JOURNEYS IN MODERN JAZZ: Britain (1965 - 1972) - Various Artists
Decca Records
British Jazz Explosion: Originals Re-Cut was launched with the CDs and double vinyl album sampler Journeys In Modern Jazz: Britain (1965-1972). At least fourteen titles are scheduled for release in the series from summer 2021 into 2022. These albums are being released on 180-gram vinyl and downloads only.
The 2 Cd album is essentially an advert for the future releases. The period from 1965 to 1972 was essentially a period when British jazz was pulling itself clear from an over reliance on taking their inspiration solely from American masters and looking to other areas.
Mike Gibbs undoubtedly learnt from Gil Evans but the track ‘Some Echoes, Some Shadows’ is unmistakably the work of a visionary composer working largely in the UK. The music shows that the rhythms of rock could be incorporated into jazz without compromising either the jazz or rock roots.
Neil Ardley is well featured and rightly so. Ardley developed The New Jazz Orchestra and it was his unique vision that created music and a space with some intellectual heft and featured some key musicians such as Ian Carr, Don Rendell. ‘Angle’ by pianist Howard Riley was taken from the album ‘Dejeuner sur l’herbe’. That album featured Jon Hiseman, Frank Ricotti, Barbara Thompson and Harry Beckett. The quality of the musicians was matched by the quality of the writing. Significantly, the title of the album was inspired by the Édouard Manet’ painting.
Ardley and Ian Carr also feature on ‘Greek Variations’ inspired by the folk songs of Greece. That album illustrates one feature of musicians turning to Europe for inspiration. That is also behind ‘Don The Dreamer’ the first track of the album with the John Dankworth Orchestra with a suite inspired by the Spanish novel ‘Don Quixote’.
Michael Garrick took his inspiration from across the globe. His idiosyncratic writing on the album ‘Promises’ features Joe Harriott an alto player that had a style that was unique, startling and personal.
Strong, assertive tenor players are represented by Alan Skidmore and Dick Morrissey.
‘Tales of the Algonquin’ The Algonquin people lived in Canada. Composer John Warren was Canadian. And his work features baritone player John Surman. Surman dominated baritone playing when he emerged from the Mike Westbrook orchestra and he has continued to be a force to the present day. Surman solos against a large group which included the passionate altoist, Mike Osborne. Members of Surman’s ground-breaking trio can be heard: Barre Phillips on bass and Stu Martin on drums.
Don Rendell’s quintet ‘A matter of Time’ is from the album ‘Space Walk’ which also features the great drummer Trevor Tomkins who was also the drummer in the group that Rendell led with Ian Carr: probably, the most influential group of the sixties. Rendell was not comfortable with jazz rock or with free jazz, he maintained a more mainstream approach after Carr left to form Nucleus.
Three disappointments. The CDS are limited to 45 minutes each so there could have been much more music. The second disappointment was the track chosen to represent the work of pianist Mike Taylor. Taylor’s piano playing was unique: it is a pity that one of his trio tracks could not have been included. Thirdly, Tubby Hayes was dominant at this time and is not included.
The compilation illustrates the strength of jazz played in Britain at that period: inventive, creative, original, idiosyncratic, provocative.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Decca Records
British Jazz Explosion: Originals Re-Cut was launched with the CDs and double vinyl album sampler Journeys In Modern Jazz: Britain (1965-1972). At least fourteen titles are scheduled for release in the series from summer 2021 into 2022. These albums are being released on 180-gram vinyl and downloads only.
The 2 Cd album is essentially an advert for the future releases. The period from 1965 to 1972 was essentially a period when British jazz was pulling itself clear from an over reliance on taking their inspiration solely from American masters and looking to other areas.
Mike Gibbs undoubtedly learnt from Gil Evans but the track ‘Some Echoes, Some Shadows’ is unmistakably the work of a visionary composer working largely in the UK. The music shows that the rhythms of rock could be incorporated into jazz without compromising either the jazz or rock roots.
Neil Ardley is well featured and rightly so. Ardley developed The New Jazz Orchestra and it was his unique vision that created music and a space with some intellectual heft and featured some key musicians such as Ian Carr, Don Rendell. ‘Angle’ by pianist Howard Riley was taken from the album ‘Dejeuner sur l’herbe’. That album featured Jon Hiseman, Frank Ricotti, Barbara Thompson and Harry Beckett. The quality of the musicians was matched by the quality of the writing. Significantly, the title of the album was inspired by the Édouard Manet’ painting.
Ardley and Ian Carr also feature on ‘Greek Variations’ inspired by the folk songs of Greece. That album illustrates one feature of musicians turning to Europe for inspiration. That is also behind ‘Don The Dreamer’ the first track of the album with the John Dankworth Orchestra with a suite inspired by the Spanish novel ‘Don Quixote’.
Michael Garrick took his inspiration from across the globe. His idiosyncratic writing on the album ‘Promises’ features Joe Harriott an alto player that had a style that was unique, startling and personal.
Strong, assertive tenor players are represented by Alan Skidmore and Dick Morrissey.
‘Tales of the Algonquin’ The Algonquin people lived in Canada. Composer John Warren was Canadian. And his work features baritone player John Surman. Surman dominated baritone playing when he emerged from the Mike Westbrook orchestra and he has continued to be a force to the present day. Surman solos against a large group which included the passionate altoist, Mike Osborne. Members of Surman’s ground-breaking trio can be heard: Barre Phillips on bass and Stu Martin on drums.
Don Rendell’s quintet ‘A matter of Time’ is from the album ‘Space Walk’ which also features the great drummer Trevor Tomkins who was also the drummer in the group that Rendell led with Ian Carr: probably, the most influential group of the sixties. Rendell was not comfortable with jazz rock or with free jazz, he maintained a more mainstream approach after Carr left to form Nucleus.
Three disappointments. The CDS are limited to 45 minutes each so there could have been much more music. The second disappointment was the track chosen to represent the work of pianist Mike Taylor. Taylor’s piano playing was unique: it is a pity that one of his trio tracks could not have been included. Thirdly, Tubby Hayes was dominant at this time and is not included.
The compilation illustrates the strength of jazz played in Britain at that period: inventive, creative, original, idiosyncratic, provocative.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
