British tenor giant Tubby Hayes left the planet all too soon – passing away at the age of 38 in 1973 – but right up to the end, he continued to blow away most of his contemporaries – as you'll hear from this set of unreleased live material from 1972! The recording is from a time when Hayes was actually coming back out of a bit of time away from the scene – recuperating from heart issues that were soon to take away his life – and the period is almost a return to the basics of Tubby's breakout recordings of the late 50s – when he emerged as a tenor soloist to rival American greats like Sonny Rollins or Dexter Gordon! You can definitely hear that quality here, as Tubbs takes on some older standards, plus a few originals – and spins out these wonderful long solos that never fair for imagination or soulful expression – and which also feature some occasional great moments on flute too. The group is a very familiar one – Mike Pyne on piano, Tony Levin on drums, and Ron Mathewson on pass – who happened to record the proceedings over the course of two nights at Ronnie Scotts. Titles include long takes on "Lady Celia", "Trane's Blues", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Trenton Place", and "I Thought About You" – plus two shorter incomplete tracks, "Seven Steps To Heaven" and "Sienna Red". CD

A long-lost album from one of our favorite jazz talents of all time – British tenor legend Tubby Hayes, a player we'd easily place on a short list with giants like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins! Like both of those players, Hayes has an incredible talent for longform solos that never lose their fire, direction, or imagination – a quality that emerges here maybe even more strongly than on some of the records that preceded it – as Hayes works with just a quartet, on long tracks that are really dominated by both his great sound, and the strong contributions of pianist Mike Pyne – an equal star on the set! At a time when British jazz was going for a lot of new recording modes, crossover styles, and other gimmicks, the whole thing is a back to basics record for Tubby – but also one that shows just how much he's grown as a soloist in just a few short years – really on fire, as the tenor is driven strongly by the efforts of Ron Mathewson on bass and Spike Wells on drums, completing a great quartet who really get the energy of their leader. Titles include a great version of the Duke Pearson tune "You Know I Care", a lovely take on "Where Am I Going", and the Hayes originals "For Members Only", "Rumpus", and "Grits Beans & Greens". Fantastic stuff – long overdue, and instantly a key addition to the Tubby Hayes Fontana catalog of the 60s! CD

A long-lost album from one of our favorite jazz talents of all time – British tenor legend Tubby Hayes, a player we'd easily place on a short list with giants like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins! Like both of those players, Hayes has an incredible talent for longform solos that never lose their fire, direction, or imagination – a quality that emerges here maybe even more strongly than on some of the records that preceded it – as Hayes works with just a quartet, on long tracks that are really dominated by both his great sound, and the strong contributions of pianist Mike Pyne – an equal star on the set! At a time when British jazz was going for a lot of new recording modes, crossover styles, and other gimmicks, the whole thing is a back to basics record for Tubby – but also one that shows just how much he's grown as a soloist in just a few short years – really on fire, as the tenor is driven strongly by the efforts of Ron Mathewson on bass and Spike Wells on drums, completing a great quartet who really get the energy of their leader. Titles include a great version of the Duke Pearson tune "You Know I Care", a lovely take on "Where Am I Going", and the Hayes originals "For Members Only", "Rumpus", and "Grits Beans & Greens". Fantastic stuff – long overdue, and instantly a key addition to the Tubby Hayes Fontana catalog of the 60s! This great 2CD version features the full versions of all the sessions, with a number of takes on some of the tunes – including an unusual version of "Where Am I Going" with the guitar of Louis Stewart instead of the piano of Mike Pyne. Also has a hardcover package, and a nice booklet of notes! CD

Rare BBC recordings from Tubby Hayes – working here with the Jazz Couriers, the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra, Victor Feldman, Walter Bishop Jr, and his own quartet and quintet. 30 tracks in all! CD

A lost live date from the great British tenorist Tubby Hayes – recorded right near the end of his too-short life, but a stone cooker all the way through! The material was recorded live at the Hopbine – but it's different than both the other 1972 album from the venue, or earlier Hopbine sessions – as this one features backing by the trio of pianist Tony Lee, who was becoming one of Tubby's main accompanists at the time. The tracks are all long, open, and very stretched out – with that incredible Hayes solo power still very much in top form – that non-stop sense of imagination and creativity that easily made Tubby one of the giants of his time, even amidst American players like Johnny Griffin or Dexter Gordon. Titles include "Symphony", "A Certain Smile", "I Thought About You", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

