Lake LACD 131 2000 15 tracks 68 min

Catwalk, Are You The One, Ragtime Romp, Welcome Aboard, Gently Does It, Pamela, Stompin' Together, Nanna Tim, Swing 2000, Muted Trumpet Slide Trombone, Pretty Thing, Somebody's Blue - Not Me, Muggsy Remembered, Blues In A Minor Key, Miss Lil

Traditional Jazz is a many splendid thing, and because it is all about spontaneous improvisation within a loosely defined style, one tune can be played in many, many ways, and thus the music never gets stale. However, after being a traditional jazz fan for 40 odd years, I find myself craving new tunes. Often I will not buy a CD if it contains yet another selection of 'good old standards' that I already have umpteen versions of. Imagine my joy when I saw a whole CD of new tunes, all written with traditional jazz in mind.

All the tunes on this CD are written by Brian White, albeit at times with help and inspiration from others. The style is laid back Dixieland and I loved it. I am full of admiration, both for the band and composer of the tunes. I just hope that some of the leaders of other traditional jazz bands buy this CD and give the lovely tunes an airing. I believe Brian White's compositions have the capacity to be interpreted in many different ways within the traditional jazz idiom. He has written the tunes, now I want to hear them again and again in the many forms we have within this style of music we love.

THE WALLIS COLLECTION

BOB WALLIS & his STORYVILLE JAZZMEN

Lake LACD 127 2000 20 tracks 61 min

Travelling Blues, Sur Le Pont D'Avignon, Nature Boy, Homeward Bound, Lord Let Me In The Lifeboat, On Ikla Moor Baht'at, Three Live Wire, Make Me A Pallet On The Floor, Baby Doll, Yellow Yellow Moon, La Rosita, Temptation Rag, Dodger, Panama Rag, Cornet Chop Suey, Indiana, Kansas City Man, Sweet Lorraine, All Of Me, S'Wonderful

This CD completes the full release of the three LPs by the band that were put out by Pye 1960-62. During that period, Dougie Richford and his wonderful 'skating' clarinet was replaced by reedsman extraordinaire Al Gay (after Bob's professional band disbanded in 1964, Al resurfaced playing in Long John Baldry's Hoochie Choocie Men).

Al makes his appearance on the last 13 tracks of the CD and his influence is marked. Gone are the novelty tunes Bob was renowned for, and the hard punching Storyville sound changes to a multifaceted style that tended towards mainstream. These 13 tracks are from the LP 'The Wallis Collection'. In 1962 or '63, I had bought some of the singles put out by the new Storyville Jazzmen line-up and had been blown away by Al Gay's soprano sax playing. I therefore determined to find out if they had an LP out. I found 'The Wallis Collection' at Readings, Clapham Junction Approach, but I was disappointed by what I heard. I put it back in the rack and bought an album by the Clyde Valley Stompers instead.

In 1962 I was a typical teenager, in that I not only knew everything, be it jazz, motorcycles or whatever, I had a capacity to hate things with an intensity I now find hard to generate. Then I hated Mods, scooters and jazz bands that used a tenor sax and/or an electric guitar. So now I am in my 50's and the hormones have at last stopped raging how do I find the Al Gay inspired Storyville Jazzmen? Well I quite like them, though I must admit preferring the original line-up and their style. But the final 13 tracks really are a showcase for Al Gay, with the others backing him in much the same way as the Louis Armstrong All Stars were really Louis and his backing musicians.

My one regret with this CD is that the singles of Bob Wallis and his Storyville Jazzmen that featured Al Gay are not included. I would give my eye teeth to get unscratched versions of them, but I suspect I am just whistling for the moon!

