarity – there are many other variations (like needledrops) and over-simplified maybe, but this sums it up for me (throw your own digital spanner in the works if you like):
Everything is “from the original tapes”, but only a select few are mastered from the original tapes – the All Analogue process. Over the decades, the source of vinyl reissues became copy analog tape, notably, most overseas edition such as Japanese pressings. They were still in a sense All Analogue, but with an intermediate tape generation step down. Then in the mid-80s, with the arrival of the compact disc, the music world entered the digital era electronic storage and transmission of audio files, and the new musical ringmaster, the digital engineer.
The ease with which digital files can be transferred to vinyl – Analogue> Digital> Analogue, officially and unofficially, is evident everywhere on the Hype stickers, and the vinyl reissue industry depends commercially on it being hidden from view. Funnily enough in the 90s record companies were boasting records were digitally mastered. I guess digital transfer, like anything in life, can be done very well, or not very well. I sense right now, we are not able to have that discussion, as a lot of the vinyl industry is relying on hoping no one will be aware of the digital stage.
I am not an engineer, I am a collector of original pressings, because I know what I hear, and they sound better. Perhaps one day they will eventually make digital editions of these vintage recordings sound even better than analogue. I’ll be delighted. We are teetering at the edge.
To find out more about the analogue digital interface, the best educator I have found on the digital processing of audio signals is Akash Murthy, whose Youtube videos cover everything including all the stuff you didn’t know you didn’t know. https://www.youtube.com/@akashmurthy/videos )
I’ve rambled into unfamiliar territory, hopefully it is of interest, throw in your own thoughts.
LJC
Selection: Inward Fire (Jordan)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/clifford-jordan_inward-fire-s-t-muse-5128_1978-ljc.mp3. . .
Tracklist
A1. Inward Fire – 6:40
A2. Abracadabra – 6:41
A3. The Look (Reece) – 8:12
B1. Toy – 6:08
B2. Buddy Bolden’s Call – 7:00
B3. Eat at Joe’s (Reece) – 9:25
All songs composed by Clifford Jordan except A3 and B3, Dizzy Reece.
Artists
Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone, flute; Dizzy Reece, trumpet; Howard Johnson, tuba; Pat Patrick, tenor (baritone?) saxophone, flute; Muhal Richard Abrams, piano; Jimmy Ponder, guitar; Richard Davis, bass; Louis Hayes, Grover Everett, drums; Azzedine Weston, congas; Donna Jewel Jordan (daughter of Clifford Jordan, – track A2), Joe Lee Wilson (track B2) vocals; Franklin Fuentes and Charles Thomas, Producers; CI Recording Studio, 57th Street, NYC, (studio headed by Elvin Campbell and Chuck Irwin) April 5, 1977.
Wonderful line up a decade into the jazz wilderness years: Dizzy Reece, Richard Davis, Louis Hayes. Pat Patrick (on leave from Sun Ra) is credited on tenor sax, despite Jordan being on tenor sax, and Patrick being a renowned baritone sax player. In this ensemble, I think baritone.
Music
The title composition pace rattles along, Jordan is on fire straight out of the gate, fingers flying over the keys full tilt, takes no prisoners, I have rarely heard him so animated and driven, Parker would have raised an eyebrow. Have an extinguisher and fire bucket on hand, especially as Dizzy Reece is smokin’ too.
The scope is ambitious – Jordan recruited additional voices to the ensemble, tuba and baritone and for two tracks, vocals (one including his daughter). It is a large group, the arrangement is a little congested when it opens up, and the engineering could have made better use of the soundstage, but I guess the budget at Muse didn’t run to Van Gelder Studio anymore, and times were lean for jazz.
It still sounds great given the late year 1977, and all acoustic, apart from Ponder’s guitar. Behind the somewhat obvious cover art lurks something of a beast of an album, worth seeking out.
Twenty years on from his Blue Note debut, Jordan found a creative refuge in the Muse label, who gave him a string of fine albums in the wake of his Strata East encounters. Expatriated briefly to Yrup, Jordan moved on from Muse to European jazz labels including Enja, Steeplechase, Beehive, Timeless and Soul Note, all showcasing that immediately recognizable melodic vibrato tenor voice, and mostly being producers of high-quality vinyl compared with the rest of the industry at the time.
After a decade of pond-hopping lifestyle, Jordan finally departed in 1993, at home in Chicago, aged 61. He left in his wake approaching forty titles as leader, and countless other appearances, where he added adding sympathetic color and tone to the performance of others.
Vinyl: Muse 5128
Pressed by PRC Recording Company, a vinyl plating, pressing and label printing plant, 1600 Rich Road, Richmond, Indiana (operational 1972-90).
Art Director, my office, the “sheet-music-on-fire” cover on Inward Fire, who thought that was a good idea? No, don’t start looking around, it’s what I pay you for, directing art. Are you aware the studio burnt down shortly after the cover shoot?
A coincidence.
Just a minute, do I smell smoke?
It’s my after-shave, sir. It’s new, from Paris, France, “Notre Dame En feu” (Opens cigarette pack) Have you got a light?
Collector’s Corner: LJC reviews Clifford Jordan: All great stuff.
Somewhere are many others on the shelf not yet escalated to review. What I have is here:
Blowing In From Chicago (Blue Note re)
Glass Bead Games (Strata East)
Night of the Mark VII (Muse)
Two Tenor Winner (Criss Cross Jazz)
The Adventurer (Muse)
Hello Hank Jones (East Wind Direct Disk)
Kleinschuster ORF Recordings (Wallen Bink)
On The Horizon… Finally, Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series – 2023 Release Schedule:
January 6, 2023
- ScoLoHoFo (Scofield-Lovano-Holland-Foster) – Oh! (Blue Note, 2002)
February 3, 2023
- Donald Byrd – At The Half Note Cafe, Vol. 1 (Blue Note, 1960)
March 3, 2023
- Carmell Jones – The Remarkable Carmell Jones (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- Andrew Hill – Dance With Death (Blue Note, 1968)
April 7, 2023
- Chet Baker – Chet Baker Sings and Plays (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
- Stanley Turrentine – Mr. Natural (Blue Note, 1964)
May 5, 2023
- Gil Evans Orchestra – Great Jazz Standards (Pacific Jazz, 1959)
- Freddie Hubbard – Blue Spirits (Blue Note, 1965)
June 2, 2023
- Donald Byrd – Slow Drag (Blue Note, 1967)
- McCoy Tyner – Time For Tyner (Blue Note, 1968)
July 7, 2023
- Sonny Clark Trio – Sonny Clark Trio (Blue Note, 1957)
- Hank Mobley – A Caddy For Daddy (Blue Note, 1965)
August 4, 2023
- Lee Morgan – Infinity (Blue Note, 1965)
- Duke Pearson – The Right Touch (Blue Note, 1967)
September 1, 2023
- Big John Patton – Let ‘Em Roll (Blue Note, 1965)
- Wayne Shorter – Schizophrenia (Blue Note, 1967)
October 6, 2023
- Herbie Nichols Trio – Herbie Nichols Trio (Blue Note, 1955-56)
- Jackie McLean – Demon’s Dance (Blue Note, 1967)
November 3, 2023
- Kenny Burrell – K.B. Blues (Blue Note, 1957)
- Jack Wilson – Easterly Winds (Blue Note, 1967)
December 1, 2023
- Grant Green – I Want To Hold Your Hand (Blue Note, 1965)
- McCoy Tyner – Extensions (Blue Note, 1970)
My thanks to Carlos, manning the Crow’s Nest. What’s exciting for you in this schedule? Any particular reasons? Any disappointments? What would you most like to see in future Tone Poets? Remember TP try not to clash with MMJ titles: Ron and Joe gotta eat, they are spoiling us as it is.
Selection: Footprints
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/wayne-shorter_footprints_adams-apple-bn-vinyl-classic-2022.mp3. . .
Tracklist
A1. Adam’s Apple 06:52
A2. 502 Blues (Drinkin’ and Drivin’) 06:36
A3. El Gaucho 06:32
B1. Footprints 07:31
B2. Teru 6:10
B3. Chief Crazy Horse 7:30
Artists
Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Joe Chambers, drums; recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 3 & 24, 1966; released: November 1967, first pressing by Liberty Blue Note
Music
The old Blue Note record formula – one boogaloo track, aimed at radio-play and the charts, one Latin swinger, one ballad, and one for the bop traditionalists – had gone.
All Music: “Shorter – in quartet – carries most of the melodic and improvisational duties himself, offering a largely undiluted creative portrait. He plays quietly, his tone is measured and relaxed, only bursting into shout for emphasis in a few places, a balanced tension.”
Shorter’s compositions are moody, understated, subtle shifts with lots of space rather than leaps of melodic invention. Hancock works his percussive-discursive magic in the background rather than developing harmonies and countermelodies. Joe Chambers percussion is abstract, colouring rather than timekeeping, while Workman signals the changes underground.
But there is an elephant in the room.
A few Discogs Commenters: “…Only complaint is Shorter is hard panned to the left channel only and drums are prominent only in the right channel. Gives it an unbalanced sound at times”
“The imaging is so realistic; my dog was staring at the left speaker wondering how Wayne Shorter got in …”
Yup, that is how Van Gelder recorded it. I was hoping Kevin Gray would fix the stereo balance, but it’s unchanged. Shorter, hard panned left, and in my judgement too loud relative to the other instruments. By 1966 RVG had stereo totally under control, and this one comes out of the blue. Gray didn’t fix it because it is how Rudy recorded it – Gray’s obligation is fidelity to the original tapes, it’s not his job to change or “correct” Van Gelder’s judgement.
In the late 50s, hard-panning was a characteristic of Van Gelder recordings, instruments recorded on two-track tape, not intended for stereo. As the early 60s progressed, the Van Gelder stereo soundstage evolved into a more balanced intended stereo presentation. Only a few commenters (me included) noted the “unbalanced” presentation here, most never thinking to question the engineer’s judgement, praise the the music.
During one of my Listening Surgeries with some hi-fi buddies, opinion around the hard-panning was confirmed, but eagle-eyed Man-in-a-(brand new) Shed spotted something in the liner notes:
Liner Notes credited to Don Heckman, Jazz Editor, American Record Guide
Absence of guitar? Very unexpected observation from a jazz writer. It is not that I was expecting Shorter to bring in a guitarist, but it prompted the thought that possibly the “empty space on the soundstage” may be a studio place and microphone positioned for a sideman who didn’t show up. The session went ahead regardless. The hard-panned position of Shorter on the left channel was characteristic of Van Gelder stereo in 1958, not 1966. Was Shorter expected to be offset by another brass instrument on the right channel? It may also explain a long section in which Hancock comps in a pedestrian manner, also very uncharacteristic, intended to be backing for a solo which didn’t happen.
Shorter is to my ear awkwardly positioned in a quartet session planned to be a quintet. Of course the 1969 moon landing was faked, Princess Diana’s death was no accident, 9/11 was an inside job, and COVID escaped from a Lab. But a missing Fifth Musician? I’m not given to conspiracy theories… but this album is an odd fish. It doesn’t fit with Van Gelder and Blue Note ways of working at the time. Perhaps they thought to dub in the missing fifth player at a later date, but it didn’t work out. Maybe Player No 5 had a short-notice conflicting commitment, a cracking hangover, or an accident on the way to the studio (checks obituary notices) Or maybe LJC has completely lost the plot, a conspiracy theory easily set loose by rival bloggers. I wonder, could I bag a Netflix Exclusive on the tail of this?
If you already have an original Adam’s Apple, I’m not convinced that the Classic Vinyl edition adds a lot more to the 1967 stereo edition, but it is mint from new, and not expensive, may just tick your box.
Vinyl: BST 84232 (2022)
Vinyl Classics edition released last year, Universal official, remaster by Kevin Gray, pressed in Germany.
Kevin Gray offers his trademark big, wide soundstage, extending beyond the speakers, with immaculately controlled dynamic and tonal range. It is oddly forensic to my ear, deconstructed rather than unified, a reflection of Van Gelder’s mixing choices, and I am tempted to flick the mono switch.
My west coast non-Van Gelder master sounds harsher, Kevin Gray’s a little more mellow, and a little more satisfying performance. I should have got the original Van Gelder, or indeed the rarer mono Van Gelder (promo?), but was not aware of the differences at the time, a difference conveniently below most seller’s radar.
Collector’s Corner
The most desirable issues of Shorter’s Adam’s Apple seem to be the rare mono copies, likely issued as “Audition copies” for radio station airplay. (The commercial release is I believe stereo) Liberty, unusually, issued both mono and stereo copies in East Coast Van Gelder-mastered from original tape and West Coast local remastered from copy tape. The quality of auction pictures is not great, but these salvaged images show important recovered detail. The East Coast copies are VAN GELDER stamped and you can just see the characteristic triple-ring lock groove preset of Van Gelder’s Scully lathe reflected in the runout, absent in the West Coast remaster.
Personally, I favour the mono to get rid of that disturbing hard panning mix. The Japan-only mono DBPL edition also seems hugely popular – remastered from original tapes by you know who, but mono, best of both worlds. There’s a moral here.
Liberty Mono 1967:
Liberty Stereo 1967:
The label print typesetting on the stereo edition has the same East Coast edition, Van Gelder mastered, left, (with Keystone label) and a West Coast edition, remastered from copy tape by local Liberty engineer, (with Bert-Co printed label)
East Coast pressing vs, West Coast pressing
Blue Note Vinyl Classics 2022 – contrast the run-out width!
As was usual at the time, Liberty cut the groove area the full width of the vinyl. Kevin Gray’s remaster has his usual stacking music grooves towards the outer edge of the vinyl, avoiding the central area of the disc, where tracking is more problematic (allegedly, for lesser equipment). Compare runout, the same length of music:
Shoot-out! 1967 vs 2022
Judge for yourself (headphones recommended) you can flip from one to the other, at the same point in the music – the volume settings were the same for each rip, any differences are in the engineering
Footprints (1967) Liberty west coast stereo edition, no Van Gelder, local remaster from copy tapes
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/wayne-shorter_footprints_adams-apple-bn-liberty-1967.mp3. . .
Footprints (2022) Blue Note Classic Vinyl: Kevin Gray remaster from OG tapes.
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/wayne-shorter_footprints_adams-apple-bn-vinyl-classic-2022.mp3. . .
55 years later, can you tell the difference, which twin has the Toni? Any observations welcome – on the music, not the perm, obviously.
Let’s kick off the New Year with some controversy. The Missing Fifth Musician The perm on the left knows something, the answer to the riddle of the 5th musician. But she’s not saying. Maybe his name was …Tony.
Adam’s Apple: have I lost the Plot? Indeed, did I ever have it? Happy New Year (again), and back on track with a Friday post.
LJC
Selection 1: If This Isn’t Love (Lane, Harburg)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/tubby-hayes_if-this-isnt-love-_the-last-word-tempo-tap26.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. If This Isn’t Love – Lane, Harburg
A2. Easy To Love – Cole Porter
A3. Whisper Not – Benny Golson
A4. Autumn Leaves – Prevert, Mercer, Kosma
B1. Too Close For Comfort – Weiss, Bock, Holofener
B2. Yesterdays – Kern, Harburg
B3. Love Walked In – I & G. Gershwin
Artists
Tubby Hayes, tenor saxophone, vibraphone, flute; Ronnie Scott, tenor saxophone; Kenny Napper, bass; Phil Seamen, drums; Terry Shannon, piano (Shannon passed away just a few months ago, at the end of October, 2022, age 93); recorded at Decca Studios, Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, London NW6, afternoons of June 26 and July 3, 1959; Tony Hall, Producer; Malcolm Mailes, engineer.
Decca, 1959, Tony Hall (L) Michael Mailes (R); living the all analogue life, in black and white.
Pictured below, Decca Studios (under the triangular gable front), in 1963, extraordinary music made behind a drab urban run of shop-fronts: David Bowie, Rolling Stones, The Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac, and in the late 50s, many of the hallowed Decca Tempo series. Nearby, the Railway Tavern, and its1st floor club Klook’s Kleek, where in 1969 LJC enjoyed a seated gig by an up and coming new band…Led Zeppelin. I believe later they became quite big, no longer played seated venues.
The Tempo tracks recorded here are all American standards – show tunes, but delivered with splendid British Jazz Couriers brio, the combined tenors of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes, who achieve a remarkable symbiosis. Scott is senior partner, no slouch himself on the tenor, but nurturing the extraordinary talent of Tubby Hayes. The rhythm section of Shannon, Napper and Seaman fairly bounces along, together or in solo, and busy wherever they are. In the later ’60s, British Jazz went through its own War of Independence Here, American material is treated with affection, and given its own British twist, propelled by Tubby’s fearsome firepower: fix bayonets, redcoats, give ’em hell.
Lyrics
If This Isn’t Love from the Broadway musical “Finian’s Rainbow” (1947) E.Y. ‘Yip’ Harburg / Burton Lane.
♫”A secret, a secret, he says I’ve got a little secret. A secret, a secret, a secret kind of secret. I’m aching for to shout it to every daffodil, And tell the world about it, in fact I think I will.
If this isn’t love, the whole world is crazy. If this isn’t love, I’m daft as a daisy, With moons all a-round and cows jumping over, There’s something amiss, and I’ll eat my hat if this isn’t love.
(Orchestral Break) If this isn’t love, then winter is a summer, If this isn’t love, my heart needs a plumber I’m swinging on stars, I’m riding on rainbows, I’m busting with bliss and I’ll kiss your hand if this isn’t love.”♫
You may not know the name, but you know Harburg’s popular lyrics, including The Wizard of Oz – Over The Rainbow, We’re Off to See The Wizard, and Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead. Other Harburg lyrics include Brother, Can You Spare A Dime (unadjusted for inflation), It’s Only A Paper Moon (widely recycled), and April In Paris (Airbnb available for selected dates).
Lyrics – the art that combines melody with narrative, provides the foundation for many instrumental jazz standards, without the torture of the lyrics themselves. Forget shouting at daffodils, these are invariably about love: love lost, love found, love spurned, love declared, love undeclared, all you need is love, and the ultimate miss-punctuation, what is this thing called, love? You don’t need to know the lyrics but it adds to the fun of following the tune along with the musicians.
“If this isn’t love, the whole world’s crazy” La dee dada da, la dee dada da da .. See how it works?
Now continue “If this isn’t love, my heart needs a plumber” (sponsored by Cardiac-Alert, 24-hour Chest-Pain Helpline, free estimates). Never mind selling records, there’s money to be made in these show-tunes!
The business of royalties and copyright revenue incentivised musicians to write their own compositions, with varying success. Composition calls for scoring and arranging other instruments other than their own. Lee Morgan had a flair for it, as did Monk and Mingus. However there was a lot to be said for picking a well-fashioned melody, like say the exquisite Autumn Leaves, and working over the changes, (F#m7(b5) anyone? Nowadays bands just shout something at a microphone, “You’re My W o n d e r w a l l !!!” That’s it. Bricklaying. What ever happened to love?
