MICHAEL GARRICK – Troppo! (Argo – ZDA 163 / LP-1974)

Label: Argo – ZDA 163

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: UK / Released: 1974

Style: Modal, Free Improvisation

Recorded in Decca No. 2 Studio, London 13, 25, 26 October 1973.

Recorded By – Iain Churches

Producer – Kevin Daly

Liner Notes – Alun Morgan

Matrix / Runout (Matrix on label - side A): ZRG 4025

Matrix / Runout (Matrix on label - side B): ZRG 4026

A1 - Troppo!  (Green, Garrick) ............................................................................... 10:05

A2 - To Henry, A Son  (Garrick) ............................................................................... 4:33    

A3 - Lime Blossom  (Garrick, Winstone) ................................................................. 9:10

B1 - Sons Of Art  (Garrick) ...................................................................................... 8:38

B2 - Fellow Feeling  (Garrick) .................................................................................. 8:17            

B3 - Overtones Of A Forgotten Music  (Garrick) ..................................................... 9:05

Personnel:

Michael Garrick – piano, electric piano [Fender], piano [Hohner]

Henry Lowther – trumpet, flugelhorn, violin

Art Themen – flute, soprano sax, tenor sax (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B2)

Don Rendell –soprano sax, tenor sax, flute (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B2)

Norma Winstone  – voice

Dave Green – bass

Coleridge Goode – bass (track B2)

Trevor Tomkins – drums, percussion

Michael Garrick – Troppo! / Recorded in Decca No. 2 Studio, London  / Argo – ZDA 163 / Original UK pressing  _____ Out Of Stock __

A landmark album from pianist Michael Garrick – one of the sublime recordings he made with vocalist Norma Winstone in the late 60s and early 70s! Garrick's approach is really unique – a flowing, almost modal approach that spirals out in a joyously dancing groove – not nearly as chunky or standard as styles from American jazz, but working in the freer rhythms being explored on the European scene of the time. Winstone's vocals are a perfect accompaniment for this approach – as she sings in a moody style that's often wordless, and which fits nicely next to flowing piano and sax lines on the set. Players include Don Rendell, Coleridge Goode, Art Themen, and Garrick himself – and titles include "Troppo", "To Henry, A Son", "Lime Blossom", "Sons Of Art", and "Overtones Of A Forgotten Music". 

© 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc.

If you find it, buy this album!

BOB DOWNES – Open Music (LP-1970)

Label: Philips – SBL 7922, 844 253 BY

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: UK / Released: 1970

Style: Free Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-Rock

Recorded at PHILIPS studio, 1969, England.

Design [Sleeve] – Phil Duffy

Engineer – Roger T. Wake

Liner Notes – Richard Williams

Producer – Wendy Benka

A - Dream Journey ........................................................................................ 21:59

      (composed as the score to Ballet Rambert's "Blind Sight")

        baritone saxophone – John Warren

        flute – Jim Gregory

        performer [acetate paper] – Bob Downes

        tenor saxophone – Clive Stevens

        trombone – Chris Pine

        trumpet – Butch Hudson, Henry Lowther, Nigel Carter

        timpani, vibraphone, tam-tam [large], finger cymbals – Derek Hogg

        tam-tam – Dennis Smith

B1 - Birth Of A Forest ..................................................................................... 5:25

B2 - Integration .............................................................................................. 0:23

B3 - Contact ................................................................................................... 0:45

B4 - Ghosts In Space ..................................................................................... 8:14

B5 - Desert Haze ........................................................................................... 4:55

B6 - Electric City ............................................................................................. 6:28

Bob Downes – alto sax, flute [alto, bamboo], concert flute, tenor sax, 

                         saxophone [mouthpieces], bells [Chinese]

Chris Spedding – guitar

Harry Miller – bass, bass buitar

Dennis Smith – drums, percussion

John Stevens – drums, percussion

All the music was composed and arranged by Bob Downes.

Bob Downes and Ray Russell

Open Music was Bob Downes' debut album, recorded for the Philips label in 1969 (released 1970) and his impact on the UK scene was such that he was voted top place in the flute category of the Melody Maker jazz poll's British musician section for three consecutive years from 1972. This rare vinyl copies have attracted high sums in second-hand markets. Although Downes is best known for his flute playing, he is a genuine multi-instrumentalist, playing no fewer than seven instruments on this album, including the less conventional, acetate paper.

The recording's centerpiece is "Dream Journey." The piece — which received its premiere by Ballet Rambert on November 27, 1969 in London—runs just over twenty minutes. Divided into two parts, the first eleven minutes of the track are devoted to flute and percussion, with special emphasis on the sporadic, dramatic interspersions of timpani. The whole piece is very cinematic and reflects music of a more classical nature, but the second half is considerably more jazz informed. The ensemble sax sections are dynamically engaging, underpinned by acoustic bass and drums building to repeated crescendos with Downes providing an exciting flute solo.

The next five tracks are either solo flute, flute and drums, or flute, drums, and bass. These largely improvised tracks are predominantly quiet, ruminative pieces dominated by Downes' intricate flute. However, "Ghosts in Space" is more structured with a strangely hypnotic head defined by flute, arco bass, and drums, while the middle collective improvisation section is enlivened by Downes screaming in the noisier parts. The final track, "Electric City" which was to give its name to a succeeding album, recorded by Downes for Vertigo (1970), is effectively a jazz-rock piece. Again, Downes inserts some scat singing—or more accurately, shouting—all against a backdrop of ostinato bass guitar, Chris Spedding's unmistakable guitar work, and wild multi-tracked saxophones, all conjuring up an exciting mêlée of sound. This album surely explains Downes high-ranking in the Melody Maker polls. Open Music is an unusual and innovative collection of flute mastery.

Very rare LP UK pressing ORIGINAL PHILIPS / Stereo / SBL 7922 / 1970   

Matrix - Side 1:  844253 1Y/3 420  /  Side 2:  844253 2Y/3 420

Bob Downes was a well-known "studio rat" or a "session man" that played on many 60's records, from MANFRED MANN to ANDWELLA'S DREAM (and later on EGG); and his fantastic flute was second to JETHRO TULL's Ian Anderson only. By the turn of the decade, he had decided to try his own luck and 1970 was a particularly fruitful year for him: 2 full solo album and one collaboration. Released on the legendary Vertigo swirl label, Electric City was a strange album between avant-garde jazz and hard rock. The album failed to sell and by the time Bob Downes was ready to record his second album, Phillips had demoted him to their "normal" label (only GRACIOUS suffered the same treatment). Actually "Open Music" came out as his more successful release and has been a collector item for years, now.

The same year, Bob Downes also released a wild album called "Deep Down Heavy" (and its spectacular artwork) with poet Robert Cockburn reading out his text, making another unusual record.

None of the three albums sold enough for Downes to keep trying out his solo stint. Comes then a gap where I guess he returned to studio sessions for the next couple of years, most likely appearing on avant-garde jazz albums. This in turn led him to be noticed by some Modern Artistic Dance companies and in 72, he was commissioned for two "dance" project. Forming his own trio OPEN MUSIC, named after his more successful album, "Diversion" proved an interesting release where jazz-rock alternated with free form music, while the catastrophic "Episodes At 4AM" (74), which was a Welsh project, filled with obtuse free-form music. The following year saw Downes release "Hell's Angels", then later "Dawn Dreams", "South American Journey" and "Inside Stonehenge", before taking a long break.

Bob Downes moved to the continent in the late 80's and is now currently based in Germany, and continues to perform as a solo artiste, playing during the execution of paintings and art exhibitions running flute workshops and releasing the odd album now and then, such as 93's "Dreams of Nature".

_written by Hugues Chantraine

If you find it, buy this album!

LOCOMOTIVE – We Are Everything You See (LP-1970)

Label: Parlophone – PCS 7093

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: UK / Released: 01 Feb 1970

Style: Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock

Recorded at E.M.I Studios - Abbey Road, 1969.

