PKCD-348 MILLENNIUM EAGLE JAZZ BAND "Black Bottom Stomp"
The latest and best CD by this excellent band - recorded live at Nottingham Rhythm Club in February 2010.
PKCD-349 THE JOHN MADDOCKS JAZZMEN "This 'n' That"
Superb new CD by a great band, with some rarely heard tunes and some
old favourites.
PKCD-350 LUCIEN BARBARIN WITH THE DAVE DONOHOE BAND "Keswick Festival 2009"
Exciting CD featuring one of the American greats of jazz - recorded at
Keswick 2009.
( Full details of recent releases are shown on the "Recent Releases" Page and in the on-line Catalogue.
If you would like a hard copy of the Catalogue just email Peter and he'll be happy to send you one.)
SPECIAL OFFER
Buy all three of the new releases (listed above) plus any other CD
from the Spring/Summer Catalogue and deduct £7 from the total.
This offer is valid until September 30th 2010.
SOME YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
There are some older CDs in my catalogue which I feel don't receive the attention they deserve; they should be enjoyed in much larger numbers.
For fans of New Orleans-style jazz here are some suggestions -
Taff's Ragtime Serenaders (PKCD-133) with Brian Carrick, Jeff Milner and Peter Wright this is a great CD by a superb band.
Roger Wells' New Orleans Hotshots (PKCD-157, PKCD-182 & PKCD-208) Steve Graham on trumpet is terrific.
Tulane New Orleans Music (PKCD-251 Recorded in 1994 and originally on cassette only) - an outstanding band which is sadly missed.
For lovers of Classic Jazz why not try The Quayside Hot Stompers (PKCD-104 & PKCD-212); the superb CD by Gordon Whitworth's Bix Tribute Band (PKCD-173); or Phil Wall's Jazz Cardinals (PKCD-244).
Don't forget the exciting Frisco sounds of The Yerba Buena Jazz Band (PKCD-171) or The Big Bear Stompers (PKCD-275).
For those of you with more catholic tastes in jazz there are two CDs by Keith Nichols' small groups both of which are packed with top class entertaining jazz. Take a look at PKCD-166 or PKCD-237.
Dave Moorwood is a band-leader who I admire greatly but whose recordings seem to be rather overlooked. His Rascals of Rhythm CDs should be much more widely enjoyed - PKCD-144, PKCD-177, & PKCD-217.
KESWICK FESTIVAL 2010 Ann and I enjoyed our vist to Keswick in May, and this year the weather was good with plenty of sunshine (but a cold North wind)!
We saw some excellent bands; I particularly enjoyed Jeff Milner's Delta Friends. Some of you will remember Jeff when he was with The Chris Blount Band back in the late 1980s. His band plays old-style New Orleans Jazz (what else?). I had hoped to record him at Keswick but sadly his clarinet player had fallen and broken his elbow and cracked some ribs. As Jeff put it "he decided not to come to Keswick". His place was taken by Liz Bacon - very good indeed.
On Friday I recorded The Big Bear Stompers - what an exciting band! On Saturday I recorded Amy Roberts' Quintet - a band of young musicians playing hot and swinging jazz with no shortage of youthful exuberance.
On the final day of the festival we enjoyed seeing the New Century Ragtime Orchestra. They are an eleven piece band and they played on a stage which was just about big enough for Jeff Milner's six-piece band earlier in the week - cosy! I had a chat with the leader during an interval and there might be a chance to record them later in the year. I hope also to keep in touch with Jeff Milner and maybe I'll be able to record his band some time.
This year I also met some old friends whom I'd not seen for many years. Apart from Jeff and Taff Lloyd (he plays drums in Jeff's band) I met Mike Lunn and also some good friends from about twenty years ago who informed me that Dave Vickers, who, you may remember, retired several years ago because of ill-health, is now playing again. Eleanor and I knew Dave well in the late 1980s and '90s and I am delighted to hear this good news. Apparently he appeared with Dave Brennan's Jubilee Jazz Band at the Hemsby Easter Weekend and received a standing ovation. I look forward to seeing him again sometime.
LOOKING AHEAD Things are fairly quiet at the moment. Later this month I am booked to record Sheila Fawkes and The Guys for their second CD, which I'm sure will unearth some more forgotten treasures from the great American songbook of the 1930s. There’s just been a last minute booking to record The Rae Brothers Festival Band with Steve Graham on trumpet - should be good! Later in the year there will probably be a new recording of Martin Bennett’s Old Green River Band.
The recording of the Wessex New Orleans Jazz Band was successful as far as I was concerned. The band have listened to the rough mix and I am looking forward to starting work on their CD.
Because of holidays and other commitments I still haven't had time to prepare the rough mix of Amy Roberts’ Keswick session. It is top of the list of things to do in the next week or so. I am optimistic it will turn out well - the session was great!
