?Jazz Views has rapidly become one of the most important jazz websites in the UK.?
Provocateur Records
Editorial: Jazz In The UK. Clare Teal: Interview with one of the UK?s brightest young stars. Roger Beaujolais: Interview with vibes player, whose new album ?I?ll See You Tonight? is released at the end of this month. Musician's Play List: Guitarist, Billy Jenkins picks his Top Ten Albums. Jim Mullen: Somewhere In The Hills- we track down guitarist, Jim Mullen, to talk about his new album and current projects. Dave Green: The UK?s premiere bassist celebrates 40 years in the business. IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) 30th International Jazz Conference, Toronto 2003:UK vocalist, Lee Gibson reports on the world?s largest jazz education conference. SLAM: The untold story of George Haslam?s SlAM label. New Releases: 4x4 new box sets from Proper Records, and new releases for Provocateur Records. CD Reviews: Reviews of new releases by Roger Beaujolais, Jim Mullen Quartet, Claire Martin, Cathie Rae, Brad Mehldau, Ganelin Trio, Oscar Peterson and others. Jazz Views Special Offers: Limited number of copies of 'The Right Vibes' by Bill Le Sage Trio and Trudy Kerr's sensational album 'My Old Flame'; plus two of Caber Music?s hottest new releases, ?Live At Henry?s? by the Brian Kellock Trio and Colin Steele?s ?Twilight Dreams? for just ?11.00 each! Competition: Win a copy of ?Messin? With Fire? by Clare Teal. Site Map: For a quick reference key in your search words to locate page references and links. Subscribe To Jazz Views Subscribe to Jazz Views to receive regular email updates.
It was refreshing to hear Jim Mullen?s comments regarding the quality of jazz produced by British musicians, and his statement re players of the calibre of pianist Gareth Williams being the equal of any top drawer American musician. Perhaps this is something many of us have known for a long time, but it is still nice to hear it reiterated as much of the critical fraternity still regard ?American jazz? as the real thing and anything else a poor second best. It is with this in mind that I mention in passing that next month will see the first Anniversary of JAZZ VIEWS. Our first tentative steps as an email Newsletter went out in March 2002, and we haven?t looked back since. Nearly twelve months on we remain committed to bringing you the best of British Jazz, with our monthly Newsletters with more Interviews, Competitions, Musician?s Play List and CD Reviews. I am therefore pleased to be able to welcome some new contributors to the fold. Special thanks to Dan Chambers for his excellent interview with Clare Teal, and to Lee Gibson for her insight into the IAJE Conference held last month in Toronto. Also we have two new reviewers in Euan Dixon and Mike Passway, and we hope to increase the number of reviews that appear each month. There are also other changes planned for the coming months so?WATCH THIS SPACE. Top of Page
Interview by Dan Chambers  I use the word "stunning" because, as anyone who has seen her adverts in the jazz press will know, this word is used by her record label to describe her debut album "That's The Way It Is" and the equally aclaimed new release ?Orsino?s Song? over and over again. But, unlike most adverts, this simply happens to be the truth. Clare's voice soars literally above the countless other female vocalists out on the UK jazz circuit at the moment. On each album she confidently steps from swing to soul, from soul to cabaret, and from cabaret to camp. Perhaps the last of those moves is less of a step and more of a mince, but that's not the point is it. I am a freelance journalist and have only been writing about jazz for about five years and during those five years have come across many many so called singers. Never have I wanted to interview one more than Clare and last week, after a truly awesome gig at the 606 club in London, she finally agreed to talk to me face to face. Talking is obviously Clare's second favourite way of communicating, and after two hours of her regaling me with stories and memories of her career I emerged from her lovely home in Bath confident that I have enough material to write my first book. It has taken me a few days, but here it is, the first great interview with Clare Teal, a singer destined to be a superstar: JAZZ VIEWS: You said during the 606 show that you had an advertising background, what was that about and how did you end up singing jazz? CLARE TEAL: Well (laughs - she laughs a lot by the way) I really got into jazz at a very young age. I remember climbing into the roof of my parents' house and finding an old box of 78s. There was one of those old wind-up players up there and so that was the last they saw of me for about 6 months. There were all kinds of records by Doris Day, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire and I seem to remember there was almost every release by the Glen Miller Band. I loved those records, and i would sing along to them over and over again. This habit - I guess you would call it - lasted for years, and as I grew so did my voice. I entered lots of local singing championships and actually won quite a few "sound-alike" contests. This was when i thought that I could maybe try and get work recording jingles for adverts as a professional sound-alike singer. I met up with a very talented musician/writer friend of my mum's and we just punted our demo out to radio stations. After a while we got jobs doing ads for all kinds of things from local car dealers to big brands like...ooh, I'm not allowed to say? (starts to sing very amusing jingle leaving out brand name).. JV: So how long did this go on, and when the move to Jazz? CT: (laughs - again) Well, not long really...thank goodness, I was lucky, I got a call from someone, a friend of the family, who was putting on a jazz festival in Wales because, at the last minute, the singer Stacey Kent had had to pull out. They knew I loved jazz and asked if i could turn up and sing! next thing I knew, I was on my way to Wales...never met the band...never sung at a festival?and so I was starting to get a bit nervous. When I got there and found out I was headlining the show I nearly turned round and got straight back in the car. But I was really lucky, I got on really well with the guys in the band, the gig went well and afterwards we all kept in touch. Of course it wasn't long before the idea of making an album with the guys came up, they were up for it and so we made one! Just to get more gigs for the band really. I can't remember how many we sent to record labels, but it wasn't many...anyway, one ended up on the desk of Alan Bates who owns Candid Records - he listened to it and liked it enough to want to sign us!! JV: How did that feel, to suddenly become a "signed artist"? CT: It was funny actually. I was sitting at home having my tea. I remember I was completely knackered after working in an ad agency all day and I heard the phone ring. I've got one of those clever phones that shows you the number of the caller... well, I live in Bath, saw that it was a London number and thought...oh bog off...its probably one of those pesky double glazing or "you can now buy your eggs through British Gas" type callers, so I ignored it! Then I heard this voice saying: "Oh, hello this is Alan Bates from Candid Records, can you call me.." and I just could not believe it, I was so excited I couldn't call him for a couple of hours?honest I couldn't, I was running around the flat screaming...the neighbours must have thought I had gone mad. Actually, they think I'm mad anyway, but they must have thought I was having a particularly bad day!! Eventually I did calm down and called Alan - who I must say is a truly lovely man... I must say that because he might read this (laughs), no...really, he is one of the nicest blokes you could ever hope to meet, and we got on really well. I went up to see him, signed a