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| Brian Dee... |
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Pianist Brian Dee was born in London in March, 1936 and took up serious piano playing after his RAF service finished in 1956. By the late 1950s he was gigging with Lennie Best, Dave Morse and Vic Ash, joining the Harry Klein - Vic Ash Jazz Five in March,1960. He was with the group until May, 1961, later working with Bobby Wellins and Tommy Whittle before leading his own trio at the Establishment Club in London until 1963. He toured with Tubby Hayes in 1965 and did a solo residency at the Downbeat Club. Besides his jazz work Brian Dee worked with the dance bands of Frank Weir, Ken Mackintosh and Eric Winstone among others and was widely recognised as a superb accompanist working with Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee and more recently with Elaine Delmar. From the mid 1960s he often worked in the theatre starting with Sweet Charity and later with Val Wiseman's Lady Sings the Blues. The Jazz Five... |
Simon Spillett has written of Brian Dee: "....he quickly impressed everyone with his
adaptation of Wynton Kelly's approach (including Kelly himself on a tour opposite the Miles Davis Quintet which Dee made in 1960). This early work can be heard on The Five Of Us, an album recorded for Tempo by the Jazz Five, co-led by saxophonists Vic Ash and Harry Klein... As the years went by, Dee's playing matured, as is evidenced on recent CDs: Centurion, recorded with his quartet featuring saxophonist Alex Garnett, The Catalyst, a trio session
with the redoubtable Dave Green and Clark Tracey, and a stunning recital of Richard Rodgers' songs with the saxophonist Duncan Lamont, Happy Talk. He has also become one of the most respected accompanists on the British jazz scene, working as effectively with vocalists as with instrumentalists..."
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The Jazz Five - October 23rd, 1960 (Tempo TAP32) Vic Ash (ts,cl), Harry Klein (bs), Brian Dee (p), Malcolm Cecil (b), Bill Eyden (d). There It Is*/The Five Of Us*/'Pon My Soul*/Autumn Leaves*. (*Jasmine CD - The Jazz Five - "The Five Of Us") (*Fresh Sound CD - The Jazz Makers / The Jazz Five - The Hooter) (*Acrobat CD - Vic Ash The Quintet & Jazz Five - Studio and Live Recordings 1959 - 1961) The Jazz Five - November 12th, 1960 (Tempo TAP32) Vic Ash (ts,cl), Harry Klein (bs), Brian Dee (p), Malcolm Cecil (b), Tony Mann (d). Hootin'*/Still Life*. (*Jasmine CD - The Jazz Five - "The Five Of Us") (*Fresh Sound CD - The Jazz Makers / The Jazz Five - The Hooter) (*Acrobat CD - Vic Ash The Quintet & Jazz Five - Studio and Live Recordings 1959 - 1961) Graham Bond Quartet - 1962 (Jazz and Twist - VA6) Graham Bond (as), Brian Dee (p), Malcolm Cecil (b), Tony Mann (d), Bobby Breen (vcl). Things Are Getting Better*/ (other titles unknown). (*Repertoire Records 4CD set - Live At The BBC & Other Stories) George Chisholm's All Stars - October 25th, 1976 (Trombone Showcase - Line L2030) George Chisholm (tb), John Horler (p), Brian Dee (org), Lennie Bush (b), Bobby Orr (d). Jitterbug Waltz/Blues In The Night/Can't We Be Friends/Blue Turning Grey Over You/Night Train. Brian Dee Quintet - april 29th, 1980 (Swing doodle - Raphaele RRS104) Jim Lawless (vib), Brian Dee (p,el-p), Dick