Jazzis Web Shop News 02/2008

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Today’s addition is the next album on the fabulous Vocalion label:

This stunningly beautiful album managed to stay on the top of my personal list for over 30 years now and I love it as much as I did the first time I heard it. It simply represents all the beauty, sophistication and intellectual quality of the British Jazz of the late 1960s / 1970s, perhaps more accurately and more concisely than any other one album. It documents a concert performed at London’s Southwark Cathedral, one of the many events dedicated to Shakespeare’s tercentenary celebrations, and presents four major works written by four great British Jazz composers: Neil Ardley, Ian Carr, Michael Gibbs and Stan Tracey, dedicated to Shakespeare’s genius. The list of performers certainly resembles the “Who’s Who” of British Jazz at the time and includes: Norma Winstone and Pepi Lemer – vocals, Kenny Wheeler – trumpet, Tony Coe – reeds, Paul Buckmaster and Colin Walker – cello, Gordon Beck, John Taylor and Stan Tracey – keyboards, Ron Mathewson – bass, Tony Levin – drums and Trevor Tomkins – percussion. All the lengthy suites, although quite different from each other, are majestic and respectful to the great poet’s legacy, often touching on Elizabethan era motifs, even if ever so slightly. The ambience of the Cathedral adds to the overall effect and the magic of that performance if caught forever by this extraordinary recording. Everything that is so great about Jazz – composition, arrangement and performance – is unified here to produce that magical moment, which can never be repeated. I can’t imagine anybody not liking this, and although it’s by far no easy listening, the immediate magnanimity of this music is so apparent that repeated listening could only deepen the experience. Beyond essential!

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Today’s addition is the next album on the fabulous Vocalion label:

Trumpeter / composer Shake Keane was born in St Vincent (West Indies) and emigrated to Britain in the early 1950s. His superb tone and total control of his instrument was immediately recognized and the local music scene immediately absorbed him, providing plenty of opportunities for him to play in a variety of styles. By the end of the 1950s Keane almost completely to playing Jazz and became one of the spearheading figures of the British modern / free Jazz. He was a member of the pioneering group led by saxophonist Joe Harriott, with whom he recorded some of the most pivotal early European free Jazz. He was also a member, together with Harriott, in the groups led by pianist Michael Garrick. Keane’s prime interest was actually in poetry and literature, which gave him his nickname, as short for Shakespeare. Playing with Garrick, he participated in the “Poetry and Jazz” scene, which of course was only appropriate for his field of interest. Keane left Britain in the late 1960s, first to Germany and later returning to his native island, where he became a government minister of culture. He continued his literary work and published works of prose and poetry. A few years before his death in 1997 he returned to his musical activities and even recorded new albums. Strangely enough, in the midst of his activity in the avant-garde Jazz field, Keane recorded a few solo albums, which present another side of his musical personality. These albums could be considered as belonging to the “lighter” side of Jazz, where Keane mostly played adaptations of Pop songs of the period. This album is one of these, and although at the time it was criticized as being a “sell-out”, in retrospect it is a real gem. Keane does use a set of Pop songs (Beatles, Rolling Stones, Donovan and others) as the basis, but the clever and unusual arrangements and his phenomenal improvisational skills turn these songs inside out and the overall effect is truly spectacular. A couple of his original compositions are also included and one more by his partner Joe Harriott. He leads a splendid sextet with Bob Efford – sax, Olaf Vas – flute, Pat Smythe – piano, Coleridge Goode – bass and Bobby Orr – drums (Stan Tracey plays piano on three tracks), which plays elegantly and effortlessly. I had a real ball listening to this uplifting music. Easy Jazz? Perhaps, but who cares, when it sounds as good as this.

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Following the reissues of the Michael Garrick’s albums on Vocalion, here is another one on the tiny Trunk Records label:

Pianist / composer Michael Garrick has been one of the great pioneers of modern British Jazz and his 1960s / 1970s recordings on the Argo label (now reissued on Vocalion) constitute some of the best examples of the wonderful period, when Jazz was at its absolute creative peak. Garrick did made an early recording in 1964 with his trio (Garrick – piano, Dave Green – bass and Colin Barnes – drums), which was privately issued with 99 copies pressed. Over the years this 10-inch LP became not only legendary but also one of the most expensive Jazz collector’s items reaching astronomical prices on the market with only a few originals surviving the tides of time. Therefore having this album available again on CD is a marvel, thanks to Jonny Trunk and his very special Trunk Records label. As the original tapes were of course lost in time, the CD was mastered from a pristine copy of the LP with spectacular results - the sound is just beautiful. As to the music, well I’m not objective being Garrick’s fan for many years, but this is a monumental piece of music – one of the earliest examples of modern European Jazz, which steps way beyond anything in existence at the time. The compositions (all by Garrick) were inspired by poetry, as Garrick was at the time involved with the Poetry and Jazz movement, and show his incredible talent for melody and the ability to “twist” a tune in a most wonderful fashion. Marvelous stuff! I can’t imagine any Garrick or early modern British Jazz fan not wanting this one.

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I’m happy to add today one more album by the excellent Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble, released on his label Crescent Discs:

Guitarist / composer Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble have been a consistently excellent source of great music for many years. This particular lineup is a sextet and includes: Miller – guitar, Elton Dean – sax, Jim Dvorak – trumpet, Peter Lemer – keyboards, Fred Baker – bass and Pip Pyle – drums. Recorded live during a Japanese tour, this album presents the group performing the wonderful Miller’s compositions in an extended form, with many outstanding solos by all the players. Much of the set is drawn from Phil's solo album “Digging In” and it is interesting to compare the carefully controlled studio versions with these loose, fiery, live ones. Miller always talks about himself first as a composer and only then as a guitarist, and rightly so since although he is an excellent player, he has very few equals as a song-weaver. Excellent stuff!

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The last addition for February is another great classic of British Jazz, the debut album by Harry Beckett. February was a total British Jazz month with 28 new splendid additions (and of course one Harold Rubin). So here it is:

Trumpeter / composer Harry Beckett was one of the pillars of the British Jazz in the 1960s / 1970s. His beautiful tone and exceptional improvising qualities made his one of the busiest player on the scene. He was a member of some of the most important ensembles of the period, led by distinguished musicians like Graham Collier, Mike Westbrook, Keef Hartley, John Surman, Ray Russell and many others, and also led his own quartet. The plans to make his debut album as a leader with his own quartet somehow never materialized, but instead he formed an octet for the occasion, which included the young “lions” of the scene: John Surman, Mike Osborne and Alan Skidmore on saxophones, Frank Ricotti on vibes, John Taylor on piano, Chris Lawrence on bass and John Webb on drums – an absolute dreamy collection of players. In addition to his compositions, the band also performs three of Graham Collier’s beautiful tunes and one Surman classic. The result is absolutely sensational, a true classic of the period and a must for every fan of British Jazz of the era. Not to be missed!

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