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| After bebop - 1953... |
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Five years after Club Eleven and bebop Johnny Dankworth and Ronnie Scott were still being recorded more than anyone else. Band leaders Kenny Graham and Jack Parnell were also making interesting records of a good jazz standard. The list and notes below cover some of the jazz records made in 1953, a number of interesting recording sessions, many still having a bebop influence, took place during this this year. The previous year 1952 is covered on a separate page... |
It is interesting to look at who some of the, later to become top jazz names, were working with during 1953. Tubby Hayes, Ken Moule and Allan Ganley were all with the Ambrose Mecca touring band. Drummer Ginger Johnson was with Edmundo Ros, Vic Ash with Vic Lewis, and Stan Tracey with Reggie Goff's touring band. Bert Courtley was with Ken Mackintosh's Wimbledon Palais band and Kenny Clare was also on the palais circuit with Oscar Rabin's band at The Lyceum in London. Tommy Whittle and George Chisholm were soloists with the BBC Showband. |
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Jack Parnell had made his first big band recordings during October, 1952. The critics reviewed the band well, 'Jazz Journal' reckoned it was the best British band of its type. Other record dates followed throughout 1953, (details), but by the next date in April, following an internal dispute, top jazzmen Jimmy Deuchar, Ken Wray, Derek Humble, and Pete King had defected to the new Ronnie Scott band... Jack Parnell and his Band - January 1st, 1953 (Parlophone) Jimmy Deuchar, Ronnie Simmonds, Jo Hunter (tp), Mac Minshull, Ken Wray (tb), Derek Humble (as), Joe Temperley (ts), Pete King (ts, bs-cl), Harry Klein (bs), Max Harris (p), Sammy Stokes (b), Jack Parnell, Phil Seamen (d). Waltzing The Blues. Although he had been recording since 1950 with the Johnny Dankworth Seven and Ronnie Scott among others this was Jimmy Deuchar's first date as leader... Jimmy Deuchar Showcase - January 27th, 1953 (Vogue LDE023) Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Derek Humble (as), Don Rendell (ts), Dill Jones (p), Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d). Magoo/Spain/Toot Suite/Early/Climbing The Bush/Someone To Watch Over Me/Time Was/Stormy Weather. One of the comments often made about Kenny Graham's earlier bands was that there was an imbalance between rhythm and melody - for this date Graham added three more tenor saxes to the baritone sax giving a powerful big band reed sound. Critical reception continued to be mixed however.. Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - February 5th, 1953 (Esquire) Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham , Derek Humble, Joe Temperley, Bertie King (ts), Oscar Birch (bs), Ralph Dollimore (p), Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d) + conga. I'll Remember April/Jump For Joe (two takes)/A Night In Tunisia (two takes)/Take The 'A' Train (three takes). This proved to be the best band Ronnie Scott ever had, lasting for several years with a virtually unchanged personnel. It was probably the best band British jazz ever had! This broadcast, a BBC World Service broadcast from the Paris Cinema Studio in London was captured for posterity. Ronnie Scott Jazz Group - February 10th, 1953 (Esquire 32.002) Ronnie Scott (ts), Derek Humble (as), Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Ken Wray (tb), Pete King (ts), Benny Green (bs), Norman Stenfalt (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d). I May Be Wrong/On The Alamo/Day Dream/Stringin's The Jug/Lullaby Of The Leaves/Seven Eleven/What's New?/How Am I To Know?/Just One Of Those Things. The Johnny Dankworth Seven had it's last two record dates in 1953 including, for the first time, vocals from Cleo Laine and Frank Holder on some titles. They were disappointing compared to previous Seven releases, it seemed obvious that Dankworth's attention was on his forthcoming big band. There was one more date in May (details) before the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra, his big band, was introduced to the world... Johnny Dankworth Seven - February 10th, 1953 (Parlophone) Johnny Dankworth (as), Don Rendell (ts), Eddie Blair (tp), Eddie Harvey (tb), Bill Le Sage (p), Eric Dawson (b), Tony Kinsey (d), Frank Holder (bgo-1), Cleo Laine (voc-2). Two Ticks/Moon Flowers(1)/Honeysuckle Rose(2)/Swingin'. Esquire