Transatlantic Alliance/Modern Jazz Quartet/Arrival/In London, Vol. 2

Absolutely delightful set of four albums contained within two CDs, from the days when modern jazz was fresh, exciting, and new.Captured here are powerful performances by a mostly London-based generation of talented young musicians.The list of credits includes many who became legends in their own right.Anyone who feels - in any way - part of that 1950s' London jazz scene, or the post-WW2 explosion of modern jazz, will love these recordings.They will surprise and give pleasure to quite a few younger listeners too.The recordings focus on a number of different group and band lineups led by one of Britain's most formidable home-grown jazz musical geniuses ever, Victor Feldman, who sadly died much too soon.Fortunately he started and came to maturity far earlier than many other top-notch jazz musicians and we'll always have recordings such as these as an on-going testament to his creative abilities.Check out Victor Feldman on YouTube or plunge straight in with this great "4 in 1" release. It's amazing value.

I first discovered Feldman on the album titled  At the Lighthouse  on which he played piano backing Cannonball Adderley. That piqued my interest and I subsequently discovered that he was also a virtuoso musician on drums and vibes as well as piano. In fact as a precocious eight year old he had a brief appearance playing drums in the movie titled King Arthur Was a Gentleman. All this fluff is leading to a key point about this collection: this set contains some excellent examples of Feldman on all three instuments: drum kit, piano and vibes. Most of this album has him on piano and vibes, and two thirds are from his London sessions.The sound quality is excellent, but is not audiophile quality. Frankly it's more than adequate for me, especially since finding pristine original albums in vinyl is an expensive proposition. Since nearly half of the albums that comprise this set are out-of-print you are getting some of Feldman's work that is off the beaten path.Here is what you get:DISC ONETracks 1 through 7 are from the out-of-print album titled Transatlantic Alliance. These tracks are from the album as it was originally released. It was recorded in London over the course of two sessions - December 28, 1956 and January 3, 1957.Track 6 was recorded in individual tracks with changes in personnel, then put together in final production. The trumpets are Dizzy Reese on tracks 1 and 4, and the segment of the medley titled I Surrender Dear, and Jimmy Deuchar on tracks 5 and 7. On those tracks Feldman departs from the piano and plays vibraphones.Ronnie Scott is on tenor and Tubby Hayes on baritone. On most of the tracks Lennie Bush is on bass and Phil Seamen on drums.01. Four02. The Gypsy03. Get Up04. Stomp05. Wail06. Medley: Together/Darn That Dream/I Surrender Dear/I've Lost Your Love07. Wailing WallTracks 8 through 12 were recorded under the aegis of the Victor Feldman Modern Jazz Quartet. You can listen to sound samples from these tracks on the product page of the album titled  Departure Dates . Tracks 8, 10 and 12 were recorded in London on September 12, 1955 and features Feldman on vibraphones, Tommy Pollard on piano, Eric Peter on bass and Tony Crombie on drums. Tracks 9 and 11 were recorded in London on September 21, 1955 with Feldman on vibraphones backed by Norman Stenfalt on piano, Lennie Bush on bass and Phil Seamen on drums.08. Suite Sixteen: Monody/Minore/Habanera/Epilogue09. Duffle Coat10. Deep In A Dream11. Easy To Love12. Time Will TellThe final track on this disc is from the album titled  Arrival of Victor Feldman . All of the tracks were laid down for Contemporary Records in Los Angeles on January 21 and 22, 1958. Feldman is on both piano and vibraphones on this album, and is backed by two legends: bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Stan Levey.13. Serpent's ToothDISC TWOTracks 1 through 9 on this disc are a continuation of The Arrival Of Victor Feldman from DISC ONE.01. Waltz02. Chasing Shadows03. Flamingo04. S'posin'05. Bebop06. There Is No Greater Love07. Too Blue08. Minor Lament09. Satin DollTracks 10 through 16 are the original seven tracks from the album titled  In London, Vol. 2 [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED ]. Note that the reissue to which I linked has ten tracks, but some are bonus tracks including a repeat of the medley on track 6 of DISC ONE. All of the tracks were recorded in London.Tracks 10 through 13 were recorded on December 12, 1956 with a big band comprised of Jimmy Deuchar, Bobby Pratt and Dizzy Reece on trumpet, Ken Wray on bass trumpet, John Burden on French horn and Jim Powell on tuba. The saxophone section was comprised of Derek Humble on alto sax, Ronnie Scott on tenor sax and Tubby Hayes on tenor and baritone, and Joe Temperley and Pete King on baritone. The rhythm section was comprised of Feldman leading on vibraphones, Norman Stenfalt on piano, Lennie Bush on bass and Phil Seamen on drums.Track 15 was recorded on January 3, 1957 with Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Feldman on vibraphones, Terry Shannon on piano, Kenny Napper on bass and Phil Seamen on drums.Tracks 14 and 16 were recorded on December 11, 1956 by a big band comprised of Jimmy Deuchar and Dizzy Reece on trumpet, Ken Wray on bass trumpet, Derek Humble on alto sax, Ronnie Scott on tenor sax and Tubby Hayes on tenor and baritone saxophones. Feldman is leading the rhythm section as drummer, with Norman Stenfalt on piano and Lennie Bush on bass.10. Blues In Two Modes11. Jennie12. One Momentum13. Karen14. Wood Work15. It Ain't Necessarily So16. Short CircuitOverall this is a value-priced set that would cost many times the asking price if purchased individually at the time of this review. A major plus is this set contains albums that are now out of print. More importantly, this is Feldman at the mid point in his too short career, and the set includes his debut album in the US.