Design [Sleeve Design] – Rainbow Studios

Engineer [Sound] – Jeff Jarratt

Executive Producer – Tony Hall

Producer – Gus Dudgeon

A1 - Overture ..................................................................................... 2:05

A2 - Mr. Armageddon ........................................................................ 4:25

A3 - Now Is The End - The End Is When .......................................... 3:17

A4 - Lay Me Down Gently ................................................................. 4:01

A5 - Nobody Asked You To Come .................................................... 3:17

A6 - You Must Be Joking ................................................................... 4:03

B1 - A Day In Shining Armour ........................................................... 3:32

B2 - The Loves Of Augustus Abbey - Part One ................................. 1:08

B3 - Rain ............................................................................................ 3:26

B4 - The Loves Of Augustus Abbey - Part Two ................................ 1:29

B5 - a) Coming Down /

        b) Love Song For The Dead Che ............................................... 4:32

B6 - The Loves Of Augustus Abbey - Part Three .............................. 1:23

B7 - Times Of Light And Darkness .................................................... 4:36

Norman Haines – lead vocals organ, piano,  mellotron, harpsichord

Mick Hincks – bass, backing vocals

Bob Lamb – drums, percussion

+

Bill Madge – tenor saxophone

Chris Mercer – tenor saxophone

Dick Heckstall-Smith  – tenor saxophone

Lyn Dobson – tenor saxophone

Henry Lowther – trumpet

Mick Taylor – trumpet

Norman Haines is responsible for two of the most sought-after albums of British progressive rock. Like many other brilliant artists, it took the world decades to recognize the brilliance of Haines’ work. He took soul, jazz, psych, and classical music to a place it had not been before, with lyrics based in reality during a time of social and political unrest.

Norman mixed all these influences into several brilliant singles and two lyrically and musically powerful albums. His career began in Birmingham in 1963 with the beat group The Van Dels, who changed their name a year later to The Brumbeats. By day he ran a small record shop taking in all the latest musical crazes and at night he put his knowledge to use in his band as they played clubs around Birmingham. The Brumbeats often played support for local heroes The Locomotive. By the end of ’66 Haines was asked to join the group on keys.

Before Haines joined the group, The Locomotive played mostly popular Tamla, and Motown soul. Haines brought in ska music to their set. They gigged all over and in 1967 they got a deal with the label Direction to record their first single, Haines’ original “Broken Heart” and the B-side “Rudy – A Message To You.” The single was not a hit but it got them a deal with Parlophone to record another Haines ska original “Rudi’s In Love,” which became a top 25 hit in 1968.

The band had done what most groups had hoped to achieve: they got a hit. They were now known as a ska group but this would end up to be their downfall as the group was starting to get into more ‘progressive’ styles of music. Around this time, founding member Jim Simpson leaves the band to become full time manager of The Locomotive and his other project, local band, Earth. Norman takes over as band leader and writes new material for their debut full length. In late 1968 they begin recording at Abbey Road Studios.

We Are Everything You See is an amazing piece of work from start to finish. Heavily influenced by classical music, the album begins with an overture, a short summary of the album’s main themes through beautiful strings, and a little interplay with clarinet before the strings raise the pressure and fade into one of the crowning achievements of British progressive rock. “Mr. Armageddon” has been included in countless compilations and for good reason. This song is a monster. Pounding drums, wah guitar, piercing organ and Norman’s unsympathetic lyrical delivery. Picture him as ‘the man,’ ten feet tall: “I am everything you see / and what is more / I am father of a thousand children / Mother… / Of a thousand million more!” The main horn riff is what makes this song. The ending takes it even higher as it drives to the end of the song and the drums and even the vocals just trying to keep up. This ending pretty much made me a believer in progressive rock music.

