Jazz on the Beach 248 & Blues Beach 104: Miles Davis, Babatunde Lea, Patrick Bartley’s Dreamweaver, Sonny Rollins, Sharp Little Bones, Richard Cortez

On this week’s playlist you’ll hear the unedited version of Miles Davis’ It’s About That Time, taken from The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions (Columbia, 2001). It was recorded on 18th February 1969 with Wayne Shorter playing soprano, guitarist John McLaughlin, electric pianists Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul on organ, double bassist Dave Holland and drummer Tony Williams.

When I heard this for the first time 25 years ago, the linear structure and the clarity of the new mix were both revelatory and a little confusing, after living for so long with producer Teo Macero’s looped and edited LP version of In A Silent Way / It’s About That Time. But it’s wonderful, and although I’m not generally in favour of releasing music that was never intended to be heard by the artist or producer, this is one of the exceptions.

I’ve been playing a few records from the ‘70s San Francisco area based Theresa Records recently, especially by Pharaoh Sanders and Bobby Hutcherson. This week it’s the phenomenal Afro Cuban powered spiritual title track from Babatunde and Phenomena’s Levels of Consciousness (Theresa Records, 1979), with ferocious solos from pianist Muziki, flautist Martin Fiero, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, and drummer and conguero Michael ‘Babatunde’ Lea. Also featured are guitarist Marvin Bosley, bassist Hiroyuki Shido, tenor saxophonist William Murphy and percussionist Jose Najera.

Levels of Consciousness was reissued on vinyl in 2020 by Pure Pleasure, and as with last week’s Journey Into Negrita, was impeccably mastered by Ray Staff, and sounds even better than an original copy I used to own.

We’re hard boppin’ this week with Sonny Rollins’ classic title track from Tenor Madness (Prestige, 1956), with Rollins and John Coltrane the two tenors in question. Stanley Turrentine is another, who’s playing the blues on And Satisfy from Rough ‘n’ Tumble (Blue Note, 1966), with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist McCoy Tyner and guitarist Grant Green. And there’s another play for pianist Jack Wilson’s sensational title track from Easterly Winds (Blue Note, 1968), with horns from trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Garnett Brown and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean.

Three new releases that also feature great tenor players… Ruben Fox joins Great American Songbook specialist Richard Cortez and pianist Addison Frei on a smouldering version of June Christie’s Lost In a Summer Night from ii Summer (La Reserve, 14th August). Sharp Little Bones’ snappy single Step Up! Get Down! features Tony Kofi and the Nottingham club Peggy’s Skylight house band led by double bassist Simon Paterson, drummer Andrew Woods and keyboard player Paul Deats. It’s also the title of their upcoming album, no details yet.

And there’s more from the Charles Owens Trio’s upcoming album The Work (La Reserve, 30th October), with a moving tribute to his daughter Violet, featuring bassist Andrew Carper and drummer Kofi Shepsu. Owens says:

‘Violet is autistic, and one of the traits of her autism is she’s completely unself-conscious. There’s a part of her personality and her intellect that will always remain very innocent. This song encapsulates my feelings for her. It’s just my soul laid out before everyone.’

Not quite so new (new adjacent?) is pianist Ignasi Terraza’s late night/early morning 5 AM Blues from Long Play 45 at Palau de la Música (Live) (Swit Records, 24th July), with vibraphonist Christos Rafalides, tenor saxophonist Adrian Cunningham, double bassist Jasen Weaver and drummer Esteve Pi. Thanks to Sebastian Scotney for hipping me to this album celebration of the Catalan’s 45 year career. Here’s Sebastian’s review for UK Jazz News. Here’s the video:

There’s pianist Kenny Drew’s Run Away, a bonus CD track written by Danish flautist and saxophonist Per Carsten, from If You Could See Me Now (SteepleChase, 1975). Recorded in Drew’s adopted hometown of Copenhagen with the superb rhythm section of double bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and fellow expat drummer Albert ‘Tootie’ Heath.