Seminal work from British tenor giant Tubby Hayes – one of his greatest, and most ambitious albums ever! The album features Tubby at the head of a larger ensemble of jazz musicians, working through his own arrangements of jazz standards – re-worked and expanded in ways that practically turn them into completely different tunes. Players on the set include the cream of British jazz of the mid 60s – like Kenny Wheeler, Ronnie Ross, Ronnie Scott, and Gordon Beck – and Tubby plays vibes and flute in addition to tenor, working in an open-ended style that is tremendously evocative. Titles include "Nutty", "Milestones", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Night In Tunisia" – all done in very different versions than usual! The set also features Tubby's own "100% Proof" – a really great track in its own right! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing collection of music – the legendary Fontana Records run of albums by tenor giant Tubby Hayes – a key player on the UK bop scene of the 50s, but one who took off in all these great new directions with these classic albums for the Fontana label in the following decade! The package features twelve full albums done by Tubby as a leader – all newly remastered by Gearbox, and packaged here with bonus material that was not on previous reissues – a number of alternate takes across the entire Fontana catalog! Each album comes in an LP-styled jacket with original cover art, save two, which are combined – and albums include Tubbs, Tubbs In New York, Palladium Jazz Date, Equation In Rhythm, Down In The Village, Late Spot At Scotts, Tubbs Tours, Return Visit, 100% Proof, Mexican Green, The Orchestra, and the 2CD version of the newly-discovered Grits, Beans, and Greens. There's a big booklet of notes, too, with rare photos and other images – and the whole package is wonderful throughout! CD

A really fantastic album from this hip British reedman – and maybe his strongest jazz album to date! As you might guess from the title, Tenderlonious plays the music of Tubby Hayes here – taking on older songs by the 60s British jazz giant, served up in small combo modes, with flute in the lead instead of a tenor! The group's got a really deep, rich sound – with creative instrumentation from Hamish Balfour on Fender Rhodes, piano, and vibes – plus Nick Walters on trumpet, Aidan Shepherd on accordion, Pete Martin on bass, and Tim Carnegie on drums – all players who really get that very hip groove of Tubby at his best – particularly the style of his mid 60s live albums on Fontana. There's no processing or other effects – as on other Tenderlonious albums – just straight jazz, beautifully done – and also a bit of soprano and piccolo from the leader too. There's just four tracks on the record – this is more of an EP than an LP – but the whole thing is superb, and titles include "Down In The Village", "Raga", "In The Night", and "Trenton Place". CD

A really fantastic album from this hip British reedman – and maybe his strongest jazz album to date! As you might guess from the title, Tenderlonious plays the music of Tubby Hayes here – taking on older songs by the 60s British jazz giant, served up in small combo modes, with flute in the lead instead of a tenor! The group's got a really deep, rich sound – with creative instrumentation from Hamish Balfour on Fender Rhodes, piano, and vibes – plus Nick Walters on trumpet, Aidan Shepherd on accordion, Pete Martin on bass, and Tim Carnegie on drums – all players who really get that very hip groove of Tubby at his best – particularly the style of his mid 60s live albums on Fontana. There's no processing or other effects – as on other Tenderlonious albums – just straight jazz, beautifully done – and also a bit of soprano and piccolo from the leader too. There's just four tracks on the record – this is more of an EP than an LP – but the whole thing is superb, and titles include "Down In The Village", "Raga", "In The Night", and "Trenton Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic gem from the British scene of the late 60s – music by a group who played in relative obscurity, but who were very much at the top of their game! The quintet have a tenor/trumpet balance that's something of a legacy from earlier UK groups – such as those with Ian Carr and Don Rendell, or maybe some of the Tubby Hayes combos – a mode that's swinging modern jazz, with lots of original writing by the members of the group – packing a lot into a little, but with a vibe that's totally great – and very individual! The songs burst out with a great sense of tone and color – often a hint of modal structure in the rhythm – performed by the lineup of Ian Bird on tenor and alto, John Curtis on trumpet, Ray Shea on piano, Daryl Runswick on bass, and Tim Wolley on drums. All group members, save Wolley, contributed material – and titles include "Needs B", "Johnny Plonk", "Bossa For Bev", "Nothign Yet", "Birthday Girl", "The Buttertree", and "Vanessa". Also, the set was never issued at the time – this is its debut! LP, Vinyl record album

