What Jazz are you listening to now?

[Jazzrook]

Elmo

The only record I have heard with James Clay on is Don Cherry's "Art Deco" which can still be picked up very cheaply. For my money, this was one of the best albums of the 1980's and also features Billy Higgins and Charlie Haden. I quite like groups that don't feature a harmony instrument and although the line up suggests something very much in line with Ornette Coleman's classic quartet, I think it is probably the most mainstream record Cherry was ever involved in with the final track being by far the most outside. Clay doesn't sound out of place in this context and the whole disc is a delight. I am a bit of a sucker for the title track and was pleased a colleague managed to acquire a copy of the lead sheet so that we can play it ourselves from time to time. It is an "essential" recording irrespective of whether you are trying to nail something by an obscure musician like James Clay. Blackwell's playing alone makes this a compelling record.

It is strange how this kind of playing now seems to be totally out of fashion. Getting in to the then contemporary jazz scene in the mid 1980s this music was still relatively fresh enough to warrant Cherry getting a CMN tour at the same time. Cherry is a player I find a bit erratic and he lacks the kind of drama that someone like Lester Bowie could evoke. "Art Deco" manages to capture him in good form , with a stellar band and playing a sufficiently interesting repertoire.

Ian ~ Here's James Clay with the Red Mitchell Quartet playing 'Scrapple From The Apple':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfxtIfieIZA

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Its a great record and I have fond memories of it for the reasons above. I think I requested it years ago on JRR but Gerry's spoken intro and his ,"bop bop dowa" to the band was cut out! Really annoyed me. Must try again.

BN.

[Jazzrook]

JR

I was in A W Jazz this morning and Andrew said he had heard from you but he is not really computer savvy. He does not have your address or tel number - if you still need the album ring him on the above number - he has a copy of the album in stock.
elmo

elmo ~ Have sent a cheque today to A W Jazz for the special 50th anniversary edition of AA's 'Spiritual Unity'. Many thanks for your help in acquiring this elusive CD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6RWMHVwKhk

https://www.wonderingsound.com/feature/albert-ayler-spiritual-unity-history/

[Ian Thumwood]

Strange, Bluesnik - I've recently ordered that Mulligan/Eardley California concert, 'High School'! I think Eardley recorded for SPOTLITE in the late 1970s.

JR

Whatever happened to that label? It seemed that this was almost the label of choice for "Jazz Journal" back in the early 1980's and the label seemed to be fighting a rear-guard action as the audience for jazz seemed to have shrunk around that time. The label was always UK based from recollection and had a mainstream / modern remit where they didn't seem to be too enthused by anything too adventurous and ploughed on issuing recording sessions by ex-pat Americans who had hitherto be under-represented or re-issued a lot of vintage material. I remember seeing their "Baritone Band" is concert in Southampton in the late 80's / early 90's but the label had a pedigree with this style of jazz which stretched back much further. Their artists were frequently being interviewed in "Jazz Journal" (I think one was Spike Robinson - now totally forgotten despite enjoying a big UK reputation at one time) and the records they issued were well considered at the time. I had an album by Peter Hurt called "Lost for Words" which was absolutely brilliant and owed a lot of the likes of Kenny Wheeler. This was the album that inspired me to check out Olivier Messaien who had influenced Hurt's writing. I would love to get this disc on CD. The kind of jazz Spotlite specialised in seems to have gone totally by the wayside these days. Wondered if anyone else had any impressions of this label which I think no longer exists.

[Jazzrook]

Whatever happened to that label? It seemed that this was almost the label of choice for "Jazz Journal" back in the early 1980's and the label seemed to be fighting a rear-guard action as the audience for jazz seemed to have shrunk around that time. The label was always UK based from recollection and had a mainstream / modern remit where they didn't seem to be too enthused by anything too adventurous and ploughed on issuing recording sessions by ex-pat Americans who had hitherto be under-represented or re-issued a lot of vintage material. I remember seeing their "Baritone Band" is concert in Southampton in the late 80's / early 90's but the label had a pedigree with this style of jazz which stretched back much further. Their artists were frequently being interviewed in "Jazz Journal" (I think one was Spike Robinson - now totally forgotten despite enjoying a big UK reputation at one time) and the records they issued were well considered at the time. I had an album by Peter Hurt called "Lost for Words" which was absolutely brilliant and owed a lot of the likes of Kenny Wheeler. This was the album that inspired me to check out Olivier Messaien who had influenced Hurt's writing. I would love to get this disc on CD. The kind of jazz Spotlite specialised in seems to have gone totally by the wayside these days. Wondered if anyone else had any impressions of this label which I think no longer exists.

Ian - Spotlite Records is still going and run by Tony Williams.
The address is 103, London Road,
Sawbridgeworth, Herts., CM21 9JJ

email: spotlitejazz@gmail.com

It might be worth contacting Tony about Pete Hurt's 'Lost For Words' on CD.

JR

[elmo]

elmo ~ Have sent a cheque today to A W Jazz for the special 50th anniversary edition of AA's 'Spiritual Unity'. Many thanks for your help in acquiring this elusive CD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6RWMHVwKhk

https://www.wonderingsound.com/featu...unity-history/

J R

You are welcome - glad to be of assistance

Checked out that Jon Eardley quintet session with J R Monterose - very good, I'd forgotten how good Eardley was. I am very keen on Monterose's work and he certainly doesn't disappoint either.

elmo

[Ian Thumwood]

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Good piece just now on Richard Williams' "Blue Moment" blog re the background and content of the recent "Falcons Lair" box set, personal recordings by/with Joe Castro fearing Getz, Sims, Lucky Thompson etc etc and especially Teddy Edwards with his (commercially unrecorded?) 60s big band. At the moment I'm listening again to the Joe Castro Quartet Atlantic album with Teddy Edwards, Leroy Vinnegar and Billy Higgins. Tres tasty.

BN.

[Quarky]

Christian McBride seems to have made a name for himself.

Here he is mixing it with John Scofield:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBAucAP-pNY

[Ian Thumwood]

Oddball

That clip is superb!

[Jazzrook]

Charles Mingus once called Thad Jones "the greatest trumpet player that I've heard in this life" and there's plenty of evidence for that on this marvellous 1955 quartet version of 'I Can't Get Started' with Mingus(bass), the little-known pianist John Dennis & Max Roach(drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hiCqRK_joQ

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Charles Mingus once called Thad Jones "the greatest trumpet player that I've heard in this life" and there's plenty of evidence for that on this marvellous 1955 quartet version of 'I Can't Get Started' with Mingus(bass), the little-known pianist John Dennis & Max Roach(drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hiCqRK_joQ

JR

Calum, of this patch, was a big Thad Jones fan. Haven't heard any updates but hope he's doing ok.

BN.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Haven't heard any updates but hope he's doing ok.
BN.

[Jazzrook]

Calum, of this patch, was a big Thad Jones fan. Haven't heard any updates but hope he's doing ok.

BN.

Also hope Calum is doing OK and that he enjoyed the Thad Jones/Mingus track.

JR

[Jazzrook]

The Gerry Mulligan/Eardley Qrt concert recording of "Blues going up", an inpromtu blues that Gerry played " while you people get seated" must have been the very first jazz record I bought - on a French Vogue EP? (displacing Fats Domino, Gene Vincent etc.) Always loved that record. Eardley was a good player. He recorded in the UK much later?

BN.

Here's that Mulligan/Eardley Quartet playing 'Blues Going Up' from a scratchy vinyl LP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18G0WZRSRL8

JR