Walter Bishop Jr. - Coral Keys (Black Jazz, 2020 VMP Exclusive Coloured Pressing)
I have really been enjoying these Black Jazz reissues, the music is superb as is the pressing. I will likely look for more in the future, apparently, they are reissuing all 20+ albums.
I love this album unashamedly. In the UK, it came with none of the baggage or the over-exposure it had in the US. Just a bunch of great songs that connected with me. Plus, they're great guys and I've had some fun corresponding with them and following them round a little.
The Stan Tracey Quartet – Jazz Suite: Inspired By Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood (Columbia, 1956 First Mono Pressing)
This is just a belter of an album, absolutely stunning music led by Stan Tracey on piano. British jazz at its finest. I bought this earlier in the week and have played it 3 times today already.
15 likes, 0 comments - grumpyrecorddude on October 28, 2020: "Off the Shelf No. 67 Before they topped the charts with disco, the brothers Gibbs made weird psychedelic folk music. This company is from before all the songs you know. I think I like this more. Best if Bee Gees #vinylcollection...
Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes - The Couriers Of Jazz (Carlton, 1958 First Stereo Pressing)
This is another album that absolutely cooks! I have been listening to a lot of British jazz lately and I really want to see the new Ronnie Scott documentary when it becomes available to stream. Anyway, this album sees the coming together of 2 British legends, Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott. As it happens, there's a building at the end of my street (I can see it from my flat window) which in the 1950's was a jazz venue where the world was introduced to a young Tubby Hayes for the first time. He used to go to the venue (which is really a small hall) and watch others perform. The story goes that he was encouraged to play with the band after letting on that he plays, and they were so blown away that they invited him to join right there. One person that was there jamming with him was....Ronnie Scott. To add more intrigue to the story, this copy comes from the estate of Tony Hall. Hall was a producer and promoter for the likes of Decca, also signing Black Sabbath to Vertigo, producing a Dizzy Reece record for Blue Note, and writing for the NME. He was the first to record Tubby Hayes and the Couriers of Jazz, and this album is just 1 of a handful that he produced. A lot of history in this record!