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Charly Records (4CD set) - Bebop in Britain...
From the late 1940s through to the mid 1950s the Esquire record label, owned by Carlo Krahmer and Peter Newbrook, were the only people to record the early years of British modern jazz, and without their efforts this period of musical history would have been lost. Initially there were only 78rpm records until a few EPs and LPs started to appear as the '50s progressed. The problem is that, apart from the Charly Records 4 CD set most of the music has never been re-issued on CD.
In 1991 Charly Records issued four CDs of Esquire recordings from the earliest days of British bebop. The 85 tracks contained on those CDs, dating from 1948 to 1953, are a wonderful guide to those early days.

Although no longer available to buy new the 4 CD set is often available on the auction website Ebay.

Track details for these four CDs are shown below...

CRV1 - Limbering Up - The First Sessions - (Esquire)
These are the earliest British modern jazz records and a number of them, in ones and twos, have been re-issued elsewhere on compilation CDs. Details of those CDs are included on the individual musician discography pages...
The Esquire Five - January 13th, 1948 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Pete Chilver (g), Ralph Sharon (p), Jack Fallon (b), Carlo Krahmer (d).
Lady Be Good/Boppin' At Esquire/Idabop/What Is This Thing Called Love.

Victor Feldman Quartet - February 17th, 1948 (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth (clt), Eddie Thompson (p), Bert Howard (b), Victor Feldman (d).
Mop Mop/Ladybird/Quaternity/Moonlight In Vermont/Gone With The Wind.

Jazz At The Town Hall Ensemble - March 30th, 1948 (Esquire)
collective personnel:Ronnie Scott (ts), Johnny Dankworth (as), Reg Arnold (tp), Dennis Rose (p,tp), Jimmy Skidmore (ts), Bernie Fenton (p), Joe Muddel (b), Jack Fallon (b), Carlo Krahmer (d), Cab Kaye (vcl).
Buzzy (parts 1&2)/How High The Moon (parts 1&2).

Alan Dean and the All Star Sextet - April 29th, 1948 (Esquire)
Aubrey Frank (ts), Reg Arnold (tp), Ralph Sharon (p), Tommy Pollard (vib), Jack Fallon (b), Norman Burns (d), Alan Dean (vocal).
Galaxy/I Can't Get Started/First Gear/Confirmation.

May 8th, 1948 (Esquire)
Personnel as April, 29th
My Baby Likes To Bebop/Disc Jockey Jump/Fallonology/Jack Fiddles While Norman Burns.


CRV2 - The Pace Setters - 1 : Ronnie Scott - (Esquire)
With the formation of Club XI British bebop had a home. As a co-founder of the club, Ronnie Scott was at the centre of the action, and he was to remain a major figure in British jazz throughout the 1950s and beyond. Some of these early recordings have been re-issued elsewhere on compilation CDs. Details of those CDs are included on the individual musician discography pages...
Ronnie Scott (Club XI) Boptet (Live concert) - April 9th, 1949 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Johnny Rogers (as), Dennis Rose (tp), Tommy Pollard (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d), Ginger Johnson (bongoes).
Wee Dot/Coquette/52nd Street Theme/Ow!/Don't Blame Me/ Stoned/Scrapple From TheApple/Donna Lee.

Ronnie Scott Quartet - February 28th, 1951 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Tommy Pollard (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Kinsey (d).
Too Marvellous For Words/Have You Met Miss Jones?/ Flamingo/September Song.

Ronnie Scott Boptet - April 21st, 1951 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Spike Robinson (as), Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Victor Feldman (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d).
Chasin' The Bird/Little Willie Leaps/El Sino/Crazy Rhythm.

Ronnie Scott Orchestra - April 13th, 1953 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Derek Humble (as), Pete King (ts), Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Ken Wray (tb), Benny Green (bs), Norman Stenfalt (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d).
Lover Come Back To Me/Compos Mentis.

Ronnie Scott Orchestra - August 13th, 1953 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Derek Humble (as), Pete King (ts), Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Ken Wray (tb), Benny Green (bs), Norman Stenfalt (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d).
Stompin' At The Savoy/Body Beautiful.


