VA - Jazz From London 1957 (2012)

Another rare and previously unreleased jazz album from Acrobat, this time a very special ‘live’ concert recording from the creative hotbed that was the British post-war modern jazz scene. It features one of the concerts promoted by entrepreneur Bix Curtis under the ‘Jazz From London’ banner, modelled on Norman Granz’s ‘Jazz At The Philharmonic’ series. Compered by Bix Curtis himself, it features a fluid line-up comprising some of the UK’s top jazzmen most notably the legendary Tubby Hayes (tenor sax & vibes), along with Bert Courtley (trumpet), Hank Shaw (trumpet), Ken Wray (bass trumpet), Vic Ash (clarinet), Jimmy Skidmore (tenor sax), Dill Jones (piano), Lennie Bush (bass) and Bill Eyden (drums). Recorded in London in 1957, the album is especially important and collectable because it features the first recorded performance of Tubby Hayes on vibes. The package includes a comprehensive 5,000 word booklet written by noted jazz writer and musician Simon Spillett. This will undoubtedly cause something of a stir in the modern jazz market, since any previously unheard Tubby Hayes recordings are of considerable importance, especially those which represent such a significant landmark in his formidable if all-too-brief career.