The Last Word is full of memorable and distinctive show-tunes, including the Golson composition, Whisper Not, in which Tubby takes up the mallets, and Yesterdays, where he trades in his horn for the flute. That’s the track with the scratch, so I’m happy to skip it.
Music:
The choice of tunes may have been influenced by the US export edition of this record, entitled The Message From Britain (Jazzland JLP 34), with the painful John Bull outfit cover, and drain-pipe-sonics from copy tape remastered in the US. All my reverse flow UK-to-US reissues have sounded pretty dreadful. We get our own back.
Tubby demonstrates his broader musicianship, seemingly important to break into the US market – in spite of being our finest tenor practitioner. In hindsight, I’m not convinced it was the right move, it didn’t work, but the world looks different in Hindsight. Hindsight is 20:20, everyone has it. Its rarely seen twin, Foresight, is a more precious commodity. Almost no-one has that.
Vinyl: Tempo TAP 26, pressed by Decca, New Malden.
Tempo are frustratingly rare, let alone in decent condition, with a cover, and several titles have never ever been seen on Discogs. Even this copy has a light scratch on one track, little choice.
The cover is a little tatty around the edges, sixty years old, but beautiful, more than you can say for some record collectors around here, even less well preserved.
Purchase tax code E/T on label, April 1959-July 1960, tax rate +50% on the wholesale price of “luxury goods”. Whitehall stuffed shirts deciding my priorities. Food is usually classified as essential – myself, I rarely eat anything else – but it is over-rated. Records, on the other hand, are “essentials”.
Collector’s Corner: Tempo
Respected authority on British Jazz, Henry Bebop wrote of Tempo: “Virtually everything recorded for Tempo was released, but the sad thing is the tapes have all disappeared. All the Jasmine CDs were dubbed from Jasmine vinyl that in turn had been dubbed from Tempo EPs and LPs so nobody has heard how the original masters should sound.” (In the absence of original tapes).
Valliant Japanese music reanimators Atelier Sawano have taken a crack at Tempo –
“From the back room of their small family owned shoe shop in the heart of Osaka’s Shinsekai district the Sawano brothers, Yoshiaki and Minoru, share their passion for Jazz music. After decades of collecting vinyl LPs the founding of a record label seemed like a natural progression, and so, in 1998 the Atelier Sawano label was born.”
Between 2007 and 2011, Atelier Sawano released eight facsimile Tempo LPs, like the one below:
A perfect facsimile – I wouldn’t call it bootleg. However, the one Sawano I bought I returned immediately, a sonic disaster. Copying artwork is one thing, copying music is a different enterprise. They don’t disclose their methods, but I assume a needle-drop from vinyl, itself previously copied by a needle drop from vinyl. or via a PCM file, or something. If you don’t know what an actual Tempo sounds like, you might just accept it. If you do know, a big disappointment awaits.
This original copy of The Last Word (counts arms and legs, missing) completed my collection of original Tubby Tempos bar one, one of our Tubby’s is still missing – TAP 6, After Lights Out, possibly the rarest of the rare. Following the logic of Lee Morgan’s 1956 debut on Blue Note, an artist’s earliest titles are not necessarily their best, (there are plenty of earlier Tubby EPs, out of scope) but it will usually be the most rare LP because of small sales of a less well known artist, and consequently the most scarce and expensive. Sentiment weighs heavily here.
TAP 5 Jazz At The Flamingo
TAP 6 After Lights Out (’80s Jasmine reissue)
TAP 15 The Jazz Couriers
TAP 25 Jazz Couriers In Concert
TAP 26 The Last Word
TAP 29 Tubby’s Groove
Here’s the problem with the missing original After Lights Out : TAP 6 is hardly ever seen. From the auction listing, a copy comes up for auction about every three years. In 1957, almost no-one bought this record. As a result, it is a tad expensive.
That is the existential problem I have with following auction results. Ask yourself, faced with a copy of TAP 6, would you pay over $7,000? To be honest, I would probably not. Instead, I’ll celebrate the new year tonight by playing the Jasmine reissue, save a few bob, and raise a glass to Tubby, to absent friends.
The Last Word was intended to be my last words for 2022, but somewhere I lost the plot, missed Friday 30th, so it’s first words for 2023. Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible. Just be warned, “Normal Service” isn’t always very good service. It rarely was. To play you out, a New Year bonus, Tubby says “Whisper Not”. On mallets.
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/tubby-hayes_whisper-not_-finalword-tempo-tap26.mp3. . .
Over and out.
LJC
Selection: Gaza Strip (Marshall)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/lee-morgan-gaza-strip_lee-morgan-indeed-vol1-1956-king-japan-1979.mp3. . .
Track List
A1. Roccus (Silver) – 8:18
A2. Reggie of Chester (Golson) – 4:55
A3. The Lady (Owen Marshall) – 6:47
B1. Little T. (Byrd) – 8:23
B2. Gaza Strip (Owen Marshall) – 3:56
B3. Stand By (Golson) – 5:51
Artists
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Clarence Sharpe, alto sax; Horace Silver, piano; Wilbur Ware, bass; “Philly” Joe Jones, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 4, 1956
Music: Billboard March 2, 1957:
Finger unerringly on the pulse, in just one short paragraph, Billboard elevates Morgan’s debut to “top man on the horn”, praise likewise for Clarence Sharpe, and pitches the rhythm section as “pro help”.
It has taken more spins to get into this album than the more accessible later Volumes 2 and 3, and I guess my heart still belongs to Volume 3. However this Lee Morgan debut for Blue Note has a lot to offer, namely one Clarence C Sharpe:
Clarence Sharpe obituary (NYT ): “Mr. Sharpe’s distinctive approach was described as ”the missing link between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman.” His phrasing and sense of harmony were rooted in be-bop, while his unconventional, highly personal intonation presaged free jazz”
The trajectory between Parker and Ornette counts a great many players, Dolphy?. What I hear is an alto player of high energy and an inventive exuberance which fits in well with Lee Morgan’s similar musical character. The combination is closer together, in the upper register, than Morgan’s later pairings with tenor players, and gives the Blue Note 1538 session a distinctive sound of its own. It is a pity Clarence fell by the wayside on Blue Note dates, but his performance here grows on me, an unexpected highlight.
The compositions are distinctive, with Benny Golson and Owen Marshall in the writing seat, perhaps not quite as well-crafted and memorable as Morgan’s two subsequent volumes, but an excellent showcase for Lee’s formidable and irrepressible horn, while allowing other voices to contribute a more rounded musical experience. This is notable when the first solo is given over to the alto rather than the trumpet: Presenting Clarence Sharpe, Indeed!
Vinyl: King reissue ® 1979 of BLP 1538
Pointing the finger at Van Gelder rather than King, the original recording sounds a little on the thin side compared with later works. Wilbur Ware’s bass is not as firm and musical as high-stepping Paul Chambers on Morgan’s subsequent titles. The horn’s mid and upper register is bright and fresh, if a little harsh.
I wonder what the other players made of this session to introduce the trumpet prodigy, Lee Morgan. Philly Joe sounds a bit disembodied in a Hackensack alcove, doing his Phillly-kick thing, while Horace Silver comps professionally as a sideman, taking a back seat. Lee’s Blue Note debut lacks the interplay of a practicing, working quintet.
None of which detracts from a stunning Reid Miles cover (I double-checked), whose Francis Wolff photo close-up intimacy is reinforced by a hand-written title rather than mechanical typography. Very smart, including informal lower case” blue note” instead of corporate, capitalized “Blue Note”. Nothing is by accident or happenstance in the world of good design: everything serves a purpose. In the world of bad design, there is mere decoration, or misdirection.
Not for the first time, King chose the wrong label, 47 W63rd instead of Lexington, and worse, and ® below NOTE, the later 63rd design, post incorporation. I don’t recall King using the Lexington label (which ran up to 1543) for any of their reissues, (note to check).
Collector’s Corner
Just for reference, here is what you need to look for, nosing through your neighbourhood thrift store:
The pitch here is worth reading, an object lesson in how to sell a record to collectors.
Everything is about the artefact and its provenance. Nothing is about the music, apart from noting it was Morgan’s first recording for Blue Note, which is possibly a negative in musical terms, but that adds another “first!!” to the collector’s triggers, archaeologists vs audiophiles.
The seller says he “picked Leavitt’s finest sounding copy”. Finest sounding, meaning they sat and auditioned several copies of the record? Hey, that’s the finest sounding one, I’ll take that. Possible but unverifiable. I know some readers here have first hand experience of shopping with Leon, perhaps they could share. It is a good story. The buyer can participate in the record’s journey, own some of its history. It boosted the selling price to $7,786, nearly three times the previous highest for this record at that time of $2,450.
What if Leavitt had said, “You know what? Before you make up your mind, have you considered Lee Morgan’s third album for Blue Note, Volume 3, instead of his first? It’s a much better sounding record all round, and killer Golson compositions. Mind you, the first album has one of the very few appearances on record of the great Clarence C Sharpe, on alto. Can’t decide? Why not buy them both? “
Of course conversations like this hardly ever happen in real life, only at LJC. Clearly, this is where I am going wrong. The buyer merely wants reassurance he is about to acquire the best copy in the world. Just tell him, yes.
A little more Clarence C Sharpe posted up at Youtube, decent quality sound clip, very free-running alto in his older years. seems Clarence has had a wider following than I was aware. DG has put us straight.
From the liner notes of 1538, the young Turks with Horace Silver, so young, Clarence shares a studio portrait, not a lot more hair then than later.
Record cleaning update!
One enterprising reader felt he had to let me know he had switched his alcohol, from my recommended Iso-Propyl Alcohol to biomass fuel. Is this a Vegan thing? My advice is to go the whole hog and switch to organic gin. What you use for cleaning records afterwards is up to you.
Great piece of packaging, my design award of the year, vroom vroom.
That’s it, its a wrap. I for one won’t be missing 2022, the year the world should have bounced back, and instead, stepped deeper in the doo-doo.
Happy Christmas all vinyl jazz fans, counting down now to the New Year 2023.
Astrology Warning! 23 is an unusual number! It can’t be divided by any other number except one, and itself. Whether this turns out a good or a bad thing we won’t know until we reach the year end. Personally, I’m optimistic, I tend towards the “glass half full” view than the “glass half empty”. It was George Carlin who put that in perspective: “ Problem is, the glass is tooo big.”
Either way, good music will see you through Year 23.
Cheers.
LJC
Selection: Whisper Not (Golson)https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/lee-morgan_vol2-blp1541-whisper-not-king-japan-1979-mono-ljc.mp3. . .Thad Jones (“Mad Thad”, Period Records) and Lee Morgan (“Vol.2,” Blue Note) recorded their own versions of Whisper Not nearly a year before its composer had the chance to record it for himself, with his own group: Benny Golson’s New York Scene, recorded 14 & 17 November 1957 for Contemporary, with Art Farmer on horn.Whisper Not is one of the most distinctive of Golson’s many memorable compositions, which became a jazz standard, recorded by hundreds of other musicians, the royalties from which no doubt helped convince Golson of the merits of a future career in composing and arranging rather than performing jazz. The main variations of the tune are often the tempo – some very down-tempo, some quite perky, it plays well either way. I closed last evening listening to Tubby Hayes Jazz Couriers (Tempo TAP 26) Whisper Not, Tubby on vibes.Tracklist :A1.Whisper Not (Golson) – (Golson) – 7:20
A2. Latin Hangover (Golson, arr. Owen Marshall) – 6:43
A3. His Sister (Marshall, arr. Golson) – 6:32
B1. Slightly Hep (Golson, arr. Marshall) – 6:27
B2. Where Am I? (Golson, arr. Marshall) – 5:49
B3. D’s Fink (Marshall, arr. Golson) – 7:41
Slightly Hep almost crossed the finishing line, but Whisper Not made it by a nose.ArtistsLee Morgan, trumpet; Kenny Rodgers, alto saxophone; Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone; Horace Silver, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Charlie Persip, drums; recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 2, 1956.Lee’s line-up highlights the emerging careers of those early Blue Note years. Silver was a well-established piano choice, Mobley a fledgling – like Morgan. Paul Chambers and Charlie Persip are a solid and reliable rhythm nucleus. Kenny Rodgers, alto, is a wild card, (his internet footprint completely swamped by country music icon Kenny Rogers, no “d”). Rodgers played With Grover Mitchell And His Orchestra and The Baritone Saxophone Retinue, names which register little with me.Altos were in plentiful supply in New York, Rodgers’ brief appearance seems his first and last, not unlike Morgan’s previous choice in tenor saxophone, on Vol.1, Clarence “C” Sharpe, whose brief appearance later descended to street musician, jam sessions, sideman, and premature demise aged only 53. There is a catalogue of personal hardship under the music, which makes it all the more poignant, because it is concealed: it’s only the performance that matters.Music: It’s Benny Golson time again, the composing magic assisted here by one Owen Marshall, a new name to me, but with a good jazz pedigree. Though not present in person like on Vol3., Golson and his compositions remain the star performer of this session, credited with four of the six tracks.Lee Morgan is unspeakably talented, barely 18 years of age, carrying the burden of the melodies, wrestling magnificently with his solo space, recorded loud and bright by Van Gelder. Horace Silver’s smiling piano bounces along, Paul Chambers walks assuredly around the many changes in Golson’s compositions, anchored by Persip.Rodgers is an unexpected feisty altoist with an aggressive line of attack, contrasting sharply with Mobley’s malted-chocolate toned schmoozing tenor. Mobley is not as forward in the presentation as he could be, or would be when leading his own titles, but his vocabulary and timbre remains compelling and interesting, always love Hank.The ensemble is a little recessed, shades of Sun Ra Chicago ballroom 1950s ambiance, but the soloists cut through, piercing volume and upper frequency detail. And all the time Golson’s melody and counter melodies, call and answer, weaving away. The structure of this music is a marvel, simply demanding repetition.Vinyl: BLP 1541 – GXK 8134 (M) King Records, Japan 1979 Originally I had Japanese pressings marked down generally for their timidity and lack of punch compared to the American originals, and I still think that is broadly true. But, revisiting the Lee Morgan King pressings in my collection, with all the sonic improvements of the last couple of years, they have come up in my estimation. This observation is aimed at Blue Note 1500 series recordings made between 1956-58.1500 series originals are hard-core trophy collectors territory, rare as hen’s teeth, and priced mostly in four figures. As an audiophile listener rather than a collector, I can’t compare these Lee Morgan titles exactly 1:1, but the King sound quite full in tonal range and dynamics, but not all, and not always. My impression is that the early 1500 source recordings can be a bit one-dimensional and primitive, boxed-in. (Panic! Owners of originals rush to offload their collection on Discogs No reasonable offer refused!)By 1958, Van Gelder recordings became more fluent and nuanced, more air, presumably as Van Gelder developed his recording skills and equipment. Were he with us, I’m sure he would agree. July 1959 signalled the end of the Hackensack era, and Van Gelder moved into purpose-built Englewood Cliffs for a reason: like every engineer, committed to process improvement.Maybe on my own here, but I am beginning to suspect that my early criticism of Japanese pressings should more properly have been directed at the quality of early recordings, which engineers in Japan reproduced faithfully. It is with the end of 1500 and commencement of the 4000 series recordings that original recording quality improved significantly, and the quality of reissues comes into play. This is territory I feel more confident in, with both originals and vintage Japanese reissues on my shelf for comparison.Vinyl manufactured by King at the end of the 70s is high quality, very low noise-floor, with few if any imperfections – physically or sonically. They do benefit from an ultrasonic clean to remove any residue of mould-release, natto spills from their hashi (hat-tip David B), soy sauce splashes and accumulated domestic dust.The new Dynavector XV1T cartridge is not very tolerant of groove-obstruction, or forgiving of poor recordings, but lifts the best audio presentation to an all-time high, very nice, and quite scary. The Kings show up well. Collector’s CornerLorra-Wonga Alert!Lexington mono label, no ®, deep groove, flat-rim, frame cover (but laminated? hmmm)and Liberty “stereo” to avoid – a one track mono recording, electronically monkeyed with to create a stereo sound-stage. Horrible. Konnichiwa, Nihon! (Hello, Japan!)I had not previously lined up my three King/ Lee Morgan 1500 series titles, and it makes an interesting contrast to play them “as a series”, rather than randomly among other albums of different times and artists. It is probably more revealing still to add 1575 City Lights (August 25,1957); 1578 The Cooker (September 29, 1957); and 1590 Candy (November18,1957) to the timeline, but start small. Less than a month elapsed between the recording of vol1 and Vol2, nearly four months between Vol2 and Vol3, Van Gelder must have been making leaps and bounds in his recording technique. Vol 3 sounds fuller and fatter than Vol 2, particularly stronger bass extension. Vol2 is in turn richer and more refined than Vol1, which sounds a little boxed-in, hollow, and lacking punch (but will still cost you a fortune) There has to be a lot to learn from these albums as a sonic “family”.King 1979 pressings were all remastered from a common batch of analogue copy tapes sent from United Artists in LA. What is their sonic-distance from originals? Do King’s have a common sonic fingerprint? Can we talk about how Kings sound? Improvement in Van Gelder’s recording quality over time is a hypothesis I’d like to pursue. Van Gelder’s recording at Hackensack developed over the year these sessions were recorded. Can you hear that improvement in the recordings, replayed today? He was making them better, why should they not sound better? The answer to these questions require comparative listening, beyond the “sounds great to me” threshold. Do they all sound equally great?Here is the cast of thousands, Lee’s Line-ups in the space of just one year, Blue Note titles from late 1956 to late 1957:Anyone with originals of one or all Morgan 50’s titles are welcome to comment on the sonics. (No, I don’t want to hear about their lovely covers, I already know that!).More discovery on these lines when I add Lee Morgan Indeed! (Vol1) into the equation, in a forthcoming post, and probably more titles, in the endless search for jazz audio-nirvana .LJC: On The Horizon – Tone Poet 2023The Christmas clock is ticking . . . New Year on the horizon. Tone Poet release schedule, to be published 15th December, came and went. Eagle-eyed sleuth Carlos spotted a promo hastily withdrawn, but not before he grabbed it. Coming for your credit card shortly: Also this slipped under the radar: Can’t wait for 2023, though I guess we will all have to.If you have any personal feedback on the current crop of reissues – Pharoah’s Karma, Donald Byrd at Montreux, only bona fide audiophile, remastered from original tapes. There is plenty of undisclosed (digital file) source coloured vinyl to avoid, and public domain grey. Here’s a couple I spotted – Blue Train on vinyl, “Music Legends”, for only 5 euros, and blimey, it’s an “original album”, whatever that means. Give us a shout.Get your thoughts to the keyboard..LJC
Selection 1: Once Apon A Time . . . . (Surman) 7:07
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/alan-skidmore-once-apon-a-time-st-deram-nova-1970.mp3. . .