Abell (g), Melt Kingston (el-b), Allan Ganley (d), Frank Ricotti (perc-1). Shady Lane/Nova Bossa Nova/Everyday Affair/Takin' My Time/Swing Doodle/Cos I'm In Love/Toe Tapper/Minor Degrees/Brightly Shining/Angelique/Anytime At All/ Burt's Back. Duncan Lamont Quartet - January,1988 (LDC Records LDC4001) Duncan Lamont (ts), Brian Dee (p), Mario Castronari (b), Allan Ganley (d). Secret Love/June Time/No Blues/London Time/Blues In The Night/Up Jumped Spring/Music For Cole Porter/On Green Dolphin Street. Barbara Jay - January 12th, 1988 (Memories of You - Tee-Jay 102) Barbara Jay (vcl) acc. by Tommy Whittle (cl,ts), Roy Williams (tb), Brian Dee (p), Dave Green (b), Bobby Orr (d). Stomping At The Savoy*/The Lady's In Love With You*/You Turned The Tables On Me*/If Dreams Come True*/The Man I Love*/Memories Of You*. Barbara Jay (vcl) acc. by Tommy Whittle (cl,ts), Brian Dee (p), Bill Le Sage (vib), Martin Taylor (g), Dave Green (b), Bobby Orr (d). A Smooth One*/Moonglow*. (*Spotlite CD - Barbara Jay - Just Friends) Brian Dee Trio - May 20th, 1988 and February 16th, 1989 (Homeing in - Spotlite SPJ539) Brian Dee (p), Mario Castronari (b), Bobby Worth (d). Toy Soldier Blues*/Little Rootie Tootie*/Michel Legrand Medley* (What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life - Summer Knows - I Will Wait For You)/London Time*/If I Were A Bell*/Daahoud*/A Child Is A Born*/Last Minute Waltz*/You Are My Heart's Delight*. (*Spotlite CD - Homeing in) Peter King - Dick Morrissey - Jim Mullen - July 12th, 1989 - (Perfect Pitch - Spotlite) Peter King (as), Dick Morrissey (ts), Jim Mullen (g), Brian Dee (p), Mario Costronari (b), Bobby Worth (d). Down Home*/Milestones*/Body And Soul*/With You I'm Born Again*/I'm Walkin'*. (*Spotlite CD - Perfect Pitch). Freddy Staff Big Band - prob 1990s (Romance and Swing - ASA CD2) An thirteen piece big band including Duncan Lamont (ts) and Brian Dee (p). (Fourteen titles). Brian Dee Trio and Quartet - June / July, 1990 (Second sight - Spotlite SPJ543) Brian Dee (p), Mario Castronari (b), Bobby Worth (d), Frank Ricotti (perc-1). Bruised Blues*/A Certain Smile*/Dream Dancing (1)*/Elba Mel Delba*/Second Sight (1)*/Seven Steps to Heaven*/In Your Own Sweet Way*/Hermitage*/The Promised Land*/More Bruised Blues*. (*Spotlite CD - Second sight) Don Rendell and his Big Eight - March 25th, 1991 (If I should lose you - Spotlite SPJ-CD546) Martin Shaw (tp,flhrn), Richard Edwards (tb), Don Rendell (cl,ts,sop,fl), Brian Dee (p), Mario Castronari (b), Bobby Worth (d). I Can Drean Can't I*/The Blues House Effect*/Calas Vinas*/Out Of My Window*. (*Spotlite CD - If I should lose you) Don Rendell and his Big Eight - July 2nd, 1991 (If I should lose you - Spotlite SPJ-CD546) Don Rendell (cl,ts), Brian Dee (p), Mario Costronari (b). All Too Soon*/Under Pressure Blues* (BD out). (*Spotlite CD - If I should lose you) Elaine Delmar - January, 1992 Live at Ronnie Scott's (S'wonderful - Jazz House JHCD027) Elaine Delmar (vcl) acc by: Duncan Lamont (fl,ts), Brian Dee (p), Mario Costronari (b), Bobby Worth (d). (Seventeen titles). (Jazz House Retro CD - s'wonderful) Tommy Whittle Quartet - February 20th, 1992 (TeeJay Records 103 (CD) - Warm Glow) Tommy Whittle (ts), Brian Dee (p), Len Skeet (b), Bobby Orr (d). Warm Glow (2 takes)*/Sugar*/Blues For Ronnie's*/Laura*/In