contract and then it was on to the first record. JV: Your Candid debut "That's The Way It Is" uses a lot of the tracks recorded for your demo doesn't it? CT: It does, but they were all remixed and some of them were recorded new for the album. The demo album was really well done anyway - oh that sounds big headed doesn't it?.. what I meant was it was recorded properly in a studio, so although it was a "demo" album it was not just a guide vocal or dodgy backing track affair, it was the best we could afford at the time. Candid spent a lot of time with the tapes and "That's The Way It Is" sounds just fab! - and that IS big headed! - and why not..it's great...the band are great?I'm great ... (laughs) JV: Both of your albums are an interesting mix of Standards, contemporary cover versions and some original songs - most of which are written or co-written by you, why did you do that on a first record, why not stick to standards and songs everybody knows and leave the originals to the second album? CT: Just that reason actually, I wanted the album to be a "Clare Teal" album, not just another female singer's album. I love the standards, I could probably record a hundred albums of them, but I also want to say something new. I really admire certain contemporary writers, especially Neil Hannon from The Divine Comedy, and I love the way they shape their songs. I wanted to make an album that was "an Album" a collection of different things, of styles, sounds, and textures and I think we did that. I have always composed songs and one of my favourite "Messin' With Fire" is so popular when I do it live that I just had to put it on the album, besides who needs another "songbook" they've all been done to death. There is nothing wrong with those great songs, but why not create a few great songs for a future audience to look back on? - oh God..I'm sounding all big headed again....perhaps I should join that rock band "Big Head Todd" or whatever they were called .. you'll have to edit this bit for your interview.. On the second album I actually took my writing one step further and wrote a duet. It?s called ?Let?s Not Take A Raincheck? and features the fabulous Ian Shaw. That was great fun recording, Ian is such a laugh to work with. JV: There's a personal story behind the song "Heber, the receiver" isn't there? CT: Yeah.... JV: Well will you tell me what it is? CT: (Laughs) OK...I have a really really good friend called Elliot, and when he was born he just would not eat... his mum was going mad trying to find ways of getting him to put on weight and the only way he would eat things was if he got fed cake... or things hidden inside cake ... but don't tell him that.. So I just invented Heber for the song and based the story on Elliot. JV: Does he like the song? CT: I don't know... But he likes cake!! (laughs again - you really should hear her laugh, it is so contagious.) JV: Tell me a bit about the musicians on the albums. CT: Is this the bit where I blatantly plug the album then? (still laughing) JV: Well... go on then.... CT: There's Trevor Whiting on sax. Well reeds really because he plays all sorts on the album. The wonderful Nils Solberg on guitar. I love Nils he's wonderful... oh i just said that twice didn't i?.. well he is, he's a great guitarist and a really nice bloke. Rod Brown on drums, John Day plays the bass on "Our Love Is Here To Stay" while Richard Jefferies plays (bass) on all the other tracks. And then finally, there is Martin Litton. Martin is a fabulous pianist and a top arranger, he's done loads and loads of work on this record and I am really grateful to him for making the songs sound so wonderful. "wonderful" is obviously my word for the day... perhaps it's the new "stunning" - have you seen that? the word "stunning" they've used it on all my adverts?...good isn't it..(pauses....) isn't it? On ?Orsino?s Songs? we actually have three guest musicians who came in for specific songs. Alan Barnes is on ?California Dreamin?? ?the one Parky keeps playing on Radio 2 (she giggles..and then beams with a cheeky, but very proud, grin). Malcolm Earl Smith plays a Trombone on ?Life Plans? and he co-wrote the tune with me on that one, and then there is Ian who I?ve already told you about.  JV: Why did you choose ?California Dreamin??? CT: Almost all the songs I sing are personal favourites that mean a lot to me, I can?t just sing anything especially for an album. I love the Mamas & Papas and ?California Dreamin?? is one of my favourites. I really wanted to strip the song down and highlight the words?you know, get rid of all the backing vocals..and make it into a kind of blues.. I asked Alan (Barnes) to make the clarinet solo ?Haunting and kind of Jewish!? and what you hear is what he came up with! ? I am absolutely thrilled with how it came out and I am so glad it?s getting played so much on Radio..do you like it? JV: I love it CT: You?re not just saying that? JV: No..it?s my favourite track on the album..That and ?I Loves You Porgy? CT: Oh, that?s one of the greats isn?t it.. I don?t mean my version, I mean the song!! (laughs) JV: Well it has to be said, you do seem to manage to make these standards your own when you do them. ?Porgy? and ?Blues In The Night? sound as fresh today as they must have when they were first born.. CT: Born? (laughs) you make them sound like children!! I suppose it?s better than ?Created?. JV: The Artwork on ?Orsino?s Songs? is very bold and daring...is that how you were feeling? CT: Yes (pauses...then laughs)?I wanted the album to really capture the way we (the band and I) were feeling about the project. It was a really happy, bright recording...we had a great time and it all felt a bit like a circus or cabaret...so we decided, my manager and I, that the artwork should keep that feel going. I don?t think the record label were too sure at first, but I think Alan (Bates) loves it now. JV: Well I think I?ve got loads to be going on with there? CT: Well turn that thing off then...(points to my walkman)...you'll never get all that lot printed anyway...and I'm not going to tell you any more. Clare Teal's "stunning " debut album "That's The Way It Is" and the critically acclaimed ?Orsino?s Song? are out now on Candid Records. For your chance to win a copy of Clare?s ?demo album?, ?Messin? With Fire?, which isn?t available in the shops, enter this month?s Competition. For further info visit www.clareteal.co.uk Top of Page
Interview by Nick Lea  Somewhat of a late starter, not taking to his chosen instrument until the age of 24, vibes player Roger Beaujolais has certainly made up for lost time. The late eighties found him with The Chevalier Brothers kicking up a storm on the student circuit, and in the nineties his hybrid outfit, Vibraphonic, was signed to a major label, not counting the numerous appearances as a sideman on sessions. I talked to Roger recently, who on the brink of releasing his second quintet album ?I?ll See You Tonight? on his own StayTuned Records (available from the end of February), and is committed to developing the band over the next few years. JAZZ VIEWS: Roger, firstly I must ask you about you choice of instrument, why the vibraphone? I believe that initially you played the drums? ROGER BEAUJOLAIS: I was brought up in the ?60?s listening to the pop music of the day ? Beatles, Rolling Stones - then got into blues & Hendrix. Some school friends were forming a blues/rock band & needed a drummer. I worked all summer at the age of 15 to pay for some drums & joined the band. But I was never really any good & knew it?. I saw the Buddy Rich big band when I was 16 & realized then how difficult it would be for me to get that good. Soon after I started having piano lessons so I could play boogie woogie & blues. I managed to do that to some basic level but could never do much else apart from a few modal things ? not that I knew they were modal things as just about the only jazz I knew about at