CRV3 - The Pace Setters - 2 : Johnny Dankworth - (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth was another co-founder of the Club XI and like Ronnie Scott he remained a major figure in British jazz throughout the 1950s and beyond. He was also the first major jazz arranger and his "Seven" was a ground breaking group. Some of these early recordings have been re-issued elsewhere on compilation CDs. Details of those CDs are included on the individual musician discography pages...
Johnny Dankworth (Club XI) Quartet (Live concert) - April 9th, 1949 (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth (as), Norman Stenfalt/Tommy Pollard (on Night In Tunisia only) (p), Joe Muddel (b), Laurie Morgan (d).
Bremavin/Lover Man/Second Eleven/Body and Soul/Night in Tunisia.

Alan Dean's Beboppers - September 17th, 1949 (Esquire)
Ronnie Scott (ts), Johnny Dankworth (as), Hank Shaw (tp), Tommy Pollard (p), Pete Chilver (g), Joe Muddel (b), Laurie Morgan (d), Alan Dean (vocal).
Gone With The Windmill/Barbados/Elevenses/Ool Ya Koo/Galaxy.

Johnny Dankworth Seven - July 29th, 1950 (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth (as), Don Rendell (ts), Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Eddie Harvey (tb), Bill Le Sage (p), Eric Dawson (b), Tony Kinsey (d).
Seven Not Out/Cherokee.

October 14th, 1950 (Esquire)
personnel as July 29th.
Perhaps/Get Happy.

July 12th, 1951 (Esquire)
personnel as July 29th, 1950.
I Hear Music/Leon Bismark/The Slider/Webb City.

November 8th, 1951 (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth (as), Don Rendell (ts), Eddie Blair (tp), Eddie Harvey (tb), Bill Le Sage (p), Eric Dawson (b), Eddie Taylor (d).
Strictly Confidential/Allen's Alley.

December 17th, 1951 (Esquire)
personnel as November 8th.
Stomping At The Savoy/Myob.


CRV4 - In All Directions - (Esquire)
In the early 1950s as modern jazz became established the scene became much more varied as the differing style of the groups on this CD reveal. A few of these early recordings have been re-issued elsewhere on compilation CDs. Details of those CDs are included on the individual musician discography pages...
Johnny Dankworth Seven - March 4th, 1952, 1950 (Esquire)
Johnny Dankworth (as), Don Rendell (ts), Eddie Blair (tp), Eddie Harvey (tb), Bill Le Sage (p), Eric Dawson (b), Eddie Taylor (d), Cleo Laine (vcl).
Bopscotch/Our Delight.

Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - February 10th, 1951 (Esquire)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Jack Honeybourne (p), Roy Plummer (g), Cliff Ball (b), Dickie Devere (d) + maracas, conga and bongo.
Mango Walk/Pina Colada.

June 4th, 1951 (Esquire)
As February 10th except Ralph Dollimore (p) replaces Jack Honeybourne.
Chloe/Over The Rainbow/Skylon/Dome Of Discovery.

Norman Burns Quintet - February 2nd, 1952 (Esquire)
Johnnie Ashcombe (vib), Basil Tait (p), Len Williams (g), Bob Hill (b), Norman Burns (d).
Knock Yourself Out/Nearing Shearing/Stars Fell On Alabama.

April 12th, 1952 (Esquire)
As February 2nd except Bert Daniels (b) replaces Bob Hill.
1066/Dance Little Lady.

Norman Burns Quintet - October 25th, 1952 (Esquire)
Eric Greengrass (vib), Basil Tait (p), Len Williams (g), Charlie Short (b), Norman Burns (d).
Bye Bye Blackbird.

Tito Burns and his Sextet - March 6th, 1951 (Esquire)
Leon Calvert (tp), Jimmy Chester (as,bs), Rex Morris (ts), Tito Burns (acc), Ronnie Price (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Derek Price (d), Terry Devon (vocal).
Johnny Come Lately/East Of Suez/Somebody Loves Me/Everloving Blues.

July 12th, 1951 (Esquire)
Personnel as March 6th except Albert Hall (tp) and Coleridge Goode (b) replace Calvert and Hawksworth.
A Lesson In Bop/Festival Hall.

Vic Lewis and his New Music - March 26th, 1952 (Esquire)
Bert Courtley (tp), Tommy Smith (frh), Ronnie Chamberlain (as,sops), Kathy Stobart (ts), Jimmy Simmonds (bs), Clive Chaplin (p), Martin Gilboys (b), Peter Coleman (d), Vic Lewis (dir).
Why Do I Love You/JD to VL/Street Scene/Heru.


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