Selection2: Old San Juan (long – Christmas Bonus!)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/alan-skidmore-old-san-juan-once-apon-a-time-deram-nova-1970.mp3. . .
I ripped both tracks but could not decide which to make the selection. So I chose. . . both – a classic solution to many split-choice dilemmas, feel free to use, but for joint-account holders, with caution. This album shows no sign of a vinyl reissue any time soon. I figured, grab it if you can, when you can. Ooh, it was ex-pen-sive.
Tracklist
A1 Once Upon a Time (Surman)
A2 Majaera (Oxley)
A3 The Yolk (Taylor)
B1 Old San Juan (Warren)
B2 Free For Al (Skidmore)
B3 Image (Image)
Artists
Harry Miller, bass; Tony Oxley, drums; Kenny Wheeler, flugelhorn; John Taylor, piano; Alan Skidmore, Tenor Saxophone; Producer, Peter Eden; Engineers, Bill Price and David Grinsted; mastered by Harry Fisher for Decca.
Each engineer who cut at Decca was identified by a letter code at the end of the matrix number, in this case Harry Fisher (W). ZAL is the Decca prefix for stereo.
Music
This is iconic British jazz, divorced from its US origins (no pre-nup), ground-breaking artists, originality leaning towards the avant-garde, and moving on from the European classicism of the late Sixties.
Each side of the album is dominated by a lengthy piece. Though they have individual song titles and composer credits, there is no obvious separating band between the tracks, which lead one into the other, and the group plays continuously. This likely explains why Youtube posters post the whole side, I’ve made my own judgement where each finishes.
Of the two long pieces, I prefer Old San Juan (Warren) for its cinematic mood and structure. I was always a sucker for European Classicism. Once Upon a Time (Surman) is more spacious piece, slowly unfolding, easing into free-improv territory, the direction of some British Jazz at the time. Skidmore is quite restrained, considering it is his album. Both sides are graced with marvelous Kenny Wheeler explorations. The rhythm section provides colour and shading more than “rhythm”. John Taylor’s sparse piano wanders in pursuit of his own ideas, keeps everything loose, and adventurous.
Each long piece eventually ends in a free-for-all, cacophony. Man-in-a-Shed tells me he likes cacophony. I envy such a forgiving nature, me not so much. When Mingus deploys cacophony in Pithycanthropus Erectus, it is for the purpose of narrative: “conflict”. Here, it’s like they can’t think how to finish a free piece, so end in cacophony, purpose: finishing. If you disagree, that’s fine, we can settle this conflict outside, in the car park (swings sock full of coins).
Vinyl:
A very rare and desirable record, but I’m going to have to put my hand up, the recording engineering is not Decca’s finest. Messrs Price and Grinstead were Decca house engineers, and a glance at their late 60s workload shows a conveyor-belt of popular vocalists – Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, Kathy Kirby, folk singer Julie Felix, and a few groups, The Strawbs, Amen Corner, The Batchelors. Then, out of the blue, a couple of quite abstract and free British jazz albums turn up on the studio job roster. I imagine the engineers were wondering: what’s this all about?
The drums and soloist are carefully miked, but the ensemble is a little muddy, and recessed in the mix. Were they thinking “another lead singer with backing band”? Perhaps producer Peter Eden can throw some light on this session (if you are out there, Peter, set me straight!) Still, it’s great music, you have to give it some rope.
Collector’s Corner: Seen Out and About – more Pharaoh Sanders
Tauhid, Pharaoh Sanders first title for Impulse! has long been on my shopping list, and doesn’t seem to get any attention from official sources (UMG/Verve/Decca, kindly note). In the absence of any official vinyl reissue release, entrepreneurs fill the gap, with digital reissues like Anthology Recordings
and not unexpected, a Russian bootleg on the AudioClarity label. There was a vinyl reissue from Germany in the 80’s MCA-era, bizarrely stickered “WARNER COLLECTORS SOCIETY“, like who collects “Warners”, however manufactured by Direct Metal Mastering, from undisclosed sources, poor provenance, even for a Warner Collector.
There are clearly digital files in circulation, and an abundance of CD reissues, but no official AAA release, possibly the master tape – along with a lot of the Impulse catalogue – went up in smoke in the LA back-lot fire.
But suddenly, another vinyl reissue of TAUHID has popped up, that claims to be a legitimate official reissue, originating in…Germany. A brace of sealed new copies have just appeared from Discogs re-sellers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, budget price, usually sign of a small batch hit-and-run job. A quick check of Verve Official websites and Universal Music Group make no mention of TAUHID in their current or forthcoming release schedules. What is going on?
The record label says UMG Recordings © 2022, Universal Music Jazz, Germany, a Division of Deutche Gramaphon GmbH, Berlin, Universal Music Group logo. Anyone can print anything, that doesn’t mean it’s true (NYT readers, note). Discogs doesn’t permit selling of unofficial releases, so is this a clever workaround, an unofficial release with the “appearance of official licensing” (or a sneak-initiative by Universal Europe?) Break out the steins and lederhosen if this the real thing, but I fear another knock-off, from digital sources.
If you know anything, say something, sag etwas.
LJC World In Turmoil CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
And now the post-early-for-Christmas, Tough Time to be a Turkey Special Edition LJC Seasonal Message: Happy Christmas! Or for the benefit of my American readers (exclusions apply, the Sussexes) Happy Holidays! Not very original, but short and sweet.
With Christmas just around the corner, due to the unprecedented Cost-Of-Giving Crisis, I hear on the QT that Santa is shortly to go on strike. At Christmas, when else? I’ve got three LPs in the post, but with our postmen intermittently on strike, who knows when I will hear them. Maybe next week.
Just in case my local wine merchant goes on strike over Christmas, I have pre-emptively laid down emergency supplies of French white Burgundy: Viré-Clessé, Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint Aubin (new one for me), and a Northern Rhone treat, a bottle of Condrieu. It’s like original Blue Note, only in a bottle, and more affordable.
Luckily for you, no strike here. LJC will be working all hours to make sure you get your next jazz-on-vinyl posts before the celebrations kick in, electronically of course. Until they cut off the power.
LJC
Selection: Hassan’s Dream (Golson) . . . Artists Lee Morgan, trumpet; Gigi Gryce, alto sax, flute; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Charlie Persip, drums, recorded Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 24, 1957. Tracklist A1. … Continue reading →
Selection: The Creator has a Masterplan (Part 2) . . . Tracklist The Creator Has a Master Plan – Part 1; & 2 (“Light Of Love”); Colors (5:43) Artists **** Pharoah Sanders, tenor saxophone; Reggie Workman, Richard Davis, bass; William … Continue reading →
LondonJazzCollector goes off-piste again. Last week, South Africa, this week bound for…Sweden, baby it’s cold outside. Take it away, Lars… Selection: Relax, Float Downstream (Farnlöf) . . . . Tracklist A1. Fin Sikt Över Havet (Nice View of the Sea) … Continue reading →
No Cost-of-Listening crisis here. Forget the eat-or-heat cliche beloved by misery news editors: just put on an extra layer and a woolly hat, good music will see you through this Winter. Let’s hope, this Christmas, Decca has … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Katcharpari . . . Selection 2: Bunny’s Pie/ Trial N5 . . . (These two tracks merge without a Separator groove, so two together) Track list A1 Bunny’s Pie 2:00 A2 Trial N. 6:10 A3 Dimenticare Stanca 9:07 … Continue reading →
Remember double-bill movie nights? The Teenage Werewolf meets Curse of The Mummy’s Tomb? LJC brings you a rare “double bill” post, celebrating British Jazz from the golden era with a historic recording from 1963 and a reissue from 1971. … Continue reading →
Selection: The Highest Pleasure (Johnson) . . . Track List A1. The Traveler 06:48 A2. Time and Space 07:25 A3. The Highest Pleasure 07:46 B1. The Water Bearer (Kirk Lightsey) 06:49 B2. The Second Coming 09:00 (All songs Rudolph Johnson … Continue reading →
Indulge me, this week’s post is not an album, it is a composition, Keith Jarrett’s In Your Quiet Place, which first appeared on his 1971 Atlantic release with vibe-Meister Gary Burton. Not particularly a fan of Jarrett’s solo piano outings, … Continue reading →
I know this is a shocking musical turn of events at Londonjazzcollector: crossbreed soul-jazz hip hop, something I never imagined I would write about. No categories are barred here as long as it is good music, which sometimes you find … Continue reading →
Selection: Park Avenue Petite (Golson) . . . Artists Howard McGhee, trumpet; Bennie Green, trombone; Roland Alexander, tenor saxophone; Pepper Adams, baritone saxophone; Tommy Flanagan, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Walter Bolden, drums; recorded NYC, June 13, 1960 Track List A1 … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Carmel Jones And Things Will Change . . . Selection 2: Art Farmer Red Jeans . . . Artists Erich Kleinschuster, trombone; Carmell Jones, trumpet; Slide Hampton, trombone; Art Farmer, trumpet; Palle Mikkelborg; trumpet; Robert Politzer;trumpet; Hans Salomon, … Continue reading →
Selection rip 1: Joe Henderson Recorda Me . . . Selection rip 2: Dusko Goykovich Madison Walk . . . Tracklist: 6tet with Joe Henderson1.1. Mamacita (5:39) Trompeta Toccata (1965)1.2. Recorda Me (6:35) Page One 19631.3. Chelsea Bridge (4:47) The Kicker … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Clifford Jordan – Vienna (5:46) . . . Selection 2: Charles Tolliver – Paper Man (6:29) . . . Artists Erich Kleinschuster, trombone; Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone; Charles Tolliver, Trumpet; Robert Politzer, trumpet; Hans Salomon, tenor saxophone; Fritz … Continue reading →
Strata East was the quintessential US independent 70s jazz label “Strata-East Records is an American record company and label specializing in jazz founded in 1971 by Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell with the release of their first recording Music Inc. The label released over 50 albums in … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Antibes (10:24) . . . Comparison: Antibes (Lansdowne Studios, Columbia Magic Notes, December 1970) . . . Bonus Selection 2: Euphrates (12:30) . . . Tracklist A1. On The Way 8:00A2. Euphrates … Continue reading →
Selection: Pastoral – Awakening (Westbrook/ Surman) 13:12 . . . Tracklist: A1. Pastoral 02:41 A2. Awakening 10:31 A3. Parade 07:56 A4. Echoes and Heroics 00:17 B1. A Greeting 05:40 B2. Image 06:38 B3. Dirge 04:14 B4. Portrait 07:32 First two … Continue reading →
Selections: brought to you direct from vinyl, via Avid Acutus Reference TT, SME arm, Dynavector TKR cart, custom-built valve pre and power amp, final stage tape out to Citrix DAC/ upload to WordPress embedded player at 320kbps. Sounds pretty good … Continue reading →
Vinyl collector culture, an LJC Public Interest post, . Better Records And Hot Stampers are an American record selling company, based on the premise that old records can sound dramatically better than ones made today. I had heard of them … Continue reading →
A change from record reviews, I decided to take some time out to explore one of the reasons, possibly the main reason, why vintage Blue Note recordings sound as good as they do. Yes, brilliant musicians, yes, Van Gelder at … Continue reading →
Selection: Waltz (Alan Wakeman) . . . Tracklist A1. Becclesology (Rendell) 12:05A2. Devon Dance (Rendell) 11.41B3. Waltz (Wakeman) 8:34B4. It Could’ve Happened to You (Wakeman) 8:05B5. Unicorn (Saberton) 9:11 Artists Don Rendell, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; … Continue reading →
Selection: Capra Black (B. Harper) 15:46 . . . Tracklist s1. Capra Black (13:46) B. Harpers2. In What Direction Are You Headed? (16:30) H. Maberns3. Angela (6:24) J. Merritt Croquet Ballet ( 15:46) B. Harpers4. Inner Passions-Out (17:40) F. … Continue reading →
Selection: B2. Penta-gone (Rendell) . . . The title one of those much-loved British play on words: a well known US military headquarters, and a piece in 5/4 time. Artists Steve Cook, bass, bass guitar; Don Rendell, clarinet, flute, flute … Continue reading →
Selection: B3. Julius (J Gardener) . . . Selection: B2. People putting People Through Changes (Farrah) . . . Track List A1. The World Of The Children 9:58A2. Conversation Piece 6:28B1. Milt: A Bass Solo 2:57B2. People Puttin People Through Changes … Continue reading →
Selection 1: Somethin’ Special (Clark): . . . Selection 2: Midnight Mambo (Clark) . . . Artists Tommy Turrentine, trumpet; Charlie Rouse, tenor sax, except Ike Quebec (A2); Sonny Clark, piano; Butch Warren, bass; Billy Higgins, drums; recorded Van Gelder … Continue reading →
UPDATE: Simon has noted they are not exactly the same shot. I have superimposed one on the other with 50% transparency overlay, and there is a very slight difference in the camera to subject … Continue reading →
UPDATE April 26 : LOST ALBUM “MINGUS AT RONNIE SCOTTS, 1972” (see Collector’s Corner foot of post) I’m still in beachcomber mode right now, wandering the jazz musical shoreline, picking up odd pieces of musical interest, Hopefully you find something … Continue reading →
Selection: Donna Lu (Attilio Donadio) … Track List A1 Eighty One (Miles Davis)A2 Spanish Mood (Gil Evans)A3 Uroni (Valdambrini)A4 Donna Lu (Attilio Donadio)B1 Conseguenza (Valdambrini)B2 Ricorda Me (Valdambrini)B3 Inver Time (Agoni)B4 Stella By Starlight (Washington/ Young) Artists Giorgio Azzolini, double … Continue reading →
Selection 1: (previously posted from British Jazz Explosion compilation) : Hum Dono (D’Silva) . . . Selection 2: N.N.N.T (D’Silva) . . . Internet search for the initials “N.N.N.T.” draws a complete blank. What could they signify? “Hum Dono” translates … Continue reading →
UPDATE APRIL 3: LAST-MINUTE SUPRISE TURN OF EVENTS – TOKYO CALLING! (See foot of post for latest development) Selection: Catastrophy (Mingus) Artists Miles Davis, trumpet; Charles Mingus, bass; Thelonious Monk, piano; Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone, Art Blakey, drums, recorded Van … Continue reading →
Selection: Lantern Wood . . . Track List A1 Jack Knife 7:53A2 Lantern Wood 9:56A3 One On One Off 6:51A4 TCB 8:47B1 Walk In And Dance Out 4:54B2 AJ 3:37B3 And Think Again 2:54 Artists Side A – Quintet : … Continue reading →
Selection: Cry Me A River (Arthur Hamilton) . . . Track list A1. Mamacita (Joe Henderson) – 5:49 A2. Sweet and Lovely (Gus Arnheim, Jules Lemare, Harry Tobias) – 7:45 A3. Andrea (Roger Boykin) – 5:16 B1. Step Lightly (Henderson) … Continue reading →
Following on from Alice Coltrane’s Ptah El Daoud, LJC takes a second look into the murky world of unofficial bootleg vinyl, Pharoah Sander’s 1977 India Navigation title Pharoah. Sometimes you just have to go with what’s available rather than what’s … Continue reading →
Selection: Animals Garden https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/miyasaka-5-animals-garden-s-t-bbej-jazz-2020-2x45rpm.mp3
Artists
- Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – 松風鉱一 Koichi Matsukaze
- Bass – 大場景弘 Kagehiro Oba
- Drums – 宮坂高志 Takashi Miyasaka
- Piano – 津垣博通 Hiromichi Tsugaki
- Soprano & Tenor Saxophones – 沢井原児* Genji Sawa
- Trombone – 板谷博 Hiroshi Itaya
- Tenor Banjo – Koichi Matsukaze
- Sleeve Notes – Tony Higgins
Recorded in Japan, I guess Tokyo 1979, no studio or engineer credited.
Music
From the 2019 release notes (abridged):
BBE Music’s J Jazz Masterclass Series is dedicated to presenting the very finest in modern jazz recorded in Japan from a ‘golden period’, the late 1960s to the mid-1980s.
‘Animals Garden’ by Miyasaka + 5 was originally issued in 1979 on the cult private Japanese label ALM. A one-off project led by master drummer Takashi ‘Bear’ Miyasaka, featuring a powerful and progressive jazz group including saxophonist Koichi Matsukaze.
The four extended tracks on ‘Animals Garden’ exemplify the high standard of playing and arranging that was a characteristic of jazz composed and recorded in Japan during the late 1970s. The album spans a range of styles, from febrile post-bop and head nodding modal, to deep funky blues and elegiac balladry.”
The drummer Miyasaka is supportive in Art Blakey style, rather than a pyrotechnician Elvin Jones, for which I for one was grateful. Over the ten minutes of the title track, the pace and mood evolves from mid-beat to up-tempo. distinctly vintage flavours in an organic series of changes emphasising the ensemble, with virtuoso sax improv overhead. It is a familiar form but with its own spirit. Over four sides, it has a confident air, each track has space to develop its own direction.
Vinyl: ALM AL-3007 original Japan (1979); reissue BBE (UK 2019)
Stereo 2x45rpm l80gm LPs
Like many modern vinyl reissues, there is no indication of sources for the mastering and cutting, so I assume a digital file. Mastering engineers The Carvery say their preference to cut vinyl from a digital file sampled at 48kHz/16bit. They also have a restoration service which is computer-driven. Either way, it appears a digital source drives the lathe, not original tapes.
The 1979 original recording was squeezed onto a single 33rpm LP. These 2x 45rpm discs stress my drivebelts, wear down my shoe-leather, add an extra step switching speeds to and fro, and I don’t think it adds anything to sound quality, which is nevertheless pretty good – an outcome usually related to having a good original recording to start with, little to do with double-speed mastering (those DJs and their 12″ singles!)
Unlike much modern new vinyl, which comes out of the factory filthy with dust and paper fibres, these discs are absolutely pristine clean, pressed at Pallas GmbH, Germany. Bravo.
Mastering is credited to The Carvery in East London, where engineer Frank Merritt cuts with an original Neumann VMS 70 lathe. The lathe came originally from the US, where apparently it began life in Nashville, cutting many of the famous Motown records of the early 70s.
Miyasaka+5 has a coherent musical focus. Not a Blue Note tribute band, but strong roots from the same jazz tree, and no “cod-Japanese” bamboo-flute, bells and wind-chimes. You can hear influences, it was 1979, every musician has influences, before finding their own voice.
Vintage Japanese jazz found here was better than I expected, a quite enjoyable excursion into unfamiliar territory. But there is a vast catalogue of Japanese jazz to navigate, without a map or compass. Is there a Japanese tenor giant like Hank Mobley or Tubby Hayes? The sax player here was Koichi Matsukaze, who’s album At The Room 427 is attracting attention, though a bit too “free jazz” for me, with very clunky (electric?) bass.
