Morning Glory by John Surman, released in 1973 on Island Records.

Review by Jason Ankeny

...a record as radiant and beautiful as its title portends, comprised of four epic tracks that despite their scope represent his most mainstream work to date. The skill and dexterity of the improvisations here are astounding. Surman and sidemen Terje Rypdal (guitar), Chris Laurence (bass), John Taylor (electric piano), Malcolm Griffiths (trombone), and John Marshall (drums) connect on an almost telepathic level. But for all its experimental approaches and ingenious ad-libbing, Morning Glory is a remarkably generous album, inviting and approachable like few avant-jazz dates before it. So much of Surman's brilliance hinges on his refusal to alienate listeners regardless of their personal leanings and expectations, while at the same remaining true to his singular muse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LsJwW_LITU

#JohnSurman #TerjeRypdal #JohnTaylor #JohnMarshall #Jazz #JazzRock #ElectricJazz #Music #BritJazz

Rencontre A Paris by Don Rendell Et Bobby Jaspar, released on Swing in France in 1955.

"Grab the classic jazz vibes from Don Rendell Et Bobby Jaspar with their 1955 album Rencontre A Paris. Recorded live in France, this cool jazz and hard bop gem features smooth sax, tight rhythm, and pure post-war style..."

https://don-rendellws.bandcamp.com/album/rencontre-a-paris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9u2ORvXu9o

#DonRendell #BobbyJaspar #BritJazz #FrenchJazz #JazzInParis #HardBop #Jazz #Music

Alice In Jazz Land by The Stan Tracey Big Band, released on Columbia in 1966.

Nick Reynolds wrote for the BBC:

...Alice In Jazz Land originally released in 1966 is the follow up to Tracey’s Under Milk Wood album, one of the best known British jazz albums...

A crack team of legendary British players was put together for this session. But Stan himself sets the tone in the first thirty seconds of the title cut with an aggressive, audacious piano intro that makes you sit up and go ‘Wow!’. This is an album that exemplifies the classic British big band sound: tart, bright, punchy. But it also pushes the envelope way out with its’ confidence and wild musical invention. It’s full of fantastic loud, huge, wide chords that are big enough to stick your whole head in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/3gqv/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFQ9zzB7eU&list=RD0sFQ9zzB7eU&start_radio=1

#StanTracey #BritJazz #AliceinWonderland #AlanBranscombe #JeffClyne #BobbyWellins #RonnieScott #TubbyHayes #KennyWheeler #Jazz #Music

Mr Smith's Apocalypse by Garrick's Fairground, released on Argo in 1971.

Sean Trane wrote for Jazz Archives:

Leader Michael Garrick amidst his best albums of the early 70’s formed a special project which didn’t fit his usual sextet formations, and therefore created Garrick’s Fairground and wrote the concept of God’s absence or non-existence. Garrick had often used the vocals in jazz in unusual manners as shown by the outstanding Lotus album and the future Troppo disc to come, but also dealing with poetry in jazz. This present ambitious work indeed took his vocals idea a few step further (read: out there), this time using full choirs, on top of four lead voices, the best-known being Norma Winstone. ..

https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/review/mr-smiths-apocalypse-as-garricks-fairground/234387

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmgIOnIBVNo&list=RDOmgIOnIBVNo&start_radio=1

#MichaelGarrick #DonRendell
#ArtThemen #HenryLowther #NormaWinstone #Jazz #BritJazz #JazzCantata #Vocal Jazz #Music

Mike Westbrook's Metropolis by Mike Westbrook Orchestra, released on RCA's Neon imprint in 1971.

"The English jazz pianist Mike Westbrook released his album Metropolis in 1971. In the height of the British-jazz’s golden age this concept album was recorded over three days in the famous Lansdowne studios. The 9-movement album shows the best of the London jazz scene with it’s big-band jazz sounds and funk-rock rhythms. In this collective effort, which included 23 musicians, the sum is greater than its parts.. - Banquet Records

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiYVjf9WuxQ&list=RDwiYVjf9WuxQ&start_radio=1

#MikeWestbrook #BritJazz #Jazz #MikeOsbourne #RayWarleigh #KennyWheeler #HaroldBeckett #JohnTaylor #BigBand #Music #Landsdowne

Pal Jimmy by Jimmy Deuchar Quartet and Sextet, released on Tempo Records as part of their Modern Jazz series in 1958.