CHRIS BARBER'S JAZZ BAND with SISTER ROSETTA THARPE 1957

CHRIS BARBER'S JAZZ BAND

Lake LACD 130 2000 14 tracks 63 min

Fidgety Feet, Georgia Cakewalk, Washington & Lee swing, Chinatown, Yes Lord I'm Crippled, The Old Rugged Cross, Lord-Lord-Lord, Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho, Every Time I feel The Spirit, Up Above My Head, Peace In The Valley, Down By The Riverside, Old Time Religion, When The Saints Go Marching In

I first came across Sister Rosetta Tharpe in 1962. I was in the record section of Arding and Hobbs department store in Clapham Junction and I found an LP of hers going cheap. Having listened to a couple of sample tracks, I bought it. Subsequently it only ever got played a couple of times as, although I loved the drive, strength and conviction of the gospel singing, I found her electric guitar playing too overpowering by far and somewhat erratic. It was therefore with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I approached this CD.

The recordings come from the British leg of Tharpe's 1957 European tour and features with Chris Barber's Jazz Band. The recordings are not professionally made ones and at times the balance is out, however, having said that I have heard worse professional recordings. That is the bad news; the good news is that Rosetta's electric guitar did not have its own amplifier and thus is mostly inaudible.

Chris' Band at that time was one of the world's best and this quality shews through. Of the 14 tracks, Sister Rosetta Tharpe sings on the last 7. Her singing certainly proves that when she uses the lyrics ' Every Time I feel The Spirit', she is not making an idle boast, but merely telling the truth, for indeed her singing is spirit filled and she catches Chris and the Band up with her.

I am convinced that Sister Rosetta Tharpe is now in that great heavenly angel band singing God's praises; I just hope St Peter had the sense to make her leave her electric guitar at the pearly gates!

THRILLER RAG

RICHARD BENNETT'S NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND

Lake LACD 139 2000 13 tracks 68 min

Thriller Rag, My Babe's A Long Way From Here, Bogalusa Strut, Over The Waves, I Get The Blues When It Rains, Dippermouth Blues, Barefoot Boy, My Memphis Baby, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, When I leave The World Behind, See See Rider, Down Amongst The Sheltering Palms, Panama Rag

Well - there is hope after all! Following some years when the combined ages of traditional jazz band members almost equalled the National Debt, along comes Richard Bennett and his Band. Ok, so three of the members, trombonist Ron Milford, Len Mills on bass and Terry Lidiard on drums caused the photographer who took the pictures for the CD insert some concern about masking the reflection from their balding pates. But trumpet player, Richard and his brother Russell on banjo are in their late teens or early twenties and the clarinetist, Adrian Cox, is just 17.

The Band's sound is a mix of Phil Mason and Ken Colyer. The Mason connection is not surprising seeing as Richard and Russell's dad is Martin Bennett who plays trombone for Phil. The Colyer element is a combination of the purist presentation and Richard's sympathetic use of mutes to increase the tonal variation, especially when he uses Ken's favourite Derby. The 50:50 balance of youth and maturity works well and the sound and balance is more early 50's Colyer than late 40's Crane River. Certainly the band has a bright-eyed enthusiasm sometimes lacking in the performances of older and better-known bands. If this were the hey days of the Trad Boom, record companies would be queuing up for their signature on a recording contract. Perfect they ain't, but wonderful to listen to. They are good, and can only get better. The depth of Richard Bennett's abilities can be judged by the fact that 5 of the 13 tracks are noted as being his own arrangements.

Some older jazz fans may consider buying this CD to help encourage some youngsters as they start their careers as jazz musos. To do this would be wrong; all true traditional jazz fans should buy this CD because it is the first opening of a talent that will blossom into one of England's brightest jazz blooms.