Is there an audiophile dimension in Japanese jazz? I imagine originals are an impossible pursuit from a distance of 6,000 miles, with no language competence. As for “legendary Japanese recording and record manufacture”, my couple of hundred vintage reissue Japanese pressings says more myth than legend. Perhaps true briefly in the late 70s and 80s when compared with declining quality of production in the West, but do not stand up against the originals and the quality leap of the last few years.
Would I go to Japanese jazz again? That is a big question. I still have a few other places to visit first, including my home country.
Gatefold
I’m obviously having a bad day. My eyesight is reasonable, I can usually get to within two lines from the bottom of an eye test chart, with glasses. This font is too small, and worse, reversed out white from black and not very sharp, that I could not read the real thing in my own hands in front of me.
It is another of those annoying DJ traits, Jazzman does it, so does Gilles Petersen. A lot to say and not enough room to say it. Instead of condensing their scholarship, or adding more pages, they shrink the font, print it all in five columns. In coloured ink.
Back cover (facsimile Japanese original) note – text in two columns!Collector’s Corner
Original Discogs entry of the original issue, Japanese genuine obi. One original 1979 copy for sale – at a whopping price, and add import duty.
The nagging unknown is how good the original sounds. My rule of thumb – if a digital copy sounds good, originals sound even better. Both the LP reissue and CD editions are listed by BBE as “Out Of Stock” .
The BBE/ J Jazz Series also includes three compilation volumes which cover a wide range of years, artists and vintage material from Japan. My take-away on compilations is that the musical focus of one group over a number of tunes provides a more satisfying listening session, though I’d have to think about why that is. Perhaps with a compilation, you find one or two picks, and that’s it.Curious if anyone has any more insights into vintage Jazz from Japan.
Selection: Truth (Tolliver)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/charles-tolliver-music-inc-truth_live-at-the-loosdrecht-jazz-festival_strata-east-1973.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1. Grand Max (Tolliver) – 11:06
A2. Truth – (Tolliver) 10:13
B1. Prayer for Peace (Stanley Cowell) – 15:08
C1. Our Second Father (Tolliver) 15:57
D1. Repetition (Neal Hefti) – 12:37
The track “Our Second Father” is of course reference to Coltrane, coming after Charlie Parker, as “Our First Father”. Nice tribute.
Artists
Charles Tolliver, trumpet, flugelhorn; John Hicks, piano; Reggie Workman, bass; Alvin Queen, drums; recorded live 9th August 1972 ; courtesy Joop de Noo, Radio Hilversum, engineer Cees van der Gracht; Yuzoh Satoh, photography; Hamish Grimes, Watanabe Jr., design.
Location : Loosdrecht, lakeside North Holland, half way between Amsterdam and Utrecht, also host to Charles Mingus concert on record..
Music
Live at Loosdrecht is not music for relaxation or yoga, but the selection “Truth” stands out as a reflective and sensitive piece. Considering the year is 1972, the music is quite uncompromising compared to directions other artists and labels were taking.at the time. No fusion leanings or electronics.
Live open-air recording, acoustic instruments with minimal atmospheric reverb presence, quite austere compared with club, concert hall and studio recordings. The few open air concerts I’ve attended, the instruments are remixed through vast overhead public address systems, and bear little resemblance to the source of origin on stage. This Strata East recording actually feels more “live” than most of my own live experiences.
Tolliver’s Music Inc. is a sparse vehicle for Tolliver’s trumpet: strident, sometimes quite harsh, shorn of any other horn harmonies, weight falls on John Hick’s piano to keep the musical direction flowing, sparing with the bass and drums. Reggie Workman, John Coltrane’s bassist, is smouldering and Alvin Queen ensures no-one gets any sleep.
Hicks is the equal of Tolliver in the energy stakes. I had to refresh my recollection of his history, I knew the name but not the history. Hicks served time with Art Blakey in the mid-sixties, after most of the Messengers alumni had moved on to careers of their own. He has drawn comparisons with McCoy Tyner, his style “a combination of irresistible creativity and responsiveness encompassing swing, hard bop and the avant garde” (Wiki covers all the bases). Hick’s discography runs for over three hundred session entries through to 2006, climbing from sideman to leader.
.Vinyl: Strata East SES 19740, 19741 Stereo 2xLP
Love Strata East catalogue number sequence – which starts with the year of release.
A previous owner of this record housed the vinyl in Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Original Master record inner sleeves, always a good sign! I use a similar mylar inner sleeve but add a separate paper outer sleeve, which allows me to write listening notes, picks, artist highlights, sonic impressions, and history of purchase source and price, held with the record. The sonic impressions can be quite revealing as your music system evolves, a historic benchmark tied to a specific record. It may have sounded good or not so good five years ago, how does it compare today?
Gatefold
Harry’s Place
Harry M was always in the right place at the right time: Charles Tolliver at Montreux, 1971
Photocredit: © Harry M
Collector’s Corner
Less collectable than Strata East, the UK Black Lion edition (1974) of Live as Loosdrecht can be found for “loose change”. Not a contender in the cover art competition.
The legacy entity of Strata East has also been busy licensing Strata East reissues, including the Loosdrecht double album (Strata East US, 2x180gm LP, 2019) Juno is out of stock, but the page has samples of all the other tracks active, to hear more.
In the UK, Stata East reissues are released by Pure Pleasure, who commission high quality remastering and pressing. A couple which I have pitch the vinyl sonics around half-way between digital and all-analogue, which is not that bad a place to be when the original is not practically available. (Same could not be said of a continental Euro-reissue of a Strata East I picked up released by a Dutch label Everland Music, very stodgy.)
Slowly, the original Strata East collection advances. Not everything in the catalogue is equally good, but a great many outstanding sessions, good recording engineering, and excellent pressings (for early 70s). And rare!
Label Guides Update
Major addition to the Guide to the Riverside label, prompted by TokyoJazzCollector Hiromasa N. – early white label 12-201 – 243, complete series.
Postscript
With the terrible events in last few days on the eastern borders of Europe, a dedication for the brave people of Ukraine: – Charles Tolliver – Prayer For Peace
.LJC
Selection 1: Agitazioni
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/basso-valdambrini_agitazioni_exciting-6_1967_dejavu_italian-press-re_ljc.mp3 . . .
Selection 2: Navarra
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/basso-valdambrini_avarra_exciting-6_1967_dejavu_italian-press-re_ljc.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1 Guernica 2:57
A2 Exotic 2:50
A3 Aura 2:20
A4 Look Out 2:50
A5 Young Man 2:25
A6 Leit Motiv 2:55
B1 Before Ten O’Clock 2:58
B2 Agitazione* 2:27
B3 Suspense 2:57
B4 Navarra 2:55
B5 ‘Nduma * 2:55 (Attilio Donadio Libano)
B6 Donna Lu 2:25
Twelve tracks, all compositions Oscar Valdambrini except ‘Nduma
Artists
Gianni Basso, Tenor Saxophone; Oscar Valdambrini, trumpet, Dino Piana, trombone, Renato Sellini, piano, Giorgio Azzolini/ Bruno Crovetto, bass; Lionelo Bionda, drums; recorded January 10, 1967 at Microphone Studio, Milan, engineer Tonino Paolillo, reissue producer (DejaVu Records) Paolo Scotti.
Slightly surprising for 1967 recording, the title is mono.
Music
In its original issue, a holy grail in European modal jazz. Dusty Groove says: “The tracks are short but plenty of punch filled up with modal rhythms on piano, soaring horn parts on trumpet, tenor, and trombone – and grooving tremendously with a style that takes off from earlier Blue Note modes, but pushes the whole thing into the sounds of the European scene of the 60s“
For the later half of the 50’s and much of the 60’s, Basso / Valdambrini were the epitome of Italian jazz. Gianni Basso, which improbably translates as Johnny Bass, is on a par with players like Hank Mobley and Zoot Sims. He runs the whole gamut from measured melodic-lines to athletic acrobatics, but without any leanings to the avant-garde – his emphasis is swinging, in strong compositions penned by Oscar Valdambrini. The quintet’s best album is probably Walking in the Night, but Exciting 6 has a different flavouring which the addition of Dino Piano’s trombone to the quintet, giving it a Knepper/Mingus-like mood.
Vinyl: DejaVu 2000028, 2006 reissue of GTA Records JA603
Originals of Basso Valdambrini titles are frustratingly rare and highly sought after. They command premium prices, and are rarely seen outside of Italy. I have heard just one original RCA Italiana Basso/ Valdambrini original, and it caused spine-tingling shivers, but the search is something of a lost cause.
Paulo Scotti (Paul Scott?) ‘s DejaVu label has reissued some of their titles, and another Italian reissue label – Rearward/ Ishtar. I have half a dozen, it’s great music, and they are quite acceptable, without the sparkle of originals, or the price.
Collector’s Corner
Collector’s Bank Balance Alert! Top Auction prices of Basso/ Valdambrini originals are fairly stratospheric. It is not cheap to be among the cognoscenti of Italian jazz.
Art Director Alert!
Below is my favourite Basso/ Valdambrini record, the group walking across the tarmac carrying their instruments to the aircraft steps, Alitalia. It is a photomontage/composite, given away by1-2 pixel white edge-fringing around the figures, but otherwise a good one, carefully matched perspective and lighting /shadow direction.
Got to love those yellow Shell tankers, which gives it a sense of time and place, smell the kerosene.
There is something romantic about Sixties air travel, excitement is on the menu. I flew Alitalia a few decades ago, and it was a veritable Milan catwalk experience, glamorous hostesses, I swear the pilot was Marcello Mastroianni in dark glasses, gold epaulettes and triple gold rings on his jacket sleeves cuffs.
Flying in designer style, that’s my kind of airline.
Some more selections of Basso/ Valdambrini combos, Italian jazz.
Basso Valdambrini Octet with Lars Gullin on Baritone
Some 60s Italian TV live footage, above, and more recent recording of Basso, below. Dress-code: suits.
Selection: Port Rico Rock
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/blue-mitchell-port-rico-rock_bring-it-home-to-me-blp-4228-1966-blue-note-mono-og_ljc.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1. Bring It Home to Me (Jimmy Heath) – 7:58
A2. Blues 3 for 1 – 6:04 (Mitchell)
A3. Port Rico Rock (Tom McIntosh) – 6:34
B1. Gingerbread Boy ( Jimmy Heath) – 6:36
B2. Portrait of Jenny /Jennie (Gordon Burdge, J. Russell Robinson) – 5:39
B3. Blue’s Theme (Mitchell) – 5:23
Artists
Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Junior Cook, tenor sax; Harold Mabern, piano; Gene Taylor, bass; Billy Higgins, drums; Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 6, 1966, released 15 March, 1967.
From 1958, Blue Mitchell led eight albums for Riverside, mostly with Wynton Kelly on piano, and from 1962, signing to Blue note, where he led a further eight albums for Blue Note including successor Liberty. A cornerstone of the Horace Silver Quintet, when Horace disbanded the quintet in early 1964, Blue Mitchell lost no time in stealing bandmates Junior Cook (tenor sax) and Gene Taylor (bass), putting Al Foster on drums and recruiting a Horace replacement in Chick Corea. For this quintet session in the closing months of Blue Note before Liberty, Mitchell brought in Harold Mabern on piano and the mighty Billy Higgins on drums.
The horn partnership between Mitchell and Cook turned out to be one of the most enduring in all of jazz history. Junior said of Mitchell’s playing, a “very warm, lyrical and melodic player. He was technically precise, had a beautiful tone and expressive quality like Miles Davis’s, warmth and great feeling.”
Blue stayed faithful to the jazz idiom, without jumping on the rock or fusion bandwagon. After Liberty, Mitchell went on to record for the Mainstream label, with whom I have had a very mixed experience, some not great quality engineering. No, I’m being too kind, horrible.
After over a decade of touring and big band work, Mitchell’s final ensemble incarnation was the hard-driving Coltranesque Harold Land/ Blue Mitchell Quintet from 1975 to 1978, with whom he recorded the album Mapenzi (Concord Jazz, 1978,) cinematic jazz, a large canvas soundtrack anticipating world influences, one of my enduring favourite albums of all time. Mitchell’s time was over too soon, age 49, in 1979.
Mitchell’s legacy stands somewhat in the shadow of the premier league trumpet voices, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd, but he deserves not be overlooked. Aside from his own titles, there are many fine sessions to which he contributed, including the Horace Silver Quintet Blue Notes, Jackie McLean’s Capuchin Swing and Jackie’s Bag, Hank Mobley’s Hi Voltage, Lou Donaldson and Grant Green’s later titles, Blue Mitchell pops up as a reliable swinging and versatile performer. The price of versatliity? Perhaps lacking a distinctive uncompromising, singular voice, needed to pick him out from a crowded field of good trumpet players. But the bonus with Blue is his strong ensemble, and of course, the magic of Van Gelder engineering, which always makes listening a special pleasure, whoever is on the turntable or in the line up.
Music
After weeks of dabbling in various national mutations of modern jazz, I thought to make time for the original classic genre of Blue Note.
The album mixes modal harmonies, lyrical moments and funky boogaloo grooves. Carefully constructed tunes with pungent rhythms, rich harmonies, inspired melody and a kind of raw eloquence brought about through the interplay of Mitchell and Cook.
Vinyl: Blue Note BLP 4228 mono .
Liberty Blue Note, VAN GELDER stamp, New York labels previously printed in preparation for release, ear absent (All-Disc pressing), 2nd 1966 inner sleeve, Liberty released the recording 15 months later, in March,1967.
Interesting that against the rise of stereo in the mid 60s, the notes designate this copy as “Monaural” in big letters.
The inner sleeve is the second “27 Years”,1966, Dexter Gordon on his bike, Gettin’ Around, Column 6, Row 4, used solely for sleeving Blue Note to Liberty transition pressings in the second half 1966 and early 1967.
Harry’s Place
. Once again, Harry M has his finger on the pulse, and the shutter: Blue Mitchell with John Mayall, 1973
Photo credit: © Harry M
Collector’s Corner
Like many owners of the music, Universal Group pre-empt people uploading copies to Youtube – by uploading it themselves. Unfortunately, this method usually entails comments being disabled, which are often the most entertaining companion.
“Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group ℗ A Blue Note Records Release; ℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.”
Compare the digtal YouTube upload, bland mid range, with an original vinyl rip, rich in tonal colouring and detail.
This album is in the “affordable” Blue Note bracket. It is not Holy Grail, but .. it’s available, and there is a lot to be said for that.
I see Blue Note (Classic Vinyl) have just put out Jackie McLean’s Destination Out! I have the original, so not one for me. Juno say it is out of stock, which means either the preorders have taken up their allocation, or the release date January 21, 2022, was a trifle optimistic.
If I didn’t already have it, I would be on the case. I’m interested if readers have any feedback on the reissue. (I assume it has the Kevin Gray pedigree, it should sound great.) Good to see all these classic titles being given a second lease of life.
Postscript – WordPress has introduced unwelcome functional changes – I can no longer manage which image is the primary one for a post. Nuisance but not fatal.
LJC
Selection: People Make The World Go Round – Peter Gaudion’s Blues Express (9:15)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/peter-gaudion-blues-express_people-make-the-world-go-round_pyramid-pieces-1_roundtable_ljc.mp3 …
Artists – selection; PG’s Blues Express
Peter Gaudion, trumpet; Richard Miller, saxophone; Mal Wilkinson, trombone; Vic Connor, Piano; Derek Capewell, bass; Allan Browne, percussion; recorded in 1979. at Mole-Richardson Studios and Victoria Hotel, Albert Park; engineers Max Hull, Bill Hawtin.
That bass player is my hero, on a mission, he holds the groove without compromise. Great. All the tracks are interesting. I left the shrink on, outdated habit.
Compilation Track List
A1 Jazz Co/Op A La Coltrane (R. Frampton)
A2 The Alan Lee Quartet – Sunflower (F. Hubbard)
A3 The John Sangster Quarte t– Exploration Of The Sun (J. Sangster)
B1 Galapagos Duck – Kate Did (D. Levy)
B2 The Brian Brown Quintet – Wildflowers (Brian Brown)
B3 Peter Gaudion’s Blues Express – People Make The World Go ‘Round (T. Bell)
The Roundtable: Bandcamp full track list streams
Compilation – Original Record Sources
These exist merely as Discogs entries, none appeared to have any copies offered for sale, or any sales history. A very inward-facing indigenous record culture, but its good that The Roundtable have let us take a peek behind the Antipodean curtain. You won’t see them anywhere, and despite a shared aversion to “compilations”, it’s the only show in this town.
Music
I enjoyed the second Pyramid Pieces sufficiently to go back to the first compilation in the series. Forget the “Australian” reference, there is nothing especially Australian about the music, no kangaroos or crocs, its just good interesting modern jazz, a child of of its time, 1969 – 79.
The title of the compilation series “Pyramid Pieces” took some tracking down. It is taken from the composition “Pyramid Piece”, by American saxophonist Howie Smith, who recorded with the Jazz Co/op in Sydney, Australia in 1974. Smith plays soprano saxophone on his Pyramid Piece track, and is the tenor saxophone voice on the compilation track, A La Coltrane. Returning to the US, Smith later became a member of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra in Ohio, and many other later collaborations, then disappears from internet view.
The Peter Gaudion’s Blues Express piece, with its unpromising title, People Make The World Go ‘Round had me completely hooked. Having listened to a few dozen different LPs at the time, one tune/arrangement kept circling in my head for days, but I was damned if I could place which of the dozen LP I was currently playing it came from. Eventually I tracked it down, and was shocked.. People Make The World Go ‘Round – sweet Philly soul, The Stylistics, 1972, reimagined, with the sweetness replaced by a grittier loping jazz groove, and a great Knepper-like trombone excursion.
Amazon say:
This compilation is a showcase of this period and the various forms of modern jazz indicative of the scene, from modal and deep spiritual jazz through to avant-jazz film soundtracks and the unique sub-genre “Eco Jazz” , a distinctive style which drew vivid inspiration from Australia’s natural environment.”
Eco-jazz? That’s a new one on me, feel-good embroidery?
Vinyl: The Roundtable (2020 compilation)
Produced by Pirates Press (mastering), pressed at GZ Media, Czech Republic
Harry’s Place
Harry M, the Jazz Paparazzi, has the photos, all the way back from Sydney, Australia, 1973: Galapagos Duck (Tom Hare, Roger Sellers, Col Nolan, Jon Helman); Howie Smith, and John Sangster:
Hat-tip to Harry M, great music/photographer who documented many crucial jazz performances in the golden years, and contributes these photos from his personal archive, not elsewhere available. Lovely black and white film quality, our answer to Francis Wolff , in a demanding live setting.
Photo Credits © Harry M
Collector’s Corner: Audiophile Tune-Up
Have you checked your tonearm anti-skating settings recently?
I hadn’t for probably five or six years, umm, or possibly longer. The system’s been sounding great, why look for problems? Because you don’t know if it can sound even better. It can, if performance is being held back by sub-optimal alignment of the tonearm anti-skate setting. If it is, you have a great upgrade at virtually no cost.