James Deuchar (26 June 1930[1] – 9 September 1993) was a Scottish jazz trumpeter and big band arranger, born in Dundee, Scotland.He found fame as a performer and arranger in the 1950s and 1960s. Deuchar was taught trumpet by John Lynch, who learned bugle playing as a boy soldier in the First World War, and who later was Director of Brass Music for Dundee. - Wikipedia

Top Brit Jazz covers of the Rodgers and Hart musical with Tubby Hayes and Phil Seaman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDnDt6nexmg&list=RDTDnDt6nexmg&start_radio=1

#JimmyDeuchar #TubbyHayes #PhilSeamen #BritJazz #Jazz #RodgersHart #Music

London Jazz Quartet by London Jazz Quartet, released on Ember Records International in 1960.

Nice Brit bopping from Tubby Hayes and other jazz cat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePT1oK--2R0&list=RDePT1oK--2R0&start_radio=1

#LondonJazzQuartet #TubbyHayes #AlanBranscombe #BritJazz #Bop #HardBop #Jazz #Music

A Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood" is an album by the English pianist Stan Tracey and his quartet, that was released by the Columbia subsidiary of EMI in 1965. The music was written in response to the 1953 BBC radio play Under Milk Wood, by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. It has often been cited as one of the best jazz recordings made in the United Kingdom.

In a series of articles for The Guardian newspaper titled "50 great moments in jazz", John Fordham wrote of the album: "Under Milk Wood was an evocative collection of sparky themes inspired by the Dylan Thomas radio play (it's sometimes performed with a narrator reading the parts). And thanks to Tracey's sparing piano and Wellins's softly hooting sax, the rippling tone-poem 'Starless and Bible Black' is widely acclaimed as one of the great jazz performances". - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd-aDGOSC3o&list=RDFd-aDGOSC3o&start_radio=1

#StanTracey #BobbyWellins #JeffClyne #DylanThomas #UnderMilkWood #BritJazz #Jazz #Music

Up In The Air by Harold McNair released on Bahamian Rhythms Ltd.in 1964.

..Recorded in '64, yeah, but it don't sound old. Sounds like it was cooked yesterday in some backroom Nassau studio with rum on the floor and smoke in the air. McNair's flute? Man. He flips through these standards like he owns 'em. "Desafinado" - you heard it a thousand times. But this version? Slower. Slimy. Creeps in like midnight...Like concrete under dirt. Track list is all covers - "Fly Me To The Moon", "Witchcraft", "Stella By Starlight" - all that supper club nonsense. But McNair don't play polite. He twists 'em. Makes 'em dance with a limp. "Speak Low" swings like it's drunk but still trying to impress somebody... - Bandcamp Notes

https://harold-mcnair.bandcamp.com/album/up-in-the-air

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuvoFjsXqq0&list=RDDuvoFjsXqq0&start_radio=1

#HaroldMcNair #JazzFlute #BritJazz #Jazz #Music

Ended Tuesday and welcomed Wendesday with Harp And Soul by David Snell released on Columbia in 1966.

David Snell - Harp And Soul Review

David Snell's Harp And Soul-yeah, that 1966 LP-is one of those records you stumble on while digging through crates, half expecting to hate it, then end up playing it three times in a row. It's not flashy. Doesn't scream for attention. But damn if it doesn't settle into your bones after a while. Snell, mostly known as a session harpist and later a film score conductor, steps out here as both player and co-conductor (alongside Johnny Scott, who also handles flute and orchestra duties). And honestly? He holds his own. First off, the harp. You'd think it'd be twee. Or worse-background noise for a department store in 1972. But Snell doesn't let it get syrupy. He's got this dry, almost percussive touch...

https://david-snellhr.bandcamp.com/album/harp-and-soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfbPffD1_dY&list=RDCfbPffD1_dY&start_radio=1

#DavidSnell #Jazz #Harp #JohnnyScott #BritJazz #LibraryMusic #Music #SpaceAgePop