The next track, “Now Is The End – The End Is When,” solidifies the doomed mood of the album; the jazzy bassline and phased-out drums are brilliant. Then comes “Lay Me Down Gently,” another killer with back and forth time signatures, and the harmonizing is a nice touch. There is not a bad track on this album. The pounding drums on “You Must Be Joking,” and the screeching organ get along like a cat and dog. I love it. “Rain” is the perfect title for the ninth track, a mellow slow burner that the horns help to pick up during the end. The final song starts off simply enough, then it gets jazzy and the pace quickly picks up and pounds into the dizzying finale. The album also features reworked versions of two songs from the band United States of America.

Before the album was even completed the band had already fallen apart. Some members complained that the album was getting too progressive. Haines disagreed and quit the band before mixing was completed in mid 1969. With no band to support it the album was quietly released six months later in February 1970. The album went completely unnoticed and was soon deleted. Some of the members formed a new group called The Dog That Bit People. Haines started his own group called Sacrifice.

(Review by David Morales)

If you find it, buy this album!

BERLIN CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ORCHESTRA – Live In Japan '96 (1997)

Label: DIW Records – DIW-922
Format: CD, Album; Country: Japan - Released: 1997
Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation
Recorded live at Shin-Kobe Oriental Theatre on August 6 1996, except track 2 at Nakano ZERO Hall, Tokyo on 31 July 1996.
Produced by Alexander von Schlippenbach and Aki Takase
Associate producer: Kazue Yokoi / Executive producer: DIW/Disk Union
Recorded by Kimio Oikawa （及川公生 )
Assistant engineers: Nobuhiro Makita (Nakano ZERO Hall), Satoru Nakanishi (Shin-Kobe Oriental Theater)
Mastered by Keiko Ueda at Tokyu Fun, Tokyo
Photography by Hiroyuki Yamaguchi (Picture Disk) / Cover design by Yuri Takase

Conducted by Alexander von Schlippenbach & Aki Takase

Unlike pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach's earlier large aggregation, the free music pioneering Globe Unity Orchestra, the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra was conceived as a composer's forum as much as an improviser's. In addition to Schlippenbach's own provocative scores, the 10-year-old BCJO has commissioned works from Carla Bley, Kenny Wheeler, and others. The BJCO initially intended to use Berlin musicians exclusively, but has become an international unit, which now includes a sizable Japanese contingent including pianist and co-conductor Aki Takase, and such renowned English improvisers as saxophonist Evan Parker, trumpeter Henry Lowthar, and trombonist Paul Rutherford. Live in Japan '96 provides a fine one-disc synopsis of its evolution.

The program is evenly split between compositions by Schlippenbach and Takase and repertory items, including a Takase-arranged medley of Eric Dolphy compositions ("The Prophet," "Serene," and "Hat and Beard"); Schlippenbach's extrapolation of W.C.. Handy's "Way Down South Where The Blues Began;" and Willem Breuker's semi-sweet take on the Gordon Jenkins chestnut, "Goodbye." Yet, some of the most freely improvised passages of the program occur in the Dolphy suite (Rutherford's duet with drummer Paul Lovens harkens back to their '70s collaborations, while Parker's unaccompanied soprano solo is a testament to the ongoing vitality of his 30-year exploration of multiphonic textures).

Especially in the case of the pungent improvised ensemble embellishments in the Handy piece, free improvisations are well-integrated into the structure of the works.

Schlippenbach and Takase's compositions also encompass a wide spectrum of approaches. A reprise of Schlippenbach's skull-rattling "The Morlocks" is a reminder of the pianist's contributions to the machine gun aesthetic of the German avant-garde in the '60s. His "Jackhammer," however, is the program's best vehicle for racing, hard-edged, bop-inflected blowing, particularly by altoist Eichi Hayashi and the vastly underrated tenor, Gerd Dudek. Takase's "Shijo No Ai" intriguingly brackets a bracing collective improvisation with an almost florid, Evans-tinged chart. Schlippenbach and Takase are a formidable composer/arranger/pianist/conductor tag-team; the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is an excellent vehicle for their uncompromising work.

_ By Bill Shoemaker (JazzTimes)



Links in Comments!