Recorded at Scott’s in 1986, this double LP turned out to be Buddy’s last recording in London and his last anywhere. He died in April 1987. Daughter...
Your review of Herbie Mann: At The Village Gate asks of Hagood Hardy "whatever happened to him?"
Hagood died from non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1997 (the year after I was...
It's good that this fine band has at last made an album. Apart from an appearance on Sounds Of Jazz and far too few gigs, it isn't nearly as well known as it should be. It uses some of the finest players in the country and - against all expectations - succeeds in adding to the Ellington legacy.
Priestley is able to fashion Ellington-like constructions and then let his improvisers work on them. The result is much originality while still retaining the Ellington flavour of say, Band Call and Downtown Uproar (originally composed by Duke for Cootie Williams' Rug Cutters). The writing is clever without being smart and the way Brian works a whole lorry load of Duke's themes into the abominably-titled Blooz For Dook (can't you spell, Priestley?) is inspired.
Don Rendell remains one of our most under-appreciated giants. Why is this? His work here is confirmation of his greatness. On the face of it the pairing of Digby with Derek Wadsworth is unlikely, and the fact that the two...
Actor Edward Norton secured the rights to Jonathan Lethern’s best-selling novel Motherless Brooklyn on publication in 1999. Exactly 20 years later he...
