Who's on today's edition of JRR? (April 18)

Today's edition of Jazz Record Requests includes a track by a musician well known to regular readers of BSH. Musician/composer/arranger...who could it be? And, who requested the track? There's one way to find out, tune to BBC Radio 3 at four o'clock when presenter Alyn Shipton will tell you all about it! Russell.

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 5: Hot Versus Cool

There was this little shop which I'd frequent that sold second hand books and records. Sometimes the books were in plain brown wrappers and usually supplied, with a nod and a wink, from under the counter. Such shops are, I think, now long gone although no doubt flourishing on the internet via Amazon and eBay.

It was in this small shop that the proprietress said to me, "I've got something hot for you". she gave an enigmatic smile and my virginal teenage loins responded in anticipation. Was this a smuggled in copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover or maybe Hank Janson's latest?

No, it was, in retrospect, better than either - it was the above album.

Kansas Smitty's playback Clifford Brown & Max Roach - April 17

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Alex Ridout (trumpet); Giacomo Smith (tenor sax); Joe Webb (piano); Daisy George (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums) 

Alex Ridout as Clifford Brown, Giacomo Smith, on tenor sax, playing the part of Harold Land, and Berklee graduate Jas Kayser taking the role of the great Max Roach. It had all the makings of another great session down at Kansas Smitty's. 

Nigel Price Quartet Livestreaming from the 606 - April 17

(Screenshots by Lance)

Nigel Price (guitar); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax); Ross Stanley (Hammond); Joel Barford (drums).

Another super Saturday at the 606 - a cracking set by four of the finest and reminiscent of when they blew up a similar storm at The Globe back in October 2020.

It was just one great groove after another inspired, initially, by Kenny Burrell but mainly Wes Montgomery. This was the  real deal with Vasi playing gutsy, bluesy tenor like a man walkin' the bar someplace downtown, Nigel laying waste to any guitar pretenders, Ross giving the Hammond and Leslie the kind of treatment such a combination needs with the whole shebang bumpin' down an endless road by Joel Barford.

Aycliffe Radio. Jazz Time Playlist - Sunday April 18

Chris Barber.

REQUESTS: Ian Shaw; Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram; Sonny Stitt & The Oscar Peterson Trio; Kris Berg w Delfeayo Marsalis.

APRIL: Billie Holiday; Clifford Brown and Max Roach; Abe Lyman & His California Orchestra; Thelonious Monk.

NEW RELEASES: Somi; Kenny Carr; Brian Kellock; Perfect Circle.

Charlie Parker Septet; Errol Garner.

Mike Dixon.

Luke Carlos O'Reilly live streaming I Too, Sing America from Small's, NYC - April 16

Chris McBride (alto sax); Josh Evans (trumpet); Luke Carlos O'Reilly (piano); Luques Curtis (double bass); Mark Whitfield Jr. (drums)

Luke Carlos O'Reilly introduced this Friday evening set saying he hoped his sidemen were onboard with his project. Our bandleader/pianist adding, if they weren't, he'd be making some calls. The inference being they'd be replaced, double quick! It was, of course, tongue in cheek, they were as one. 

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 4: Gene Ammons All Stars - a hi-fi jazz jam session

The eagle-eyed among you will have realised that this isn't quite in the alphabetical order I designated when I introduced the series. This one should, alphabetically, have been number one indeed some might say it should be number one by any criteria.

I'd initially decided  on The Four Freshman and Five Trombones - an album which, over the years, I have had fond memories of. However, time can cloud memories. a typical example being the girl you had a crush on at school who, x years later, turns out to be somewhat less than attractive when you see her waiting for her second Covid jab.

Album launch: Zoë Gilby - Aurora. Livestreamed from Gosforth Civic Theatre - April 16

Zoë Gilby (voice/lyrics); Noel Dennis (trumpet/flugel); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).

Technical hitches made for a delay but, once they were sorted out, the picture and the sound quality were excellent. Zoë looked good in a redish gown contrasting with her more casually attired sidekicks for this launch of an album celebrating the music of Tom Harrell with lyrics composed by Zoë herself.

Aurora with Zoe Gilby & Noel Dennis Friday 16 April, 8:00pm, Live on Gosforth Civic Theatre's YouTube Channel - Free to Watch.

 (Press release)

After discussions with the Artist and Jazz North East we are making tonight's live stream of Zoe Gilby's Aurora album launch free to view on our YouTube Channel. This means if you've bought a ticket you will be receiving a full refund and you can still watch tonight's performance from 8:00pm here. And those of you who haven't got a ticket can now tune in for free and bring some live music in to your home to soundtrack your Friday night!

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 3: Harry Edison Quartet - "Sweets" at the Haig.

This was Harry Edison at the top of his game. Not the clichéd tightly muted trumpet player that popped up for a few bars on various Sinatra/Riddle albums but the full-blooded horn-man who fired-up the trumpet section of the early Basie band. As he did then, he does doubly so here, raising the rafters of the small Hollywood club in complete contrast to the venue's previous trumpet player - Chet Baker with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet!