Jazz

Selaws said:
Quite a while back I stumbled down a rabbit hole that connected British Jazz to the US in a really random but interesting (to me) way. I managed to complete the puzzle by acquiring the record that tied it all together this week so I thought I would share the story with you guys.

During the '60's British jazz was in its golden era. As with the US scene, it very much relied on the collaboration of musicians and with the British scene being quite small the same names tended to pop up time and time again. One such musician was the Ghanaian percussionist Guy Warren. Warren appeared on albums such as The Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet's "Change Is" and was a regular side-man in live groups performing in London. During this time he clearly impressed Denis Preston, an incredibly important producer responsible for the Columbia Lansdowne series, who recorded 2 albums with Warren as lead - the 1969 "Afro Jazz" and 1964 "Emergent Drums". It's worth noting that by this point Warren had already performed in the US with Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Max Roach, etc.

View attachment 140632

It's his "Emergent Drums" album that is the final piece of the puzzle to quite an interesting connection. Last year I bought some contact sheets of a drummer that turned out to be Guy Warren. The sheets were from the studio of David Redfern (think of any legendary act and the chances are Redfern produced their most iconic photo - from the Beatles, to Hendrix, to Miles Davis, to Marvin Gaye....) and I recognised the session as being Warren's 1964 "Emergent Drums". These contact prints were unused photos from the session and a real find in their own right.

View attachment 140633View attachment 140634

Now, this is quite a cool connection, but there's also something else which adds another level of intrigue. During the session and in the photo used for the final cover shot, Warren is wearing some traditional African clothing including a straw hat which I believe is called a "Fulani" hat. Can anyone think of another musician known for wearing interesting hats?.......how about Thelonious Monk! Well, as it happens Monk met Warren and the 2 became penpals, writing letters over the years and meeting up when they could. Monk was clearly interested in the traditional sounds of Africa and Warren was eager to teach him. After a notable meet up Warren gifted Monk a traditional Fulani hat, similar to the one that Warren is wearing above. According to Monk's biography he loved the gift, so much so that he wore it during studio recordings and it ultimately ended up being showcased in the photography for these sessions. The photo below is from the 1967 Blue Note compilation "The Complete Genius" and it also appears in some Black Lion releases too. Pretty cool if you ask me!

View attachment 140636
Click to expand...
I ♥️ this content, @Selaws. So informative. I'm heading down the rabbit hole. Thanks for sharing!
 
stpaulbrowns said:
I ♥️ this content, @Selaws. So informative. I'm heading down the rabbit hole. Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...
Cheers! Its such a random rabbit hole to fall down. I was telling my fiancée about it and at the end she looked at me blankly as if to say "that's the whole story?!". Not impressed at all 🤣

On a side note, it's been bugging me where else I have seen Monk wearing that hat. I couldn't work it out for a while and then it hit me. He wears it in the photos for the session that SAM records put out a few years back, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960".

IMG_0133.JPG
 
Lee Newman said:
Haven’t listened to the stereo yet. Finishing up a second listen of the mono currently, it’s mesmerizing. It’s about as perfect a mono imaging as I’ve heard. Would like to hear that ERC…
Click to expand...
Mine's "in the mail" and with the long weekend not here until later next week. Looking forward to it and the Blue Train TP we hear is coming this summer.
 
JohnnyCashFan said:
Mine's "in the mail" and with the long weekend not here until later next week. Looking forward to it and the Blue Train TP we hear is coming this summer.
Click to expand...
I might have to rebuy Blue Train for TP. I’m also considering the One Step Kind of Blue. KOB is probably a keep both kind of situation though because the current copy I have is a boom boom (I did prefer my OG, honestly, but it developed a nasty warp with an audible tic).
 
I’m almost starting to understand the desire to hard pan. If you close your eyes and lose yourself, it is a little like being in the room because you know where they’re at, the lack of bleed gives it an artifice though that is jarring at first.
 
Lee Newman said:
I’m almost starting to understand the desire to hard pan. If you close your eyes and lose yourself, it is a little like being in the room because you know where they’re at, the lack of bleed gives it an artifice though that is jarring at first.
Click to expand...
The really good monos give you a sense of space too. I’m not a huge fan of the early stereo where it’s super hard panned.

I hope the blue train TP contains a mono pressing!
 
MikeH said:
thanks! appreciate it. the other series are DQLP and a different release number so unsure if they are related still.
Click to expand...

Don't know if you've received yours yet. But the vinyl is a bit noisy on some of these pressings. I got stuck in Misty, which has a few crackles in the quiet parts. It's not too bad. I've cleaned it a few times but still there. My stylus is very unforgiving & might be due a replacement. but thought I'd mention it.

I've used google translate on the enclosed pamphlet, which mentions some issues with the master tapes.

Screenshot 2022-05-29 at 20.05.34.png

IMG_6524.jpg
 
Andy said:
Don't know if you've received yours yet. But the vinyl is a bit noisy on some of these pressings. I got stuck in Misty, which has a few crackles in the quiet parts. It's not too bad. I've cleaned it a few times but still there. My stylus is very unforgiving & might be due a replacement. but thought I'd mention it.

I've used google translate on the enclosed pamphlet, which mentions some issues with the master tapes.

View attachment 140737

View attachment 140738
Click to expand...
Interesting. Thanks! I haven’t gotten mine yet but they might be waiting for me at home!
 
MikeH said:
@Selaws @Andy went to BBE and picked up way too much stuff. They said Animal’s Garden will have a repress coming in next week in case you guys were looking for that one or missed the first reissue
Click to expand...

Hope you had a great time.

To be honest I missed out on a bunch of the BBE titles, in the early noughts they were always available for ages, so I don't get the same FOMO that I have with others & often miss them. Good to hear that they are being repressed.
 
Andy said:
Hope you had a great time.

To be honest I missed out on a bunch of the BBE titles, in the early noughts they were always available for ages, so I don't get the same FOMO that I have with others & often miss them. Good to hear that they are being repressed.
Click to expand...
He said they are repressing most of the jjazz comps and most of the J Jazz masterclass it seems. I’m bummed I missed out on Earth Mother as that one seems to say there’s no repress. Forgot to ask about that one specifically
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top