I completely missed the release of the brilliant alto saxophonist Patrick Bartley’s Japanese band Dreamweaver. Here’s the epic title track from the Beacon of Hope EP (ReBorn Wood, 3rd June), Powerful Anime Jazz with guitarist May Inoue, pianist Yuuki Hirate, bassist Yuji Ito and drummer Hiro Kimura. Here’s the video:

We’re getting on the good foot with the Ed Cherry Quartet’s deeply funky Joe’s Thing from The Spirits Speak (Justin Time, 2001), guitarist Cherry’s fabulous organ combo with Hammond organist Dr Lonnie Smith, soprano saxophonist Joe Ford and drummer Nasheet Waits.

And finally, a reminder that our third Jazz Kissa is coming up fast at Middle Street Coffee in Deal on Thursday 27th August from 6pm onwards. I’m bringing the vinyl and hi fi, and there will be cocktails, wine, beer and coffee, Japanese desserts and snacks. Here’s another poster for the event featuring the great Argentinian tenor player Chivo Borraro. I’d love to say I’ll be playing his Charlie’s Blues, but I don’t have his El Nuevo Sonido Del… on vinyl. Well not yet, anyway!

There’s no show or newsletter next week, see you in September!

• Sonny Rollins feat. John Coltrane - Tenor Madness

• Babatunde and Phenomena - Levels of Consciousness

• Finn Rees - Another Spring

• Zahili Zamora - Rumination

• Charles Owens Trio - Violet

• Jack Wilson - Easterly Winds

• Sharp Little Bones - Step Up! Get Down!

• Tuba Skinny - Messin’ Around

• Richard Cortez - Lost In a Summer Night

• Miles Davis - It’s About That Time

• Ed Cherry Quartet - Joe’s Thing

• Patrick Bartley’s Dreamweaver - Beacon of Hope

• Stanley Turrentine - And Satisfy

• Kenny Drew - Run Away

• Ignasi Terraza - 5 AM Blues

• Patrice Rushen - Kickin’ Back

I take Blues Beach just as seriously as Jazz on the Beach, but approach it differently. Both are very much labours of love, but as B.B. is an early evening show from 6pm - 7pm rather than a late night 10pm - midnight slot, it’s important to ‘keep the tuna moving’ and keep things tight, as opposed to all the side excursions jazz can take you. Also, B.B. is a lot of fun, and I hope that comes across over the interwebs!

With that in mind, here’s this week’s playlist, which includes blues classics Slim Harpo’s I’m a King Bee, Elmore James’ Look On Yonder Wall, Bo Diddley’s I’m a Man and Little Junior Parker’s Feelin’ Good. There’s B.B. King’s terrific live version of How Blue Can You Get, and lesser known tracks by some of the greats, like Guitar Slim’s Guitar Slim and Howlin’ Wolf’s Crazy About You Baby, as well as versions of Blind Willie Johnson’s It’s Nobody’s Fault but Mine by Lucinda Williams and Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning by Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi.

• Slim Harpo - I’m a King Bee

• Guitar Slim - Guitar Slim

• Otis Rush - Homework

• Luther Dickinson - Hurry Up Sunrise

• Janiva Magness - Your House Is Burnin’

• Sue Foley - Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie

• Elmore James - Look On Yonder Wall

• Lucinda Williams - It’s Nobody’s Fault but Mine

• Lightnin’ Hopkins - T Model Blues

• B.B. King - How Blue Can You Get

• Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi - Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning

• Adia Victoria - Magnolia Blues

• Howlin’ Wolf - Crazy About You Baby

• Bo Diddley - I’m a Man

• Sonny Boy Williamson II - One Way Out

• Little Junior Parker - Feelin’ Good

• Cedric Burnside - Pretty Flowers

• Lucky Peterson - Wasting My Time

Jazz on the Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).

Blues Beach broadcasts every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).