Category: Uncategorised

This Sun Ra strangeness cropped up for me today, via mosaic.com. Makes me think I ought to read John Szwed’s biography…

And here’s a link to a talk he gave in 1971.

This is a very, very beautiful book.

I’m no expert on Brit Jazz. And even this terrific tome prob’ won’t change that, on its own. But I bought it for several reasons: it’s simple aesthetic appeal, first and fivemost; to learn more about the evolution of Jazz, on these Septic Isles of ours; and, perhaps – time and funds permitting – to allow me to build a little collection of some of this music?

I’m British, and I love and have even played quite a lot of jazz. So exploring the work of fellow jazz enthusiasts and musicians, this side of The Pond, seems quite natural. That said, as a consumer of mostly American jazz (and related forms), I have – like many ‘over here’, quite possibly? – pursued those interests in my own little bubble.

Turns out…

Here’s a list of albums issued on Sonny Lester’s cool but short-lived Groove Merchant record label, in 1972:

I have a thing for collecting this kind of music, esp’ from ‘72, the year I was born.

At present (at the time of first posting this), the only one of these I know I have is Holmes’ American Pie.

I ordered O’Donel Levy’s Breeding of Mind, from Japan. But it turned out they didn’t have it in s Asti k, at the time, after all. I’ll no doubt try again, soon.

Lucky Thompson and Dakota Staton are less well known to me, at present.

Jimmy McGriff, on the other hand? I have a fair few of his albums… tho’ poss’ only as MP3 downloads?

Another album that was supposed to come from Japan, but didn’t, was an album featuring Groove Holmes and Jimmy McGriff. Mayhap I’ll try again with that’n n’ all?

I’ll try to get all of these on CD, as and when fundage allows.

Pretty much all of them appear to be available, currently, at cdsvinyljapan.com, where I’ve been getting most of the Mainstream, Groove Merchant, Flying Dutchmen releases – or in fact anything groovy, esp’ jazz wise, that I can’t find affordably via Amazon or Discogs – of late.

I’ve included links to those CDs under each entry. Just got to save up the shekels!

Mmm… love this!

I’ve been digging Gadd’s immaculate grooving behind O’Donel Levy, on the superb Simba album a lot recently.

This performance predates that. And to see Gadd so young – big ‘Fro, but no beard! – is wonderful. And to hear him? Even better.

What touch! What feel! Not super hard and heavy, but light, subtle. Just exactly right! The veritable Goldilocks zone.

This was shot the year I was born. And he’s still with us! What a legend. I’d love to know exactly what the performance was. Who with, etc. I would like to see the whole thing.

LATER…

So, I found the above, on the YT channel of Dutch drummer, Ruben van Roon (quite a dude himself!).

Turns out it’s a quartet of Chuck Mangione (keys and flumpet) and Gerry Niewood (sax), with Tony Levin (bass) and Gadd. Poss’ performing at Montreux, ‘72?

Mmm… love this!

I’ve been digging Gadd’s immaculate grooving behind O’Donel Levy, on the superb Simba album a lot recently.

This predates that. And to see Gadd so young – big ‘Fro, but no beard! – is wonderful. And to hear him? Even better.

What touch! What feel! Not super hard and heavy, but light, subtle. Just exactly right! The veritable Goldilocks zone.

The year I was born. And he’s still with us! What a legend. I’d love to know exactly what the performance was. Who with, etc. would like to see the whole thing.

I learned about this on an episode of Flog It, when a member of the public took their portfolio in, to be valued/sold.

The owner had very nearly sold her copy once before. Having been offered £1,000 for it. This time her portfolio of prints sold, at the televised auction, for £2,250!

The whole work can be viewed online, here.

Fortunately there are other more affordable modern reprints, such as this one, for just £12, and another by Dover publications, thT can also be found via Amazon (and elsewhere), that costs a bit more, but allegedly has bigger/better quality prints.

Here a couple of scans of original prints:

I started these (above) today. I started the ones below a few days ago.

I did a two hour delivery shift this afternoon. Most welcome and useful, given the haemorrhaging of money out of my account, recently, keeping Flo’ on the road.

Sitting in our lovely garden now. Enjoying sublime sunny weather. Birds singing all around.

I’ve been thinking about enlarging our tiny pond. Hmmm!? Tim kindly gave me some more pond liner. We shall see…

Dad’s birthday get together was fun. He treated us all to a Chinese takeaway. And we had a video call with Abbie and Dan over dinner and pressies…

A good day!

• New Faces… 1952
  Horace Silver Q’tet 1 1955
  Horace Silver Q’tet 2 1955
  Silvers Blue, 1956
  Six Pieces, 1956 ✓
  Stylings Of… 1957
  Further Explorations, 1958
  Finger Poppin’ 1959 ✓
  Blowin The Blues Away, 1959 ✓
  Horace-Scope, 1960
  Tokyo Blues 1962 ✓
  Silver’s Serenade 1963
  Song For My Father 1964 ✓
  Cape Verdean Blues 1965 ✓
  Jody Grind 1966
  Serenade to a Soul Sis’ 1968
  You Gotta Take a Little… 1969
  That Healin’ Feelin’ 1970
  Total Response 1971
  All, 1972
  27th Man 1973 ✓ 
  Silver n Brass
  Silver n Wood 
  Silver n Voices
  Silver n Percussion, 1977