Jazzis Web Shop News 02/2008

ALBUM

I interrupt the flow of the fabulous Vocalion label releases to add the new Harold Rubin CD – something that takes priority over anything else on my site of course. This is also a great opportunity to let everybody know about the new web site I created for Harold, which can be visited here: http://www.haroldrubin.net/

Harold Rubin – “A Mono Musical Suite For Three Manic Musicians”

Clarinetist / composer Harold Rubin is one of the very few champions of improvised music in Israel. His work in the field of Free Jazz in the last two decades created an entire new universe of music. If not for the fact that he resides in Israel, he would surely be one of the world’s most revered musicians with many followers, but alas only very few (but fortunate) people know him and his music. I feel deeply honored and privileged to be his friend and his producer and I will never get tired of his wonderful music nor will I stop singing his praises. This album is a typical Rubin recording – if “typical” ever applies to him or his music – a four hour session with him and two young Israeli musicians: Maya Dunietz (piano) and Yoni Silver (bass clarinet), for which Harold arrived armed with a set of basic “musical motives” and told the musicians to go “wild” and flow with him. The result is, as usual, stunning, with telepathic interplay and imaginative group improvisation presiding. Improvised music is never an easy listening experience, but one has to be deaf not to appreciate the beauty and depth of this music. With the clarinet and bass clarinet complimenting each other sonically and the piano creating layers of harmonic textures, cementing the musical unity, this is a unique musical experience, which must be listened to with attention and openness, sure to impress any sensitive listener. I only wish more people would listen and get hooked, as this is way to good to be anonymous. Brilliant!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102455

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Following the reissues of the Michael Garrick’s albums on Vocalion, here is another one on the tiny Trunk Records label:

Michael Garrick – “Moonscape”

Pianist / composer Michael Garrick has been one of the great pioneers of modern British Jazz and his 1960s / 1970s recordings on the Argo label (now reissued on Vocalion) constitute some of the best examples of the wonderful period, when Jazz was at its absolute creative peak. Garrick did made an early recording in 1964 with his trio (Garrick – piano, Dave Green – bass and Colin Barnes – drums), which was privately issued with 99 copies pressed. Over the years this 10-inch LP became not only legendary but also one of the most expensive Jazz collector’s items reaching astronomical prices on the market with only a few originals surviving the tides of time. Therefore having this album available again on CD is a marvel, thanks to Jonny Trunk and his very special Trunk Records label. As the original tapes were of course lost in time, the CD was mastered from a pristine copy of the LP with spectacular results - the sound is just beautiful. As to the music, well I’m not objective being Garrick’s fan for many years, but this is a monumental piece of music – one of the earliest examples of modern European Jazz, which steps way beyond anything in existence at the time. The compositions (all by Garrick) were inspired by poetry, as Garrick was at the time involved with the Poetry and Jazz movement, and show his incredible talent for melody and the ability to “twist” a tune in a most wonderful fashion. Marvelous stuff! I can’t imagine any Garrick or early modern British Jazz fan not wanting this one.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102456

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Here is another album on the tiny Trunk Records label, which brings to life a great soundtrack never previously released:

John Cameron – “Kes (Soundtrack)”

Pianist / composer John Cameron was active on the British Jazz scene in the 1960s, before moving on to become one of the country’s foremost composers of film scores. The music composed for the classic British film “Kes”, directed by Ken Loach, was Cameron’s first film score. The brilliant film, considered as one of the top 10 films ever made in Britain, was a culmination of the 1960s “new wave” cinematography movement, which produced a long list of superb films (mostly black and white) reflecting the life in post WW2 Britain. Cameron produced superb music for the film, a true masterpiece, which is completely viable on its own as well as being perfect for the film. Performed by a group of mostly Jazz musicians, some of which played with Cameron on his brilliant “Off Centre” album: Harold McNair – flute, Ronnie Ross – bass clarinet, Danny Moss – clarinet, Tony Carr – drums and David Snell – harp. Cameron also arranged the orchestral background for some of the pieces, performed by a string section. It is completely unbelievable that this music remained unreleased in any form for over 30 years, and it took the initiative of one Jonny Trunk and his Trunk Records label to bring it back to the surface. Kudos to Mr. Trunk and a big thank you for this wonderful gift of music. Brilliant stuff!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102457

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I’m happy to add today one more album by the excellent Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble, released on his label Crescent Discs:

Phil Miller / In Cahoots – “Live In Japan”

Guitarist / composer Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble have been a consistently excellent source of great music for many years. This particular lineup is a sextet and includes: Miller – guitar, Elton Dean – sax, Jim Dvorak – trumpet, Peter Lemer – keyboards, Fred Baker – bass and Pip Pyle – drums. Recorded live during a Japanese tour, this album presents the group performing the wonderful Miller’s compositions in an extended form, with many outstanding solos by all the players. Much of the set is drawn from Phil's solo album “Digging In” and it is interesting to compare the carefully controlled studio versions with these loose, fiery, live ones. Miller always talks about himself first as a composer and only then as a guitarist, and rightly so since although he is an excellent player, he has very few equals as a song-weaver. Excellent stuff!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102458

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Here is another album by the excellent Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble, released on his label Crescent Discs:

Phil Miller / In Cahoots – “Out Of The Blue”

Guitarist / composer Phil Miller and his In Cahoots ensemble have been a consistently excellent source of great music for many years. This album is very special in their discography, as Phil wrote the music for this album during the period when his brother, pianist Steve Miller became ill with the cancer which eventually killed him in December of 1998. Phil had originally hoped that Steve would play on the recording but, as his illness progressed, that ceased to be a possibility. In a way this album is a tribute to Steve and is dedicated to his memory. This is a real return to roots for Phil, harking back to earlier days when he, Steve and Pip played together in Delivery, a band which leaned heavily on the blues for its starting point and it coincides with Cuneiform Records re-release of the Delivery album “Fools Meeting”. It represents something of a departure for Phil, being his first venture into the blues for 30 years. The writing is simpler and there is more of a groove in the rhythm section. The usual In Cahoots sextet line up of Phil Miller - guitar and guitar synthesizer, Fred Baker - fretless bass guitar, Elton Dean - alto sax and saxello, Pete Lemer - keyboards, Jim Dvorak - trumpet and Pip Pyle - drums is augmented by Doug Boyle on guitar. Excellent music from start to finish, which of course is not surprising for a band that keeps delivering one great album after another.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102459

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The last addition for February is another great classic of British Jazz, the debut album by Harry Beckett. February was a total British Jazz month with 28 new splendid additions (and of course one Harold Rubin). So here it is:

Harry Beckett – “Flare Up”

Trumpeter / composer Harry Beckett was one of the pillars of the British Jazz in the 1960s / 1970s. His beautiful tone and exceptional improvising qualities made his one of the busiest player on the scene. He was a member of some of the most important ensembles of the period, led by distinguished musicians like Graham Collier, Mike Westbrook, Keef Hartley, John Surman, Ray Russell and many others, and also led his own quartet. The plans to make his debut album as a leader with his own quartet somehow never materialized, but instead he formed an octet for the occasion, which included the young “lions” of the scene: John Surman, Mike Osborne and Alan Skidmore on saxophones, Frank Ricotti on vibes, John Taylor on piano, Chris Lawrence on bass and John Webb on drums – an absolute dreamy collection of players. In addition to his compositions, the band also performs three of Graham Collier’s beautiful tunes and one Surman classic. The result is absolutely sensational, a true classic of the period and a must for every fan of British Jazz of the era. Not to be missed!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102460

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