Lester's Scrapbook*/Shapes*/Cinnamon And Cloves*/My One And Only Love*/The Healer*/My Ideal*/Fascinating Rhythm*. (*Acrobat CD - Warm Glow - The Tommy Whittle Quartet) On May 6th, 1993 Charly Antolini recorded in Kusnacht, Switzerland for the German Bell label with a quartet comprising: Dick Morrissey (ts), Brian Dee (p), Len Skeat (b), Charly Antolini (d). The record titled "Right On", Bell BLR84058 was not released in the UK... The live recording detailed below was made at Ronnie Scott's Club in Birmingham... Kenny Baker's Dozen - September 3rd and 4th, 1993 (The Boss is Home - Big Bear ESSCD224) Kenny Baker, Derek Healey, Bruce Adams, Simon Gardner (tp), Don Lusher, Bill Geldard, Richard Edwards (tb), Roy Willox (fl,as), Vic Ash (cl,ts), Alan Barnes (as,ts), Dave Willis (ts,bassax), Eddie Mordue (bs), Brian Dee (p), Dave Green (b), Ralph Salmins (d). Swingin' The Blues/Stumbling/Street Of Dreams/Slightly Latin/What Am I Here For/Threesome/When Sunny Gets Blue/Squatty Roo/Golden Cress/Sorta Ragtime/The Boss Is Home/More Than You Know/Harlem Airshaft/It's All Right With Me/In A Jam. (Big Bear CD - Kenny Baker's Dozen 'The Boss Is Home') Rosemary Squires/Maxine Daniels/Barbara Jay - April 18th and 19th, 1994 (Ella Fitzgerald Songbook - Spotlite SPJ-CD556) Rosemary Squires, Maxine Daniels, Barbara Jay (vcl) acc. by Tommy Whittle (cl,ts), Brian Dee (p), Jimmy Richardson (b), Bobby Worth (d). (28 songs associated with Ella Fitzgerald). (Spotlite CD - Ella Fitzgerald Songbook) Brian Dee Trio and Quartet - 1994 (Climb every mountain - Spotlite) Combined personnel: Brian Dee - (p), Jeff Green - (g), Len Skeat, Jim Richardson, Mario Castronari (b), Ralph Salmins, Bobby Worth, Winston Clifford (d). I Have Dreamed*/I Should Care*/Your Song*/Pete Kelly's Blues*/Nuages*/Koo*/Instep*/Day By Day*/You Are The Sunshine Of My Life*/Uncle's Friend*/Triple Play*/I Surrender Dear*/How Insensitive*/Dream*/To The Shores Of Tripoli*/Unforgettable*/Homebase*/Climb Every Mountain*. (*Spotlite CD - Climb every mountain) Mike Hanson with the Brian Dee Trio - c1995/6 (Do you have a name? - Spotlite) Mike Hanson (g), Brian Dee (p), Len Skeat (b), Chris Dagley (d). Here's That Rainy Day*/There With You*/Old Folks*/Do You Have A Name? (*Spotlite CD - Do you have a name?) Tony Coe Quartet - 1998 (Ruby - ZAH ZAH ZZCD 9802) Tony Coe (sop,cl,ts), Brian Dee (p), Matt Miles (b), Steve Arguelles (d). With A Song In My Heart*/My Shining Hour*/Come Rain Or Come Shine*/More Than You Know*/Love Walked In*/I Didn't Know What Time It Was*/Ruby*/Backward Tracings*/Some Other Autumn*/Prologue*. (*Zah Zah CD - Ruby) Tina May & Tony Coe - January 26th, 27th, 1998 (Tina May & Tony Coe - Jazz Piquant - 33JAZZ042) Tina May (vcl) acc. by Tony Coe (cl,ts,sop), Brian Dee (p), Alec Coburn (g), John Francis (vln), Julie Walkington (b), Vince Clarke (d). N'oublie Jamais*/Clopin Clopant*/Nuages*/Qui Reste-t-il*/I Love Paris*/C'est Magnifique*/Anouman*/C'est Si Bon*/A Tu Vois Me Mere*/Sous Le Ciel De Paris*/April In Paris*. (*33JAZZ CD - Jazz Piquant, N'oublie Jamais) Elaine Delmar - c2000 (But Beautiful - Jazzhouse) Elaine Delmar (vcl) acc by: Duncan Lamont (ts), Brian Dee (p), Mario Castronari (b), Bobby Worth (d). How Long Has This Been Going On/It Might As Well Be Spring/Guess Who I Saw today/There's A Boat Thats