SA
I was staggered to see that there is a new CD out by Pete Hurt, one of the finest jazz arrangers in this country. Back in the 1980s he produced a terrific album called "Lost for words" which was instrumental in making me aware that British jazz could be as good and original as anything produced in the States as well as directing me towards classical composers like Oliver Messaien who he listed as an influence. It was one of the first British jazz records I bought . This was a terrific disc, rich and sonorous and good enough for Humphrey Lyttelton to enthuse about it enough to give it a lot of air play at the time. Discovering jazz in the mid 80's was a fantastic time and "Lost for Words" seemed to be one of those records that pushed doors open for me at a time when I was discovering Gil Evans. As a teenager in those days, the music on this LP really did seem like Pete Hurt was the British Gil Evans. I think that it is also true to say that had I not discovered Bill Evans, Gil Evans and Pete Hurt, I would never have been inclined to explore classic music. "Lost for Words" looms large in my recollections of plunging in to the realms of jazz as a teenager. He is certainly part of a group of composers such as Mike Westbrook, Mike Gibbs, Kenny Wheeler and Neil Ardley who represent the pinnacle of what British jazz orchestras could achieve and maybe a more "serious" alternative to Loose Tubes - another band I was ij thrall of.
I am really glad that there is a follow up disc and the samples seem to suggest no lack of originality. Needless to say I have snapped this up. There are a few soloists I am aware of such as Henry Lowther (he featured on the original) as well as pianist Kate Williams who you mentioned on another post. A lot of the pther names are totally new to me, It is not difficult to become despondent about the contemporary British scene which I find often over-rated, derivative and lacking in much substance. The current scene seems to benefit was more technically gifted players but I think the results are , as a whole, pretty weak. I find it really easy to relate back to the 1980s as a halcyon era in British jazz with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, John Surman and John Taylor all at their prime and representing the very best in the contemporary scene. By contrast, bands like Loose Tubes offered a wonderfully original contrast with another generation of musicians under the stewardship of Gary Crosby promising a golden era of new jazz. In amongst these musicians, I felt at the time Pete Hurt was someone whose music gave jazz a real identity which did not borrow too heavily of American jazz yet was producing the kind of arrangements which immediately stood out with the quality of the writing. Of all the musicians who emerged in that generation , Pete Hurt seemed to spearhead a renaissance in British big band writing which also saw the likes of Dick Walters and Steve Gray forging something truly wonderful with big band writing. For me, Hurt's writing does resemble the rich textural writing of Kenny Wheeler yet it is not given over to the melancholy, nostalgic feel of the trumpeter's efforts and seems to have a more dissonant edge to it.
I will let you know what this record is like. The samples sound terrific and easily identifiable as being the work of this musician. It is strange that it has taken about 33 years for a follow up disc especially when the quality is so high. Too often British jazz seems to concentrate on the gimmicky products of university students, often lumbered with a ridiculous name and , in the case of someone like Neil Cowley, where their refusal to be recognised as jazz with a degree of pride. It is perverse that someone like Pete Hurt is so overlooked and it is no surprise that the reviews available on line all seem to be pretty ecstatic about this disc. I am really chuffed that, at last, there is a new disc of his to look forward to.
If Pete Hurt is back on the scene with a new jazz orchestra it would be good for it to feature on "Jazz Now." Would Radio 3 consider commissioning more music for this band?
I was staggered to see that there is a new CD out by Pete Hurt, one of the finest jazz arrangers in this country. Back in the 1980s he produced a terrific album called "Lost for words" which was instrumental in making me aware that British jazz could be as good and original as anything produced in the States as well as directing me towards classical composers like Oliver Messaien who he listed as an influence. It was one of the first British jazz records I bought . This was a terrific disc, rich and sonorous and good enough for Humphrey Lyttelton to enthuse about it enough to give it a lot of air play at the time. Discovering jazz in the mid 80's was a fantastic time and "Lost for Words" seemed to be one of those records that pushed doors open for me at a time when I was discovering Gil Evans. As a teenager in those days, the music on this LP really did seem like Pete Hurt was the British Gil Evans. I think that it is also true to say that had I not discovered Bill Evans, Gil Evans and Pete Hurt, I would never have been inclined to explore classic music. "Lost for Words" looms large in my recollections of plunging in to the realms of jazz as a teenager. He is certainly part of a group of composers such as Mike Westbrook, Mike Gibbs, Kenny Wheeler and Neil Ardley who represent the pinnacle of what British jazz orchestras could achieve and maybe a more "serious" alternative to Loose Tubes - another band I was ij thrall of.
I am really glad that there is a follow up disc and the samples seem to suggest no lack of originality. Needless to say I have snapped this up. There are a few soloists I am aware of such as Henry Lowther (he featured on the original) as well as pianist Kate Williams who you mentioned on another post. A lot of the pther names are totally new to me, It is not difficult to become despondent about the contemporary British scene which I find often over-rated, derivative and lacking in much substance. The current scene seems to benefit was more technically gifted players but I think the results are , as a whole, pretty weak. I find it really easy to relate back to the 1980s as a halcyon era in British jazz with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, John Surman and John Taylor all at their prime and representing the very best in the contemporary scene. By contrast, bands like Loose Tubes offered a wonderfully original contrast with another generation of musicians under the stewardship of Gary Crosby promising a golden era of new jazz. In amongst these musicians, I felt at the time Pete Hurt was someone whose music gave jazz a real identity which did not borrow too heavily of American jazz yet was producing the kind of arrangements which immediately stood out with the quality of the writing. Of all the musicians who emerged in that generation , Pete Hurt seemed to spearhead a renaissance in British big band writing which also saw the likes of Dick Walters and Steve Gray forging something truly wonderful with big band writing. For me, Hurt's writing does resemble the rich textural writing of Kenny Wheeler yet it is not given over to the melancholy, nostalgic feel of the trumpeter's efforts and seems to have a more dissonant edge to it.
I will let you know what this record is like. The samples sound terrific and easily identifiable as being the work of this musician. It is strange that it has taken about 33 years for a follow up disc especially when the quality is so high. Too often British jazz seems to concentrate on the gimmicky products of university students, often lumbered with a ridiculous name and , in the case of someone like Neil Cowley, where their refusal to be recognised as jazz with a degree of pride. It is perverse that someone like Pete Hurt is so overlooked and it is no surprise that the reviews available on line all seem to be pretty ecstatic about this disc. I am really chuffed that, at last, there is a new disc of his to look forward to.
If Pete Hurt is back on the scene with a new jazz orchestra it would be good for it to feature on "Jazz Now." Would Radio 3 consider commissioning more music for this band?
Comment