Obviously I know about the impact Feldman made in America and his work with both Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley, and of his fine compositions such as "Joshua" and "Azule Serape", but I knew nothing of his contribution to the British jazz scene prior to his American fame.This album is a fine collection of his earlier work in various settings. The outstanding album is the quartet album from 1955 with Feldman on vibes. In fact there are two quartets; one with pianist Tommy Pollard, Eric Peter (b) and Tony Crombie (d) and the other with Norman Stenfalt (p), Lennie Bush and Phil Seamen(d). Pianist Tommy Pollard was a revelation to me.The "opening album" is "Transatlantic Alliance" (1956/1957) which has Dizzy Reece, Jimmy Deuchar (both tpt) and Tubby Hayes along with stalwarts such ad Lennie Bush, Tony Crombie, Phil Seamen, Terry Shannon, Kenny Napper.The third album, made in the US, is a trio with Feldman on both piano and vibes, along with americans Scott La Faro and Stan Levy.Finally there is a big band / nine - tet / quintet album with Feldman on vibes, except the nine-tet where he plays drums.If this is not an all embracing selection of Feldman's skills and contribution I can't think what would be.As usual, two CDs, booklet and fine sound quality all for a few quid!

A totally brilliant cd. Sublime playing and musicality. I don't really know what to add, except to say, if you like jazz, and don't have this album, then buy it! Buy it! British players too!

VICTOR FELDMAN was one of the early UK players to go to USA. The ADDERLEY bros chose him from many pianists and vibes players for some of their greatest recordings, true testament to his genius and ability.

Another astonishing bargain from Avid, offering as it does, three more complete reissues from the old Tempo catalogue (reissued by Jasmine a decade ago) "Victor Feldman in London Vol 1 and Vol 2 (which itself included the contents of another Feldman session from 1957 called "Transatlantic Alliance"). All these 1956/7 tracks were recorded in London following Vic's departure for America, on his first holiday home (December 56/January 57) and feature the cream of British modernists of the day - Ronnie Scott, Jimmy Deuchar, Derek Humble, Terry Shannon, Phil Seamen etc etc, plus a 10" quartet LP recorded just before his departure to the States in 1955. This features the now forgotten pianist Terry Pollard, who was one of the original modern British pianists, who died far too early in 1960 and therefore appeared on very few records - most of them sadly unobtainable.As ever with Avid there is a tremendous bonus - a 1959 session for the USA label "Contemporary" with Scott LeFaro and Stan Levey. This is a famous trio LP called "The Arrival Of....", though by the time it was recorded Vic had been working regularly in the States(with Woody Herman and Shelly Manne amongst others) and had already recorded under his own name for Trend. He would go on to work with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, which gives those who don't know of him, some idea of his great qualitiesVic - pianist, vibist, drummer, arranger, composer (1934-1987). I hope this cheap reissue of some of his finest work will promote interest in another great musician in danger of being forgotten. He was a great musician as you will hear.

Victor Feldman was a British jazzman who emigrated to America in 1955, returning from time to time on holiday to the U.K. He continued to record in the U.K. for a while. This disc consists of four sessions, one recorded before he left, two on return visits and one in the U.S.A. after he had settled there. In England he had been a triple threat on vibes, piano and drums, but in America he gradually began to concentrate on the piano. In Britain he was probably the top modern jazz player until pushed off that perch by Tubby Hayes,He was undoubtedly a very good player, although to these ears his music has not survived as well as that of Tubbs. However, this is an attractive collection of his work in a variety of settings.In the order they are presented on this two disc set 'Transatlantic Alliance' recorded on a home visit in 1956/7 comes first. There is a sextet with Dizzy Reece, Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes (on baritone), and Victor on piano, a quartet with Dizzy and rhythm (Victor again on piano), and a quintet with Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, with Victor on vibes and Terry Shannon on piano. So, lots of variety, with the two top trumpeters in the country, good solos all round and some blistering baritone from Tubbs (was there anything he couldn't do?)The next session is 'The Victor Feldman Quartet' from 1955, little known but very impressive. Victor is on vibes throughout, with Tommy Pollard and Norman Stenfalt doubling on piano. Victor plays fluent but thoughtful vibes but the real star is Pollard, who plays some ruminative chords in solo and accompaniment, around which the whole music revolves. On his tracks Stenfalt plays some melodic piano but sounds lightweight by comparison.Then follows 'The Arrival Of Victor Feldman', made in the U.S.A. with Scott LaFaro and Stan Levey. A very tight band with a fine rhythm section, with Victor on piano and vibes. Victor plays well, but the band sound is a little sparse when he is on vibes with no piano accompaniment, and the music does not have the depth of the 1955 quartet.The last session reverts to 1956/7, with the big band, ninetet and quintet. The big band is an exciting roaring unit a little on the lines of Woody Herman, and the ninetet essentially is the same thing writ smaller. Victor is mainly on vibes, but other soloists include Dizzy Reece, Derek Humble, Tubbs, Ronnie Scott, Jimmy Deuchar, Ken Wray and others, so it really is an embarrassment of riches.Good stuff, with, slightly surprisingly, the best coming from England and not America.