DON RENDELL / IAN CARR QUINTETE - Blue Beginnings
Jazz In Britain JIB-20-M-CD
Vinyl is already sold out. CD is limited to 500 copies.
Don Rendell (tenor and soprano) Ian Carr (trumpet and flugelhorn) Colin Purbrook (piano) Dave Green (bass) Trevor Tomkins (drums)
Recorded 16th November 1964, 4th April 1964
The quintet produced a series of LPs in the sixties that became highly prized and original LPs sell now for large sums. More important than that, the music they produced was of high quality, completely unlike anything being played at the time. Their first album was ‘Shades of Blue’ and this broadcast was virtually a trailer for the album. Most of the tracks on the original album are here. In 1964 ‘Shades of Blue’ was only pressed with 500 copies, consequently it is very rare and very expensive. It is probably the most conventional of the group’s albums. Subsequent albums featured Michael Garrick on piano and that altered the music.
This then is the quintet in its original phase with Colin Purbrook on piano. It already was looking outside the original musicians. ‘Shade of Blue’ was composed by Neil Ardley. The piece has a meditative quality, it is almost static. Purbrook opens before Ian Carr plays a solo of great quiet beauty followed by Rendell with a solo that matches Carr with depth and thought. The unobtrusive work of Tomkins and Green adds to the atmosphere. In 1964 few other groups would have been daring enough to play with such sensitivity.
‘Big City Strut’ is assertive from everyone. Carr is brassily eloquent; Don Rendell shows how far he has moved from his early Lester influence. Colin Purbook cheerily keeps the feel Good mood together.
‘Sailin’’ composed by Mike Carr, Ian’s brother, is a 12 bar blues in 6/8 time. Dave Green’s confident bass playing holds down the repetitive rhythm. Colin Purbook enjoys the freedom of the pulse. Carr enters slowly and muted after the bass solo.. Rendell’s solo is relaxed and inventive and eventually duets with Carr before the unison close.
‘Blue Doom’ is the piece that is most unlike what the quintet eventually became. It is fast , furious and dissident, the kind of composition that a conventional band would use to open a set. Carr’s muted solo is very Conte Candoli. Tomkins fills in the breaks. It is over all too quickly.
In ‘Latin Blue’ you can hear the references to Ipanema peeping through the fabric of the piece.. In 1964 a band had to tip their collective hats to South America. It is probably the weakest track on this album.
‘You’ll Never Know’ is a standard that was not on the quintet’s first album. Both Carr and Rendell enhance the beauty of the piece. Colin Purbook plays with sensitivity leaning on Dave Green’s solid basslines. Trevor Tomkins introduces the other standard ‘Autumn Leaves’ with brushes. Standards were unusual for this band. All the music on their Columbia albums was original.
The notes are written by Simon Spillett who contributes his encyclopedic knowledge of the nineteen sixties to set the music in context.
This is yet another important addition to the Jazz In Britain catalogue. Exploring archives for gems like this can only deepen understanding and are important when dealing with a group like this which had, and continues to have, such an important place in UK jazz. The archives used here are from the late Neil Ardley and Dave Green. Let’s hope that the people at Jazz in Britain can continue to explore and find more from Rendell Carr.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Jazz In Britain JIB-20-M-CD
Vinyl is already sold out. CD is limited to 500 copies.
Don Rendell (tenor and soprano) Ian Carr (trumpet and flugelhorn) Colin Purbrook (piano) Dave Green (bass) Trevor Tomkins (drums)
Recorded 16th November 1964, 4th April 1964
The quintet produced a series of LPs in the sixties that became highly prized and original LPs sell now for large sums. More important than that, the music they produced was of high quality, completely unlike anything being played at the time. Their first album was ‘Shades of Blue’ and this broadcast was virtually a trailer for the album. Most of the tracks on the original album are here. In 1964 ‘Shades of Blue’ was only pressed with 500 copies, consequently it is very rare and very expensive. It is probably the most conventional of the group’s albums. Subsequent albums featured Michael Garrick on piano and that altered the music.
This then is the quintet in its original phase with Colin Purbrook on piano. It already was looking outside the original musicians. ‘Shade of Blue’ was composed by Neil Ardley. The piece has a meditative quality, it is almost static. Purbrook opens before Ian Carr plays a solo of great quiet beauty followed by Rendell with a solo that matches Carr with depth and thought. The unobtrusive work of Tomkins and Green adds to the atmosphere. In 1964 few other groups would have been daring enough to play with such sensitivity.
‘Big City Strut’ is assertive from everyone. Carr is brassily eloquent; Don Rendell shows how far he has moved from his early Lester influence. Colin Purbook cheerily keeps the feel Good mood together.
‘Sailin’’ composed by Mike Carr, Ian’s brother, is a 12 bar blues in 6/8 time. Dave Green’s confident bass playing holds down the repetitive rhythm. Colin Purbook enjoys the freedom of the pulse. Carr enters slowly and muted after the bass solo.. Rendell’s solo is relaxed and inventive and eventually duets with Carr before the unison close.
‘Blue Doom’ is the piece that is most unlike what the quintet eventually became. It is fast , furious and dissident, the kind of composition that a conventional band would use to open a set. Carr’s muted solo is very Conte Candoli. Tomkins fills in the breaks. It is over all too quickly.
In ‘Latin Blue’ you can hear the references to Ipanema peeping through the fabric of the piece.. In 1964 a band had to tip their collective hats to South America. It is probably the weakest track on this album.
‘You’ll Never Know’ is a standard that was not on the quintet’s first album. Both Carr and Rendell enhance the beauty of the piece. Colin Purbook plays with sensitivity leaning on Dave Green’s solid basslines. Trevor Tomkins introduces the other standard ‘Autumn Leaves’ with brushes. Standards were unusual for this band. All the music on their Columbia albums was original.
The notes are written by Simon Spillett who contributes his encyclopedic knowledge of the nineteen sixties to set the music in context.
This is yet another important addition to the Jazz In Britain catalogue. Exploring archives for gems like this can only deepen understanding and are important when dealing with a group like this which had, and continues to have, such an important place in UK jazz. The archives used here are from the late Neil Ardley and Dave Green. Let’s hope that the people at Jazz in Britain can continue to explore and find more from Rendell Carr.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
