Jazz on the Beach 177 & Blues Beach 70: Billy Hart Quartet, Gerald Clayton, Knats, Gilad Hekselman, Ronnie Scott, Jazz Crusaders, Vanisha Gould
'60s British R&B bands reshaping the blues
Following on from last week’s playlist which included two tracks by drummer Billy Hart that were recorded fifty years apart, one of this week’s highlights is the gorgeous Showdown, performed by Hart’s longstanding quartet of twenty years - pianist Ethan Iverson, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner and double bassist Ben Street.
It’s one of four Iverson compositions taken from the wonderful new album Just (ECM, 28th February), which was recorded in New York during December 2021 and mixed in the South of France almost two years later. So if you subscribe to the idea that great music can benefit from time to settle before being exposed to the outside world, this makes a strong case.
There’s also something new from pianist Gerald Clayton with Angels Speak from the art of turntablism inspired (it’s complicated) Ones and Twos, (Blue Note, 11th April). He’s assembled a terrific lineup that features the remarkable flautist Elena Pinderhughes, vibraphonist Joel Hill, trumpeter Marquis Hill and drummer Kendrick Scott with post-production by Kassa Overall.
Also fresh this week are Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Knats with a punky jazz take on Joe Henderson’s Black Narcissus from their debut album Knats (Gearbox, 28th February). They’re led by bassist Stan Woodward and drummer King David-Ike Elechi, with young sidekick trumpeter Ferg Kilsby plus tenor saxophonist Cam Rossi and keyboardist Sandro Shar.
Among the returning artists are guitarist Gilad Hekselman with the haunting Navanad from the excellent Downhill From Here, with double bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Marcus Gilmore. I played Wise Man a few weeks ago and am enjoying this just as much, the title is an Old Testament description of someone without a home.
There’s also a second track from the Branford Marsalis Quartet’s Belonging (Blue Note, 27th March), a full reinterpretation of pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1974 album. Here’s the poignant title track with Marsalis playing soprano saxophone alongside pianist Joey Calderazzo, double bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner.
More returning artists….pianist Sullivan Fortner with Donald Brown’s Waltz for Monk from Southern Nights (Artwork Records, February), with double bassist Peter Washington and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Trumpeter Takuya Kuroda’s back with the exciting Off to Space from Everyday (PPK, 28th February), with tenor saxophonist Craig Hill, guitarist Akira Ishiguro, bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer David Frazier. And drummer Leon Anderson returns with the hard swinging The Bruz of AD2 from Live at Snug Harbour (Outside in Music, 4th April), with trumpeter John Michael Bradford, tenor saxophonist Ricardo Pascal, pianist Oscar Rossignoli and double bassist Rodney Jordan.
When are more people going to get hip to Vanisha Gould? The singer and songwriter’s recent album She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth (Cellar Music/La Reserve, November), was one of the major discoveries of last year. She has a great voice, huge character, killer songs and not a single note is wasted. Listen to Don’t Worry Bout Me with her regulars, pianist Chris McCarthy, double bassist John Sims and drummer Jongkuk Kim. It’s at least the fifth song I’ve played from the album already, but I’m making no apologies for that.
And speaking of hip….there’s singer and pianist Ben Sidran’s The Groove Is Gonna Get You from Been There, Done That: Ben Sidran Live Around the World (1975-2015), (Unlimited Media, 2018). Recorded in 2015 live at Sunset Sunside jazz club in Paris with saxophonist Bob Rockwell, double bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Leo Sidran, proving yet again that the groove’s gonna get you through times of no money better’n money’s gonna get you through times of no groove.
I’m always up for playing anything by The Jazz Crusaders. Here’s the title track from the magnificent Freedom Sound (Pacific Jazz, 1961), featuring trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample, guitarist Roy Gaines, bassist Jimmy Bond and drummer Stix Hooper. It’s being reissued as a Blue Note Tone Poet this week and I’m looking forward to hearing the new pressing.
We’re hard boppin’ with the Ronnie Scott Quintet featuring Alan Skidmore playing Sonny Rollins’ Sonnymoon for Two from BBC Jazz Club (Gearbox, 2013). This burner was recorded for the BBC radio show at the Paris Theatre in London during March 1966, with blazing solos from tenor saxophonists Ronnie Scott and Alan Skidmore, pianist Gordon Beck, double bassist Jeff Clyne and drummer Johnny Butts. If you ever doubted that UK jazzers didn’t have the right stuff, take a listen and think again.
And another one…Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers with Tadd Dameron’s classic Lady Bird which was released in 2001 as a bonus track on the CD version of At the Cafe Bohemia (Blue Note, 1956). A line up of legends with Blakey on drums, double bassist Doug Watkins, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley and pianist Horace Silver.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on The Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Blues Beach
The latest edition of Blues Beach goes back to the mid ‘60s when British R&B bands were reshaping the blues - taking them straight to the charts and inspiring a number of US bands to follow suit.
The band with arguably the greatest influence on other musicians was the Yardbirds, so they feature heavily with Rack My Mind, I Ain’t Done Wrong and Lost Woman with Jeff Beck as well as I Ain’t Got You with Eric Clapton.
Also on the playllist are the Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Nashville Teens, while from the US there’s Al Kooper’s Blues Project, Count Five, the Standells and the Shadows of Knight.
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band were persuaded to record Monkee Mike Nesmith’s Mary, Mary for a shot at the charts, although it was never released as a single. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers did have a go with I’m Your Witchdoctor, but the one-off single (produced by Jimmy Page for Immediate) flopped.
Eric Clapton played on Witchdoctor having left the Yardbirds for the Bluesbreakers by this point, and was soon on the move again soon to join Cream - they did had a early chart hits with Wrapping Paper and I Feel Free, but here’s their I’m So Glad with probably Clapton’s finest early recorded solo. They would influence the next wave of bands, but we’ll leave that for another time.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
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Jazz On The Beach broadcasts live every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), with a repeat on Monday mornings from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
Blues Beach broadcasts live every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).