29 October 2013

JEFF CLYNE - IAN CARR - TREVOR WATTS - JOHN STEVENS "SPRINGBOARD" (POLYDOR, 1966)




This was previously posted by kinabalu in December 2009. 
As the links are long gone I thought it would be time for a re-up.
In fact it was this post (thank you kinabalu!) which made me aware about this excellent and still not re-issued LP. 
New rip in flac with (small) cover pictures.

And here's the original text from Kinabalu:

Well, whaddyaknow! I made a request for this in the last post and here it is, served on a golden platter by reader "corvimax" who dipped into the big pool of the P2Ps to retrieve the goodies for our joint enjoyment here on the blog.

Having listened to it several times, it remains a huge mystery why this album has not been deemed worthy of reissue after 40 years, still fetching bundles of money on the collector's market.

This was recorded in 1966, but only released in 1969 on Polydor.

The basic facts:

Jeff Clyne, Ian Carr, Trevor Watts, John Stevens - Springboard

1. Love Was Born [TW]
2. C4 [JS]
3. Ballad [JC]
4. Helen's Clown [TW]
5. Ou Sont Les Neiges D'Antan [IC]
6. Crazy Jane [IC]
7. Springboard [JS]

Ian Carr - trumpet, flugehorn
Trevor Watts - alto sax
Jeff Clyne - bass
John Stevens - drums

Recorded at Regent Sound Studio, London.

(Aug 1966, Polydor 545007)

This is a brilliant album, probably "free" by the standards of the time, but not really free in the sense of the later compact minimalism of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. It also predates the later fusion of Nucleus, of which Carr and Clyne were founder members, but there are elements of the later Amalgam obviously, with three of the members present here. Perhaps one can hear shades of the early Ornette Coleman and Joe Harriott combos who were pioneers in defining the new thing in the late 50s. It's unorthodox, but still very melodious, chemically free of the mid- to late-60s blow-outs associated with the ESP label. Whatever labels to attach, this is fresh to these ears, more than 40 years after the fact.

After listening to this album, I would advise our followers to listen to the John Stevens - Chemistry - album which we have posted here before. Interesting linkages and continuities from this to the later Chemistry from the mid-70s.

As always, enjoy! More to come! And another thanks to "cortimax" for digging this out of the virtual ether.

48 comments:

kinabalu said...

256 kbps mp3 - retrieved from Soulseek:

http://rapidshare.com/files/314981655/springboard.zip

kinabalu said...

On the theme of commemorations, this is also to mark the passing away of Ian Carr earlier this year.

dee es said...

Thanks kinablu and corvimax for the post. Both the write up and the music are great.

freebones said...

ain't corvimax great? ;)

Wallofsound said...

Thanks for sharing kinabalu.

I am sorry to hear of the death of Jeff Clyne. We are now seeing a generation of true innovators passing before us. There's a obituary from British jazz writer John Fordham here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/dec/01/jeff-clyne-obituary

Dr Wommm said...

Both Jeff Clyne and Ian Carr will be sorely missed, genuine innovators and beautiful souls both

Thanks so much for posting this little heard piece of wonder

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this little archaeological gem.

john said...

Fantastic! I'd given up hope of ever hearing this. You're right to mention 'Chemistry', which is a high point in the output of the Stevens/Watts team; I'm sure Springboard will be a worthy predecesor.

NickS said...

I've certainly heard of these guys but never heard their music. This is really a terrific album. There is so much stuff out there that I have missed.

Thanks kinabalu and corvimax.

Arnon Gilboa said...

Beautiful & stimulating. Looking forward to hear more from these guys. Thanks for the pleasure!

Neroon001 said...

have not heard of this album before,so it will be a treat for me.sad to hear about Jeff Clyne's passing,like someone said earlier we are losing way to many innovators too fast.Thanks again for sharing this album

Anonymous said...

Hello from Greece.
GOD bless you !!!
Thank you so much for this marvelous album.
Even in my wildest dreams I 'll never dreamed i'll
get this album.
It was a big surprise for me.
First time I'm listening this album.
Thanks for sharing.

Konstantinos

Anonymous said...

That DOES sound interesting.

grumpy said...

