The Soho Scene series from Britain's Rhythm and Blues label has been pure joy for me. On these double-CD packages, the smartly curated discs zoom in on a specific year and feature terrific modern jazz from London on one disc and the recordings of American artists British artists were likely listening to on the other.
In past posts, I've covered Soho Scene '58, Soho Scene '61, Soho Scene '62, Soho Scene '63, Soho Scene '64 and '65 and Soho Scene '66 and '67. All have been exquisite and a pleasure to listen to from top to bottom. The London sessions are especially hip and exciting, and the contrast with the American recordings from the same period are an engaging juxtaposition.
The label's latest addition is Soho Scene '57: Jazz Goes Mod. Artists on the London disc of the 32-track set include the Ronnie Scott Sextet, the Dave Lee Trio, the Johnny Keating All Stars, the Tubby Hayes/Victor Feldman Sextet, Kenny Baker's Half Dozen, Derek Smith, the Don Rendell Jazz Six, Vic Ash Plus Four, the Dizzy Reece Quintet, the Tony Kinsey Quintet, the Jimmy Deuschar Sextet, the Jazz Couriers, the Dick Heckstall-Smith Quintet, Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra, Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubans and Melody Maker's All Stars. [Photo above of Kenny Baker]
On the American disc, featured artists are the Wes Montgomery Quartet, the Milt Jackson Sextet, the Carl Perkins Trio, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, the Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble, the Mose Allison Trio, Ray Charles & Milt Jackson, the Jimmy Smith Trio, Lorez Alexandria, the Charles Mingus Sextet, Art Pepper, Barney Kessel, Thad Jones, the Jimmy Giuffre 3 and the John Coltrane Sextet.
This set, like the ones listed above, get to the heart of what made British modern jazz special. The music taking place in London's Soho district clubs was lyrical and hard driving and the improvisation was spectacular. I can honestly say there isn't a bad track on the entire set. [Photo above of the Flamingo jazz club in London's Soho district, courtesty (c)Val Wilmer/CTSIMAGES]
Even if you know the jazz tracks well, they are an interesting and welcome contrast. They also show how close American and British modern jazz was in the late 1950s and why one wasn't better than the other, just equally enjoyable and artistic.
Which means these albums open a world of new options for jazz fans who may like British jazz a lot but aren't sure which artists they like best and who they want to explore further. In some respects, it's a tasting menu that gives you a small sampling of the music and the feel. From here, you can look into the discographies and YouTube clips of favored artists.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Soho Scene '57: Jazz Goes Mod (Rhythm and Blues) here and here.
JazzWax clips: What was going on in London's bohemian Soho district in 1957? This Greenwich Village meets New Orleans's French Quarter. Here's a Pathé clip...
Here's the Tubby Hayes/Victor Feldman Sextet playing Four...
Here are Kenny Baker's Half Dozen playing Act One, Scene One...
Here's the Don Rendell Jazz Six playing Star Eyes...