that time was Acker Bilk & Kenny Ball. And I wasn?t really taken by it. The pop music of the day seemed so much more exciting to my teenage brain. I carried on being a drummer for a few years but only ever did a handful of gigs. The only performances on piano were for friends in the pubs of Portsmouth if I?d had enough to drink. Eventually as a 22 year old rock fan & failed drummer I arrived in London. I had already begun to hear some jazz that I liked & after various jobs ended up in a record shop where I had the chance to delve deeper. At the time I was playing percussion with a couple of different guitarists in restaurants ? I never played a gig on drums in London. One of the guitarists bought a glockenspiel for me to play & I really enjoyed playing melodies. Soon after, I heard a couple of Bobby Hutcherson albums in the shop & really liked what he was doing. A month or two later he happened to be playing in London so I got tickets & was hooked on the sound. At the record shop, a friend of a friend was selling a set of vibes. The vibes seller lived right opposite me at the time. There were just so many coincidences. So at the age 24 I bought my first set of vibes. JV: You have a new album out at the end of this month by your quintet, called ?I?ll See You Tonight? (see [link-to-page-103">CD Reviews). Tell us more about the album. RB: It carries on from the my previous quintet album ?For Old Times? in 1999 with the same line up of myself with Mark Lockheart on tenor & soprano saxes, Robin Aspland on piano, Orlando le Fleming on double bass & Winston Clifford on drums. I really like the energy these guys bring to the band as well as their massive ability & endless creativity. There?s a fair bit of space on some of the tunes & I?m really pleased with the interplay between everyone. There are 8 tunes on the album, 4 of mine & versions of Joe Henderson?s ?Black Narcissus?, Wayne Shorter?s ?Night Dreamer?, Carl Perkins? ?Grooveyard? & a ballad version of the Antonio Carlos Jobim tune ?Dindi?. It was all recorded live over a 2 day period when I also recorded several other tunes that will get released at a later date. JV: The quintet is a long term project for you, with a stable personnel, having recorded ?For Old Times? a couple of years ago. Is it difficult to keep a regular working band together? RB: All the musicians in my quintet either run bands of their own or are simultaneously in several other bands (or both). This is actually an economic necessity for nearly all UK jazz musicians. What inevitably happens is that I get a gig & when I call all the guys to find if they?re available, some will already be booked. Occasionally I get all the real band members on a gig & most gigs there is usually only one or 2 ?deps?. The best way to look at it is to think of the fresh energy that each new member brings - & all the ?deps? I use are first class musicians. The only way to get the same people on every gig (apart from exceptional circumstances) is if you regularly give them well paid work. Then that bandleader will have first call on their services. It sounds really messy but actually most of the time runs reasonably smoothly. For recording its different because, even though not all the guys will be on all the gigs, they?re all still my first call for the gigs & are theoretically in my quintet.  JV: You?ve also chosen to release your material on your own label, StayTuned Records. Do you find this essential to document you work or just as another option open to you? RB: I?ve been signed & had albums & singles out on several labels over the years including Warner Brothers (in Europe), Acid Jazz Records, Magnet Records & Disney?s Hollywood Records (in USA). Although it?s been good to have had a reasonable budget to record albums there have been other times when actually getting the money I?ve earned from record sales from those labels has been very difficult, time consuming & ultimately very frustrating. And then if an album doesn?t sell it?s easy to put the blame on someone else ? the press wasn?t very good, there were no radio plays, the album wasn?t in the shops etc. ? without really knowing where (if at all) something had gone wrong along the way. After all, it could be that it wasn?t a good album?With my own label, despite it being much more expensive, I can have more control over every aspect of an album?s production & can make sure everything is done to help the album?s success. It actually is more time consuming than I would have liked & has it?s own frustrations but at least I can release (finances permitting) as many albums as I like when I like. But releasing jazz albums is a labour of love. Much like everything involved with jazz ? we certainly don?t do it for money? JV: As well as the Roger Beaujolais Quintet you are involved in many other projects and bands. Where else can we hear you behind the vibes? RB: I play in the Travis/Beaujolais Quartet, the Tony Remy Band, Tim Richards? Great Spirit, with Davide Mantovani & also my other band Vibraphonic. JV: What about session work, is that a scene you are also involved in? RB: Over the years I?ve done quite a few sessions but in the last year they?ve thinned out quite dramatically. Mainly, I think, because record companies are having such a bad time & recording budgets have seriously been reduced in the area I work in. I don?t really read music so I?ve never been on the session scene where you have to show up & play through music that someone?s written. This has happened occasionally but word got round ? book someone else. The sessions I?ve been on have been the less mainstream pop records. Precisely the sort of record that would no longer have a sizeable budget. Most sessions I do I play chords or a riff or play atmospheric vibe sounds. Occasionally I might get a solo. Most times I originate my own parts but sometimes will have to reproduce or double something that?s already there. I was brought up listening to a lot of pop & rock music & I?ve played a lot of styles of music so it?s not uncomfortable for me to be put in that position & it?s quite easy (mostly) to find something that the artist or producer is happy with. Over the years I?ve played on records for Robert Plant, Kirsty MacColl, Roni Size, Shola Ama, Morrissey, Fairground Attraction, Alison Limerick, Mary Coughlan, Brian Kennedy & Omara Portuondo along with many lesser known bands. JV: Working as you do in such a variety of settings must have an effect on the way you approach your jazz. Who would you list as your influences? RB: I got into jazz by listening to (what became known as) fusion or jazz rock. As I came from a rock background it had elements that I was familiar with? Most of what I listened to then I don?t listen to now but it opened my ears & made me take the journey back to acoustic jazz. One of the bands from that time that I would definitely say I was influenced by was Weather Report although I?ve never attempted anything like it in any of my own bands. My first love on vibes was Bobby Hutcherson who is still a big influence. I would have to say that I?ve always loved Milt Jackson too ? never a note in the wrong place. But Miles Davis? approach has always been an inspiration ? always trying something new & never looking back. Charlie Parker has been a big influence, as have John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Cannonball Adderley, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Joe Henderson, Mike Mainieri, Art Tatum & Grant Green. Actually I could go on forever? JV: Finally, what about plans for the future? RB: I?ve moved about (in my recordings) from style to style & people in the business keep telling me I?m a marketing man?s worst nightmare. So in an effort to make life easier for the people who have to market me I?m planning to continue playing with my quintet for the foreseeable future. The short term is a bit of a mystery as I have a new album out & I guess a lot will depend on reviews. But I have a few quintet gigs in the book & have been promised a few more later in the year. In the longer term, as I mentioned above, I have some other recordings ready to be released so in another 15 ? 18 months there?ll be another album out. The next one will be a mellow mood album of some kind & will include lots of ballads (?In A Sentimental Mood?, ?What?s New?, ?You Don?t Know What Love Is? & ?My Foolish Heart? among them) as well as some solo pieces that I haven?t recorded yet. My fantasies of the future would include a secretary & someone to drive me to & from gigs & carry my vibes & set them up for me. All would include money so will have to remain fantasies? Top of Page
