The Milcho Leviev Quartet - Blues For The Fisherman, Mole Jazz (1980)
I already have True Blues the accompanying release to the brilliant and legendary release both where recorded live at Ronnie Scott’s on June 28-29th, 1980 using multiple microphones mixed to stereo without any eq, noise reduction, limiting or compression during any step by Trident Studios and Ray Staff
The results are sonically excellent as is the music, of course Art Pepper is the star but to avoid any legal issues with Galaxy Art’s label the Mole Jazz label recorded them as The Milcho Leviev Quartet.
Pianist Milcho Leviev, Tony Dumas on Bass and Carl Burnett on drums fully deserve the praise heaped on them by Art Pepper they are an incredibly tight live quartet.
Nice working in the West End sometimes.
Out on my break, quick visits to Rough Trade and HMV. RT to pick up Sunn’s latest, and found some Cindy Lee in the racks (I really like CL, gorgeous inventive lo-fi melodies and Patrick’s beautiful vocals). Then Björk and Mighty Diamonds at HMV…excellent breaktime!
Naissam Jalal - Landscapes of Eternity, Les Coulers Du Son (2026)
This limited edition of 800 vinyl release was mastered separately from the CD version by Marwan Danoun and has one less track Soft Rain On a Silent River is on the CD only
The Syrian flautist has nailed it again with this release she spent several months travelling alone through North India and these beautiful songs are the result.
If you have ever traveled alone through India as I have on a couple of occasions you can appreciate the effect that Naissam Jalal describes the experience had on her.
Even bought an LP from co-founder Ed Dipple when they/he was still mail order, before the shop (a Miles Davis twofer). He was one of 2 or 3 portly chaps with beards who manned the till at Kings Cross.
I remember when they did those Art Pepper releases. They sold very well (for jazz) at the time and were followed by Gil Evans UK tour releases and reissues of a couple of in-demand Tubby Hayes Fontanas (by then long out of print).
Thinking about it, there were two locations. I remember being in the first (Gray’s Inn Road) in 1988 when Graeme Hick scored 405* against Somerset - they always had the cricket on, behind the counter.
I part exchanged many of my lps for cds in the second location, across the road.
The original was the one near Kings Cross Station with the green board with Mole logo above (late 70s onwards). Around the early 90s I think they moved further along towards the Pentonville end on the opposite side - ground and upper floors. The final move in the 2000s was to part of Harold Moore’s Records down in Picadilly.
The last of these was a bit of a last blast for Mole. You did get the occasional characters in there - I remember seeing Soho character/photographer Harry Diamond in there one Saturday, being typically outspoken but interesting. Also remember seeing a well used copy of Mike Taylor ‘Trio’ on the wall display there - £750 even back then !
The final move to Picadilly didn’t last long - one of their employees bought out the company and did the move. Initially they were upstairs at Harold Moores (sort of a classical music vinyl Gringots) and finally moved to the basement there. All a bit sad.
In addition to a decent haul of CDs from Uptown Vinyl (see other thread) I also found this Mink de Ville LP. ‘Spanish Stroll’ has always been one of my favourite tracks
Personally I hadn’t heard of Mole Jazz until 6 or 7 years ago and as an 18 year old in 1988 would not have been seed dead in a shop like that but little did I know then that all of American House Music I thought so new and so underground had it’s roots deeply rooted into Jazz music.
Not the usual fare found in this thread but a damn fine album. Dirty, groovy rock and roll and they’re a fantastic live band to boot. My ears are still ringing from last Friday nights show.
A mint original Fontana Jazz issue of Mexican Green will set you back three figures these days, although the Gearbox cut reissue must have softened values slightly.