Leaving Soon/But Beautiful/I'm Gonna Sit right Down And Write Myself A Letter/Little Girl Blue/I Like The Likes Of You/Some Other Time/There's A Small Hotel/Being Green/On The Sunny Side Of The Street/Spring Spring Spring/Fine And Dandy. (Jazzhouse CD - But Beautiful) Brian Dee / Duncan Lamont - Recorded at Doz Studios, Fordcombe, Kent on June 5th and November 20th, 2000 (Happy Talk - Mainstem CD) Brian Dee (p), Duncan Lamont (ts). Happy Talk*/I Have Dreamed*/There's A Small Hotel*/The Sweetest Sound*/Blue Room*/My Funny Valentine*/Falling In Love With Love*/Manhattan*/Lady Is A Tramp*/Little Girl Blue*/Surrey With The Fringe On Top*/Edelweiss*. (*Mainstem CD - Happy Talk - the music of Richard Rodgers) Thanks to Ray Burns who provided the recording information below and he adds the information that all compositions are by Brian himself... Brian Dee - January 17th and 18th, 2000 (It's always like this - Doz CD) Brian Dee (solo p). My Own Self*/The Green Tree*/Origin*/There Was*/Start Line*/For Bill Skeat*/Toy Soldier Blues*/It's Always Like This*/Elba Mel Delba*/Hill Song*/Studio Hound*/Loramski*. (*Doz CD - It's always like this) Ted Heath Band - December 4th, 2000 (The Farewell concert - Avid) Tony Fisher, Derek Watkins, Duncan Cambell, Ronnie Hughes (tp), Don Lusher, Jackie Armstrong, Ted Barker, Johnny Edwards, Bill Geldard (tb), Roy Willox, Ray Swinfield, Tommy Whittle, Peter Hughes, Eddie Mordue (saxes), Brian Dee (p), Lennie Bush (b), Jack Parnell (d), Dennis Lotis (vcl), directed by Don Lusher. Introduction/Listen To My Music/Opus One/Baby Blue/On With The Don/Swingin' Shepherd Blues/Get Happy/My Romance/Medley (Nevertheless/I'm In The Mood For Love/Walking My Baby Back Home)/How High The Moon/Memories Of You/Let's Do It/Tribute To Past Members/East Of The Sun/There's No Business Like Show Business/Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey/Girl From Ipanema/Tequila/When Your Smilin'/Eloquence/I'm Old Fashioned/On Ilkla' Moor Baht' At/Georgia/When The World Was Young/Mack The Knife/Have You Met Miss Jones/Hot Toddy/Thanks To All/That Lovely Weekend/One More Hit/Auld Lang Syne/Farewell Blues/Listen To My Music. (Avid 2CD set - "Ted Heath - The Farewell Concert) Brian Dee Trio - Recorded at Doz Studios, Fordcombe, Kent on January 15th,16th, 2001 (The Catalyst - Mainstem CD) Brian Dee (p), Dave Green (b), Clark Tracey (d). Yashmak*/S.O.R*/Blue Dolphin*/Moscow Tram*/Rye Meads*/This Time*/Visions*/Always You*/Re-visions*/Blackout*/Sweet Dreams*/The Catalyst*. (*Mainstem CD - The Catalyst) Brian Dee Quartet - September / October, 2002 (Centurion - Mainstem CD) Alan Garnett (saxes), Brian Dee (p), Simon Thorpe (b), Ralph Salmins (d). Loram*/Turk Talk*/Senga Sengara*/Second String*/Escapology*/Go To Blazers*/Clever Weather*/Trendy Vic*/Centurion*/Wishbone*/Kid*. (*Mainstem CD - Centurian) Elaine Delmar - March, 2005 (Ev'rything I Love - EDC 2) Elaine Delmar (vcl) acc by: Brian Dee (p), Jim Mullen (g), Alec Dankworth (b), Allan Ganley (d). (Thirteen titles). (Joy Records CD - Ev'rything I Love) Elaine Delmar - March, 2005 (Strike Up The Band - EDC 3) Elaine Delmar (vcl) acc by: Brian Dee (p), Jim Mullen (g), Alec Dankworth (b), Allan Ganley (d). (Seventeen titles). (Joy Records CD - Strike Up The Band) |
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