 Top Ten Baby Blanket Jazz Sounds - by guitarist, composer bandleader & performer Billy Jenkins - whose Voice of God Collective (1981-97)offered an excellent reminder that 'social realism, danger & rough edges' are essential in jazz. To those who didn't listen he says - "enjoy half listening to your 'smooth jazz...." Nowadays, he prefers to perform and record with his Blues Collective, which he paradoxically claims "offers more freedom than perceived jazz". Billy apologies for lack of complete label and catalogue number details, but he is currently office-less and all his worldly goods are currently in storage. It may seem slightly odd that, as a guitarist, he has not nominated any. Apparently, he hates jazz guitarists ("except Wes Montgomery and the Canadian Pat Coleman - check out his work at www.roadhouserecords.ca".) 1. I Say A Little Prayer - Rhasaan Roland Kirk (Altantic) Perhaps my 'all time favourite saxophonist apart from those who I have or do play with'. Add the reworking of a great Bacharach tune, the cacophony of Kirk's band and the talents of Joel Dorn the producer and cranked up to 11 I'm in heaven! 2. St Thomas - Sonny Rollins (Prestige) It was Rollins' 'East Broadway Rundown' that opened the door to jazz for me, but it was this recording from the Fifties with Max Roach on drums that led me down that oneway street to 'jazz obsession'. His melodic invention and Roach's solo still remain as fresh in my mind since I first heard it 30 years ago. 3. Oh Yeah - Charles Mingus (Rhino/Atlantic R2 75589) Any Mingus on record (apart from the ballsed up 'Town Hall Concert') helps to keep me at it. In fact, all these musicians in this list do that. I always think of Mingus the bass player as the first 'heavy Metal' player. As a small band arranger he is unsurpassed (although Oliver Nelson runs him close) and his compositional use of accelerando and glissando is pretty unique. Add Kirk into the mix........! I don't understand why critics mark down 'Oh Yeah'. Its got so much spirit. I love his piano playing too. 4. Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue/Live At Newport '56) - Duke Ellington (Columbia CK 64932 2CD) One of those brilliant moments captured forever. I actually prefer off beat live recordings. Why producers attempt to pretend 'you're actually there' is ludicrous. You're not. And that's why it is a treat to be privy to a special moment as viewed through a hole in the fence. Again, the fact that Ellington's career was at a low ebb when this event raised the ante once more offers me strength when things are bad. Which is most of the time.... 5. Dancing In Your Head - Ornette Coleman (A&M 396 999) What? Not his early trio or quartet recordings!? Yes of course - but at least this stands as a positive second wind in a career that was perhaps overshadowed by the 'post bop accessible avant garde' clamour that greeted his aforementioned work (was that the fault of Atlantic's corporate PR of the time!?). But consider my rationale. 'Dancing...' was a rock influenced return to collective polyphony. Just like early C20th 'jass'. Something Miles would never touch with a bargepole on account of his middle class upbringing. Also, praise to Herb Albert and Jerry Moss (I don't think they had sold A&M at that point, though I may be wrong) for championing a left field champion! 6. Rhythm-a-Ning - Thelonious Monk (various labels) Any Monk, please. We all know why. Space. Daring. Rhythm. Humour. New Harmonic logic. Any jazz artist whose biography can be summed up in one sentence is all right by me: 'He wore silly hats, danced round the piano, lived in a flat with Nellie, used to compose with the radio or television on and was weird...'. Well, of course, now his son has admitted it was all show business and wind up. But I choose this title as in my opinion it proves he really did compose with the telly on. It's actually the first four bars from the theme from the Goonies on the Popeye show.... Couldn't have listened to that much media - after all, he composed less than eighty tunes.... (Actually, to redress the balance and confess that yes, we all plagurise tunes - I passed a long haired Afghan coated hippy whistling. 'Thelonius Monk!', I exclaimed. 'Nah, mate', he replied, 'Led Zeppelin...!'). 7.Household Of Saud - Charles Tolliver (Black Lion) Who!? A great inspiration - both musically and otherwise. Simple motifs, committed playing. A lovely trumpet tone much like Clifford Brown (another favourite) and equally important - a musician who stuck to his artistic ideals and produced his own records (on Strata East). Also, some intelligent mixing of (mostly) New York collaborators like Stanley Cowell, Cecil McBee and Jimmy Hopps. I suspect his ideology has hindered wider appreciation - though I could be wrong. Enjoy his work. NOW! 8. In Pursuit Of The 27th Man - Horace Silver (Blue Note 35758-2) Great rhythmic piano and on this LP Michael Brecker on the ascendancy (before he sounded like someone sounding like him..); Mickey Roker (another drum favourite) playing his wrists off and lovely groove tunes with great piano and vibes interplay. I just love Silver's playing - a percussive style also used by another fave - blues pianist Charles Brown. I appreciate his sincerity. O.K., he does write the odd duffer and his lyrics on some tunes would not be out of place in the script of 'The Office', but his artistry is complete. 9. MRA - Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath (RCA) I would have loved to see this line up live. Producer Joe Boyd did a good job on this LP. Louis Moholo in his prime, McGregor with that percussive (again!) piano, a healthy Mike Osbourne full of fire and brimstone, Surman, Charig et al. The Loose Tubes lads used to huddle round my stereo at Wood Wharf Studios in Greenwich drinking this in again and again. 10. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise - John Coltrane Quartet (Impulse) What!? Not 'Love Supreme', 'India', 'Afro Blue'!? Well - yes , of course! But having thrown my lot in with Rollins, it took a late night four mile walk through snow for me to start appreciating this quartet. Stopping off to see if my (I now believe deceased) drumming friend Ken Taylor was still awake, he not only made me tea and shared jazz cigars - but put on this track and demonstrated exactly what Elvin was doing and why. The saxophonist, pianist and bassist were alright too.... And to this day, when it snows, I remember that very special moment. Top of Page
