Hopper-Dean-Tippett-Gallivan Quartet 1977

Now check this one out! A (not exactly HD) footage of the Hopper-Dean-Tippett-Gallivan Quartet live in 1977. - Oh, I wasn´t allowed to embed it, so you better watch it on Vimeo.

The musicians are Hugh Hopper (b), Elton Dean (sax), Keith Tippett (p) and Joe Gallivan (dr).

I know this group only from the fine "Cruel But Fair" album that was released on the Oslo based record company Compendium back in 1977, but there is also "Mercy Dash" (Culture Press 1985).

The Dedication Orchestra play "Ithi Gqi"

We had a post on The Dedication Orchestra playing The Blue Notes (at Verona Jazz 2001) back in April, and now Bergi57 uploaded another one. This time they play "Ithi Gqi" by Johnny Dyani.

Read more on The Blue Notes over here, and according to this page, the version of The Dedication Orchestra playing in Verona was:

TEATRO ROMANO, VERONA, ITALY
22nd June, 2001
‘JAZZ 2001’
THE DEDICATION ORCHESTRA
Maggie Nichols, Julie Tippetts, Phil Minton, Francine Luce – voices; Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Kenny Wheeler, Jim Dvorak – trumpets; Mark Charig - cornet; Malcolm Griffiths, Paul Rutherford, Alan Tomlinson, Dave Amis – trombones, Dave Powell – tuba; Trevor Watts – alto; Elton Dean – alto; Lol Coxhill – soprano sax; Neil Metcalfe –flute; Sean Bergin – alto & tenor; Larry Stabbins – tenor sax; Julian Arguelles – baritone sax; Keith Tippett – piano; Roy Babbington – double bass; Louis Moholo – drums; Steve Beresford – director.

Soft Machine "Live in 1970"

Soon to be released: A 4 CD compilation of live recordings of Soft Machine in 1970, called (hold your breath!) "Live in 1970" (Retroworld 2014).

This seems to be a collection of tracks already present on other releases, but is said to be "re-mastered with extensive liner notes".

If you have any info, please share.

The band: Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Elton Dean and Hugh Hopper, with Lyn Dobson present on two of the CDs.

Tracklist over here.

The Dedication Orchestra

Bergi57 recently posted three videos of The Dedication Orchestra playing at Verona Jazz 2001.

The videos are not exactly high quality, but what a gang playing material by The Blue Notes!
In this blog post you may watch "Andromeda" (Chris McGregor), and you may also see "Sondela" (Mongezi Feza) and "Traumatic Experience" (Harry Miller) on YouTube.

Read more on The Blue Notes over here, and according to this page, the version of The Dedication Orchestra playing in Verona was:

TEATRO ROMANO, VERONA, ITALY
22nd June, 2001
‘JAZZ 2001’
THE DEDICATION ORCHESTRA
Maggie Nichols, Julie Tippetts, Phil Minton, Francine Luce – voices; Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Kenny Wheeler, Jim Dvorak – trumpets; Mark Charig - cornet; Malcolm Griffiths, Paul Rutherford, Alan Tomlinson, Dave Amis – trombones, Dave Powell – tuba; Trevor Watts – alto; Elton Dean – alto; Lol Coxhill – soprano sax; Neil Metcalfe –flute; Sean Bergin – alto & tenor; Larry Stabbins – tenor sax; Julian Arguelles – baritone sax; Keith Tippett – piano; Roy Babbington – double bass; Louis Moholo – drums; Steve Beresford – director.

Trad Dads, Dirty Boppers and Free Fusioneers (CD)

A couple of days ago I had a post on the book "Trad Dads, Dirty Boppers and Free Fusioneers", and finally I got the soundtrack too (same title as the book)!

Reel Recordings have made what they call "A compendium of British jazz recordings from the
artists´ archives", presenting the music chronological, from Mike Taylor Quintet (1961) to Graham Collier Music (1975), everything gathered from reel to reel tapes found in garages and behind shelves.

Click on the cover over at Reel Recordings, and you will see who is playing on the different tracks.

You will find (among lots of others!) old friends like Kenny Wheeler, John Surman, Lol Coxhill, Elton Dean and Ian Carr, and you will be happy to see that Robert Wyatt is on this one too!
Wyatt is drumming with Gary Windo´s Symbiosis on "Standfast", recorded January 11th, 1971.

