The Bebop Shop : New Releases
The largely self-penned The Orchard finds Wright mining her own experience to create an unmistakably personal musical statement. The warmth and resonance of Wright's gospel-trained contralto is matched by the intimacy and authority of such original compositions as "Coming Home," "My Heart," "Another Angel" and "When I Fall." Wright's interpretive skills are equally impressive on revelatory readings of the Ike and Tina Turner classic "I Idolize You," Sweet Honey in the Rock's "Hey Mann," the Led Zeppelin ballad "Thank You" and Patsy Cline’s haunting "Strange." (Verve Music Group) Price: £13.99
The album was produced by Joe Boyd and engineered by John Wood at Sound Techniques studio in London, during the same months they were also working with several other luminaries of the Witchseason stable - Fairport Convention, Nick Drake and the Incredible String Band. Forty years later the passing years have not diminished the album’s impact. This is the third release in Fledg'ling Records' campaign to reissue McGregor’s wonderfully creative recordings from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Chris McGregor (piano), Dudu Pukwana (alto saxophone), Mongezi Feza (pocket trumpet),Ronnie Beer (tenor saxophone), Johnny Dyani (bass), Louis Moholo (drums). (Proper Music) Price: £12.99
The jazz world was shocked in May 1964 when the newspapers announced Maini’s death, apparently as a consequence of playing russian roulette ! A very colourful character, a highly talented musician and a friend and disciple of Charlie Parker, he died at the tender age of 34 - as did Bird.
On these sessions, recorded In Los Angeles & New York, 1956-1962, Maini plays with Shelly Manne & His Men, Jack Sheldon Quintet, Red Mitchell Quintet, Kenny Drew Quartet, Jimmy Knepper Quintet, & Shorty Rogers & His Giants & his own sextet. Personnel includes, among others : Bill Holman, Zoot Sims, Teddy Edwards, Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Victor Feldman, Red Norvo, Lou Levy, Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers, Red Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar & Mel Lewis. (Discovery Records) Price: £23.99
The first session includes a half-hour plus version of “Three Little Words”; and 23 plus minutes of “There Will Never Be Another You”. The second concert includes a 47 minute version of Miles Davis’ “Four” and 20 minutes of “Sonnymoon For Two”. The recording quality is not always up to modern standards, but these sessions are of high historical importance. (Discovery Records) Price: £15.99
After such a promising start, Pat Bowie would never make another record, at least according to discographies. These two albums never really becamec lassics, as such - but with the superb musicians present, and Bowie’sindividual approach there is much for the jazz enthusiast to enjoy here. (Discovery Records) Price: £10.99
These performances, which also feature Buell Neidlinger (bass) and Dennis Charles(drums), make for rewarding listening because of the constant probing and daring of the participants. (Discovery Records) Price: £11.99
Compatible with all regions & DVD players. Price: £16.99
Compatible with all regions & DVD players.
Price: £16.99
With this CD Tom takes a giant step forward from being one of the UK’s leading young saxophonists to acquiring his own one-of-a-kind sound that goes far beyond that of the average big band. (Candid Records) Price: £13.99
As the title suggests, “Blue Reflections” features 11 blues-infused tunes: six original compositions by Roger Beaujolais sit neatly alongside fresh and inventive versions of Hank Mobley’s “Soul Station”, Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar”, Grant Green’s “Green Jeans”, Kenny Burrell’s “Chitlins Con Carne”, and Joey Caldarazzo’s “Midnight Voyage”.
Roger Beaujolais originally gained recognition with 80s jump jive favourites The Chevalier Brothers. After a brief spell with the chart -topping Fairground Attraction, he formed Latin-jazz outfit The Beaujolais Band, and later the jazz/funk/soul group Vibraphonic - both these bands releasing a number of big-selling albums on Acid Jazz Records. Roger currently plays with Tim Richards’ Great Spirit and Tommaso Starace, and runs his own label, StayTuned Records. He also teaches jazz vibraphone at Trinity College of Music, London. (Discovery Records) Price: £13.99
The second album included here, At Midnight, was recorded six months after the first one, and was another smash hit for Helen. This time the backgrounds were tailored to her own approach by Harold “Hal” Mooney. For this collection, she harvested some of the better bits of romantic poetry that existed in wisps among the voluminous Tin Pan Alley melodies. (Absolute Distribution) Price: £11.99
In the mid-50s Phil Woods and Gene Quill had been playing together under the euphonious designation of “Phil & Quill.” Although pairings of this kind became commonplace on LPs in those years, in their case the outstanding quality of the solos and the attractive writing always kept things cooking. While both altoists had assimilated Bird’s message and shared stylistic origins, the kicks came in their approaches as soloists, with Woods tossing off long and nimble passages, while Quill rapped out bursts of melody, building climactic patterns out of these biting fragments and explosive phrases. The contrast worked, time and time again. (Discovery Records) Price: £17.99
After returning from his trip to Philadelphia, in mid-1957, Coltrane accepted Monk’s offer and joined his band for a period of six months. They played at New York’s Five Spot Café in a quartet format, but their studio records are limited to what is included on this release. Although all the musicians play beautifully here, what is perhaps most interesting is the presence of tenor sax giants John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins playing in the same session. (Discovery Records) Price: £9.99
AVID Entertainment presents a fully re-mastered Double CD on our AVID JAZZ imprint featuring our hero as leader of his own groups in the 1950’s. We include his first four LP’s in their e