Interview by Nick Lea  ?I think I?ve been influenced by just about everybody I?ve ever heard. For me the thing about jazz is that as a musician you have to find a way to personalise whatever you?re doing. Of course I?ve listened to Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, George Benson and Wes Montgomery; and the blues guys like BB King, Albert King and Cornell Dupree. But that?s just to check out how they did it. I never wanted to play like they did. I just wanted to try to find out how to adapt what they did to my way of playing. Irrespective of what instrument you play, I think that you can take a little something from any music that you?ve enjoyed, whatever the instrument, you somehow process all this information in your mind and try to make something personal out of it. You have to, you can?t play in somebody else?s shadow all you life or you?ll only ever be second best.? Jim Mullen has certainly never settled for second best! All through his long and distinguished career he has strived to let his own personality speak through his guitar. Never one to shy away, each time his takes the stand or steps forward to solo he will always deliver straight from the heart, in his typical no nonsense approach. With his long standing quartet of ?younger guys? the guitarist has just released a new album for Alastair Robertson?s Hep label (see this months CD Reviews), and was enthusiastic to talk about the band, the musicians he plays with and current projects. So how did the new quartet album come about? ?Basically the last couple of things I did were for a different label called Black Box, I did two sort of concept albums. One was of Scottish folk songs written by Robert Burns, and the other was called ?Animation?, and was all tunes from cartoons. I just wanted to kind of up date some of this music I grew up with and try to make some jazz out of them. The Burns album especially got a very good reception, but unfortunately this label I was with merged with a much bigger label which was essentially a classical music reissue label, ad so the jazz things kind of got sidelined. The ?Animation? album should have been released as a follow up to the good response to the Robert Burns set but they sat on it for two years and when it did come out it was without any promotion whatsoever. They didn?t even manage to bring it out to coincide with a tour I was doing! But anyway, to cut a long story short, I got tired of these people and decided I?d had enough so then Alastair (Robertson) at Hep came in and said that he?d that he?d like to do an album. We just went in and recorded more or less what we?re doing on gigs, which is basically standards with the odd Scottish folk tune, and a few originals of mine, with some arrangements that we liked.? The quartet?s been together quite a while now. ?Yeah the bands been together since about 1996 when we did our first album together called ?We Go Back? for the Jazzprint label. That label is now also defunct, and that can be a problem is this country in so much as labels come and go, and unfortunately that?s also what happens to the albums. You never quite sure of what you currently have available, or not as the case maybe! The jazz CD industry in this country is indebted to and reliant on these small labels, but unfortunately the distribution side of things is not that good, and the majority of albums are sold at gigs.? Is this a major problem do you think? ?Yes and no. If you do a good gig a lot of people like to take something home with them, and many will buy an album. It would be good to have more available in the shops, but when flicking through the racks your CD will come up against a million American reissues. Regarding current issues the Americans seem to be fairly well organised. These people bring out a new album every year, and we can?t really compete with that in the UK. First of all, record companies don?t have the budget and then they?re not always interested in having an album out every year unless you?re a big name. You?ve just got to keep doing what you?re can and keep moving forward. The irony is that if you haven?t got a CD out then most festivals won?t book you because they don?t have something to plug, so many musicians self produce and pay for an album to maintain a profile for festival bookings and other gigs.? The new album ?Somewhere In The Hills? is released on Hep Jazz, a Scottish independent label that has been well established for many years. Do you personally prefer to record for an independent as opposed to a bigger label? ?Yes, definitely. What excited me about Hep, and I?ve know Alastair Robertson who runs the label for a long time, is that is was such a quick turnaround between recording and release. We recorded the album in August, and it was available by the end of November! Now I don?t think I?ve ever had an album out so quick from recording and pressing and release. A man of his word! He calls me up with all sorts of ideas, and he?s a very straight and upfront guy to work with, and it?s a real pleasure to work with somebody like that. With the bigger labels you tend to get brushed aside, because they?ve got so many people to deal with and they realise that they?re not going to get enormous returns on jazz albums. I mean the actual figures are quite small really.? As you mentioned earlier, the quartet? s been together for about six years. Is the idea to keep the band together long term and see how it continues to develop? ?Absolutely, yes. The problem is it?s so difficult to get work for a band. Most of my stuff is guest spots whereby I?m contacted by a venue or organisation, and I go up there and work with a local rhythm section. It?s nice to do that, but is a bit of a compromise because it?s a one off gig with guys you?ve probably never worked with before. Whereas if you take your own band you have a lot more things prepared and the audience would be more interested I think. So whilst I?ve kept the band together for six years or so, the amount of work we?ve had in that time is shockingly small. We?re talking about half a dozen festival appearances, two tours and the odd gig here and there. The other problem is that everybody in the band is quite busy. Pianist, Gareth Williams, is very much in demand as are Gary Husband (drums) and Mick Hutton (bass). Everybody is keen to keep the band together and do the gigs, but unfortunately nobody has really picked up on the band.  ?I think it is a great band, and I think these guys are as good as any of the Americans that come over here, in terms of creative ability. But to the powers that be, that is the promoters and agents, not being American is kind of a curse and they tend dismiss you a little. The guys in the Quartet are incredible players. Gareth (Williams) is a brilliant pianist, and I haven?t heard any better American players. He?s right up there with the Dave Kikoski?s and the Joey Calderazzo?s and all those high profile players. The same for Mick Hutton and Gary Husband. I heard them play with Randy Brecker and Bob Berg at the Pizza Express in London, and they were fantastic. And Randy Brecker made a big speech about how great these musicians were and that kind of thing. See, the musicians know what?s happening but the promoters and the agent don?t. They would rather book an American player who might have played once with Woody Herman, irrespective of how well he can play. It seems they would rather book a bad American rather than a good Brit! It?s a crazy situation, but in this country change comes about very slowly, and it might take twenty or thirty years for change and new ideas to get a foothold. The promoters and the agents, and even the critics can be very conservative and reluctant to change, and to take a chance. They won?t book some of our best musicians because they feel they?re not that well known. Well if you don?t book them and give them a chance, how are they going to get established!? It?s obvious from these comments that Jim feels passionately about British jazz and the younger generation of musicians that he plays with?and this brings us nicely to the his other major combo, the Organ Trio, with Jim Watson and Matt Skilton. ?The Organ Trio has been together for a couple of years, and we?ve released one CD on another Scottish label called Flamingo West, which is called ?Eleven By Three?. We?ve also just recorded a second album, which is due for release in May called ?Way Of Life?, again for Flamingo West. The band has really developed a lot between the first recording and the second. There?s a lot of original material and it?s much more interactive, and Jim (Watson) has now