Record Reviews

BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH ~ TRAVELLING SOMEWHERE CUNEIFORM 152 (Barcode: 045775015224) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2001 The saga of the British ensemble Brotherhood Of BreathFind albums by this artist and their leader pianist / composer Chris McGregorFind albums by this artist stretches back in time and space to South Africa in the early-1960s, where McGregor founded the first mixed-race Jazz group in the country, the Blue NotesFind albums by this artist. For the Apartheid regime mixed-race groups were hardly a welcome activity and the group suffered many hardships and found it difficult to perform for the white public. In 1964 the group got permission to travel to Europe and eventually arrived in London, where they decided to stay. The Blue Notes played around UK initially as a sextet (McGregor – piano, Dudu PukwanaFind albums by this artist – alto sax, Nick MoyakeFind albums by this artist – tenor sax, Mongezi FezaFind albums by this artist – trumpet, Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist – bass and Louis MoholoFind albums by this artist – drums) and later as a quintet (after Moyake returned to SA). In spite of the fact that they were one of the most innovative and inspiring Jazz acts at the time, they never achieved proper recognition. The pioneering work of Jazz-World Fusion, with the emphasis on African music, which the group presented, was surely quite ahead of its time. By the early 1970s McGregor managed to form a large ensemble, combining the Blue Notes players with some of the most prominent British Jazz musicians of the time, which was called Brotherhood Of Breath. The resulting ensemble was surely one of the highlights of the British Jazz scene in the early to mid-1970s, offering an incredibly powerful stage act, which included a superb amalgam of modern Jazz, Free, Improvised Music and strong African music influence. The ensemble recorded but a few studio albums, but luckily many of their splendid concerts were recorded by radio stations and festivals, mostly around Europe, where they were always received warmly. This album documents a performance captured by the German Radio Bremen and is a superb example of what they were all about. The lineup (which changed slightly over time) includes: Harry BeckettFind albums by this artist, Marc CharigFind albums by this artist and Mongezi Feza – trumpet, Nick EvansFind albums by this artist and Malcolm GriffithsFind albums by this artist – trombone, Mike OsborneFind albums by this artist, Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist, Dudu Pukwana and Gary WindoFind albums by this artist – saxophone, Chris McGregor – piano, Harry MillerFind albums by this artist – bass and Louis Moholo – drums. Both the individual and collective improvisations are all breathtaking and the entire concert is an orgy of sound and musical creativity. A must to all British Jazz enthusiasts and definitely worth investigating for all open-minded music lovers.

