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 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! LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

Classic work by one of the greatest British jazz groups of all time! The Jazz Couriers were a legendary outfit fronted by the twin tenor team of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes – and who also featured, on this set, piano by Terry Shannon, bass by Kenny Napper, and drums by Phil Seamen. The combo has an approach to their material that's tight as any American group of the time – maybe even better – mixing up bop influences in a mode that had them cutting up tunes, opening them up, and laying out lean solos with plenty of soul! Tubby Hayes, as always, is amazing – and Ronnie Scott really seems to shine especially well in his company. Titles include great readings of "Whisper Not", "Autumn Leaves", "Yesterdays", "Love Walked In", and "Too Close For Comfort". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer jazz from the UK! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Jazz Couriers group that starred England's greatest tenor players ever – Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes. The music gives us one of the best glipses into Scott's rich tenor talent, which has long been under-documented in the reissue world. The group is tight, hard, and surprisingly soulful – and we're sure to bet that if you pop this one on for a friend, they're going to say "What the heck is this? Some lost Blue Note LP?" Titles include "In Salah", "The Monk", "After Tea", and "Mirage" – the the whole thing sounds excellent! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost moment from British tenor giant Tubby Hayes – a set that features a core British combo, but with the addition of Duke Ellington stalwart Paul Gonsalves on tenor and Ray Nance on trumpet and violin! The album crackles with all the soul and imagination of Tubby's other 60s classics on UK Fontana – but the presence of Gonsalves' tone really brings in something beautiful – that compressed, raspy style that he was using in the 60s, which is a wonderful contrast not just to the sound of Hayes – but also to the work of Ronnie Scott and Tony Coe, who also blow reeds in the group! Tubby himself also handles a bit of flute and vibes in addition to tenor – and the rhythm section features Terry Shannon on piano, John Lambe on bass, and Ronnie Stephenson on drums. Titles include "Change Of Setting", "Child's Fancy", "Min & Madge Blues", "Deb's Delight"," Tubby's Theme", "Speedy Gonsalves", and "Don't Fall Off The Bridge". CD

Killer jazz from the UK! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Jazz Couriers group that starred England's greatest tenor players ever – Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes. The album is darn tough to find in the original, and this reissue is long long overdue – especially as the music gives us one of the best glipses into Scott's rich tenor talent, which has long been under-documented in the reissue world. The group is tight, hard, and surprisingly soulful – and we're sure to bet that if you pop the CD in for a friend, they're going to say "What the heck is this? Some lost Blue Note LP?" Titles include "In Salah", "The Monk", "After Tea", and "Mirage" – the the whole thing sounds excellent! CD

Tremendous American recordings from British tenorist Tubby Hayes – presented here in a CD that features four previously-unreleased titles that include "Soho Soul", "Simple Waltz", "Half A Sawbuck", and "You're My Everything". CD

A very very cool live set from the great tenorist Tubby Hayes – one that has him working in an unusual quartet with Louis Stewart on guitar – a setting that makes a really nice change for Hayes! The track are all very long and open – three of the four are past the ten minute mark – and Stewart's guitar often provides this rhythmic comping while Tubby solos – creating blocks of chromatic sound that make for a wonderful counterpart to the sharper, soulful lines from Hayes as he creates with the sort of non-stop energy we love in his live performances. The rest of the group includes Kenny Baldock on bass and Spike Wells on drums – and titles include "The Syndicate", "Gingerbread Boy", "The Inner Splurge", and "The Gentle Rain". CD

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

A great 70s session from one of the best French saxophonists of the time – deep-voiced Guy Lafitte, one of the few European players to match the soul and range of American giants like Coleman Hawkins or Sonny Stitt! Lafitte's got an effortless sense of confidence on his instrument – a way of handling the tenor that makes the instrument come alive with personal expression, in a rare manner that arises with only a rare breed of player, like Sonny Rollins or Tubby Hayes. And like both of them, Lafitte's got a way of skirting the obvious – never going for the easy moment, but instead creating a rich space of his own to work from, a quality that really shines through in this set. Of course, it helps that Guy's got some of his best rhythm backing ever – from a trio that includes Hank Jones on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and JC Heard on drums. Titles include "One For The Bean", "Bonsoir Jolie Madam", "Michel", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Body & Soul". CD features 2 bonus tracks not on the original album – "Stuffy" and "Smuggler's Cave". CD

A rare American release from British baritonist Ronnie Ross – working here in the sharp-edged company of drummer Allan Ganley! The group's got a really tight sound throughout – that best sharp-lead mode of the Brit scene of the 50s – but with a looser feel on the solos, which are handled especially well by Ross and tenorist Art Ellefson – a player we hardly know at all, but who cuts some really imaginative lines on the set. The overall feel's a bit like the Jazz Couriers work of Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott – or a bit like some of Don Rendell's best – and the rest of the group features Stan Jones on piano and Stan Wasser on bass. Tracks are mostly originals, and titles include "The Country Squire", "The Moonbather", "The Real Funky Blues", "Blues For The Five Of Us", "I Won't Fret If You Don't Get The Blues Anymore", and "Pitiful Pearl". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few American releases cut by the legendary British trumpeter Dizzy Reece – and a great one! The album was strange for Blue Note, in that it was a joint US/UK session – featuring American players Donald Byrd and Art Taylor, along with great Brit players Reece, Tubby Hayes, Terry Shannon, and Lloyd Thompson. Hayes is especially excellent here, and the record captures him at the peak of his young imaginative powers. With a two-trumpet frontline held down by Byrd and Reece, Hayes' tenor solos cut through hard and clean, with a deep soulful sound that makes him the most sparkling player on the session. Titles include "Close Up", "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", and "Round Midnight". CD features two bonus tracks – "Eboo" and "Just A Penny". CD

The two faces of Fame are live and studio – as each side of the original album was recorded in each mode – and this great CD version goes a lot further, with stereo and mono mixes and a huge number of bonus tracks! The live numbers feature the Brit jazz vocalist swinging in a 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. The studio numbers are even better, and feature 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". Disc 1 also features 13 bonus tracks from singles and EPs released in 1967 – and disc 2 is completed by 11 MORE bonus tracks – 6 released for the first time ever, including "Jumpin The Gun", "Respoken", "Fool's Paradise" and "Conquistador". CD

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

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 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

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

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