really found his voice on the organ, and also drummer Matt Slikton is playing really well. I grew up listening to organ trios , Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and all those great player; and it was actually the guys in the trio that phoned me with the idea of forming a trio. I thought ?Yeah?great, I?d love to do it.? But we decided early on that it wasn?t going to be like the old traditional combo?s, we wanted to make it very contemporary. Maybe a good point of reference would be the American player, Larry Golding, I like what he does. Very contemporary. We wanted it to be as flexible as a say a ?jazz quartet?; in other words not to be stuck in a preconceived concept of how an organ trio should sound.? As well as the quartet and Organ Trio, Jim also finds time to play in the Henry Lowther/Jim Mullen Quartet, affectionately known by the musicians as the GWB after a post gig comment passed by Jim that this was ?a great wee band?. A great wee band it is indeed as a listen their CD entitled ?Fungii Mama? will testify. ?The little band I have with Henry is just about to undertake a short tour, and features Dave green on bass and drummer Stu Butterfield. The same line-up as the classic Art Farmer/Jim Hall band, but slightly spikier if you like. It?s been an occasional band for about four years. It?s a lot of fun playing with these guys, and the gigs and the CD have been well received.? For your chance to catch the band live, check out the band biography and tour dates below. Henry Lowther (trumpet, flugelhorn) Jim Mullen (guitar) Dave Green (bass) Stu Butterfield (drums) Although the members of this band have known each other and played together in various combinations for some years, they first came together as a Quartet in 1999 in a small basement bar in Bayswater, London where Stu had a residency. The special rapport and sense of relaxation that occurs whenever the band performs was evident from the first, and the music has continued to develop as increased work opportunities have raised the band?s profile. The programme is of favourite show tunes, ballads and jazz standards, and the vast experience within the band, allied to a genuine love and respect for the material, keeps this fresh, while offering regular playing opportunities which contrast with some of the band members? other musical ventures. How the four players feel about this project is summed up by a remark Jim made to Henry after one gig: ?This is a great wee band!? The band?s first CD, ?Fungii Mama? (GWB 444), was recorded ?live? in April 2002 with guest saxophonist, Simon Picard, present on the title track and was described recently by Humphrey Lyttleton on Radio 2?s ?The Best of Jazz? as, ?music of the highest quality?the sound of the band in full lyrical flood.? It is available via Cadillac Jazz Distribution, and is also on sale directly at gigs. With the support of Jazz Services Ltd and The Musicians? Union, the band is undertaking a 14-date tour in February and March 2003. HENRY LOWTHER (trumpet, flugelhorn) performs wondrously in every imaginable context. He was the only trumpeter to perform at The Woodstock Festival (with The Keef Hartley Band), and one of only three to play lead trumpet with both the Gil Evans and George Russell Orchestras. On the classical side, Henry is an accomplished composer, as well as being a featured member of the London Brass Virtuosi. He leads his own highly acclaimed Quintet, Still Waters, which features Julian Arguelles and Pete Saberton. JIM MULLEN (guitar) has been a major figure on the European jazz scene for many years, perhaps best known for his long and fruitful association with the late Dick Morrissey in Morrissey/Mullen. He is the first choice guitarist for many visiting Americans, having performed regularly with Jimmy Smith, Mose Allison, Gene Harris and Terry Callier, for example. His own current quartet includes Gareth Williams, Mick Hutton and Gary Husband, and he is also part of The Organ Trio with Jim Watson and Matt Skelton. DAVE GREEN is the Rolls Royce of bass players, the one with whom every musician wishes to work. This explains why he is so busy! His sound, choice of notes and impeccable time reflect his vast experience and versatility; a bassist favoured by Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins alike. Amongst his many projects, Dave is a member of Henry Lowther?s Still Waters, and leads his own trio, featuring Iain Dixon and Gene Calderazzo. STU BUTTERFIELD?S recent projects have led to his becoming one of the most versatile and respected drummers in London. For several years he has hosted residencies at a number of venues in the capital, playing with a virtual ?Who?s Who? of British jazz musicians. His restraint, musicality and sense of dynamics are perfect for this band. Stu is a member of Mingus Moves, a sextet also featuring Henry Lowther, and has recently been working with leading French musicians. HENRY LOWTHER/JIM MULLEN QUARTE T - GWB TOUR FEBRUARY 4 - Ramsgate, Harbour Jazz Club 13 - Wellingborough, The Castle  16 - Rochester, The Eagle * Thad Kelly 20 - Cliffs Pavilion, Southend 21 - Foyer, Royal Festival Hall 22 - Hebden Bridge, Trades Club 26 - Norwich, Arts Centre 27 - Spice of Life, Moor Street, London W1 * Ben Hazleton 28 - Wakefield, Wakefield Jazz MARCH 1 - Birmingham, Ty?s Jazz and Spice 2 - Fiddler?s Elbow, London NW5 13 - 606 Club, London (bass tba) 14 - Brighton, Sussex Arts Club * Thad Kelly 25 - Rutland Arms, London SE6 * Ben Hazleton MAY 1 - Swindon (Henry, Stan, Phil, + bass tba) Top of Page
Interview by Nick Lea  For almost forty years Dave Green has been the No. 1 choice bassist not only for musicians in this country, but also American and European players when visiting these shores. My first introduction to Dave?s playing was at the Welsh Jazz Festival held in Cardiff in 1983 where he was heard providing superb rhythm support to guitar supremo, Barney Kessel, along with drummer Allan Ganley; and also on record with Peter King on the saxophonist excellent ?East 34th Street? (available on Spotlite Jazz). With pianist John Horler and Spike Wells on drums, this became the altoist?s regular working band at that time, and was arguably the best rhythm section in the UK! Band leading was something Dave looked on less favourably, although he did form a Mingus tribute band for a concert tour (featuring a front line of saxophonists Lol Coxhill and Bruce Turner!), releasing an album entitled ?Fingers remember Mingus? which is sadly no longer in print. It was a real pleasure to get the chance to talk with Dave after many years since our last encounter, with a chance to catch up with the bassist?s latest ventures and possible future projects. JAZZ VIEWS: Dave, I understand that this year you celebrate forty years in the business, and perhaps we could start things off from the beginning. Why the bass, and when did you start playing? DAVE GREEN: I was attracted to the sound of the bass from a very early age. My Mum says I used to listen to bands on the radio when I was a kid and hum along to the bass lines. I started playing bass at the age of sixteen, although before that I played tea-chest bass in a skiffle group. JV: What about early influences? DG: I bought a 78rpm of the Jess Stacey Trio playing ?Barrelhouse? with Israel Crosby on bass, and Gene Krupa on drums recorded in 1935. That was the first bass solo I ever heard. Later I heard Jimmy Blanton and he turned me round completely. He remains my biggest influence. JV: During your career you?ve played with some of the Jazz Greats, are there any that have been particularly memorable or ?favourite? gigs? DG: The year 1967 stands out in my mind as being the most memorable. During that year I played with Sonny Rollins, Zoot (Sims) and Al (Cohn), Roland Kirk, Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins. Ofcourse , I?ve had some wonderful times since then but the experience of meeting and playing with so many Giants og the music one after the other at such an early age, I was only 25, will stay with me for the rest of my life. JV: Over the years there have been many changes in the fortune of jazz in this country. How would you say British Jazz has adapted to these changes? DG: Yes there have been some low points over the years but I?m very optimistic about the future of the music in this country. The scene always changes and adapts to the current environment, which is how it should be. At the moment there are many young players coming up on all instruments and I feel that overall the scene over here is generally very healthy. JV: You have a Trio album out, ?Time Will Tell?, on Ronnie Scott?s Jazz House label (see [link-to-page-103">CD Reviews) with saxophonist, Iain Dixon and Gene Calderazzo on drums. Would you say this is you current working band? DG: Yes it is. Apart from the trio I?m also currently working with the Gareth Williams trio, Scott Hamilton Quartet, Henry Lowther?s ?Still Waters? and Henry Lowther/Jim Mullen Quartet. JV: What about band-leading, is this something that you enjoy, or something that you do on an occasional basis? DG: It?s not something I particularly enjoy and at the moment it is on a very occasional basis, but if that is the only way that I can get to play with great players like Iain and gene then I?m happy to do it. JV: Are there any future projects in the pipeline, either for a new recording or perhaps even a new band? DG: I have an idea up my sleeve, but at the moment I?m keeping it under wraps! I?ll keep you posted. Top of Page
Report by Lee Gibson  Ian Darrington, conductor of the Wgan Youth Jazz Orchestra and British mainstay of the IAJE here in the UK had told me about the fantastic conferences held in the States every year and the great job the IAJE did in promoting Jazz and Jazz education, and so I joined up and read with interest my first copy of their journal. I hadn't really thought about actually going to the conference until I got a call from John Ruddick saying that MYJO had been invited to perform and would I like to join them as their "special guest "? Well, I didn't need asking twice and so it was that several months later I found myself taking a cab from the airport to downtown Toronto on a cold snow filled Tuesday evening in January. The conference had organised "special rates" at three superb hotels and a fantastic bus shuttle every few minutes to the conference centre. I was staying at The Sheraton (approximately 15 minutes walk from the Centre) and on the first morning I decided to stroll through the underground shopping mall which connects the downtown area (and protects the citizens from the freezing Canadian winter) to help me get my bearings. When I arrived, around 11am for "conference registration", the huge hall was packed with hundreds of people queuing to register and pick up the all important programme " Conference at a Glance" This was to be our " Bible " for the next four days. Imagine, four days from 8am to midnight absolutely jam packed with things to see and do, not to mention wonderful musicians to listen to. Each hour of the day and night the programme was divided into five sections from which to choose. 1. Performance, 2.Clinic. 3. Jazz Industry Track. 4. Teacher Training Track, and 5. Technology Track. Where to start? There were several performance spaces both in the Conference Centre and in the hotels but on that first day my main priority was to have a look at the Constitution Hall where I would be performing with MYJO on the opening concert. It was a huge space but I was assured that it would be full...somewhere between six and seven thousand people. Help! We sound-checked at 5.30 and the crew couldn't have been more helpful, and the sound was fantastic. We opened the concert and MYJO played brilliantly and we were very warmly received. It was quite daunting and also marvellous to see Oscar Peterson, firstly in the Green Room and then on the front row of the audience, alongside many other jazz "greats" with reserved seats in the front rows. All too soon it was over and our set was followed by Benny Green/Russel Malone duo with guest Ed Thigpen and they were followed by the fantastic Yellowjackets.. What a first day! Day two and the first priority was to consult the programme and make the really difficult choice of what to see? Highlights: I really enjoyed seeing the Dave Holland interview, so interesting to hear how this great British bass player started his career. Then a terrific performance by the University of Toronto Vocal Jazz Ensemble. About two hundred people crammed into meeting room 201 to hear some fabulous singing accompanied by an excellent rhythm section. Very "New York Voices" and quite outstanding improvisation. Then to the Constitution Hall again for the concert that night including the "Sisters of Jazz" award winning young female jazz players from around the globe...the music is definitely safe in hands such as these, and a fabulous set by bassist John Patitucci. Day three: A couple of interesting clinics and Jazz Track sessions but it was Marian McPartland who really made my day. First an interview session in the afternoon (a la Parkinson) and then her performance with her regular rhythm section in the John Basset Theatre...a lovely theatre space in the Conference Centre holding around seven to eight hundred people all of whom gave her a standing ovation! Then back to the main Hall for Slide Hampton and The World of Trombones...great, and to finish another exhausting and stimulating day the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All Star Band AND the fantastic Nancy Wilson. To coin a phrase " who could ask for anything more? " Day four: Another performance with MYJO. This time it was fairly early in the morning and the audience was smaller but just as enthusiastic. After lunch I spent some time looking around the Exhibit Section. Every university, school, jazz festival, jazz record label, CD sellers and musical instrument dealers seemed to have a stand there. It was fascinating and quite a lot of "networking" was going on. I picked up some very interesting jazz education books/aids and masses of information. 6.00pm and I wanted to see the "Pro jam session at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, but it was so crowded I couldn't get near the place so I headed back and grabbed a seat near the front of the main hall for that nights' concert, for me the highlight of the week...a chance to see Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, reformed especially for the conference. I certainly wasn't disappointed! So that's about it. Four amazing days. Were there any downsides? Well, to be honest yes. I felt that there was almost too much on offer. It was impossible to see all that I would have liked. Sometimes there were four performances going on at once in some of the smaller venues during the day, which meant that some lesser known groups, good as they were, were only playing to a few dozen people. Disappointing if they were hoping to showcase their undoubted talents. Conversely, some of the more popular events were in spaces simply too small. Also, and I'm told that this is not the case when the conferences have been held in the States, there was a distinct lack of catering facilities (the burger van outside on the street must have made a fortune!) It wasn't just the lack of anything more than a couple of "carts" selling coffee and rolls but more a question of a central place to sit and have a quiet drink or a snack and recharge the batteries. With so many people at the conference it was difficult, if not impossible to meet up with friends and have a comfortable break and a chat. Many people, including me, ended up snatching a quick sandwich and coffee and having "a rest" sitting on the floor! Lastly, the Constitution Hall was so vast that if you were more than halfway back, though the sound was good, it was very difficult to see the performers. There were two giant screens at the front that were only used for back projection. It seems to me that they could have been utilised to great effect by projecting the performers "up close" to the audience so that those at the back could get just as good a view as those lucky enough to be at the front, they do it at rock concerts why not do it for jazz? That said, it was an amazing experience and who knows, if you like the sound of it, maybe I'll see you in next year in New York! P.S. The day after the conference MYJO and I did a lovely gig at Rex's Bar. A super little jazz cafe in Toronto and thanks to all the Brits and locals who turned out to support us, it rounded off our trip with a bang, And so.... Thanks Toronto...we had a ball! Top of Page