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COMMAND ALL STARS ~ CURIOSITIES 1972 REEL RECORDINGS 010 (Barcode: 676868178023) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2008 This album is a great example of what the Canadian Reel RecordingsFind albums on this label label is all about: unearthing recorded documents of the British Jazz / Avant-Garde scene dating back to the 1960s, which have been so far completely lost and (sadly) often forgotten. Considering the fact that the Golden Decade (1965-1975) was Britain´s most illustrious contribution to music, any recorded document from that period has an immense historical value and therefore the work done by this label is truly a quest worth following. The music contained herein was recorded with the intention to be released as a double album, presenting the Art of spontaneous improvisation, performed by a collective of young (at the time) but experienced British players, who spearheaded the local Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene and certainly deserved the "stardom" status in spite of the oxymoron such epithet might imply: pianist Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Elton DeanFind albums by this artist, trombonist Nick EvansFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Mark CharigFind albums by this artist, bassists Harry MillerFind albums by this artist and Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist and drummer Keith BaileyFind albums by this artist. These musicians often played with each other in various ensembles, of which they were members, but never collectively as one group, hence the one-time opportunity to hear them improvise collectively is so attractive. Unfortunately, as it often happened at the time, even with Jazz labels as the one for which these recordings were made, the label found this music to be "too much to swallow" and the project was discarded, including whipping out the original master tapes (a crime, without a doubt). Fortunately two copies of the original four reels were recently discovered by Evans and here we are being able to finally listen to this music. The music itself needs little elucidation to people familiar with the recorded output of the protagonists – it is what they always did best, play whatever their hearts dictated at the moment, carefully listening to each other and together creating a whole, which is much bigger than its parts. The album also includes two tracks recorded later the same year (for the BBC? as the recording premises might suggest) by a sextet including Dean, Evans and Charig with guitarist Jeff GreenFind albums by this artist, bassist Neville WhiteheadFind albums by this artist and drummer Louis MoholoFind albums by this artist. This is a true "blast from the past" and an absolute must for any British Jazz / Avant-Garde fan, wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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JOHNNY DYANI ~ REJOICE / TOGETHER CADILLAC 012/013 (Barcode: 5020675971325) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 - 1980 Released: 2014 This is an expanded 2CD reissue / remaster of two albums involving the great South African (and later British / European) bassist Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist, both released on the legendary CadillacFind albums on this label label, founded by John JackFind albums by this artist. The first album “RejoiceFind albums with this title” was recorded by Dyani with trumpeter Mongezi FezaFind albums by this artist and Turkish drummer / percussionist Okay TemizFind albums by this artist, collectively called XabaFind albums by this artist, in 1972, but released only in 1988, and is here expanded by a previously unreleased track, over twenty minutes in duration. The second album “TogetherFind albums with this title” was recorded by the ensemble called Witchdoctor`s SonFind albums by this artist, an octet that included Dyani on keyboards and vocals, saxophonist Dudu PukwanaFind albums by this artist and other musicians, recorded between 1979-1980, but released only in 1987. Both albums were recorded in Stockholm, Sweden. The album is a great tribute to South African expatriate community, which contributed greatly to the development of the British and European Jazz scene over the years, in many respects more profoundly than any other group among the many emigres that turned British Jazz into the most interesting and culturally fertile grounds ever. Of course Dyani, Feza and Pukwana are best known for their work as members of the legendary Blue NotesFind albums by this artist ensemble. Musically the two albums are quite different: The intimate trio recording spotlights the Free Jazz phenomenon with emphasis of Feza’s sensational trumpet virtuosity, Dyani’s superb bass pulsations and the extraordinary drumming fluency of Temiz, who was resident in Stockholm when the trio set was recorded. The trio recorded several albums together, all released at the time on Swedish labels. The octet recording is more about collective improvisation and ethnic influences, group dynamic and the joy of playing together. Overall, as all the Cadillac reissues, this is a brilliant document of the British Jazz scene, which should be an absolutely essential part of any serious British Jazz collection, thankfully now available on CD, with the original LPs being now very hard to find. Grab a copy as long as they last!

Updated: 08/08/2023Posted: 08/08/2023

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DAVID MURRAY ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE VOLUME 3 CAM JAZZ 1042 (Barcode: 8052405142511) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1978 - 1987 Released: 2016 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the American saxophonist / bass clarinetist / composer David MurrayFind albums by this artist on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It is the third such collection, this time dedicated to recordings made between late 1970s and late 1980s. It includes six albums: "The HealersFind albums with this title" is a duet with pianist Randy WestonFind albums by this artist, "Southern BellsFind albums with this title" is a clarinet quartet with Alvin BatisteFind albums by this artist, John CarterFind albums by this artist and Jimmy HamiltonFind albums by this artist, "InterboogieologyFind albums with this title" is a quintet recording with cornetist Butch MorrisFind albums by this artist, bassist Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist, drummer Oliver JohnsonFind albums by this artist and vocalist Marta ContrerasFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only), "ChildrenFind albums by this artist" is another quintet recording with guitarist James Blood UlmerFind albums by this artist, pianist Don PullenFind albums by this artist, bassist Lonnie PlaxicoFind albums by this artist and drummer Marvin SmithFind albums by this artist and finally the "Live At Sweet BasilFind albums with this title" Vol.1 and Vol.2 feature the David Murray Big BandFind albums by this artist, which includes eleven musicians and conductor Butch Morris. Murray is considered as one of the most influential and prominent American Jazz personalities and a great master of the saxophone and bass clarinet. He started his career playing mostly Free Jazz but later developed a highly individual style, incorporating many different influences, including World Music, Rock and others, and returning to more traditional Jazz styles. He is one of the most prolific recording artists on the American Jazz scene. Most of the music presented here was composed by Murray and the Box Set reflects the incredible diversity of his music, which crosses genres and instrumental settings. Side Note The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label. The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented. However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!