I have only heard the album a couple of times, but it´s thumbs up here, and "Standfast" is a real treat! The same recording was also on Gary Windo´s album "Anglo American" (Cuneiform 2004).
I don´t know if any of the other tracks have been released on other records. Please tell if you know.

And let´s just add that LondonJazz did read the book too, a bit more closely than me.

Soft Machine - Live At Het Turfschip

I have not bought every single archival release of Soft Machine material, but this seems to be a new release on Vinyl Lovers (the same label that gave us this one): Soft Machine - "Live At Het Turfschip, Netherlands, 31 January 1970".

This seems to be exactly the same material that Voiceprint released on "Breda Reactor" in 2005, with these fine gentlemen playing:
- Robert Wyatt - drums, voice
- Mike Ratledge - Lowery organ,
electric piano
- Hugh Hopper - bass guitar
- Elton Dean - alto sax, saxello
- Lyn Dobson - tenor & soprano
saxes, flute, harmonica, voice

Canterbury Soundwaves Episode 20

Check out Canterbury Soundwaves´ episode number 20. It´s a tribute to Elton Dean (1945—2006), and of course we meet Robert Wyatt and Soft Machine, and a whole bunch of the usual suspects, like Kevin Ayers, Keith Tippett, Evan Parker, Daevid Allen and John Greaves.

Go jump into the Soundwaves for more info.

Elton Dean´s Ninesense live 1979

Here is another great archival release from Reel Recordings. This time we get the live album Elton Dean´s Ninesense "The 100 Club Concert 1979" (Reel Recordings 2012).
The full concert from The 100 Club takes two CDs (one set on each). They play one Nick Evans composition ("First born"), the rest is composed by Elton Dean.

If you are a Hi-Fi freak, please note that the recording is described as "Sony TC-D5M Cassette, Stereophonic Ambient Recording", and was made by Dean fan Riccardo Bergerone. It may sound as Keith Tippett is pretty far away from the rest, but if you can accept a recording (and release) like this one (and Tippett obviously has!), you are in for a treat! And really, it doesn´t sound that bad? Anyone?

The Band is Elton Dean (alto saxophone, saxello), Alan Skidmore (tenor & soprano saxophones), Mark Charig (cornet & tenor horn), Harry Beckett (flugelhorn & trumpet), Nick Evans (trombone), Radu Malfatti (trombone), Keith Tippett (piano), Harry Miller (bass), Louis Moholo (drums). The American trumpet player Jim Dvorak joined the Brit-Jazz gang for the second set.

I don´t know if anybody has published a complete, and up to date, Elton Dean discography, but visit Calyx´s Canterbury discography (click on D!) and Hulloder, and take it from there.

Soft Machine live in Paris 1970

The whole Soft Machine live in Paris 1970 DVD is now on YouTube.
Follow the link if you want to see it, no embedding allowed.
The DVD was released by Voiceprint in 2008, but it seems like it´s not in stock anymore, and probably just fine somebody uploaded it?

I had a post on the DVD in 2008.

The band:
Lyn Dobson: soprano sax, flute, voice, harmonica;
Elton Dean: alto sax, saxello;
Mike Ratledge: organ, pianet;
Hugh Hopper: bass;
Robert Wyatt: drums, vocals.

They play:
Facelift,
Esther's Nose Job,
Eamonn Andrews/Backwards/Mousetrap,
Out-Bloody-Rageous.

Soft Machine live in Brussels (1971)

I have already posted from Soft Machine´s 1971 Brussels concert, but not this video of "Kings and Queens".
This was recorded in january 1971, with these fine gentlemen:
Mike Ratledge - Keyboards
Elton Dean - Alto Sax, Saxello
Hugh Hopper - Bass
Robert Wyatt - Drums

A month later Soft Machine (with the same crew) played in Oslo, and if you don´t have it, check out the recording of the show on "Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971" (Reel Recordings 2009).

Soft Macine: Ronnie Scott´s Jazz Club

Vinyl Lovers have released a double live LP with Soft Machine, from London´s Ronnie Scott´s in April 1970.
According to Michael King´s "Wrong movements. A Robert Wyatt history" (SAF 1994) Soft Machine were supporting John Williams 20 - 25 April. Mike Ratledge: "The way it (the 6 day residency) stretched our repertoire was very challenging, and we had to push ourselves into areas of freedom where we wouldn´t normally need to go".
Soft Machine had already been in the studio to start recording their third album when this happened, but the recordings for that one were mainly done in May. So the "Ronnie Scott´s Jazz Club" must be interesting stuff?! I have not got hold a copy yet, but It´s a must I guess.
Anyone heard it?