In 1989 I decided to record some solo improvisations on baritone sax - I had previously made a couple of LPs on Tony Williams? Spotlite label but the improvised music would be outside the recognized field of Spotlite. With advice from 1 or 2 small label owners - notably Eddie Prevost (Matchless) - I decided to do it myself. In the event I made the CD with Paul Rutherford, solo tracks by each of us and duo tracks. The CD was called ?1989 - And All That? and I used the name SLAM. The following year I played a wonderful concert in the Holywell Music Room, Oxford, with Paul, Lol Coxhill and Howard Riley. It was recorded and released as a second CD. A little later Howard came to me with a great recording by the quartet he was co-leading with Elton Dean and he asked if I may be interested in releasing in on ?my label? - that was the first time I thought of it as a label. During the next decade the catalogue took shape, centering on the British free jazz scene of the 1990s, including lesser-known practitioners from various parts of the country and a good percentage of women artists. Obviously there is a large section occupying my own recordings - that was the original purpose of the label; I have tried to include recordings made in different countries I have visited, with musicians from those countries. The final section is recordings by foreign artists, including some major names - Max Roach, Mal Waldron, and Steve Lacy - whom I have had opportunities to know. For any successful germination the right conditions must come together - artists, venues, support ? and recording experts. In Oxford were 2 of the greatest, Michael Gerzon and Tim Turan. Tim is still our main man. The record scene has changed during recent years - recording and duplicating CDs is easy, most musicians are making some to sell on gigs. The difficulty is beyond that level - distribution and sales. Major labels are geared up for that - they deal only with music they think will sell in large quantities. SLAM comes in the area between these extremes. Once a project is agreed, musicians have full control of the production of the recording and artwork - as in a ?self-release? - SLAM manages production, pressing, promotion, sales and distribution. In many cases most sales may still be on gigs but the CD has the benefit of reviews, possible airplay and distribution at home and abroad - and, of course, the strength of the mighty SLAM publicity machine. Top of Page
Proper Records release another four 4CD box sets in their superb value for money reissue series. The new titles are: WARDELL GRAY: THE WARDELL GRAY STORY Wardell Gray was one of the truly great bebop tenor saxophonists. Often performing in tandem with that other giant Dexter Gordon, Gray also worked with Benny Goodman and Count Basie. Like so many of his contemporaries he fell victim to the living conditions American society imposed on it's black musicians. With a smooth mellow and consistent tone, he created a tenor style that veered from swing to bebop, a style that was elegant, sure-footed, mature and distinctive. When musicians like DexterGordon, Sonny Criss or even Charlie Parker blew at him on the stand, Wardell did anything but fall over, he blew back with conviction and a style that was all his own. This 77 track celebration of the man's art is the most complete in the marketplace and comes with a 40 page booklet telling the story and including session detail and rare photos. ERNEST TUBB: THE TEXAS TROUBADOUR Ernest Tubb's country music legacy is an enormous one. He introduced amplified instruments onto the Grand Old Opry, spearheaded the honky tonk movement in country music and supported and encouraged numerous young artists in the business. He also scored 91C&W hits in the process, solo or in duet with Red Foley or Loretta Lynn, this is the story of the Texas Troubadour. In a career that spanned 1936-1982, Ernest Tubb was one of the true giants of country music. He had Carrie Rodgers, Jimmie Rodgers' widow to thank for with her help in the early days, something he never forgot and similar help was passed on to other aspiring stars. 100 tracks are included in the 4 CD box which comes with a 48 page booklet bearing all the Proper hallmarks. DJANGO REINHARDT: SWING DE PARIS Today, nearly fifty years after his death, Django Reinhardt's guitar artistry continues to amaze both fans and fellow musicians. This box set gives 103 reasons for this continuous adulation. Spanning 1934-1952 we include legendary sessions with the Quintette du Hot Club de France along with tracks from dates with Coleman Hawkins' All Star Jam Band, Bill Coleman and his orchestra, his involvement with The Glenn Miller All Stars and of course many with Stephane Grappelli with and without the Quintette. Django was an improviser of genius, the art of spontaneous music making was part of his native gypsy tradition, this 4 CD set shows what a giant he was and why he is such a huge influence on all guitarists playing whatever style. STAN GETZ: THE SOUND Stan Getz had all the talents a saxophonist can dream of; exquisite tone, great technical command, an appealing sense of melody and the ability to remain lyrical even at the fastest tempos. Fans and fellow musicians called him The Sound. The highly inspired music on this 4 CD set is a celebration of his exceptional talents. Just some of the top quality musicians alongside Getz on this set are Max Roach, Zoot Sims, Horace Silver, Charles Mingus, Duke Jordan and a whole host of Scandinavian guys who Getz so enjoyed playing with. The set comes with a 44 page booklet containing The Sound's story, session detail and rare photos. Meanwhile Provocateur Records release a second compilation album, ?Provocation 2?, which will shortly be available as a direct order release from the label?s web site or by mail order. The compilation features nine tracks including Upward Rush of Wings from Julian Arguelles? forthcoming new album, Tina from the forthcoming new album by Ubizo (Alan Skidmore & Amampondo) and a previously unreleased version of Eddie Harris? Freedom Jazz Dance performed by Colin Towns, Andy Sheppard and John Parricelli. Also includes tracks by Guy Barker, Andy Sheppard, Maria Pia De Vito, Mike Gibbs and Northern Lights, and will cost ?4.99. Also, following several acclaimed duo gigs in 2002, guitarist JOHN PARRICELLI and saxophonist ANDY SHEPPARD further their long-standing musical association with ?P.S.? (PVC1034), a new studio album for Provocateur Records. Recorded 2-4 January 2003, P.S. features 10 brand new original compositions from both artists. This album, a fascinating collaboration between two of the most creative musicians in European jazz, is scheduled for release on 31 March 2003. ANDY SHEPPARD and JOHN PARRICELLI will launch P.S. at Ronnie Scott?s 7 ? 12 April 200 Pianist?s, Tim Richards and Liam Noble have new releases scheduled, with ?In The Meantime? the first album by the Liam Noble Group being released on Basho Records (SRCD4-2) on 7th February 2003. Noble?s compositions, highly individ |
Copyright ? 2002-2006 Jazzviews