Updated: 24/06/2020Posted: 24/06/2020

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BARBARA THOMPSON ~ FIRST LIGHT JAZZ IN BRITAIN 54 (Barcode: 5060774190524) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1971 - 1972 Released: 2023 This is an album collecting three archival live recordings / radio broadcasts by the late British Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Barbara ThompsonFind albums by this artist, which present her in various settings with the crème de la crème of the British Jazz musicians active in the early 1970s. As a result, it is a companion album to the tremendous 14CD Box Set “Live At The BBCFind albums with this title” by Barbara Thompson, released in 2020 by RepertoireFind albums on this label Records, offering material uncovered after the Box Set was released. This album, released by the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label, is a completely non-commercial release, with all profits from the album going to the Cure Parkinson’s Trust, a moving gesture by all the people involved, including Barbara’s and Jon HisemanFind albums by this artist’s daughter Ana GraceyFind albums by this artist and Jazz In Britain founder John ThurlowFind albums by this artist. We all still mourn Barbara’s and Jon’s untimely departures of course. The first two tracks present the Group EFind albums by this artist, which comprised of (in addition to Barbara) vocalist Pepi LemerFind albums by this artist, pianist Peter LemerFind albums by this artist, bassist Johnny DyaniFind albums by this artist and drummer Laurie AllanFind albums by this artist. The music is Avant-Garde Jazz, with superb vocal parts by Lemer, who sadly is often forgotten, but was one of the most interesting Jazz vocalist of the period. The next three tracks present a suite for a Big Band, called “The Awakening”, co-composed by Barbara and Jon. The band features a dreamy lineup of eleven instrumentalists and a vocalist – no other than my beloved Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist – which reads like a Who’s Who of the modern British Jazz and is conducted by Neil ArdleyFind albums by this artist. The players are: trumpeters Ian HamerFind albums by this artist, Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and Henry LowtherFind albums by this artist, trombonist Derek WadsworthFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Don RendellFind albums by this artist and Barbara Thompson, cellist Charles TunnellFind albums by this artist, pianist Howard RileyFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bill Le SageFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeff ClyneFind albums by this artist and drummer Jon Hiseman. The music is absolutely brilliant and very typical of the Big Band recordings recorded at the time by Neil Ardley, Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist and others. The vocal parts by Winstone are, not surprisingly, my favorite jewels, but the entire suite is simply divine and the fact it was discovered and now released is no less than sensational. The last five tracks are by Barbara’s group JubiabaFind albums by this artist, which comprised of (in addition to Barbara) trumpeters George ChisholmFind albums by this artist and Ian CarrFind albums by this artist, Wadsworth, Le Sage, Peter Lemer, bassist Roy BabbingtonFind albums by this artist, drummer Martin DrewFind albums by this artist and percussionist Trevor TomkinsFind albums by this artist. It presents the early version of the band, which was essentially dedicated to combining Jazz with World Music influences, mostly Latin. As far as I am aware, this is the earliest recordings by Jubiaba captured on tape. Overall, this is an absolute jewel from start to finish and an absolute must to all British Jazz enthusiasts, and in retrospect one of the most surprising and important releases by the Jazz In Britain label so far. The Big Band piece alone is a beacon symbolizing the birth of the modern British Jazz, with everything it stands for: ingenuity, originality, groundbreaking musical thinking and enormous talent. Hats off to everybody involved!

Updated: 26/07/2023Posted: 26/07/2023

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