Joe Harriott

First ever commercial release of the 1962 Maida Vale session on 180gr vinyl. The Joe Harriott Quintet was one of the most forward looking in Britain, but no jazz man works in isolation from the past and the great tradition of jazz is never absent from the work of the Joe Harriott Quintet. "Shepherds Serenade", composed for the Joe Harriott group by Dizzy Reece, one of Britain's many distinguished gifts to the jazz scene in New York. But jazz enthusiasts not only like to know what they're hearing, they like to know who, or at any rate, whom. Joe Harriett's alto saxophone leads the group partnered by the flugelhorn and occasionally the trumpet of Shake Keane. Incidentally, both they and bassist Coleridge Goods are West Indians who fond the jazz world congenial here in London and the climate, well, bearable.

On piano is Pat Smythe and on drums, Bobby Orr. It's Bobby who lays down the basi beat behind Joe Harriott's composition "Pictures". Then there is another Dizzy Reece composition, this time dedicated to the then living legend Thelonious Monk. There is a hint of the old standard "Blue Lou" in the chord changes, but the solo's are free and forthright as the Harriott Group plays "Variations on Monk". A monkish theme by Dizzy Reece, with a solo from Joe, which made the happy grin spread all over the face of session producer Terry Henebery. The final number is in a jazz style which Joe himsellf devised and called 'free form'. This begins with a theme statement in the usual jazz sense, but the improvised solos that follow are free in every sense. Not improvisations on the theme, but share flights of fancy. This puts quite a strain on the rhythm section. After all they are accompanying music which is as unexpected to them as it is unplanned by the soloist. However, the flow of ideas is two way. Any member of the Quintet can contribute a sudden idea if he wants to for musical discussion. Anyway, let's see what happens as Joe and the boys play "Tonal".