This just arrived from London: A smashing extension of the British jazz "Soho Scene" series from the U.K.'s R&B Records. I last posted on the series here. The new four-CD, 78-track box is entitled Soho Scene '66 and '67: Jazz Goes Mod and comes with a superb 32-page booklet and liner notes by tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett. The set is magnificent.
Two CDs are devoted to 1966, and two to 1967. On one from each year, rip-roaring British jazz; on the other two are obscure American mod jazz tracks that were recorded at the same time. This box serves as a wonderful bridge spanning the Atlantic, pulling the two jazz cultures together. Of course, surrounding the jazz recorded in both countries at the time was a youthquake and the rise of album rock. Kids will be kids. [Photo above of the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet]
For jazz lovers, this set provides a Polaroid Swinger snapshot of what young-adult sophisticates were digging if they were too old to tear at their hair for pop-rockers and too hip to surrender to easy listening. This music is from the London of "Alfie," "Georgy Girl" and James Bond, the city of MGs, pipes, swing coats and Twiggy. [Movie still above of Alan Bates and Lynn Redgrave in Georgy Girl in 1966]
The Brit-jazz tracks in '66 are sensational. One after the next is rich with energy, power and guile as groups such as the Michael Garrick Sextet, the Stan Tracey Quartet, the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet and Gordon Beck Trio tear neatly into originals. All have an American stylistic flavor, but their attack and proficiency are exclusively Charing Cross.
The American tracks from the same year are largely little-known jazz-funk and soul-jazz pieces. The set is smartly curated, since many of these are way off the beaten path. A good number were new to me, including the Jimmy Tillman Quartet's Vampire, Merle Saunders' Soul Roach, Hugh Masekela's Unhlanhla and the Ken Jensen Quartet's Captain Jack. All have locked-in grooves and are tasty.
The 1967 material is even stronger. In London, there's the Mike Carr Quartet's Nica's Dream, the Tubby Hayes Quartet's Finky Minky, Tony Coe's Baby Blue, the Dave Lee Quintet's Time Check and Ike Isaacs' Sad September. Carmen McRae even made the Brit list with the Beatles' Got to Get You Into My Life. The American tracks include The Lightmen's Luke, the Chico O'Farrill Orchestra's Hip Hug Her, Cash McCall's You Ain’t Too Cool, Ray Pettis's 2 Step and Soul Society's The Sidewinder, among others.
The end result is a feeling. Listening to the Brit bits, you can imagine English guys and gals in dark Burberry trenches squeezing their way into smokey basement clubs. The American tracks sound like couples of the same age strolling through Washington Square Park (above) on their way to New York jazz clubs.
And yes, every single track is outrageously excellent. There's no filler here. And the sound is very good. I'll be listening to this set several additional times between now and the end of the weekend. Once again, a superb job by R&B Records. Hats off to the set's producer/editor. Great choices all.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Soho Scene '66 and '67: Jazz Goes Mod (R&B Records) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's the Tubby Hayes Quartet playing Change of Setting...
Here's Tony Coe's Baby Blue with strings...
And here's the Michael Garrick Sextet's Pig and Pepper...