I’m not going to rip a test record. The testing requires the vinyl to be spinning on the turntable, while you sit in front of the speakers to assess the need for adjustments.
This has to be the strangest record post at LJC.
After reassembling the hi-fi system to accommodate its new valve power amp, it was an ideal opportunity to invite over a few friends who know what they are doing, help me out, tune things up .
First off, the test LP gives you an unambiguous test, our German friends know their left from their right. Despite all the interconnects following the cabling colour scheme meticulously, the left and right channels were inverted. There is a bit of rogue wiring inside a box somewhere, easily put right by switching left and right interconnects (not opening up every box to correct it internally!)
The speaker phasing was perfect. A wrong wire there and you lose stereo focus, so I didn’t expect to find a problem and there wasn’t. Ah but the skating! Way way off!
As a record rotates, the stylus tip (left, electron microscope photo) navigates the groove, collecting the musical information stored in the shape of the groove walls. The left and right channels of a stereo recording are cut into the left and right groove walls. The diagram (right) shows how the single stylus tip moves to reconcile the left and right channel information.
Stylus tip movement is relayed by the cantilever to the cartridge, where it is translated into electronical signal by passing magnet fields.
As the record rotates, the tonearm is pulled gently towards the centre of the record. This causes the stylus to push harder on the inner side groove wall, and reduces contact with the outer side groove wall. If the stylus tip is not riding dead centre in the groove, the left and right channel balance is compromised, the stereo image will be off centre and instruments placement out of focus, and distortion on the channel where the stylus has insufficient contact. Tonearm anti-skate adjustment applies an opposite force, to pull the tonearm and stylus back into the correct position in the centre of the groove, and read both groove walls equally.
The stylus tip is enormously sensitive, reading changes in the undulating groove wall (aka music) as little as one thousandth of the thickness of human hair. When playing music, the listener is unlikely to pinpoint the problem of misaligned skate due to constantly changing audio dynamics. However a controlled single test tone, alternately only left channel, right channel and centre, quickly identifies maladjusted skate, as the centre tone image leans to one side, which mine did, massively. Huh, and I thought it sounded great! A quick adjustment to the tonearm anti-skate brought the tone back into the centre between the speakers.
Putting music back on the turntable, the stereo image was audibly more solid, with a room presence that you realise had been missing.
However one more adjustment is needed: VTF, the tracking weight, the vertical force down on the cartridge in the groove. That was optimised at around 1.8 grams about eight years ago. We will give VTF a once over and recheck the anti-skate setting at a future listening session. And maybe the VTA, not forgetting the all-important WTF?
All the hype, remastering from original tapes, 180 gram vinyl, hi-fi equipment snobbery, all counts for little if your setup is not optimal, and all that requires is a hi-fi test record, and an understanding of why you need to use it. I am grateful to Man-in-a-Shed and Mr Speaker for educating me to speak High Fidelity.
Hi-Fi enhancement secrets : a bottle of rosé.
While group listening to hi-fi, we apply a generous quantity of rosé – Cotes de Provence is recommended, wine intended to be pink, not a bi-product of making red. Over the length of an afternoon, a few glasses of rosé can improve the listening experience remarkably. However, h-ifi tweakers should note, an excess can lead to arguments (cross-talk), impair the ability to walk a straight line (miss-tracking), or even succumb to the force of gravity (skipping out the groove altogether). So take care. Happy listening.
Postscript: Mobley 1550
Good luck adjusting your anti-skate on this one!
Holy Grail Trail
Even more luck required in securing a copy of London’s Electric Recording Company (Pete Hutchinson), the ultimate dedication to sources, Coltrane’s Giant Steps, true mono, cut from the original Atlantic mono tapes, 350 copies almost certainly all gone in pre-order.
LJC
Selection: A Street In Bombay
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/amancio-dsilva_a-street-in-bombay_-konkan-dance_unissued-1972-lansdowne-session_roundtable-2021.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1. A Street In Bombay 10:36
A2. What Maria Sees 7:49
B1. A Song For Francesca 10:50
B2. Konkan Dance 8:46
Artists:
Amancio D’Silva, acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Don Rendell, soprano saxophone, Tony Campo, bass; Alan Branscombe, piano, electric piano, flute, vibraphone, alto saxophone; Clem Alford, sitar; Keshav Sathe, Mick Ripsh, tabla; recorded at Lansdowne Studios, London, 1972
Music
1960s, East Meets West, Beatle George Harrision studies sitar with Ravi Shankar, musical ambassador for Indian classical music, who performs at the Monterey Pop Festival, as well as a set at Woodstock in 1969. Tail end of the 60s everything’s coming up Maharishis.
The British flirtation with indian jazz fusion music led to some more successful than other mixes. Like cocktail mixes, it all depends on how much of each ingredient go in the mix. Some Indo-jazz fusions were large measure Indian, small measure jazz, some the opposite proportion. To my ear, Harriot’s double-quintet outings are dominated by Indian instrumentation, don’t work for me.
The more jazz-dominated sessions with a sprinkling of tablas in the rhythm section, Amancio’s guitar a rhythmic component, and a strong brass front line work much better. Hum Dono has been a monster DJ acquisition since forever, and Integration another much sought after rarity.
D’Silva’s Konkan Dance sits more successfully in the middle, led by jazz bass and piano (now electric), and Don Rendell’s pied piper straight saxophone flow, while tablas take on the percussive underpinnings, with occasional sitar background colouring.
Why was Konkan Dance unissued? Perhaps EMI decided Indo-Jazz Fusion had run its course, moved on to growing commercial interest in jazz-rock fusion, leaving the floor to Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, and Shakti (LJC bows head, hands pressed together point to third eye, heady days of Eastern Mysticism, I was there).
Vinyl: Roundtable SIR021 ©2020
“Unreleased material” recorded at London’s premier recording studio, Lansdowne (engineer Adrian Kerridge) , in 1972. Transfer by JRP Music Services, (engineer James Perrett) “remastered from the original (1/4″) master tapes”. Sounds promising, but all is not as it seems, the vinyl detective turns his attention to sources again, adjust attention-span, another deep dive, buckle up.
British jazz reissue label Vocalion released an edition of Konkan Dance on CD in 2006.
The same year, 2006, (coincidence?) Italian DJ QBICO (Enrique Bettinell) issued a vinyl edition. QBICO claims his source to be “¼” stereo master tapes transferred by JRP Music Services”. Both credit piano (incorrectly) to Stan Tracey. I believe in spycraft that is called a “leak tracer”
There is no indication JRP cut a lacquer from the original tapes, the gold standard audiophile all-analogue process. My guess is that back in 2006 JRP created a digital master from the Lansdowne tapes ( high resolution 96kHz sampling rate with 24 bit resolution, or more likely for 2006, straight CD standard 44.1Hz 16 bit audio), That source was commissioned by British label Vocalion for its 2006 CD release of Konkan Dance. And the same source used by DJ QBICO for mastering his vinyl LP edition
Unless JRP was re-employed to create a new higher resolution master (possible but unlikely) or it was originally remastered at higher resolution than required for CD (possibly) I guess the same digital file was supplied by The Roundtable to GZ Media, who cut the necessary metal with which to press this vinyl edition Analog at each end but with a digital intermediate step.
However even more caution required. GZ Media boast their use of Direct Metal Mastering technology to generate pressing metal, mastering directly onto a copper disk. It is not audiophile enhancement technology , it is a manufacturing cost-cutting process, different purpose.
End result, all credit to The Roundtable, you get vinyl playback of decent quality at an affordable price, of interesting music that plays well on vinyl. And you can’t compare the original vinyl because there wasn’t one. It is not “unreleased material”, just materiel that was not released at the time of the recording session, granted a little wriggle-room.
“Original tapes” sounds the proof of authenticity. Lansdowne was a top tier professional recording studio. Professional standard studio recording tape 1970’s was usually ½” two track tape (half left channel half right channel, one direction only). Professional tape speeds were 15 ips or 30 ips, equipment accommodating large reels. ¼” tape was considered suitable for domestic use, running at 7½ ips. Or so one hifi tape enthusiast told me.
It would be unusual, though not impossible, that the “original tapes” in question were ¼” but it’s a stretch. We know the Decca Reissue of Don Rendell’s Space Walk (2021) was remastered by Gearbox (the excellent Caspar Sutton-Jones and his vintage Scully lathe) from a 7½ips ¼” safety back up tape. That recording session was also at Lansdowne Studios, December 16th, 1970.
Was the “original tape” source of Konkan Dance the original primary studio master tape, or an “original” back up tape? Asking for a Vinyl Detective’s friend.
At which point I climb out from this particular rabbit-hole, blinking, into the sunlight.
Collector’s Corner – Indian Supplement
A break from the serious business of vinyl jazz, but a segue from the Indian jazz theme: voted among the ten funniest BBC sketches of all time, the cast of anglo-indian comedy series Goodness Gracious Me parody a curry night out, in Bombay (seamless link, selection A Street In Bombay), by going “out for an English”.
For international readers, (if any have got this far) Youtube offers a recreation of the sketch by the original actors, filmed at an Amnesty International Concert in 2014 (Curiously, the part of the waiter has been upgraded to exaggerated colonial pomposity). The comic flow is rather stilted by the cutaway shots of the audience, roaring with laughter, but it’s still pretty funny and contains the full script with much more barbed jokes – at the expense of the English, or indeed everyone else.
Collector’s Corner Part 2: Can we talk dirty?
My runout photography technique, designed to capture faint etchings and stamps, has instead captured the the the dirty condition of mint vinyl coming out of this modern pressing plant.
I photographed the vinyl straight out of the sealed jacket, without first running it through the ultrasonic cleaning machine. This is how it comes out of the pressing plant, some of it dust, but mostly it’s fibres. My guess, paper fibres, originating in the packing department.
“Printed and manufactured in GZ” which stands for Gramofonové Závody [Gramophone Record Factory], founded in 1951, located in Lodenice, Czech Republic , currently the world’s largest vinyl record manufacturer.
Michael Fremer toured the plant in 2019 (nice timing, Mikey!) and produced a video for his Analog Planet site, added here on Youtube for interest.(Shattered Illusions Alert! There is nothing romantic about vinyl manufacture. It’s just an ugly factory industrial process. The romance is in the product, and how it connects you the listener to the artist. That’s the magic). Even more interesting are some of the comments after the video. Michael attracts some pretty opinionated posters, prone to SHOUTING. (LJC posters are more refined)
One comment is particularly relevant to my dirty copy
Submitted by MrRom92 on Sun, 2019-10-06 18:21
“… historically there’s been some sort of issue with their custom printed inner sleeves. Something in the way they are either being manufactured or stored causes them to be very dirty, with a lot of paper dust and residue, and of course clean new records are being shoved into these sleeves. I don’t know if that’s still the case. I ordered their generic (black) polylined inner sleeves, and every one of them was clean as a whistle”
One good reason you should ditch unsuitable inner sleeves, even new ones, and why even new records benefit from a good record cleaning process, that muck ends up fouling your stylus tip, which reduces its functional performance, unnecessarily. I should add that there was also quite a lot of dust on the grooves (not pictured, as I swept it off before play).
It looks like GZ Media haven’t addressed the paper sleeve issue at all, though it is a minor irritant compared with the issue of noisy vinyl surface and warped vinyl other people are complaining of, not that I have experienced this myself. Fremer’s commenters are either very unlucky or very picky, or more likely, a minority of people with complaints tend to post comments, a skewed sample.
LJC 2022 Stocktake – where are things heading?
Hopefully you found some interesting moments in this excursion, I am sure there are more jazz fusion’s and national styles worth exploring, suggestions welcome. Polish Jazz anyone?
LJC has now aired British jazz, South African township jazz, German European jazz, French jazz, Australian jazz, Japanese jazz, Italian jazz, anywhere jazz can sink its roots into other cultures, now some Indian-jazz, all with an element of national culture, not just imitation American jazz. (We have the originals, no need for imitations).
Moving on from my original mission, ten , now eleven years later, posts now give more coverage to modern re-mastered vinyl, not just vintage vinyl. The last two years have seen a massive uplift in remastered audio quality from some select producers – by no means everyone, there is still a lot of VINO churned out there, most of it without merit.
Something else is happening. In the absence of access to original tapes, some engineering studios are managing to cut lacquers from high quality digital sources, on restored vintage lathes (Scully and Neumann VMS) and with the help of German and Czech super-efficient pressing plants, or US equivalents like RTI, manufacture relatively inexpensive vinyl records that stand comparison with originals, though they will never have the collector cachet, or actually sound better – sometimes close but lesser. Most music-lovers will never be able to make the comparison, and will never know, lucky them.
Japanese reissues from the 70s and 80s – the collector’s mid-price champions for many decades – are sounding a little tired, and lacking, though still in circulation, though a few exceptions deliver a lot of bang per buck. The choice in future will likely be an original at $500 (watch the collector cachet of mono), or a good modern remastered stereo vinyl reissue at $50 or less, or 50 cents download from Bandcamp or Spotify.
Where I stay totally on mission is not the delivery medium of that music, but the music itself. Modern jazz 50s, 60s, early 70s , and the musicians that produced it, remains my music of choice. The only music that sounds fresh today is that over 50 years old. The musicians that created it are mostly gone, a few graciously still with us, Rollins made 90, Shorter interviewed by Don Was in the latest Blue Note mailing. The happy confluence of the vinyl medium and the music have not changed.
Tone Poet have just released an Ornette Coleman 6-LP Blue Note boxset. Not one for me, but I applaud the idea – going where Mosaic should have gone but didn’t. Instead they went for yesterday’s technology – CD box sets. Original vinyl Blue Note just gets more and more scarce, and Blue Note/Don Was/UMG/MMJ hold the key to a brighter vinyl future. Now, about the Tone Poet Complete Hank Mobley Blue Note Vinyl Boxset…
Music nourishes the soul. And soul needs nourishment now more than ever.
Comments remain open as always.
LJC
UPDATE: Carlos M sent me a link to a fascinating insight into Kevin Gray’s latest project – an all analogue recording studio, and what happened to Rudy’s Hackensack home.
Selection B2: Happy Feet (Yellen, Ager) 3:05
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/dick-morrissey-quartet_happy-feet_its-morrissey-man_fontana-mono-1961-tp-ljc.mp3 . . .
Selection A2: Cherry Blue (Bill Le Sage) 3:21
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/dick-morrissey-quartet_cherry-blue_its-morrissey-man_fontana-mono-1961-tp-ljc.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1. St. Thomas (Rollins) 3:51
A2. Cherry Blue (B Le Sage) 3:21
A3. A Bench In The Park (Yellen, Ager) 3:05
A4. Sancticity (Coleman Hawkins) 3:23
A5. Mildew (Johnny Griffin) 2:57
A5. Puffing Billy (Stan Jones) 2:46
B1. Gurney Was Here – aka Blue Waltz (Stan Jones) 4:22
B2. Happy Feet (Yellen, Ager) 3:05
B3. Where Is Love (Lionel Bart) 3:55
B4. Dancing In The Dark (Schwartz, Deitz) 3:35
B5. Willow, Weep For Me (Ann Ronell) 4:47
B6. Jellyroll (Mingus) 2:59
Artists
Dick Morrissey, tenor saxophone; Stan Jones, piano; Malcolm Cecil, bass; Colin Barnes, drums.; recorded in London, 27th April 1961.
Music
Jazz Journal review (December 1961 edition):
“The most immediately striking thing about Dick Morrissey’s tenor playing is its tremendous swing. It is no exaggeration to say that the music on this record swings as much as any British jazz ever did. The fact that Morrissey shows no great originality (a point which Benny Green makes at length in his liner note) is of comparatively little importance; the way he approaches a tune is particularly impressive, and brings to mind Johnny Griffin. Morrissey is young, and will undoubtedly develop his own musical personality. His playing already has an impressive aura of conviction and assurance. With the exception of “Willow”, which features Jones and the rhythm section, all the tracks have lengthy solos by Morrissey, brief solos by Jones, and sometimes bass or drums. Morrissey is well able to sustain interest over several choruses, and builds his solos excellently. Jones is far less impressive, and his solos are almost invariably an anti-climax. Cecil and Barnes work together well, and provide a driving beat. Morrissey is undoubtedly one of the best British musicians to appear in good many years, and Fontana are to be congratulated on their courage in recording such a relative unknown.”
Fontana STFL 568; 12in LP; rrp 37s. 2d. (a pricey £35 in today’s money)
I endorse the comment on Stan Jones lacklustre piano performance, brutally honest. (Jones was replaced by Harry South on piano on Morrissey’s next three albums) The Morrissey performance is hard-swinging and sheer pleasure, twist and turn acrobatics, unpredictable rests , backflips and rapid fire sorties, all with indefatigable swing. What a fantastic start to a jazz career, his first solo album at the age of only 21.
Characteristically short tracks, and a potpourri of compositions – some popular tunes from the 1920/30s, Broadway show tunes, and covers of jazz heroes Rollins, Hawkins, Griffin, and Mingus. Ann Ronell’s Willow Weep for Me (her other best known song “Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf?” How did anyone get to write lyrics like this?) Morrissey’s tone in ballads is full, and his speed can match Johnny Griffin (Mildew).
Morrissey plaudits from jazz critics selected from his obituary (year 2000, age 60):
“Morrissey’s command of the tenor saxophone was masterly, but it was the unforced fluency of his playing, expressed in a characteristically broad and sweeping tone, that attracted the greatest admiration. Despite the sophistication of his ideas there was often a down-home quality to his punchy and hard swinging solos. He was a lightning improviser and the flood of his inventions flew through his fingers with ease, a masterful player.”
Vinyl: Fontana TFL 5149 – 680 955 TL, mono, white label test pressing
No purchase tax code stamped by the spindle hole as it would be on the commercial pressing (W/T or O/T at this time), text “not for sale”, thus no tax due.
Conventionally, I was told, around a dozen sample copies of a record would be pressed and provided to the recording artists, producer, and label executives to sign-off before large scale production commenced, and likely remained in their possession. This was a different purpose to US white label promos, distributed to hundreds of commercial radio stations. At this time the UK had just BBC radio, a virtual monopoly until the mid 1960s. though promo copies may have been distributed to the music press, and some taken home by staff at the pressing plant, I have heard anecdotes regarding Decca at New Malden.
The first Fontana test pressing I have seen. Shame about writing on the label, but it’s well intentioned. The TP has all the qualities I expect from first off the stamper pressing, sharp bright fresh presentation.
Art Director’s Tea Break:
The cover is a joy, iconic photo, quartet walking along the railway tracks with steep embankment, could be sub-titled “Points failure at Thames Ditton“, leaving the band to complete their journey to Surbiton on foot, instruments in tow. Walking order miss-step: horn leader, piano, drums and bass, should be bass then drums at the back, but aesthetically bass at the back works better. Typography hat-tip to America beat-speak: MAN! capitalised emphasis with shriek-mark. 1961: years of the suit, long before sportswear conquered the globe. No ingratiating smiles for the camera. Of its time, a period work of art. Could this photo have been taken today?
