DISAPPOINTMENT
It is with some disappointment that I am able to offer you only three new CDs for Summer 2005, and one of those is not quite ready yet.
I am disappointed because, whilst I did not expect to be putting out the quantity of new releases of recent years (about 7 each quarter), I had hoped and expected to have at least five new releases ready for the Summer Newsletter. However,as I write this, there are two more new CDs which have been recorded, mixed and mastered, and are just waiting for sleevenotes and cover pictures to be completed. So either or both of them could be released in the next few weeks. The new ones which are imminent but not yet ready, and for which I cannot even give you release dates, are - Dave Moorwoods' Big Bear Stompers - "The Bears Are Back!" Recorded live in March 2005; and Keith Nichols' Littel Devils (Keith's seven-piece band) at Bude 2003 playing their musical tribute to Fats Waller.
NEW RELEASES
The Wabash Jazzmen - "Hellishly Hot" - PKCD-271. This is the band's first CD with Gordon Whitworth on trumpet. The rest of the band is unchanged- Mike Hayler clarinet and tenor sax; Mike Pembroke trombone; Mark Challinor banjo and Howard Worthington double bass. It was recorded live on March 11th 2005 at Sutton Coldfield Jazz Club and the CD title is very appropriate - it really is a hot album! The list of tunes includes one or two little-known tunes - Jamaica March, Li'l Liza Jane, If Ever I Cease To Love, Rent Party Blues, Bugle Boy March, Come Back Sweet Papa, I Got Rhythm, Under The Bamboo Tree, Yearning (Just For You), Yellow Dog Blues, Hindustan, Isle Of Capri, The Battle Hymn Of The Republic, East Coast Trot, Over In The Gloryland, Wolverine Blues. This is a really great album by a superb band, and you get almost 78 minutes playing time!
John Dunmore's New Orleans Jazz Band - "Sentimental Journey" - PKCD-272. This new CD by John Dunmore's New Orleans Jazz Band was recorded live at one of their regular Sunday afternoon session at the Wharf Inn, Bugbrooke, Northants on February 13th 2005. At this picturesque country pup the regulars come and enjoy their Sunday lunch and then sit back while John's band entertains them. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday I reckon. The line-up is Ken Pye trumpet; John Dunmore alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet; Stan Stephens trombone; Barry Grummett piano; Rachel Hayward banjo, guitar; Harry Slater double bass; Paul 'Spud' Spedding drums. The thirteen tracks are - June Night, When I Grow Too Old To Dream, Nobody's Sweetheart, Without You For An Inspiration Dear, Ting-A-Ling, Coquette, I Like Bananas, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter, S'il Vous Plait, Ti-Pi-Tin, A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening, I Want You, Sentimental Journey. The playing time is nearly 71 minutes.
Brian Carrick's Algiers Stompers - "True (I'm Just Crazy Over You)" - PKCD-273. This new CD by The Algiers Stompers was recorded at the 2004 Bude Jazz Festival, with the band on great form playing to a large and appreciative audience. Since their last recording (PKCD-219, March 2003), there have been some personnel changes and the line-up is Peter Wright cornet; Brian Carrick clarinet, tenor sax; Chas Hudson trombone; Gabriele Gad piano; Malcolm Hurrell banjo; Bill cole double bass; Guy Fenton drums. The band has a great talent for unearthing long lost tunes which are well-suited to a New Orleans-style treatment. On this CD the tunes are - You're Nobody's Darling But Mine, St Louis Blues, Have You Ever Been Lonely, Eh La Bas, True, Just A Girl That Men Forget, Tap Room Special, Sweet Emma Barrett, Magic Isle, River Of The Roses, Bluer Than Blue, Are You Ready. The playing time is just under 70 minutes.
KESWICK JAZZ FESTIVAL
I am sure many of you will understand that I set off for Keswick this year with considerable trepidation and unease. To be honest I didn't really want to go at all. It was my first major trip without Eleanor and I knew that meeting so many dear jazz friends for the first time since she died would be a very emotional experience. In the event it was very successful and I'm glad I went. Great Festival - yet again!
I had arranged just one recording each day and I had deliberately avoided contacting any bands which might have proved at all difficult to record. So on Thursday I met my good friends the Rae Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band to record them at Rawnsley Hall. Peter Wright was with the band on trumpet and many people said what a good session it was; I thought it was one of their best. I hope Dave and the rest of the band will agree with me!
Then on Friday and Saturday I recorded The Red Hot Four from Denmark. This excellent quartet were making their first visit to Keswick. To quote from the note in the Festival programme, their aim is "to play melodious New Orleans-style music in a way that spares your ears but gets your feet moving". They were joined on the first session by Jim Fryer (trombone and cornet). Although none of the band had met or played with Jim before it seemed to me to be an inspired piece match-making. So often at festivals guests are aked to play with bands they don't know and have never played with. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't; I thought this one worked brilliantly. I am waiting to hear what the band thinks of the rough-mix tapes.
Finally on Sunday, for the first time, I met Bob Barton to record his trio. Originally from Birmingham, Bob has lived in Switzerland for about 30 years, which is why so few fans at Keswick had heard of him. He has played alongside many jazz legends such as Barney Bigard, Benny Carter, Wild Bill Davidson and others, but had never appeared at a major British festival. He is a formidably talented pianist, a terrific jazz singer and on the evidence of my brief meeting with him a thoroughly likeable man. Sadly, because he was largely unknown at Keswich, his session was not as well attended as it should have been. The good news is that Bob has been in touch with me since the festival and it seems quite likely that there will be a CD from this recording.
LOOKING AHEAD
There's plenty going on in the next few months and I hope I won't have another New Release section as thinly populated as the current one! I will start work very soon on the new CD for The John Maddocks Jazzmen (Bude 2004). I have my fingers crossed that there might also be one by Annie Hawkins' Telephone To Glory Boys (also Bude 2004). This was a great session at Wooda Farm and Annie is currently having another listen to the rough-mix to see what she thinks.
Unfortunately the recording of Maddocks/Huxley Reeds United scheduled for April had to be cancelled. The band had at least one dep musician for that gig so they decided to postpone the recording. I expect to be able to record this fabulous band at the Bude Festival in August.
I am currently making plans to record various bands at Bude 2005 including Maddocks/Huxley Reeds United, The John Maddocks Jazzmen, The Vintage Hot Five (led by Andy Woon), The Big Bear Stompers, Yellow Dog (the recently formed five-piece band with Derek Winters and Brian Carrick), and one or two others which might possibly include The Charleston Chasers. A date will soon be fixed for recording Dennis Armstrong's Oliver Band - hopefully some time in July. I heard the band at Keswick and I was absolutely knocked out by them. As you will know, or will have guessed, they play in the style of the King Oliver Creole band of 1923. However they do not set out to recreate the original 3 minute 78rpm recordings, but rather to reinterpret the tunes recorded by the Oliver band, and also to play some tunes that Oliver would have played but never recorded. This is one of the most exciting recording projects I have ever been involved in.
In early July I will be recording Phil Brown's Basin St Six at a live gig for their third CD on P.E.K. I have recently recorded Dave Brennan's Jubilee Jazz Band, The Silver Leaf Jazz Band and The Pendle Jazzmen, and new CDs by those bands should be complete before the end of the year.
So with these bands plus those I recorded at Keswick I should be able to offer you a good choice of new releases later in the year.
Enjoy your jazz!