The band: Robert Wyatt, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge og Elton Dean.

The tracks:
- Slightly All The Time/Out-Bloody-
Rageous
- Eamonn Andrews
- Mousetrap *medley* (including:
Mousetrap / Noisette / Backwards /
Mousetrap - Reprise)
- Hibou Anemone And Bear
- Facelift
- Moon In June
- Esther's Nose Job *medley*
(including: Esther's Nose Job / Pigling
Bland Cymbalism / Esther's Nose Job -
Reprise)

Added November 6th:
This is the very same recording that we may find on the album "Somewhere in Soho" (Voiceprint 2004).

Third

Burning Shed (Canterbury Scene) have released Soft Machine´s "Third" on 180 g audiophile vinyl. "Third" was originally released in 1970, and this is where we find Robert Wyatt´s composition "Moon in June".

Elton Deans Ninesense Suite

Just a short recommendation for you Canterbury fans today, about a great jazz album. It might even be free jazz. The music on "Elton Dean´s Ninesense Suite" (Jazzwerkstatt, 2011) was recorded live in the early eighties by two quite different bands.

And even if track number one ("Natal"), played by Harry Beckett (tp), Harry Miller (b) and Louis Moholo (dr) might be the most inspired piece here (if i had to rate them), you may take the Canterbury quiz on "Ninesense Suite". In addition to the already mentioned gentlemen Beckett, Miller and Moholo, the musicians are Elton Dean (sax), Keith Tippett (p), Alan Skidmore (sax), Mark Charig (tp), Nick Evans (tb) and Radu Malfatti (tb).

Before you start googling Canterbury artists, check the musicians section over at Calyx, and read the review at Free Jazz.

A nice one!

Soft Machine - Live in Brussels, 1971

Soft Machine recorded 15 January 1971, for RTBF.

The Band:

Mike Ratledge - Keyboards

Elton Dean - Alto Sax, Saxello
Hugh Hopper - Bass
Robert Wyatt - Drums
More info on  YouTube.

Pure Psychedelic Rock

Sony released a compilation of four CDs called "Pure Psychedelic Rock" in 2010. This is some mix! You will find (among lots of others) Melanie, Spirit, Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Laura Nyro and Robert Wyatt!
Wyatt´s tune is "Las Vegas Tango. Part 1" (Gil Evans), taken from his first (and most experimental) solo album, "The End of an Ear" (1970). A pretty tough choice?

Check out all the tracks on "Pure Psychedelic Rock" here, and listen to "The End of an Ear" on Spotify, or from iTunes. Neville Whitehead (b), Mark Charig (cornet), Elton Dean (alto saxello), Mark Ellidge (p), Cyril Ayers (perc) and David Sinclair (org) joined Wyatt on "The End of an Ear".

Live at Henie Onstad - vinyl

Smalltown Superjazz recently released Soft Machine "Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971" on vinyl (STSJ187LP, 2010). This is a double album with (not a fold out) cover with layout by Kim Hiorthøy.
The music is (of course) just as good as on the Reel Recordings CD. Buy from Robot.

Live at Henie Onstad Art Center 1971

Finally it´s here: Soft Machine "Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971" (Reel Recordings 2009)! Lots of people have been waiting for this one, and when it is here, it is close to perfect! Soft Machine played at Henie Onstad 27 and 28 February 1971, Mark Boyle and Joan Hills doing the lights. Here we get recordings from the second day on two CDs, and we also get one accompanying CD-R with information.
The band is Michael Ratledge, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt (soon to leave the band). They play material from the Soft Machine albums "3" (1970) and "4" (1971), with tunes like "Facelift", "Virtually", "Slightly all the time", "Fletcher´s Blemish", "Neo-Caliban Grides", "Out-Bloody-Rageous", "All White", "Kings and Queens", "Teeth", "Pigling Bland" and "Noisette" (with good help from the CD-R here). The band does not play the tunes as such, but two long sets as they used to do. And the sound is just great!
Live recordings with the same people may be found on "Grides" (Cuneiform 2006), "Virtually" (Cuneiform 1998), "In Europe" (Blueprint 1998) and "BBC Radio 1967-1971" (Hux 2003), and check out "Drop" (Moonjune 2008) too, but Phil Howard plays the drums on this one, in Robert´s place.
Start by buying Soft Machine "Live at Henie Onstad Art Center 1971". Great stuff!