That's an angry-looking James Coburn on the cover – a tipoff that you're in for something really special on the record – one of the best-ever soundtracks from the mighty Roy Budd, the man who also gave the world the superb score for Get Carter! There's a few elements here that echo the music for that famous film – including some inventive percussion, moody basslines, and a great use of space – and the lineup of musicians features some surprising contributions from important British jazz artists – including Kenny Baker on trumpet and Tubby Hayes on tenor, Frank Barber on percussion, and Jeff Clyne on bass – plus Roy himself on Fender Rhodes, clavinet, harpsichord, and piano! This is the first-ever extended presentation of music from the soundtrack, a superb treat throughout – with titles that include "Mr Easy", "Death In The Shower", "Alright Alex", "Find A Solution", "The Deal", "Never Think Twice", "Waiting For Murder", "Main Theme", "Somebody's Going To Have To Kill Him", and "Borrowed Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic group from the British scene at mid 60s – music from a time when the UK world of jazz was exploding from the work of artists like Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, but also held some other tremendous talents as well! The group here has trumpeter Henry Lowther and tenorist Lyn Dobson at the core – and also features work from Jon Hiseman on drums, plus piano from Ken McCarthy and bass from Ron Rubin on the quintet tracks, and bass from a pre-Cream Jack Bruce on the quartet titles! Tracks are long, open, and filled with the kind of modern expression you might know from the group of Ian Carr and Don Rendell – often modal rhythms giving strong inspiration to freer solo flights – but always with a sense of soul that keeps things from ever sounding too outside to swing. The whole thing's wonderful – a near-lost slice from these crucial years – with titles that include "Snow", "Straight Away", "Celebrity Stomp", "Night & Day", "Red Planet", "Black & White Raga", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

A fantastic group from the British scene at mid 60s – music from a time when the UK world of jazz was exploding from the work of artists like Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, but also held some other tremendous talents as well! The group here has trumpeter Henry Lowther and tenorist Lyn Dobson at the core – and also features work from Jon Hiseman on drums, plus piano from Ken McCarthy and bass from Ron Rubin on the quintet tracks, and bass from a pre-Cream Jack Bruce on the quartet titles! Tracks are long, open, and filled with the kind of modern expression you might know from the group of Ian Carr and Don Rendell – often modal rhythms giving strong inspiration to freer solo flights – but always with a sense of soul that keeps things from ever sounding too outside to swing. The whole thing's wonderful – a near-lost slice from these crucial years – with titles that include "Snow", "Straight Away", "Celebrity Stomp", "Night & Day", "Red Planet", "Black & White Raga", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more ambitious titles in the legendary Lansdowne series – a batch of work from mostly-soundtrack composer Laurie Johnson – featuring key solo work by Joe Harriott on alto, Tubby Hayes and Tony Coe on tenors, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet! LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from one of the greatest British tenorists of the 60s – reedman Dick Morrissey, an artist who never cracked our shores as strongly as Tubby Hayes or Ronnie Scott – but whose work is equally wonderful! Like both Hayes and Scott, Morrissey's got a way of mixing solid swing with a touch of modern – really taking Brit jazz to the next level with a recording like this – a smoking studio cooker with a rock-solid rhythm section! Most tunes are originals – played with tight changes that really make the most of Dick's sharp line on tenor – by a quartet that also includes Harry South on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums. Titles include "The Goblin", "Serenata", "Down Home", "Skatin", "On The Spot", "There & Back", and "The Celt". CD

A rare British session from vocalist Mark Murphy – and one of his grooviest albums of the 60s! Mark's working here with great backings from the orchestras of Tubby Hayes, John Dankworth, and Les Reed – all of whom give Murphy some of his hippest grooves to date, very much in the mode of some of his work on the Midnight Mood album cut for MPS during the same overseas 60s stretch. And as with that one, there's a nice selection of tunes that goes way past the usual – and which shows off the widest range of Murphy's groovy vocal talents – titles that include "Ballyhoo", "Iceberg", "Stablemates", "She Loves You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", "From Time To Time", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". CD

A rare British session from vocalist Mark Murphy – and one of his grooviest albums of the 60s! Mark's working here with great backings from the orchestras of Tubby Hayes, John Dankworth, and Les Reed – all of whom give Murphy some of his hippest grooves to date, very much in the mode of some of his work on the Midnight Mood album cut for MPS during the same overseas 60s stretch. And as with that one, there's a nice selection of tunes that goes way past the usual – and which shows off the widest range of Murphy's groovy vocal talents – titles that include "Ballyhoo", "Iceberg", "Stablemates", "She Loves You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", "From Time To Time", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". LP, Vinyl record album

An nice array of work from British pianist/bandleader/arranger Harry South – one of the most important large group talents of the late 50s, and an artist who helped shepherd British jazz through a range of stylistic periods – from straight big band of the postwar years, to mod moments in the 60s, to even some sound library-styled work near the end of this set! The range of musicians who worked with South on these tracks is incredible – almost a who's who of British jazz – as the set features work from some of the top talents of the scene at the time – either as leaders, or as sidemen on some of the dates. Titles include "Orient Line" by Tubby Hayes, "Liggin" by Joe Harriott, Slidin" by Ronnie Ross, "Minor Incident" by Dick Morrissey, and "Signing Out", "Raga (edit)", "Storm Warning", and "The Goblin" by Harry South himself. LP, Vinyl record album

2 classic albums from British vocalist Georgie Fame – back to back on one CD! First up are Two Faces Of Fame – live and studio – as each side of the album was recorded in each mode! Side one features the Brit jazz vocalist swinging in a live set recorded in early 1967 – done with lots of Hammond organ in the lineup, and an overall style that picks up a lot from Ray Charles and Mose Allison, but filters it through the groovier beat group styles of 60s London. Side two is even better, and features Georgie singing in more of a jazz-based mode – with lineups that feature some striking players that include Tony Oxley, Peter King, Gordon Beck, and Tubby Hayes. Tracks include a wonderful take on Mongo Santamaria's "El Pussycat", plus the tunes "Do It The Hard Way", "It Could Happen To You", "C'Est La Vie", "River's Invitation", "Greenback Dollar Bill", and "Keep Your Big Mouth Shut". Third Face Of Fame is an even better album – one that has Fame moving past the swinging Mose Allison-inspired jazz vocal mode of earlier records, into a groovier style that picks up a range of different sounds! Georgie kicks off the album with his version of the ever-popular late 60s "Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde" – and seems to use that tune as an excuse to explore a nice range of older jazz vocal approaches, including one tune that even has him reciting the lyrics in a Beatles-sounding monologue! Arrangements are by Harry South, with players that include Gordon Beck, John McLaughlin, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, and Ian Hammer – and titles include "Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde", "Ask Me Nice", "When I'm Sixty Four", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Blue Prelude", "Bullets Laverne", "This Is Always", "Mellow Yellow", and "Side By Side". CD

More funky wonders from the Soul Beat series – a blend of older funk and jazz tracks, plus some newer skit and beat tracks based off of older grooves! Titles include "No Name Bar" by The Troubadours, "Christmas Will Be" by Lou Rawls, "Funky Feeling" by Blue Rhythm Combo, "Funky First" by The Silhouettes, "Hey Jude" by Tubby Hayes, "Detroit Soul" by Paul Nero, "No Hard Feeling" by Lowell Fulsom, "Hey What's That You Say" by Brother To Brother, "Lunar Invasion" by The Silhouettes, and "BRC Groove" by Blue Rhythm Combo. LP, Vinyl record album

A US album, but with work by Brit jazz greats like Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Dizzy Reece on trumpet, and Phil Seamen on drums! CD

Beautiful work from a Spanish tenor saxophonist who would have been huge – had he been blowing in France, Germany, or other European scenes that got much more global exposure in the 60s! Instead, Salvador "Mantequilla" Fort is something of an overlooked treasure – a reedman who can blow with the soulful strengths of other European giants of the time – like Tubby Hayes or Barney Wilen, with an especially strong sense of space that really reminds us of the latter! The groups here are all great – small combos that give Mantequilla an almost Blue Note-like setting – with Ricardo Miralles or Pedro Ferre on piano, Enrique Ponsa or Rafael Lizandro on bass, and some especially nice trumpet from Manolo Mercedes, who seems very well matched with Font. The album features tracks from three rare 7" EP releases – and titles include "Whisky Jazz", "Full De Ases", "Balada", "Azul Trompeta", "Blue Note", "Vat 69", and "Blues 3/4". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves – one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a fantastic sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving – work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums – all hitting a soulful hardbop style that's very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time! Gonsalves' tone is incredible – with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington – and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic. Titles include "Boom Jackie Boom Chick", "Village Blues", "Poor Butterfly", "Blue PG", and "Taboo". CD

A massive collection of jazzy tracks, and one that maybe has a bit of interest to the soul instrumental scene too – given that these were the kind of cuts that played big with the mod scene in London in the mid 60s! The approach is pretty great – in that each of the 4CDs is divided up by year, and by nation – so that you get two CDs' of British jazz, and two CDs' of American work – all for a whopping total of 78 titles in all. The music runs very strongly towards the soul jazz side of the spectrum – with lots of tenor and organ work – but there's also a few vocal cuts, and some harder-swinging larger groups too – served up in a lineup that includes tracks by Stan Tracey, Johnny Hawksworth, Dick Morrissey, Georgie Fame, Mike Carr, Freddie Roach, Milt Jackson, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott, Gabor Szabo, Charles Earland, Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, Neil Adrley, Kenny Clare, Danny Moss, Dudley Moore, Don Rendell, Gordon Beck, Ian Hamer, Johnny Scott, Les Condon, John Surman, and many others! CD