Record Reviews

GRAHAM COLLIER ~ BRITISH CONVERSATIONS MY ONLY DESIRE 004 (Barcode: 5052442020400) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 Released: 2021 This is an archival album, which presents a previously unreleased suite by British Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Graham CollierFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of modern British Jazz. This is a live recording of the suite from 1975 with the Swedish Radio Jazz GroupFind albums by this artist featuring Collier as conductor and British trumpeter Harry BeckettFind albums by this artist and guitarist Ed SpeightFind albums by this artist, both regular members of his groups, as guest soloist. The album presents five tracks, all composed and arranged by Collier. The recording quality is excellent. The fifteen members strong Swedish Radio Jazz Group included some of the finest Swedish / European musicians active at the time, including saxophonists Arne DomnerusFind albums by this artist and Lennart AbergFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Bertil LovgrenFind albums by this artist, pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist and others. The music follows the modus operandi of Collier’s compositional concepts, which produced several Jazz suites over time. The music is based on highly melodic themes, with characteristic Collier’s love of the Blues and modern harmony, which in this case are beautifully and highly imaginatively arranged for a Big Band, rather than the more common arrangements for his small groups. There is plenty of superb soloing, both by the two Brits and the local Swedes. Especially interesting are the guitar solos, which emphasize the great talent of Speight, who is often otherwise overlooked, despite being certainly one of the most unique British guitar players. I remember talking to Graham about this recording at the time and in time completely forgot about it. Seeing it released was a most pleasant surprise, like finding a lost treasure. The album includes informative liner notes by Duncan HeiningFind albums by this artist, which offers a historical perspective of Collier’s work. Kudos to Jon GriffithsFind albums by this artist, the owner of My Only DesireFind albums on this label Records, for releasing this fabulous piece of music, which was dormant for so many years. This is a second album, which documents the collaboration between British Jazz musicians with the Swedish Radio Jazz Group, following the fabulous Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist’s “Love And Understanding: Citadel / Room 315 Sweden `74Find albums with this title” album released a year earlier. Hopefully more of such gems will follow. All British Jazz fans are grateful, of course! Overall, this is a wonderful piece of British Jazz history, which deserves to be heard today, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power of expression and aesthetic values, fulfilling a missing link that many Collier fans can now consider as resolved. An absolute must have!

Updated: 10/03/2023Posted: 13/05/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MIKE WESTBROOK ~ LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING: CITADEL / ROOM 315 SWEDEN `74 MY ONLY DESIRE 003 (Barcode: 5052442016687) ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1974 Released: 2020 This is an archival album, which finally brings back to life the original live recording of the “Citadel / Room 315Find albums with this title” suite by British pianist / composer / bandleader Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Swedish Radio Jazz GroupFind albums by this artist featuring Westbrook on electric piano and British saxophonist John SurmanFind albums by this artist as the guest soloist. A studio version of the suite was recorded a year later by an all British lineup and released on RCAFind albums on this label. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed and arranged by Westbrook. The recording quality is absolutely marvelous. The sixteen members strong Swedish Radio Jazz Group included some of the finest Swedish / European musicians active at the time, including saxophonists Arne DomnerusFind albums by this artist and Lennart AbergFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Bertil LovgrenFind albums by this artist, pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist and others. A comparison with the British recording version, which of course is well known to all Westbrook followers, shows several distinct differences, especially as far as the overall sound, which here is somewhat more “traditional” and closer to the American Big Band tradition, which is not surprising considering the years-long Swedish Jazz tradition, very closely linked to the American tradition and the fact that many prominent American Jazz musicians lived in Sweden at the time. The British version, recorded by the young generation of musicians, who revolutionized the local Jazz scene completely and managed to create a distinct new Jazz dialect, is somewhat more daring and “subversive”, in the best possible way of course. Kudos to My Only DesireFind albums on this label Records for releasing this fabulous piece of music, which was dormant for so many years. All British Jazz fans are grateful, of course! Overall, this is a wonderful piece of British Jazz history, which deserves to be heard today, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power of expression and aesthetic values, fulfilling a missing link that many Westbrook fans can now consider as resolved. An absolute must have!

Updated: 02/02/2023Posted: 12/03/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend