Tubby Hayes - The Complete Tempo Recordings 1955-1959 (2012) [6CD Box Set]

This whopping six-disc set comprises the early bop and hard bop solo output of tenor saxophone giant and bandleader (as well as a pianist and vibraphonist) Tubby Hayes, one of a handful of players who put British jazz on the map in the 1950s. Admired by American and European players alike, he stands as one of the great masters of the horn, period. Some of the other notable players that recorded with him during this historic period are trumpeters Jimmy Deuchar and Dickie Hawdon, bassist Pete Blannin, drummers Lennie Breslaw and Tony Crombie, and, of course, saxophonist Ronnie Scott, to name a few.

The first two discs here are almost entirely devoted to the Tubby Hayes Orchestra (actually an octet), whose dates were released on 7" EPs as well as the LPs British Modern Jazz Scene 1956 and After Lights Out. The second also contains two tracks from the early Jazz Couriers, released on the historic Jazz at the Flamingo, recorded during in the summer of 1956. Disc three begins in 1957 with the album Tubby Hayes and the Jazz Couriers Featuring Ronnie Scott, recorded on August 8, as well as an alternate of "On a Misty Night" from a Tempo anthology. It is followed by four cuts – including Hayes' killer "Plebus" from an August 15 session – and capped off by a live date in February of 1958 that featured the band playing a spirited read of Scott's "Some of My Best Friends Are Blues" that carries over to the rest of the record, The Jazz Couriers in Concert, on disc four. The remainder contains the EP The Eighth Wonder – Hayes also plays baritone, alto, vibes, and piano on the record – with bassist Phil Bates and drummer Bill Eyden. It also includes six of the eight tracks from The Couriers of Jazz; the remaining two kick off disc five. The full-length London Jazz Quartet album is here, as well as the first half of the Jazz Couriers' The Last Word, from 1959. Disc six contains the final three jams from that album, which features a dynamite reading of George Gershwin's "Love Walked In." The last album in this set is Tubby's Groove, recorded in December 1959 with Jazz Couriers pianist Terry Shannon and drummer Phil Seaman, along with new bassist Jeff Clyne. The sound on this set is excellent; the music was remastered from original tapes, not vinyl. While it's worthy of complaint that the original albums are not presented wholly together, separated by discs, it's actually minor. Also included is a brilliant liner essay by British saxophonist Simon Spillett that's not only full of historical data, but cultural insight. This is a tremendous package from Acrobat and well recommended to Hayes fans and jazz enthusiasts.



Tracks:


Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - March 1st 1955
1-1 Jordu
1-2 Orient Line
1-3 May Ray
1-4 Monsoon

Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - April 29th 1955
1-5 I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
1-6 Sophisticated Lady
1-7 Deuces Wild

Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - July 14th 1955
1-8 Fidelius
1-9 Tootsie Roll

Tubby Hayes Quartet - July 29th 1955
1-10 Dance of The Aerophragytes
1-11 There’s No You
1-12 Imagination
1-13 Peace Pipe
1-14 Evil Eyes
1-15 There’ll Never Be Another You
1-16 Opus De Funk
1-17 Straight Life

Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - February 18th 1956
1-18 Medley: The Little Giant, Orient Line
1-19 Plymouth Rock
1-20 Room 608
1-21 Doggin’ Around
2-1 Sophisticated Lady
2-2 Mambo Tittoro
2-3 I’ll Remember April

Tubby Hayes Quintet - July 17th 1956
2-4 Ode To Ernie
2-5 Foolin’ Myself
2-6 No, I Woodyn’t
2-7 Message To The Messengers
2-8 Hall Hears The Blues
2-9 Nicole
2-10 Introduction By Tony Hall/Night In Tunisia
2-11 Laker’s Day

Tubby Hayes And The Jazz Couriers Featuring Ronnie Scott - August 8th 1957
3-1 The Theme/Through The Night Roared The Overland Express
3-2 Royal Ascot
3-3 On A Misty Night
3-4 On A Misty Night – Alternate Take
3-5 Cheek To Cheek/ The Theme

Tubby Hayes And The Jazz Couriers Featuring Ronnie Scott - August 15th 1957
3-6 Oh, My!
3-7 Plebus
3-8 Reunion
3-9 A Foggy Day

The Jazz Couriers, February 16th 1958, Dominion Theatre
3-10 Introduction By Tony Hall/What Is This Thing Called Love?
3-11 Some Of My Best Friends Are Blues
4-1 The Serpent
4-2 Guys And Dolls
4-3 Time Was
4-4 Speak Low
4-5 Cheek To Cheek

Tubby Hayes Plays Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Vibes And Piano, March 1958
4-6 Time Was
4-7 Blues For Those Who Thus Desire
4-8 The Eighth Wonder

The Couriers Of Jazz, November 1958
4-9 Mirage
4-10 After Tea
4-11 Stop The World, I Want To Get Off!
4-12 In Salah
4-13 Star Eyes
4-14 The Monk
5-1 My Funny Valentine
5-2 Day In, Day Out

London Jazz Quartet - May 14th 1959
5-3 Wait And See
5-4 The Toff
5-5 Lakeland
5-6 Sadie’s Song
5-7 Copper On The Beat
5-8 Let Nature Take Its Course
5-9 Slick Riff
5-10 Big Ben Bounce
5-11 Mirage
5-12 Autumn In Cuba
5-13 Fishin’ The Blues
5-14 Cheekie Chappie
5-15 London Lament
5-16 The Baron’s Blues

The Jazz Couriers - June 26th Or July 3rd 1959
5-17 If This Isn’t Love
5-18 Easy To Love
5-19 Whisper Not
5-20 Autumn Leaves
6-1 Too Close For Comfort
6-2 Yesterdays
6-3 Love Walked In

Tubby Hayes Quartet - December 1959
6-4 Tin Tin Deo
6-5 Embers
6-6 Like Someone In Love
6-7 The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
6-8 Sunny Monday
6-9 Blue Hayes