I've been looking for this for ages. Having been outbid on ebay, I thought I'd never hear it, so many thanks!
My abiding memory of hearing John Stevens is a sad one: he played at Leicester University in the early 70s in a hall that seemed so vast, with an audience of some half a dozen. No wonder he gave up free jazz for fusion!

Gsblog said...

Springboard! Simply wonderful and a complete justification for blogs like this.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Thank you
Listen on youtube : Love was born
here

Nick said...

Great thanks!

Anonymous said...

this blog single handedly keeps my interest in free improvisation alive... records like this are incredible postings... thank you

Anonymous said...

and should have added also thank you for caring about the quality of music by posting flac

means we can properly enjoy this music !

headman said...

Whoah...one of jazz's "Holy Grails" and now in lossless.

Thank you so much, onxidlib.

neil said...

Wow! Thanks for this rarity, onxidlib; and for making it available via Zippyshare...

ooftü said...

Fantastic post onxidlib, Jazz like this is perfect for fall imo. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

wow !, thanks!

Tantris said...

I saw Trevor Watts at the Vortex last week! A brilliant improvising quartet with Tony Bevan, John Edwards and Mark Sanders. I've been digging out all my SME recordings since then, and am looking forward to hearing this.

Andy said...

@ Tantris. Try Endgame.

kinabalu said...

Good to see a flac upgrade of this "forgotten" gem. I didn't know one existed. For those who want to explore related items from the time, check out my earlier postings of Amalgam, but I've no idea, as of writing, whether the links are atill operative.

Tantris said...

I listened to this twice yesterday - it really is excellent! Also interesting to compare this version of ´Springboard´ against the SME version on ´Unreleased studio sessions´.

I´m now looking for a CD or LP of ´Endgame´! There was a download available here, but I missed it, and the links no longer seem to be working.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Sorry Tantris - but it is available as lossless download via the ECM site.
And on discogs there's an offer for 18,- euro...

Tantris said...

Hi onxidlib - absolutely right, and no problem; if it's in print, then I'll find it some time, and tomorrow's schedule includes a record fair - who knows what will turn up there!?

Cheers, T

Anonymous said...

Can anyone provide Moire Music Saalfelden Encore? It's one of the finest examples of Trevor's music and sadly has never been released on CD...let alone lossless files.

kinabalu said...

Yes, I have the Saalfelden Encore. I also have two other Moiré Music lps - one self-titled and one called With One Voice, both on the Arc label. Plus two Watts albums on Ogun - one with the Trevor Watts String Ensemble called Cunosure and the other with Amalgam called Closer To You. And that's just the lps. I can't say anything definite about the availability of the others - have not checked so far.

kinabalu said...

Oh, and I can certainly recommend Endgame. I have it on lp, and in responding to the request, was able to retrieve a free online copy - not in the public domain, usurprisingly. But in sticking to our OOP policy, can't post it here.

This album was given the ECM aural treatment, so these chaps come off sounding better than they've probably done before or after. Check out the Elton Dean Boundaries for similar aural clarity. Das deutsche Reinheitgebot?

grumpy said...

Oh no, I missed it! Any chance of a re-up, please?

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Hey Grumpy - I try to upload it tonight - otherwise on Thursday!

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
grumpy said...

Many,many thanks for your generous response! A great album, wonderful to have lossless.

JD said...

Thanks from me, too, onxi...I also missed this before. As grumps says, nice to have it in lossless.

Chris said...

Thanks Onxidlib for the re-up

Anonymous said...

Thanks very much Onxidlib. Appreciate the upgrade.

Prof. Yaffle said...

Many thanks

Bhowani said...

Many, many thanks for the new link, Onxi !

Anonymous said...

Hi
regarding the number of comment this album was very appreciated, as a fan of british jazz would it be possible to have a repost of it?
thanks in advance.

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

Soon

Ernst Grgo Nebhuth said...

1fichier

nod said...

Thanks Onx Just yesterday a friend of mine talked about this album, he had a copy bought many years ago but in very bad condition, this lp is absolutely rare and no hope for a reissue by universal who is the owner of the catalog.
so many thanks

francisco santos said...

BIG THX!...

brus_1 said...

Thanks a million! Could never afford this LP...