Correct me if I am wrong, but I am sure I went to “Ray’s Record Shop” in Shaftesbury Avenue ?
1 Like
Yes that got me thinking as well - It’s down as being at 180 Shaftsbury Ave. I do remember it being very close to Tottenham Court Rd tube station. I only went there the once and vowed after that experience never to again. But I do have this recollection it was more of a corner end of street shop.
I did like it in it’s guise on the top floor of the old Foyles shop nice and spacious - now it’s parked at the end of the second floor in Foyles and always seems very expensive.
2 Likes
That is the shop - you could go in that entrance or straight through to Monmouth Street - I did not go there often, I thought they were always pretty near top price, bought more LPs on a Sunday at Greenwich market !
2 Likes
Yes, and Spotify radio based on them throws up interesting tracks.
10 Likes
Jimmy Scott - I GO BACK HOME
Short video about Jimmy Scott and The Nearness Of You song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwyTikxUW0Y
‘Ray’s Jazz’ also had that ‘Rare as Hen’s Teeth’ rack, where one could drool over jazz rarities. As for Ray himself - he was a good mate of Charlie Watts, an excellent spin bowler (coached at Lords I believe) and had his ashes scattered in Soho Square. Quite a character !
That Monmouth St. location was previously ‘Collet’s’, until Ray took over.
1 Like
This is a fabulous lockdown International Jazz Day video from the 3 Cohens brothers and sister. One of them is Avishai Cohen of Big Vicious Fame…beautifully done with some nice humour alongside the stunning musicianship. This is well worth a few minutes of your time…
2 Likes
I’ve really enjoyed the Giovanni Mirabassi Trio album and was particularly drawn to the drummer Leon Parker so checked out some other albums he has appered on:
AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
The talented young pianist Jacky Terrasson and his trio (with bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker) find something new to say on a few standards (including a rare up-tempo version of “For Sentimental Reasons”) and introduce five of Terrasson’s originals. Although he has does not have an original style yet, Terrasson displays a great deal of potential for the future. Highlights include “I Should Care,” “Just One of Those Things,” and a medley of his “Reach” with “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”
AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek
This is a curious set for saxophonist Dewey Redman, featuring a killer band that includes bassist Cameron Brown, drummer Leon Parker, and the first appearance of his son, Joshua, on tenor in duet on a couple of tracks. Redman himself is in fine form, playing with all of the deep, steamy lyricism he showcased so brilliantly with Ornette Coleman and in Old and New Dreams, but there is something else too, as evidenced by the track selection, and that is a new reverence for the tradition. Redman was always a melodic player, even in his most fiery avant encounters, but his love for jazz tradition, particularly its formalist considerations, was never really apparent until now. Here Redman selects the nugget “Everything Happens to Me” as the place to showcase his reverential balladic style. Over the course of ten minutes, he allows the hidden blues in the tune to come out and haunt him as he explores each nuance with minimal accompaniment. Also, the Van Heusen nugget “Imagination” is read here with such eloquence, grace, and heartbreaking sensitivity that it’s almost a blues. The melodic invention Redman displays here makes this version a contender for being the definitive one. The Eastern edge is here in “O’Besso,” with Joshua playing tenor and Dewey playing musette. It begins as a modal Eastern theme onto which the changes are gradually built. The melody seeps out, almost unexpectedly, and becomes a flower of interwoven harmonic figures traded between father and son. There’s also plenty of the traditional Redman fire in place too, such as on “Le Clit,” the original that was supposed to be recorded for the 1980/1981 sessions he did with Pat Metheny. Whether it was or not is anybody’s guess, but it has never surfaced if it was. Here Dewey and Joshua, on alto and tenor, respectively, trade eights in the bridge between their solos and come to grips with a monster of their own creation – deeply lyric, yes, but also fathomlessly dark and brooding. Finally, Redman’s “For Mo” features both men on tenor and it’s more of a dovetailing ride than a battle, which is as it should be. The singing goes deep here and Parker and Brown push the pair into corners of rhythmic invention that demand resolution. This is a wonderful and unexpected surprise from Dewey and a welcome entrance onto the scene from Joshua.
2 Likes
That was the second shop. Originally Ray’s was in the basement of Collet’s, in New Oxford Street. I visited many times in the late sixties, travelling up from Hayes, Middlesex, via Northolt on the Central Line, with my schoolfriend Tony, who like Ray, was a spin bowler. They played together occasionally.
3 Likes
That was a nice store back in the day - combined specialist jazz store with hifi. Used to make visits there and have got quite a few LPs with the Peter Russell store sticker on the back.
1 Like
thanks! loved the jacky terrasson disc – added to my favorites. for some reason, choices wouldn’t play on tidal (it was listed, but played silence) – will try again.
I have the CD but it’s on Qobuz playing now. Sound quality very good.
Dave
1 Like
Never visited but they did a very funny for sale list.
Very early record from Miles’s Columbia catalogue soon after his release from Prestige and what an incredible LP it was.
5 Likes
The Good Noise - I always looked forward to receiving the latest copy.
1 Like
6 Likes
In the ten years between 1955 and 1965 Miles and his legendary Quintet released some of the finest music of any genre not just Jazz.
The line up of John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones and Red Garland is one of the greatest groups to be assembled ever and when you take into account the temporary addition of Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly at the start of the 60’s and then Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter you are talking about ten of the greatest Jazzmen to have played ever.
One of Miles’s greatest skills was as a band leader to bring together these incredible groups of musicians and produce the music they did, to recognise and harness such young talent is something that probably no other person could have done.
Huge talents in their own right Hancock, Coltrane, Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter who as band leaders and solo artists over the next 30 years would go on to produce some of the greatest jazz music ever written.
4 Likes
I always think the role of Teo Macero is overlooked when talking of Miles output both in this period and certainly in the period that followed.
2 Likes