2019 highlight: Triumph for Trible

Jazz singer Dwight Trible moves label on this his latest record to London jazz indie Gearbox. Quite a gathering of musicians here including Kamasi Washington, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson the sound is very much within the AfroFuturist mood at the moment and could sit just as easily as an Impulse record released in the 1970s because it has such a Pharoah Sanders/Leon Thomas vibe. The set includes a treatment of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ one of The Beatles’ most groundbreaking releases. There is plenty of power throughout not least because Trible, which another UK label Gondwana has done much to champion, is a very powerful singer. Trible is also a very involved singer who values tenderness, and he gives songs like ‘Brother Where Are You’ his all. And there is also something very reverent about the way he approaches his material, again part of the spiritual jazz sound he develops so effortlessly. The presence of Kamasi Washington is a big plus but by no means is this just a collection of star names. Think of it instead as easily one of the best jazz albums to date in 2019. photo: via YouTube

Tags:

In our thoughts this week once again is Tony Hall, the record producer, artist manager, and writer who died back in June aged 91. Tony’s executor Simon Nixon and Jon Newey, editor-in-chief of Jazzwise are presenting a special invitational evening upstairs in Ronnie's next Wednesday to celebrate Tony's life, work, and to share memories.

Jon writes: ''Ronnie Scott’s was one of Tony’s favourite clubs right back from the days when it opened in Gerrard Street in 1959. This autumn the club celebrates its 60th anniversary, and it is fitting that we should raise a glass to Tony within its hallowed walls. We shall also be presenting the club with a very rare set of LPs from the Tony Hall Archives. The Ronnie Scott Club Volumes 1-4 were recorded for the historic Esquire label in 1953-54, and eagled-eyed observers will note that this is good five years before the club actually opened. Perhaps with a premonition that Ronnie would open a club someday, the BBC recorded Ronnie’s Band at the Criterion and the Paris Theatre creating a live club ambience for broadcast on the BBC World Service. As one of the comperes of the BBC Jazz Club at this time Tony was involved with the recording and would have been most proud to see this special set brought home to the place it now belongs.''

Sounds like a great tribute to a much loved and very respected man whose spirit lives on and whose place in jazz history in the UK is indelibly preserved and widely recognised. SG

Tony Hall and Dizzy Reece in 1956, pictured.

2019 highlight: Triumph for Trible

Very rare set of LPs from the Tony Hall Archives to be presented to Ronnie Scott's