continued to record the Melody Maker 'Readers Poll' winners. Apart from Ronnie Scott the band had a lot of musicians from the high profile Ted Heath Band... The 1953 Melody Maker All-Stars - March 4th, 1953 (Esquire 20-008) Kenny Baker (tp), Jackie Armstrong (tb), Vic Ash (cl), Les Gilbert (as), Ronnie Chamberlain, (sops), Ronnie Scott (ts), Martin Slavin (vib), Bill McGuffie (p), Ivor Mairants (g), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Jack Parnell (d). Ballot Box (2 takes)/Anidina/Coronation Jump (2 takes). Norman Burns formulaic George Shearing Quintet sound continued to sell and he had another record date to follow this in September (details)... Norman Burns Quintet - March 6th, 1953 (Esquire) Eric Greengrass (vib), Conn Bernard (p), Len Williams (g), Charlie Short (b), Norman Burns (d). Without A Song/Should I?/Don't Dilly Dally On The Way/Everything I Have Is Yours. This session was supervised and produced by Jeff Kruger, promoter of the 'Flamingo Club', and musically directed by drummer Tony Crombie... Jazz at The Flamingo - March, 1953 (Decca) (JMC1) Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Tommy Whittle, Don Rendell (ts), Benny Green (bs), Bill Le Sage (p), Sammy Stokes (b), Tony Crombie (d). Jump For Jeff/Tres Gai/All Star Special. This group were resident at the 'Studio 51' club when these titles were recorded. The results show the benefits of recording musicians familiar with each others styles... Tommy Whittle with the Tony Kinsey Trio - April 11th, 1953 (Esquire 20-028(1 take of each title)) Tommy Whittle (ts), Dill Jones (p), Stan Wasser (b), Tony Kinsey (d). I'm Beginning To See The Light (2 takes), I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (2 takes), Deep Purple (2 takes), Waxing With Whittle (3 takes). Titles marked with + have added harp and flute and vocalist for issue on Esquire's 'popular artists' 5.000 red label series. It seems that Ronnie Scott was looking to expand into the wider music market. 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). Have You Heard?+/Indian Summer+/Lover Come Back To Me/Compos Mentis. Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - April 29th, 1953 (*Esquire EP63) (JMC2) Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham, Norman Fantham, Eddie Mordue, Wally Moffatt (ts), Oscar Birch (bs), Ralph Dollimore (p), Joe Muddel (b), Phil Seamen (d) + maracas and conga. Afro-Kadabra (parts 1 and 2)*/Flamingo/Keni B'sindika. Rocky Coluccio was an American who played in the bands of Sam Donahue and Tommy Dorsey. He visited England briefly to accompany a visiting US singer at the Palladium. Esquire took the opportunity to record him with Ronnie Scott, although the results were not quite as good as the sides made with visiting pianist Arnold Ross a year earlier... Ronnie Scott Quartet - June 18th, 1953 (Esquire EP 51) (JMC3) Ronnie Scott (ts), Rocky Coluccio (p), Lennie Bush (b), Tony Crombie (d). Tangerine/How Am I To Know?/Night And Day/I Cover The Waterfront. (All four titles different takes to original 78 issues.) 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). Double or Nothing/Hard Feelings/Stompin' At The Savoy/Body Beautiful. On Esquire LP 20-023, (titled Caribbean Suite), the eight movements of Graham's 'Caribbean Suite' are linked together by Dennis Preston's narration, which was dubbed on later. Recording details as below: Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - October 23rd* and 27th, 1953 (*Esquire 20-023) Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham, Joe Temperley, Norman Fantham, Eddie Mordue (ts), Don Honeywell (bs), Dill Jones (p), Roy Plummer (g)*, Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d), Judy johnson (voc), + maracas. Beguine*/Tempo Medio Lento*/Saga Boy*/Bongo Chant*/Mango Walk/Dance Of The Zombies/Wha' Happin' Sah?/Haitian Ritual. This was the first recording date for Johnny Dankworth's big band. Eddie Blair, Eddie Harvey, Bill Le Sage and Eric Dawson from the Dankworth Seven continued with the new band. Another date followed in December (details)... Johnny Dankworth Orchestra - November 12th, 1953 (Parlophone) Derek Abbott, Eddie Blair, Bill Metcalf, George Boocock (tp), Maurice Pratt, Keith Christie, Eddie Harvey, Gib Wallace (tb), Johnny Dankworth, Lew Smith, Maurice Owen (as), Rex Morris, Freddy Courteney (ts), Alex Leslie (bs), Bill Le Sage (p), Eric Dawson (b), Allan Ganley (d). S'Wonderful/Younger Every Day. |
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