Collector’s Corner
Once again it’s our friends in Japan who have the only alternative vinyl reissue, one of the inscrutably titled フォンタナ フィリップス幻の名盤 Fontana Firippusu Maboroshi-no Meiban / en: “Fontana And Philips marvelous and rare masterpieces” (hat-tip Clive D for brushing up the Discogs translation) / brown on yellow logo. UCJU-90##: 44 to 57.
The Popsike history of the original is interesting for the absence of auction copies (in top condition) in recent years. Two copies in 2017, one copy in 2019, none since in the last two years, I guess that qualifies as “rare”.
If an original is rare, a test pressing the rarest of the rare, I had to have it, and dig deep.
More British jazz another day, got other places to go.
LJC
Selection: Milk train (Knepper)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/freddie-hubbard-milk-train-muses-for-richard-davis-mps-teichiku-ljc.mp3 . . .
Artists
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Jimmy Knepper, trombone; Jerry Dodgion, alto sax; Eddie Daniels, tenor sax; Pepper Adams, baritone sax; Roland Hanna, piano; Richard Davis, bass; Louis Hayes, drums; recorded at MPS Studios, Villingen/Black Forest, December 9th, 1969, engineers Willi Fruth and Rolf Donner.
Music
Freddie Hubbard on tour in Europe, 1969, glorious sessions in the Black Forest studios of MPS/Saba. Licensed to a Japanese label, in the same way another of these sessions was licensed to UK Decca, released as Hub of Hubbard (reviewed 2017). Freddie is pictured in the same astrakan hat, roll-neck and medallion, holding court. Quite why it was not billed as a “Freddie Hubbard” album is unclear but probably had to do with licensing agreements. Freddie is billed as a guest artist. “Richard Davis” is under the radar compared with Freddie, and has only a small number of titles under his own name as leader, perhaps here a quid pro quo.
It’s a very high energy session, each of the name-players get into the spotlight, and credits for compositions.
Jimmy Knepper is welcome on my turntable anytime, he has a very distinctive voice and turn of phrase honed with Mingus, on an instrument that had moved a long way from it’s marching band home.
Vinyl: UL-X 14 P Teichiku Records, Japan, test pressing (1974)
Original: “Musik Produktion Schwarzwald” (Music Production Black Forest)
Extraordinarily dynamic, high gain recording, so unlike many Japanese reissues, this comes at you from all directions and very hot. The contrast with Toshiba and King could not be more dramatic, shows how those engineers played safety-first. And this copy has the advantage of being a test pressing, first batch off the stampers, has the dials bouncing all over the place.
It is not my first encounter with Teichiku Records. They were responsible for the similarly dynamic Japanese edition of Tommy Flanagan’s Overseas, also a licensed overseas recording. May be they didn’t get the memo to tame it down, it is likewise loud and hot. Teichiku were at one time associated with RCA Victor, Japan, though the geneology is muddy and not necessarily helpful. The sleeve notes are not on the sleeve, but on an insert in Japanese, a release for the domestic market, not one we were intended to see.
The Hub of Hubbard – BASF/MPS – selections from the same Black Forest recording sessions (Hat-tip to Rich for reminding me many of these musicians were accustomed to playing together in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra)
Everyone in a suit, except Freddie. But oh those striped pants. And if you want to get ahead, get an (Astrakhan) hat.
Collector’s Corner
Muses for Richard Davis has a varied reissue history, starting with an original BASF/MPS issue in 1970, then a series of other international releases, including Japan, USA (PAUSA label) and other Europe, with differing title and artwork.
BASF/MPS own the recording, it is a great recording, and license it out to whoever want to reissue it.
Collector’s Corner Japanese Supplement
Some readers recent questions about King and Toshiba vintage Japanese pressings prompted more thoughts about Japanese pressings, and by an interesting video from Ana(Dia)logue – who, like LJC, believes in comparative listening to understand audio quality (and uses Audacity). He has gone one better – added some measurements – about modern audiophile pressings and made a comparison between modern Japanese audiophile pressing and our friends, Analog Productions.
LJC recommends the ANA(DIA)LOGUE Youtube Channel – Hi-Fi Listening: information and philosophy – thoughtful videos dedicated to the listening factors in high fidelity music reproduction.
Watch this whole video here
Screengrab: cut to the chase
Ana(dia)logue’s analysis compares the volume of the range of frequencies of a Japanese audiophile pressing with a comparable US audiophile pressing, of the same recording, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters. He’s also adjusted for overall volume differences, to render them comparable.
I’ve superimposed above a screengrab of the two histograms, which is more revealing than side-by-side. They have the same shape, but not the same pattern of volume.
Firstly the Japanese audiophile pressing has a dead silent surface, while the Analogue Production issue has a degree of underlying surface noise, revealed by the bump at around 40kHz – when the music has effectively ceased, surface noise continues. Nasty.
Secondly, the two pressing have broadly similar histograms until they reach the upper frequencies, where they part company. The Japanese pressing begins reducing the relative volume of higher frequencies from 10kHz, with little beyond 20kHz. That smells of a CD profile. Could it have been a characteristic of the Japanese audiophile source – a digital file for mastering CDs? Japanese engineers have rolled off the top-end highest frequencies, which are much stronger on the Analogue Productions issue (presumably on the original tapes). This seems to be consistent with my own impressions of King/Toshiba pressings, where the higher frequencies are missing or lacking emphasis, when compared with the US vintage originals.
Ana(dia)logue readers comments are interesting, particularly with regard to bass, differences which don’t show in the simple volumetrics.
The subject of 20kHz plus frequencies is revealed in an unusual quarter – the building of church-organ pipes, and harmonics. (I am grateful to Mr. Speaker for the link) If a note is played and simultaneously a note a 5th above, a strong harmonic of about half volume is developed an octave lower. A tone that is beyond our hearing mixes and forms lower harmonics that we can hear. If the uppermost frequencies are removed there is a resulting sense of “loss” “
Can the Japanese play Modern Jazz?
We all know the Japanese love jazz, because it has spirited away a large proportion of America’s vinyl heritage, destined for the record stores in Shibuya, Tokyo. But did Japan produce its own jazz musicians, back in those days? Is there a Japanese modern jazz legacy of their own?
I thought I know quite a lot about Japanese reissues of American jazz, I knew nothing of Japanese jazz. The subject of vintage Japanese jazz 1950-80s is beginning to gain some traction: an interesting interview with Tony Higgins, the man behind the Modern Jazz in Britain releases here in the UK, who has been mining modern jazz of Japan:
The Guardian (UK), Wed 12 Jan 2022
‘Society was volatile. That spirit was in our music’. How Japan created its own jazz. (excerpts from the Guardian article)
“In the early post-war years, Japanese musicians were essentially copying the Americans they admired. “That’s what you do,” says Tony Higgins, co-curator of the J Jazz reissues series. “You start off imitating and then you assimilate and then you innovate.”
Higgins and his fellow curator Mike Peden, both Britons, are long-time collectors who have spent vast quantities of time tracking down records, investigating labels and poring over obi strips (a band of paper wrapped around Japanese LPs). For the past few years, the pair have worked on Japanese jazz reissues for BBE Records (Barely Breaking Even), typically drawing from the late-1960s to the mid-80s, a period of fantastic innovation when a generation of musicians found their own voice. These releases have been part of a broader wave of Japanese jazz of the era reissued for western ears on labels such as Light in the Attic, Impex and We Release Jazz.
(LJC Health Warning: The DJ community has curated a lot of 70s Japanese jazz funk, for dance grooves, under the label “jazz”, which is not “Modern Jazz”)
“It’s humbling that there’s a lot of people obsessed with this sort of music worldwide,” says saxophonist Koichi Matsukaze. Matsukaze’s 1976 album At the Room 427 is set to be reissued as part of the J Jazz Masterclass series this month, and follows the 2018 reissue of his classic Earth Mother, from 1978. “I am at an elder age and I’m still active in my music,” he adds. “All of this is my origins.”
I’ve never subscribed to the idea of sitting in a jazz bunker clutching my originals. I want people to hear them
To discuss the birth of modern Japanese jazz, Toshiko Akiyoshi provides an important base. The pianist was discovered playing in a club in 1952 by touring star Oscar Peterson and would go on to have a glittering career at home and stateside. Akiyoshi was the first Japanese artist to break away from simply copying American artists and develop a distinctive sound and identity that incorporated Japanese harmonies and instruments. At age 92, she’s still active today.
By the late 1960s, the example of Akiyoshi, eclectic saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, and others spurred young artists to evolve away from Blue Note mimicry towards free jazz, fusion funk, spiritual, modal and bebop. These daring virtuosos implanted rock and electronic elements, or took influences from Afrobeat and flamenco music….”
“The technical proficiency of Japanese recording studios ensured many of the LPs are among the best sounding jazz records ever recorded” (LJC: my emphasis added, not necessarily agreed with but its a commonly held view among those who have never listened to or compared vintage original pressings)
…“You started to sense a drift away from the short-form hard-bop numbers into more open ended, free-form music – quite psychedelic actually,” explains Higgins. “They ditched the suits and just dressed how they wanted to dress. They are influenced by what Miles [Davis] is doing in his electric music, but they are writing more of their own material, improvising more.”
You can read the full article here:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/12/how-japan-created-its-own-jazz
LJC Soapbox Alert! Interesting that the Guardian writer seems to have no awareness of the issue of recording sources, music just sort of “exists“, like, it’s on Youtube, and …umm Discogs. The major task is securing “licensing”, no mention of sources – “trusted access to original tapes”, whether they still exist, the importance of re-mastering from the original tapes and not digital copies, or why it matters. Today’s musical intelligensia, brought up on social media and the digital age. (yes, I’m feeling grumpy) Soapbox over.
Here are BBE’s three volumes of Modern Jazz Japan. Got to love the witty use of a British OBI on a Japanese jazz title, so clever.
Curiosity has got the better of me.
Bloody hell, first LJC is trawling the modern jazz Down Under, now he’s finding the home-grown modern jazz in the Land of The Rising Sun. Wherever next?
LJC
Sampling online at Juno Records (a UK vinyl/ DJ specialist), is an interesting way to pass some time, check out forthcoming vinyl reissues and releases. There is a steady stream of new-to-me artists, and a lot of dance beats, meh. Every now and then something unexpected comes along. “Modern Jazz 1969-80” caught my attention, but what’s this, from Australia, the land down under? Tracks sourced from two Aussie jazz labels from the 1970s I’d not heard of, and artists I’d not heard of… but the samples caught my ear. I thought, something different, why not? Two dangerous words when put together.
Compilation: Track List
A1. Valley Of The Tweed – Bob Bertles’ Moontrane
A2. Kuri Monga Nuie (trans. “Big Black Dog”} – Bruce Cale Quintet
A3. Whirlpool – Charlie Munro Trio
B1. Circles – Allan Zavod
B2. Number One – Ted Vining Trio
B3. What The Thunder Said – Out To Lunch
Compilation: artists/history
Despite speaking English as a foreign language (‘strine, to the uninitiated), several of these Australian jazz musicians served their musical apprenticeship in the familiar 60s/70s music scene of the UK and US.
Bruce Cale (Tubby Hayes Quartet/ The Spontaneous Music Ensemble/ Prince Lasha); Bob Bertles (Nucleus/Neil Ardley); Allan Zavod (Frank Zappa); others, basically Aussie homegrown artists: Charlie Munro, Ted Vining, and a free jazz unit ‘Out To Lunch’
The compilation is culled from two independent Australian jazz record labels: Melbourne’s Jazznote and Horst Liepolt’s 44 Records. German-born Liepolt’s career bears similarities to Blue Note founder Alfred Lion, also a German emigrant. According to Liepolt’s 2019 obituary, he never lost his thick German accent, which was fondly imitated by friends: Tell you vot, baby, ze band voss svingkink!. In 1944, the 17 year old Liepolt first heard Louis Armstrong’s Savoy Blues, and it changed his life forever. After moving to Australia, in1957, he opened a jazz club in Melbourne, Jazz Centre 44, and later, established his jazz record label, 44 Records.
The quality of the original 1970’s recordings is very high, engineer Ross Kirkland at his Earth Media Recording Studios, other engineers likewise. Great dynamic and tonal range, happily survives this transfer to vinyl, which punches way above its weight: open, spacious, bass rich but controlled, cymbal-strikes resonate, no capricious frequency cut-offs, an unexpected sonic delight.
From the Roundtable website:
“Following the critical acclaim of the 2020 compilation Pyramid Pieces, The Roundtable return with a second offering of modern jazz from Australia during the late 1960s and 70s.
While continuing to focus on the modal forms explored in Volume 1, this second edition shifts direction, surveying other post-bop modes representative of the scene including soul jazz, avant-garde and free jazz.”
Selection 1: Bruce Kale Quartet Kuri Monga Nuie (Cale)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/bruce-cale_kurl-monga-nuie-pyramid-pieces2-roundtable-2021.mp3 . . .
Artists: Bruce Cale, bass; Alan Turnbull, drums; Bob Bertles, tenor sax, flute; Paul McNamara, piano; engineer, Max Hardin; producer, Horst Liepolt. (selection live broadcast)
Original release: The Bruce Cale Quartet At The Opera House (Australia, 1979) label: 44 Records 6357 724
In 1965 bassist Bruce Cale followed the well-worn path of Australians to the Motherland, Pom Central, London, England. In the Summer of 1966 he played bass in the Tubby Hayes Quartet, credited on two Tubby Hayes Quartet recordings:
Tubby Hayes Quartet – June 23rd, 1966
Tubby Hayes (ts,fl), Mike Pyne (p), Bruce Cale (b), Tony Levin (d).
(Marshmallow CD – The Shadow Of your Smile)
Tubby Hayes Quartet – August 9th, 1966 (Ronnie Scott’s)
Tubby Hayes (ts), Mike Pyne (p), Bruce Cale (b), Phil Seamen (d).
(Candid CD – Night and Day)
Later in 1966 Cale relocated to the US, where he remained, playing as a sideman until the late 70s. Then, with jazz everywhere in retreat, Cale packed his bass and returned to Australia, to concentrate on composing and leading a jazz orchestra. A collection of his orchestral works was described by George Russell, with whom Cale had studied, as “…lyrical and elegant. His use of the harmonic palette is uniquely his own, and draws on his early training as a jazz musician. He is unafraid of beauty; his work is thrilling in its complexity and scope.”
Cale remained in Australia to the present day, now in his early eighties, at his home in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. This recording captures just a fragment of his life’s journey, but is no less for that.
Selection 2: Ted Vining Trio Number One (Sedergreen)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/ted-vining-trio-number-one-roundtable.mp3 . . .
Artists
Barry Buckley, bass ; Ted Vining, drums; Bob Sedergreen, piano; Recorded January 23, 1977, at Earth Media, Sydney, Australia; engineer, Ross Kirkland; producer, Horst Liepolt.
Original source:
Number 1, from the LP “Number 1” (# 6357 712) 44 Records, Australia (1977)
Ted Vining is described by the Melbourne Jazz Co-operative as “a cornerstone of Australian Jazz, a drum colossus and cultural force for over half a century. He toured with US jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, George Cables, Nat Adderley, Clifford Jordan, Lee Konitz and Mark Murphy, among others, and has recorded and performed at major International Festivals” Little known outside of Australia, just a couple of records rarely found outside the continent, Vining has no Wikipaedia entry (“Were you looking for Ted Viking?“) His trio remains a working group in Melbourne, Victoria. The track “Number 1” has a terrific bossa-groove that kicks in half way around 3:50 in the player/selection, great bass lines too from Barry Buckley.
Vinyl: Roundtable PYR02
“Pirates Press” stamped in runout. There is a Pirates Press custom vinyl manufacturing service in California, with European links to the Czech giant pressing plant GZ Media, where this LP likely this was manufactured. The centre-labels have a characteristic circular “fine-combed” vinyl surface underneath the label, which you see frequently on pressings from this giant plant. (Pressing plants should insist on attribution in the credits!)
Collector’s Corner
Australia is no stranger to jazz – back in the late 50s, The Australian Jazz Quintet, featuring pianist Bryce Rohde (correct spelling), toured the US extensively, releasing six albums on the Bethlehem label. Bottom left, Three Penny Opera, posted at LJC in 2014, where I mostly exhausted my limited stock of Aussie jokes. I bought just one AJQ – which turned out to be one too many.
The pool of jazz musicians in Australia has been small, with the same few names bobbing up on each others recordings. Musically, I’m not sure there is a genre “Australian Jazz”, rather, jazz which happens to be played In Australia, by Australians, much as it might be by musicians of any other nationality, anywhere else.
A closer look at Australian jazz has revealed British Jazz has had its fair share of the wizards of Oz (including New Zealand). Seen here at work in 1975, Dave Macrae, Bob Bertles and Brian Smith. British Jazz and Australian jazz are not a million miles apart, just ten thousand, London to Australia.
“Lucky Dip” is a different method of exploring jazz. Instead of battling in an auction for something you really want, against others who also really want it, take a lucky dip, and discover something you didn’t want, because you didn’t know it existed. You have to chase what you want, and then occasionally, take pot luck.
Ema Chizit? (‘strine trans. How much is it? )
Little more than twenty quid.
Bonza!
LJC
(Couple of trolls have started posting negative comments at LJC under multiple false and rude names. IP address points to Tennessee, USA. Nuisance, not welcome here. Please ignore.)
A second final last British Jazz post of the year: another LJC excursion off-piste, a toe into the water of the Seventies transition to electric jazz-rock fusion, courtesy of Mr Bongo.
It is a Uber Mystery Tour: you don’t know the destination, and neither does the driver. I’ll give directions, we’ll make a few stops on the way, hop in and buckle up, we don’t want to be late.
Driver, step on it!Selection: Summer Rain (Carr)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/ian-carr-nucleus-rains_belladona.mp3 . . .
Tracklist
A1 Belladonna (Carr) 13:42
A2 Summer Rain (Carr) 6:13
B1 Remadione (Smith) 3:48
B2 Mayday (Carr) 5:41
B3 Suspension (Carr) 6:15
B4 Hector’s House (Smith) 4:33
Artists
Roy Babbington, bass; Clive Thacker, drums; Dave MacRae, electric piano [Fender] ; Gordon Beck, electric piano [Hohner]; Alan Holdsworth, guitar; Trevor Tomkins, percussion; Brian Smith, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, Flute [bamboo]; Ian Carr, trumpet, flugelhorn; originally recorded July 1972 at Phonogram Studios, West London, recording engineer Roger Wake; mixed and mastered at Lansdowne Studios, engineer Peter Gallen; producer, Jon Hiseman.
Roll Call: Summer 1972, after three Nucleus albums, several founding members had moved on. Karl Jenkins and John Marshall left to join Soft Machine, bassist Jeff Clyne left for Isotope, guitarist Chris Spedding moved into session work, his vacancy filled by a formidable young jazz-rock guitarist, Alan Holdsworth.