OVER IN THE GLORYLAND

CHRIS BLOUNT

Lake LACD 132 2000 20 Tracks 80 min

Bugle Boy March, Plaisir D'Amour, Honey Swat Blues, Canal Street Blues, Over In The Gloryland, Ice Cream, Lily Of The Valley, Viper Mad, Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight, Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall, Wabash Blues, Collegiate, My Old Kentucky Home, The Old Spinning Wheel, Listen To The Mocking Bird, Montmarte, Blue Blood Blues, Mary Wore A Golden Chain, Lead Me Saviour, The End Of A Perfect day

The untimely demise of Chris Blount in December 1998 has led to both Jazz Crusade and Lake issuing 'tribute' CDs. Given Chris' ability and contribution to the traditional jazz scene in Europe and America, it is only appropriate that these two fine CDs should honour him.

This CD of Lake's features Chris playing with his own band, his own band with Sonny Morris on trumpet, The Lake Records Jazz Band, Marilyn Middleton-Pollock's All Stars, The Delta Four, and Ged Hone's New Orleans Boys. The tracks are the personal choice of Lake's supremo, Paul Adams, who was Chris' friend and confidant.

The line-ups and recording quality varies somewhat, but this is a very nice CD in honour of a very nice man. All royalties from the CD are being donated to The Cancer Prevention Research Fund in London so; give to charity and give yourself a treat at the same time.

TRADITIONAL JAZZ

IAN MENZIES & HIS CLYDE VALLEY STOMPERS 1959-61

Lake LACD 126 2000 20 tracks 57 min

Polly Wolly Doodle, Bill Bailey, Savoy Blues, The Soldier's Dream, Ice Cream, Barnyard Blues, The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Il Trovatore, Battle Hymn Of The Republic, High Society, Prelude In C Sharp Minor Opus 3, Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue, 12^Th Street Rag, Black Angus, The Big Man, Play To Me Gypsy, Trombones To The Fore, Taboo, Auf Wiederseh'n

This CD completes the issue of the Band's recordings for the Pye label. As such, I already had them in my collection, either on LP or pirated onto reel-to-reel tape. Given the deterioration of those media, it is with relief that I found that Lake has issued this CD. Although some of the tracks have a lot of echo and as a result sound a trifle thin, I have always enjoyed listening to the Clyde Valley Stompers, with especial delight when their vivacious singer, Fiona Duncan, steps up to the mike.

Fiona always gives a tune an 'edge' with her drive and enthusiasm. In many ways she reflects the Clyde Valley Stompers at that time in their existence. However, unlike Fiona Duncan, the Stompers could at times let their enthusiasm carry them beyond their capabilities, something that shews in their high-speed rendition of 'Battle Hymn' of the Republic. But, after listening to ' The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me' and ' Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue', I can forgive them anything. I am only too happy to own this CD, I am sure that you will be too.

LIVE IN LEIPZIG

HARRY GOLD & HIS PIECES OF EIGHT

Lake LACD 3 2000 17 tracks 73 min

Dixieland Jamboree, Davenport Blues, That's A Plenty, Ain't Misbehavin', Blue & Broken Hearted, Ostrich Walk, Riverboat Shuffle, At The Jazz Band Ball, Poor Butterfly, Paper Doll, If You Knew Susie, Farewell Blues, Maryland My Maryland, One Hundred Years From Today, Jazz Me Blues, Some Of These Days, Chief Battle Axe

I knew I was going to like this CD even before it arrived as I already had a Lake cassette tape I bought in 1984. I bought the CD as it has 5 additional tracks from the live concert in Leipzig.

I first came across Harry Gold in the mid 1960's. I bought a Decca Ace of Clubs LP called 'Traditional Jazz Bands of the 50's' as a Christmas present for an old family friend who had encouraged me in my interest in jazz. Naturally I copied the LP on reel-to-reel tape before handing it over. Well Harry Gold & his Pieces of Eight play in a more orchestrated Dixieland style of jazz than I preferred, but they were good and when, some 20 years later, I saw the Lake cassette, I bought it. It is something I have never regretted.

The band are very 'all together' and exceptionally professional. Harry Gold is a piece of British traditional jazz history. Born in 1907, Harry finally gave up leading his professional band in 1999; a truly remarkable career. This CD is a wonderful example of this man and his craft.