Monthly Archives: July, 2021
CULT CLASSIC: IAN CARR-BELLADONNA.
Cult Classic: Ian Carr-Belladonna. In 1969, thirty-six year old Ian Carr who was born Dumfries, in the South West Scotland, formed Nucleus who would become one of the top British fusion groups. By then, the Scottish trumpeter was a familiar face on the London jazz scene. He had been member of the Emcee Five, co-led …
CULT CLASSIC: KEITH MANSFIELD-VIVID UNDERSCORES.
Cult Classic: Keith Mansfield-Vivid Underscores. Composer, arranger and musician Keith Mansfield nowadays is recognised and regarded as one the doyens of library music and original copies of his albums are now highly collectable. This includes Vivid Underscores which was released in 1977, a year after his other genre classic Contempo. Both albums are now rarities …
CULT CLASSIC: GEORGE OHTSUKA QUINTET-LOVING YOU GEORGE.
Cult Classic: George Ohtsuka Quintet-Loving You George. When the George Otsuka Quintet took to the stage at the Nemu Jazz Inn on the ‘19th’ of July 1975 the Japanese bandleader, composer and drummer was thirty-seven and about to record a live album. He was following in the footsteps of Norman Connors, Eddie Henderson and Gary …
CULT CLASSIC: GENE RUSSELL-NEW DIRECTION.
Cult Classic: Gene Russell-New Direction. In 1969, pianist Gene Russell and percussionist Dick Schory founded Black Jazz Records in Oakland, California. The nascent label’s raison d’être was “to promote the talents of young African American jazz musicians and singers.” This was only part of their vision for their new label. They were determined that Black …
CULT CLASSIC: HANK MOBLEY-SOUL STATION.
Cult Classic: Hank Mobley-Soul Station. It was Leonard Feather, the British-born jazz pianist, composer, producer and music writer who described Hank Mobley as the: “middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone.” This metaphor made sense to critics and connoisseurs of jazz. His tone was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as melodic as Stan Getz. …
CULT CLASSIC: PIERRE MOERLEN’S GONG-DOWNWIND.
Cult Classic: Pierre Moerlen’s Gong-Downwind. In January 1973, Daevid Allen invited drummer and percussionist Pierre Moerlen to join Gong following the departure of Laurie Allan. He agreed and became the group’s new drummer. However, in June 1973 he was asked by Virgin Records’ founder Richard Branson to play percussion at the premier of Mike Oldfield’s …
JAZZ CLASSIC: ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS-MOANIN’.
Jazz Classic: Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers-Moanin’. Although Philly-born tenor saxophonist Benny Golson’s tenure with The Jazz Messengers was short-lived, he still played an important part in the development and history of the group. He joined in 1958, and during the summer, helped Art Blakey recruit three new Messengers. They were all from Philly, …
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