This 2021 reissue of Belladonna is from Mr Bongo, a Brighton-based record label, record store and music publisher established in 1989. I’d not heard of Mr Bongo before, but I do know Brighton.
“Driver, follow signs for Brighton please. Stay in the Left lane…”
The fashionable Regency seaside City of Brighton & Hove is a cross between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. It boasted Britain’s first gay marriage, and elected the country’s only Green Party MP. I reckon a quarter of the population of Brighton are actual or aspiring DJs, web-developers, in the creative arts, or wealthy ageing hipsters. The remainder are, of course, mostly students. Property prices and rents are correspondingly extortionate, however it does have record shops. Fifteen apparently, including neighbouring Hove, probably more than Central London.
Some of the shops are pictured above. Bottom right, Resident Records, an insight into the demographics of Brighton’s vinyl scene.
Music: Belladonna
All Music says: ” three previous Nucleus outings seemingly revelled in the tensions that existed between jazz improvisation and rock’s forceful dynamics; Belladonna, by contrast, fully integrates them. While inspirational blueprints for this album include Miles Davis’ seminal In a Silent Way, the music deliberately employs more accessible and conventional jazz harmonics and time-keeping”.
Rough Trade Shoreditch repeat the Bongo release notes: “Jazz-rock-fusion rarity which features some of the cream of the UK jazz musicians of the 70’s. ‘Belladonna’ is awash with atmospheric excursions and ethereal qualities, as well as a darker fusion aesthetic and prog-rock sensibility from Holdsworth’s exceptional guitar playing. The moody, yet funky vibe of the album has echoes of Miles Davis’ electronic era ‘In A Silent Way‘. The album is best enjoyed played in its entirety. There are ebbs and flows with certain tracks shining along the way. Standouts include the beautiful down-tempo track ‘Summer Rain’, which has a soundtrack / library style brilliance and emotional electric piano soloing.”
LJC says:
Summer Rain was my immediate choice, long before I read the recommendation. I am not generally a fan of jazz-rock, nor electric Miles, but I warmed to this album: well-crafted compositions and playing, dynamic stereo engineering and sound quality, better than many of my ’70s LPs, and miles better than the usual unofficial (modern counterfeit) vinyl digital transfer.
The exceptional sound quality warranted closer investigation. Belladonna was recorded at Phonogram Studios, previously the London studios of Philips. Roger Wake, the recording engineer, was one of Phonogram’s most senior and experienced engineers. Phonogram was the first major studio to have a mixing console built by Rupert Neve, a pioneering designer of professional audio recording and mixing equipment.
Over the years the Neve mixing console at Phonogram was adapted for stereo, four track, later 8 and 16. Multi-channel mixing advances and the introduction of “pan-pots” – panoramic potentiometers – made their mark in the more complex and theatrical stereo imagery of ’70s recordings, paving the way for 4-channel quadraphonic sound, mixing in three dimensions.
While recorded at Phonogram, the Belladonna session was mastered and the lacquer cut at another of London’s best studios – Lansdowne, where the mighty Rendell-Carr Quintet albums were recorded a few years previously. With such an impressive pedigree, the original Vortex Belladonna must sound stunning, but it will cost you to find out.
Vinyl: Vertigo 6360 076 original issue (1972)
Listening to the Mr Bongo reissue, the original sonics are very dynamic. The stereo mix is a luxuriant wide soundstage, instruments with a lot of air, the drum kit and percussion effects spread panoramically come at you from all directions. It is an exciting solid quality original recording.
2021 Mr Bongo reissue vinyl.
So who is Mr Bongo? David Buttle, DJ, entrepreneur, label boss, specialist importer of Latin and Brazilian sounds, offices in Brighton, shop (below) late of Soho, closed in 2003.
Mr Bongo currently has the vinyl of Belladonna listed as out of stock. A familiar tale, perhaps only a small vinyl pressing run, which seems to be how vinyl reissuers hedge their exposure. His Belladonna is an official licensed release, and he clearly cares about quality: pressed at Optimal, mastering at Abbey Road…
“Driver, Abbey Road Studios, St John’s Wood, London. On approach, slow down, to around half-speed is plenty, and watch out for any pedestrians crossing!”
Showell is an expert in half-speed mastering, which he refers to as the holy grail of vinyl cutting. The disc-cutting lathe is run at half speed – 16.2/3 rpm for an LP – and likewise the master source tape. “By cutting at half speed, you give the cutting stylus as well as the whole system twice as long to record the mechanical groove, which hugely improves the quality.”
He acquired a Neumann VMS 80 lathe dating from the 1980s, which he restored, customised and rewired. A VMS 80 lathe conveniently features the ability to cut a lacquer at half speed. I’m convinced it gives better results than LP’s running double speed at 45rpm. And less carpet wear.
Labels (2021) Mr Bongo reproduces the original Vertigo large swirl and small swirl centre labels:
Vertigo’s iconic swirl label paid homage to 60’s British Op Art, geometric forms of Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely, where US Abstract Expressionism entered The Twighlight Zone. (update, Marcel Duchamp, daddy of Dada, assisted by Man Ray, exhibited a similar optical illusion – Rotoreliefs hat-tip Cecil Taylor – in the mid-20s, filmed rotating, in his silent movie Anemic Cinema)
To ensure the effectiveness of the swirl, the A side track information was put on the B side where you can’t see it, but it’s a neat idea, just 10 seconds to watch.
Gatefold (2021 replica)
Gatefold in portrait rather than the more usual left-to-right landscape format. And, green? It’s the Seventies and there’s a new look in town. The text is white reversed out of green, font size as small as that used for nutritional information on the back of a crisp packet.
Harry’s Place
Harry M takes us back to Montreux 1970, Ian Carr and tenor player Brian Smith
Collector’s Corner.
Youtube links to other tracks (uploaded by UMG)
Belladonna Vinyl Reissue History – UK/Europe
A couple of years back I saw an original copy of Belladonna on the Vertigo swirl label, on a London record store wall, asking £300. I laughed. Within a couple of days it had sold, I’m not laughing now. It is highly collectable. There are some copies knocking around today and the going rate for original is not far off that mark.
1972 original issue Vertigo swirl label, 2nd issue any time after 1973 on the Spaceship label; Phillips/Phonogram Dutch Vertigo also on the Spaceship label. The Dutch pressing is a big unknown. The label has been typeset locally. Custom and practice says London sent a copy tape to Holland and Phillips engineers remastered it and cut their own lacquer.
A more modern reissue from various European countries on the Timeless label #735 – is listed, with Discogs warning flag
A EuropeA rock reissue label called “Timeless. The Classic Reissued Label, Est 1986” The label actually first appeared around 2008. The ©1986 date is certainly bogus, also the “Made Under License” claim. The Vertigo label has had so many knock-offs it has its own Discogs entry “Counterfeit Vertigo” with nearly 500 entries. There is currently a reissue of Belladonna via online outlets, on coloured vinyl (2021), by “Timeless US”, provenance unknown.
The Vertigo label belongs to EMI Records, which is part of Universal Music UK, which is one of may Divisions of the Universal Music Group, UMG. Abbey Road studios are owned by the Virgin Records division of the same EMI Records: all in the UMG extended family.
British Progressive Music Labels 1960s/70s
By the end of the 60’s, each of the major record labels had specialist subsidiary labels for the progressive-rock genre and a little progressive jazz. Decca had Deram, Pye had Dawn, EMI had Harvest, RCA had Neon, and late to the party, Philips/ Phonogram launched Vertigo.
In 1971, Philips, Fontana and Mercury – labels with long jazz history – and newcomer Vertigo, were amalgamated into a new company, Phonogram Records, in pursuit of chart pop, disco, prog-rock and jazz. The Vertigo label was Phonogram’s primarily home for progressive rock – Black Sabbath, Uriah Heap, Gentle Giant – with Ian Carr’s Nucleus and Jon Hiseman’s Colosseum as their principal jazz-rock signings.
In 1973, Vertigo’s iconic “swirl” label was replaced by the “spaceship” design by Roger Dean, a label change which helps to identify Vertigo original pressings from later reissues.
Artist and illustrator Roger Dean defined the British Prog-Rock album cover, 1968-75, with iconic fantasy landscapes and creatures:
British prog-rock cognoscenti are meticulous in their label knowledge: CBS rough texture orange, Vertigo small swirl, Island Records pink label/pink rim, Island/Chrysalis green/butterfly, Atlantic orange/plum black fan. They are much worse than Blue Note collectors, nearly as bad as Beatles Fanatics, but no-one is worse than wealthy connoisseurs of adolescent Punk.
“Driver, Buckingham Palace. Hurry! We must save The Queen!”
You thought $1,000 was a lot to pay for a Blue Note LP, try $18,000 for a single. Apparently only nine original copies exist, because A&M dropped the Sex Pistols within days of its release after it was banned by British Broadcasting Corporation, destroying all remaining 25,000 copies.
Swearing on 1970’s television was a sure-fire way to generate notoriety, scarcity a sure-fire collector thing, and today, a rare copy of “God Save The Queen” just perhaps a hard-headed investment.
Here is your final purchase invoice, how would sir like to pay: cash, card or cheque?Sorry, we don’t take Amex.
Umm, do you take punk singles?
“Driver, we have reached our final destination”.
More jazz record collecting adventures to come. Including a surprise trip down-under. More next week.
Happy New Year to all.
LJC
Selection: Felicite (Tolliver)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/music-inc-felicitade-live-at-slugs-v1-strata-east.mp3 . . .
Track List
- Drought (Tolliver) – 9:04
- Felicite (McBee) – 8:05
- Orientale (Cowell) – 17:32
Artists
Charles Tolliver, trumpet; Stanley Cowell, piano; Cecil McBee, bass; Jimmy Hopps, drums; recorded “Slugs’ Saloon”, NYC, May 1, 1970, engineer Orville O’Brien.
Recording Venue: Slugs’ Saloon truncated to Slugs’ (retaining the original trailing apostrophe)
From Jazz Times: “In the 1960s, New York’s East Village was a hodgepodge of Lower East Side multi-ethnicity—Ukrainians, Poles, Puerto Ricans, Jews—and a burgeoning Bohemia of coffeehouses, experimental theatre and artists. When night fell, the unlit streets vibrated with danger. Drug dealers skulked in doorways; muggings were common. But that didn’t stop musicians and their fans from trekking to visit a club that lured the bravest renegades in jazz.”
The forthcoming weeks reads like my turntable playlist
Some Slugs’ anecdotes
Slugs’ Bartender Bill Cherry: “There was a waitress, I think her name was Renee, very zaftig young lady (Yiddish: plump). She walked around with this boa constrictor around her neck while she was serving people. It was weird, but this was the Lower East Side.”
Cecil McBee, bass: “The very last night there was this tall gentleman standing at the corner of the bar, bushy haired and really grooving on the music. When I got off the stage, he approached me right away and said, “McBee! Yeah, I came to hear you play. I heard about you. My name is Charles Lloyd.” He says, “You’re a wonderful player. Would you like to do a gig with me in Chicago in a couple of months?”
Larry Willis, Pianist: I played Slugs’ fairly often. One of the most vivid nights I recall the band consisted of Clifford Jarvis on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan. We played until four o’clock in the morning and the last set, Kenny Dorham came down and sat in. He and Lee had a trumpet battle royale. It was a place where other musicians would come to hang out. You would see the who’s who of jazz standing at the bar and hanging out” The club rivalled the Five Spot Café as one of the top jazz spots in the East Village.
Without any intended irony, Live at Slugs’ became Dead at Slugs’, or rather dead from slugs, when Lee Morgan was shot dead at the bar, February 19, 1972. The general demise of the neighbourhood led the club owner to leave, and it shut down later in 1972.
Music
All Music awarded the album 4½ stars of five, and says: “Charles Tolliver was one of the great trumpeters to emerge during the late ’60s yet has always been vastly underrated. With his bold tone and adroit harmonic ideas, Tolliver distinguished himself as a forward-thinking performer, often straddling the line between hard bop lyricism and avant-garde exploration”.
It stands against all the fusion pressures and commercialisation of jazz of the early 70’s, no concession to juke-box play, simply cool and detached, lots of open space, each of the quartet listening intently, shaping the structure, colouring and shading a slowly unfolding abstract landscape.
Vinyl: SES 1972
Harry’s Place
Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell, Montreux 1971
Photo credits © Harry M
Collector’s Corner
Recorded 1971 TV session, Tolliver’s Music Inc, “live”, includes a short version of Orientale (Side 2 of Live at Slugs’ Vol 1)
00:00 Orientale 08:54 Lynnsome 17:11 Prayer For Peace 23:19 Ruthie’s Heart HiFi Supplement
Counting down the days to the delivery of a World Designs custom built valve power amplifier, replacing my ten year old Linn solid state amp. The design is upgraded with legendary Psvane KT88 -T MK2 vacuum tubes, and Black Gate capacitors – some of the last stock available, no longer manufactured. 2022 will see LJC go 100% end-to-end analogue.
“The grey appearance on the tube glass is crystallized carbon coating, which helps absorb random electrons inside the vacuum tube and dissipates heat more efficiently. The base is constructed of teflon, and shrouded in an amber-coloured anodised aluminium collar to reduce corrosion and give a long lasting quality finish”. I just think they are pretty.
Exciting times, Merry Christmas and a ~~Happy~~ Hi-Fi New Year.
LJC
This year, I’m celebrating a British Jazz Christmas, complete with a cheesy Christmas jumper, and a glass of sherry.
We’ve seen a vintage jazz vinyl revival here in the UK this year, albeit slow, not quite the pace of Blue Note/Tone Poet releases, though those include many I already have. UMG/Decca have given us a few treats, dare I say, leaning towards big band outings so far, just one small combo, and a compilation double. “Explosion”?
I just want more, so I have made up a post, about a British jazz quartet record from the Sixties, which I would love to have, which I don’t, but I can fake it. Often, I start a post without knowing where it will lead, hopefully somewhere interesting and unexpected. Adjust your calendar to late 1965, join me with Dick Morrissey, and friends.
Selection: Storm Warning! (Harry South)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/dick-morrissy-quartet-storm-warning-1965-modern-jazz-in-britain-decca-2021.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1 Storm Warning! (Harry South) 7:11
A2 What Is There To Say (Yip Harburg, Vernon Duke) 7:46
A3 Come Rain Or Come Shine (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) 7:55
B1 Wind Of Change (Harry South) 4:24
B2 Get Out Of Town, (Cole Porter) 6:53
B3 March On (Dick Morrissey)
Artists
Phil Bates, bass; Phil Seamen, drums; Harry South, piano; Dick Morrissey, tenor saxophone, recorded November 22 & 29, 1965.
Harry South, pianist with Dick Morrissey, composer of Storm Warning!, led his own big band, and coincidentally I have his own version of Storm Warning! on vinyl.
Selection 2: Storm Warning! Harry South Big Band
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/harry-south-big-band_storm-warning_1965-rb12-the-songbook.mp3 . . .
Personally I find big band scoring uninteresting, but here the solos redeem it. On balance, I’m still with the lean and rhythmic quartet format.
(Harry South continued in Collector’s Corner, Part Two of Three)
Dick Morrissey – short bio
Born in1940 in Horley, Surrey, a satellite town of London’s Gatwick Airport, Dick Morrissey was a self-taught musician. He started work in the jewellery trade but soon turned professional, leading his own quartet at The Marquee Club in1960 and later at the Flamingo Club and for a time played with Michael Garrick, and the Harry South Big Band.
His Quartet featured some of the leading figures in British jazz of the ’60s – Bill Eyden, Colin Barnes, Harry South, Jackie Dougan, Jim Hall (drums), John Burch, Malcolm Cecil, Phil Bates, Phil Seamen, Stan Jones, and Tony Archer
Dick Morrissey’s early records are extremely rare and expensive. Much live material has since surfaced on CD, I hazard not all of studio quality, a legacy of the ubiquitous portable tape recorder. Storm Warning! was allegedly recorded at the West London riverside jazz venue, The Bull’s Head at Barnes. The Bull’s Head Wiki lists it as recorded there live, something repeated elsewhere, however there is some dispute over this. No-one seems to know for sure where it was recorded, or by whom.
Morrissey developed a sound that drew on many influences, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, and of course our own little giant, Tubby Hayes. What I pick up is his melodic trajectory, unpredictable where accents and rests fall, his urgency of tone, and his surefooted swing. In my book his thinking is a cross between the melodic inventiveness of Hank Mobley and the indefatigable swing of Zoot Sims, and the triple speed bursts of Tubby, without actually sounding like any of them. Derek Ansell, writing in Jazz Journal in 2001, said of Dick Morrissey
“He conveyed an aura of pleasure in the sheer joy of playing the tenor saxophone and easily transmitted his feelings to the audience. Dick had a rich robust sound on the tenor which, combined with considerable powers of invention and an ability to swing easily and naturally made him one of the very best jazz saxophonists in Europe, or anywhere else for that matter.
Morrissey belongs in a small group of vintage great British tenor players which you could fit in the back of a London black cab: Tubby Hayes, Tommy Whittle, Alan Skidmore, Dick Morrissey, room for one more, split the fare. Ronnie Scotts, cabbie, make it snappy. In The Melody Maker Jazz Polls of 1966 and 1967, Morrissey was voted second place, behind Tubby Hayes. Congratulations, your round I believe, Tubby.
In the late 60s, as modern jazz was largely overtaken by more commercial jazz forms, Dick Morrissey teamed up with guitarist Terry Smith to form a jazz-rock oriented band, If, with frequent changes of personnel until the mid Seventies, when Morrissey teamed up with guitarist Jim Mullen, to form the Morrissey-Mullen Band, playing a mixture of jazz fusion and funk. I think I still have a copy of Cape Wrath (1979) in the loft, purchased new. Morrissey returned to a more jazz oriented style in the 80s, unfortunately smooth jazz, sometimes seen in record store bins filed under fusion. (Indebted to posters who filled in gaps in my following of Morrissey’s history)
Among his lesser known musical appearances was the sax on the Love Theme from movie Blade Runner (Vangelis, 1982). Gareth S sent over this picture of Morrissey with John Critchsen at the Alma pub in Deal, Kent.
Morrissey suffered ill health in the 1990s and he fought a long battle with cancer before finally leaving the stage in 2000. A fuller appreciation “Remembering Dick Morrissey” from SaxOnTheWeb.
Music
Storm Warning! is driven by the rhythm section, reminiscent of the Bird Curtis Quintet, and the Paul Gonsalves British combo behind Boom Jackie Boom Chick. It slides into a super-cool bossa kicked by one of our best jazz drummers, Phil Seamen. It has an “urgent swing” whose vital pulse defeats mere toe-tapping swing or repetitive dance music. It has the same British” Four Wheel Drive” as Zoot Simms great extended Love For Sale recorded at Ronnie Scotts, with a great British rhythm section. Seems we excel at back-seat driving.
Vinyl: Mercury 20077 MCL mono.
Label shots poached from Discogs. What is revealing is the spindle wear, significantly more on Side 2, which occurred while playing Side 1, which features the title track.
Harry’s Place
Jazz paparazzi Harry M gets everywhere. Dick Morrissey, Jazz at the Gatehouse, Highgate, North London, 1967.
Photo-credit © Harry M
Collector’s Corner: Part One – Dick Morrissey
1960-67, reign of the v-neck cardigan, shirt and tie, and a look like the East-end gangsters, Reg and Ronnie Cray. Reg: Don’t like the music? I can fix that for you. Ronnie, pliers please…
Storm Warning! 1966 album on Mercury is Holy Grail territory, a desperately rare title and expensive. There was a licensed edition on vinyl released in 1993. Guess where? Of course, Japan. Nothing released here until the Modern Jazz in Britain compilation with the title track ( I anticipate a reissue. Someday).
If you set your sights on Morrissey’s even more rare previous record “Have You Heard”, there is a copy available, asking an eye-watering £800. The label is 77 Records, founded by Doug Dobell in 1957, named after his jazz record shop at 77 Charing Cross Road in London’s West End.
Collector’s Corner: Part Two – The Harry South Songbook
Pianist/composer/arranger Harry South was an accomplished pianist as well as being “one of the giants of British jazz composition”, found behind the piano on many Tubby Hayes recordings for Tempo.
South’s contribution to British jazz is exceptional although frequently below the horizon. South eventually gave up jazz performing and turned to writing film and TV music scores, best known theme to the 70s TV copshow The Sweeney, the flying squad, before the ultra low emission zone and 20mph limit. Nice noisy cars.
A British enterprise, R&B Records, has produced a series dedicated to 60s British jazz, including this compilation of recordings featuring Harry South, by Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Ross, Dick Morrissey, Joe Harriott, and The Harry South Big Band. A 1964 broadcast put Harry South and Dick Morrissey together in front of the studio microphones, a tune that sounds horribly familiar but I can’t figure out where.
Selection: Minor Incident
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/dick-morrissey-quartet_minor-incident_broadcast-1964-rb12-harry-south-songbook.mp3 . . .
Vinyl: R&B Records RB12
One of a series of LPs later issued as a 4-CD set. Likely a digital transfer, no audiophile pretentions (140gram vinyl) but compiled in mono, anonymous pressing, mischievous text on the label, and clever faux – Blue Note jackets from the series at the foot of the liner notes (liner notes credits include the accomplished tenor player and author Simon Spillett, see Collector’s Corner Part Three)
Other R&B British Jazz recordings 1958 – 67 (CD only)l Reid Miles pastiche covers: left to right, 4059 Kenny Drew, Undercurrent; 4115 Freddie Hubbard, Hub Tones; 1595 Cannonball, Somethin’ Else; Sam Rivers, Inventions and Dimensions; 1573 John Jenkins; and 1598 Bud Powell, Time Waits. Very clever.
Others, largely taken from the BBC radio broadcast archive, also only CD
Collector’s Corner: Part Three: Simon Spillett
Britain’s leading living tenor saxophone player, fount of British jazz knowledge, articulate writer, and author of the definitive Tubby Hayes biography (The Long Shadow of the Little Giant) , in conversation with British jazz pianist and event producer Terence Collie last year, which includes several live musical excursions.
Simon walks us through the evolving British Jazz Scene, which is the landscape of this post, and his journey through it. I thought it a fitting way to finish this last British Jazz post of 2021. In passing, I learned Simon plays a Selmer Mk VII – reference Clifford Jordan’s live reprise of “John Coltrane” from Glass Bead Games, cryptically titled Night Of The Mk VII. (Muse, 1975)
Which neatly brings jazz full circle back to it’s home, America. We forgive your Independence, you’ll get over it. Start learning to code, or Mandarin.
Merry Christmas from all at LJC ( just me) especially to those readers who pore tirelessly over my typing in search of spelling errors, and the few who bother to “like” posts. More, please?
If you are reading this, Happy Christmas, Mr Spillett,
Most of all, best wishes to the commenters, without whom this blog would be…a lot shorter. Thanks for joining in. More good things to come in 2022. Don’t know about anything else, but jazz on vinyl is here to stay.
LJC
Selection: Half and Half (Charles Davis)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/elvin-jones-jimmy-garrison-sextethalf-and-half_illumination-impulse-as49.mp3 . . .
Track List
A1. Nuttin’ Out Jones (Lawsha) – 5:36
A2. Oriental Flower (Tyner) – 3:49
A3. Half and Half (Charles Davis) – 6:28
B1. Aborigines Dance in Scotland (Simmons) – 4:12
B2. Gettin’ on Way (Garrison) – 5:14
B3. Just Us Blues (Charles Davis) – 5:55
Artists
(William) Prince Lasha, clarinet, flute; Sonny Simmons, alto sax, English horn; Charles Davis, baritone sax; McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, drums; recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 8, 1963
Artist Highlights
Elvin Jones: Everyone contributes a composition here except Elvin; perhaps that was the trade to be co-leader and pictured on the cover. Elvin was the youngest of 10 children, whose father was a deacon and singer in the Baptist church choir, Pontiac MI. Elvin’s five-decade musical career saw him joined by two of his brothers, Hank the pianist and Thad the trumpeter.
Coltrane brought in Elvin in 1960, to replace Billy Higgins; Elvin departed Coltrane five years later, to be replaced by the more avant garde and free drummer Rashied Ali, whose “multi-directional rhythms” were more in accord with Coltrane’s then direction of travel: interstellar travel.
Jones standing among jazz drummers was characterised by his “prodigious technique, four-limb independence and penchant for polyrhythmic invention, coupled with a thunderous intensity. He occasionally shifted ride-cymbal accents from the downbeats to the upbeats of beats two and four, a revolutionary innovation and copied by nearly every subsequent jazz drummer“. (Only a drummer could write this stuff)
Jimmy Garrison: Who is the album leader: Elvin Jones / Jimmy Garrison? Nominally Garrison, with 25 Coltrane titles under his belt, it was his only title as leader, and even then had to share it with Elvin, and McCoy gets to be “featuring”. Garrison’s bass remained an anchor of the Coltrane group right through to the end, 1967, and the last Coltrane recordings. Garrison left the stage himself in 1976, aged only 42.
Prince Lasha: Illumination! is one of only a handful of recordings by the regally-titled William “Prince” Lasha, (spelt Lawsha on the label). Calling yourself a Prince is cheeky but probably gets you better room service.
Sonny Simmons had the benefit of a series of albums recorded for Contemporary, and ~~one~~ two for the all-important free-jazz label, ESP-Disk – Staying On The Watch (1966), magnificent evocative black and white cover, and to it’s right, Music From The Spheres (1968)
Born Huey Simmons, he adopted the name Sonny, on the basis that it never did any harm to the careers of Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Le Sony’r Ra and fifteen other jazz musicians also called Sonny, safety in numbers. Simmons finally stepped off the stage in April of this year, age 87.
Charles Davis I knew little of, he’s a bluesy and inventive player who swings. His Amazon Bio fills in the gaps: “Cited by musicians and critics alike as one of the most underrated saxophonists of his generation, Charles Davis was a contributor to the glorious days of 50s and 60s jazz. His work with Kenny Dorham brought him some attention, and he appeared as a sideman on more than 100 albums“, but rarely recorded as a leader – two featured his family on the cover. I assume that is his son, Louis, on guitar, with another Louis, Hayes, on drums. Cut to studio: Call for Mr Davis, no, not that Davis, Louis. Louis? Someone call me? No Louis, the other Louis”… session descends into “Airplane” farce – Roger, Roger. What’s our vector, Victor? We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Captain Oveur, over.
In the competitive music business, name recognition is everything. It doesn’t help having the same name as another jazz musician, trumpeter Charles Davis, and sharing a surname with Miles Davis. Had I been his agent, I’d have taken a leaf out of Prince Lasha‘s book and promoted him to King Charles. However he went on to enjoy a five-decade musical career, earning the Discogs entry Charles Davis(2).
Music
All Music: “Ranges from advanced hard bop to more free sounds that still swing… it is the playing of both Simmons and Lasha (when is Lasha going to be rediscovered and recorded again?) that make this early “New Thing” date of greatest interest.“
Described as “Avant Garde” on the cover, featuring Coltrane’s rhythm section, three Coltrane-schooled players: Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, and McCoy Tyner. Absent Coltrane’s tenor, add the fresh voices of Sonny Simmons and Prince Lasha, giving the music added zest. English horn, clarinet and flute are not often heard in such a setting, and the grinding baritone of Charles Davis widens the dynamic range and texture, while McCoy Tyner punctuates the musical grammar in sparkling, articulate form.
It has the New Thing flavour: the melodies are prickly, spare, and repetitive, eschewing bop and post-bop modal forms. Perhaps it wasn’t a huge hit with record buying public of the day, copies not often seen, and reaches barely into three figures at auction. But it is an under-priced gem, which the Van Gelder master brings to life.
Vinyl: Impulse AS-49
This edition, 1968-ish second Impulse label – black/red rim, Van Gelder stereo master, label text: Product of ABC Records Inc. New York N.Y 10019 Made in USA
Gatefold
Harry’s Place
Harry M, our time-travelling jazz paparazzi, has nipped back to the late Sixties to bring us these magnificent pictures of Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, at Jazz Expo 1968 and 1970.
Photo-credits © Harry M
Collector’s Corner
Impulse A49 Reissue History (1964-76)
Though still on the Orange/Black, label 4 has the -A suffix which was introduced at A79-A, hence an earlier title with suffix is a later reissue 1965-7. Labels 5 and 6 straddle the incorporation/ registered trademark, single and double logo-box with and without ®, label footer changes from ABC Records NY address to copyright date ©1972. Caution: labels 7 & 8 Black/Neon Logo and Green Bullseye break with the Van Gelder master. . Note the last four words in the description by seller of a black/neon label copy: No VAN GELDER stamp.
The Black/Neon and Green Bullseye labels are generally to be avoided, in this case, doubly so.
And the rest of Illumination! – Youtube courtesy of UMG
Postscript:
Mostly I don’t do obituaries, we have lost so many, another loss is not unexpected news, but the loss of Barry Harris, Mr Sidewinder, deserves a moment of respect. He leaves us to join the Boogaloo-in-the-Sky, angels with bee-hive hair do’s in white shift-dresses, a better place than much here. A blood test would find crochets and quavers in place of red and white cells, music was in his blood. His story here from NPR
Sidewinder, one more time for Barry.
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/lee-morgan-the-sidewinder-the-sidewinder-blue-note-1963-og-press.mp3 . . .
Your music lives on.
LJC
Selection: Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe (Ardley)
https://londonjazzcollector.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/newjazz-orchestra_dejeuner-sur-l-herbe-re-ljc.mp3 . . .
Tracklist [Total time 44.19]
Side 1
1. Le Dejeuner Sur L’herbe (Neil Ardley) 7:42
2. Naima (John Coltrane arr Alan Cohen) 4:41
3. Angle (Howard Riley) 5:02
4. Ballad (Mike Taylor) 5:23
Side 2
1. Dusk Fire (Michael Garrick) 5:31
2. Nardis (Miles Davis arr. Neil Ardley) 5:03
3. Study (Tansman arr. Mike Taylor) 6:33
4. Rebirth (Michael Gibbs) 4:53
Artists
Neil Ardley, Musical Director; Jack Bruce, bass; Jon Hiseman, drums; Dave Gelly, tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet; Jim Philip, tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Dick Heckstall-Smith, tenor sax, soprano sax; Barbara Thompson, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; Derek Wadsworth, John Mumford, Michael Gibbs, Tony Russell, trombone; Derek Watkins, Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, trumpet; Ian Carr, trumpet, flugelhorn; George Smith, tuba; Frank Ricotti, vibraphone, marimba; Howard Barrow, recording engineer; Grahame Dudley, design; Tony Reeves, producer; recorded September 17 & 18, 1968.
Jack Bruce, bass, shortly after break-up of Cream, dabbling briefly in jazz.
Howard Barrow: mastering and lacquer cutting engineer at Pye Studios, Marble Arch, London. NJO’s previous LP, “Western Reunion, London 1965”, was recorded for Decca at Decca Studios West Hampstead, engineer Arthur Bannister. MGM was approached to record and issue this second NJO LP. Where Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe was recorded is not named, presumably Pye Studios, not known to me.
Cover Art
Edouard Manet scandalised the Paris art-establishment with his controversial painting Lunch on the Grass (1863), juxtaposing a group of clothed and unclothed figures having a picnic in the woods. It was not the nude female form that shocked, it was the well-dressed professional men in their presence. The idealized female form had been a convention of classical art for centuries. Nudity was acceptable in “classical art”, but not in “the real world”, which is where Manet artfully pitches it. This is the clash. It is indeed an unusual picture in its own right, but also a jolly vehicle as a record cover spoof, a good inside joke.
Below left shows Neil Ardley (left) and John Hiseman (right), with two “friends”. The subjects have been posed on location, to ensure consistent lighting and a convincing blend with the forest floor. Great idea, well executed.Of academic interest, the people Manet used to pose for the painting were close family relatives and two artists models.
Music – Critical reception:
Several good writers have done the heavy lifting, so on this occasion I’ll put my feet up.
Abridged from Dutch distributor https://www.painteddogrecords.com/njo.html
” Among the most forward thinking and distinctive of all the British big bands of the mid to late-60s was the New Jazz Orchestra (NJO) under the direction of Neil Ardley.
The NJO was active for less than ten years and recorded only two albums, one of which, their second, Le Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe (Verve SVLP 9236, 1969), is regarded by some as one of the finest British jazz album of the period.The New Jazz Orchestra assembled by Neil Ardley into a distinctively voiced ensemble, whilst acknowledging the debt to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans, expressed an English sensibility that can be best described as ‘pastoral’, distinctively drawing on the classical idiom. The combination of classical orchestration and jazz made it more than a third-stream experiment.
The range, invention and depth outstrips most large ensemble jazz albums of the time; at times muscular and powerful, at others delicate and sensitive, the interplay of the musicians, arrangements and compositions make for a stand-out recording that bristles with confidence and energy.”
Duncan Heining – All About Jazz: (abridged):
Déjeuner is one of the finest British jazz records of any period. The two nods in the direction of the masters – Davis’ “Nardis,”” arranged by Ardley, and Coltrane’s “Naïma,” arranged by Alan Cohen—are recast quite beautifully. The title track is a minor masterpiece of form, deceptively easy on the ear but utilizing a number of different scales. Ardley’s harmonic sense allows this exercise in polytonality to unfold in its own time and, while it sounds exotic in its use of modes, it never seems odd or discordant. The tune actually comes from a secondary part in a Debussy prelude. Throughout, the playing is magnificent. Le Déjeuner Sur L’herbe defines a unique period in British jazz.”
LJC says: Nothing stands still, and jazz is no exception. (Having written that, there are some genres that do seem to stand still, where fans just want more of the same. Discuss)
On the heels of America’s post-bop, latin-jazz, soul-jazz, jazz-rock fusion hybrids, Britain took a stand on the unusual territory of its European classical music heritage : jazz-classical fusion.
The instruments remained firmly of the jazz tradition, not of the classical wind and string orchestra. The line-up expanded from quartet and sextet, or even nonet, well into double figures. To handle this palette of tonal colours, like classical music, it is largely composed and arranged, not improvised, except under controlled conditions. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is not a springboard for a tympany solo, ( during which the audience retire to the bar). It’s merit rests on the strength of the composer/ arranger, and Neil Ardley is good, with interesting measures of melody, harmony, rhythm, and good ideas, varying pace and texture. In this respect, the cast-list of musicians is not especially relevant, other than the tone and interpretation they bring to their part of the composed piece. I think I can pinpoint Ian Carr’s flugelhorn.
The setting for such a large musical enterprise is inevitably the concert hall, and the recording studio, not the smoky jazz-dive bar, pub bandstand, or even the music festival. The economics is shaky, the logistics worse, and it was inevitable that it would not last (without the help of Arts Council grants). So the take-away here is a brief British Spring of Jazz/Classical fusion, of enduring quality, for those willing to explore. Ironically, LondonJazzCollector is a new-comer to this music himself, a stranger in my own land.
Vinyl:
Le Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe was released originally on the Verve label. Verve was a marque of MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.), who acquired it from Norman Grantz in 1960. MGM established its British subsidiary MGM Records Ltd in 1967. Manufacture and distribution of MGM/ Verve in the UK was in the hands of The Gramaphone Co. Ltd. a subsidiary of EMI, so likely pressed by EMI Hayes, Middx, in 1969.
Verve is now under the Decca family banner at Universal (UMG), who have produced this 2021 reissue. It follows the now familiar pattern of 2020+ modern audiophile editions – high quality engineering from original tapes, pressed in Germany, klingt gut, sounds great
UMG Reissue Labels, true to the original Verve identity
Collector’s Corner
1969 original release on Verve, mono and stereo, identical cover, MGM Verve trademark under license, “SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS” text on the label. Rare as hen’s teeth. Original 1969 copies on sale from £175 (VG with clicks) to £400 for near-mint. Because the first edition is rare and of historical interest, some will prefer the original artefact.
First Edition Labels
The title was reissued in 2015 on CD and vinyl, which LP now found more moderately priced at £32-£60, due to the latest Decca/Verve remastered edition (2021), being priced around £30.
Contemporary critical reviews (1968)
UMG make available Youtubes of the tracks, comments closed. I guess a good thing as people will otherwise upload unofficial copies. The audio quality is nothing close to my one-track rip, but you get a feel for what else is on the album. It’s a breath of fifty-year old fresh air.
More Neil Ardley
Neil Ardley and NJO, circa 1966.
BBC Radio Sessions – Neil Ardley and The New Jazz Orchestra, broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s “Jazz Club” on Monday 15 February 1971. Introduced by Humphrey Lyttleton, opens with a very familiar tune – George Russell’s Stratus Phunk.
Neil Ardley albums
Greek Variations and A Symphony of Aramanths, early 70’s, very much sought after, rare and expensive; Kaleidoscope of Rainbows and Harmony of the Spheres, mid to late 70s orchestral jazz-rock, not so much.
The Jazz In Britain preservation label has issued a live session recording of Kaleidoscope of Rainbows from 1975, at Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London, a setting I attended many times, though not this one. Barbara Thompson I chatted to at a Barbican pop-up with Paraphernalia, John Hiseman behind the drums, who was riveting. Trevor Tomkins I saw several times in recent years with Simon Spillett Quartet.
I dug out my original copy of Kaleidoscope of Rainbows, on the Gull label, slipped it on the turntable to refresh my recollections. I confess I had to take it off quickly. It was a child of its time, but it hasn’t worn well (to my ears, YMMV) . Mind you, some would say that of me.
LJC