17 February 2013

Harry Miller at the BBC 1976-77




There was a request from blogger chum and contributor Miloo 2 to have some of the recordings that Harry Miller made for the BBC up and running again. These were initially uploaded by Ubu on his now dormant blog Ubu Roi here.

However, the first two tracks listed in the blog post have been released on "Full Steam Ahead" on the Reel Recordings label and have consequently been omitted here. Closer examination has revealed that the third track posted is also on the Reel cd, a superb version of "Family Affair" which was also the title tune of the one and only Isipingo lp released in their lifetime, out on the Ogun label, which he founded in 1973 and is now run by his widow Hazel Miller.

I've decided to keep it in here to ensure the narrative radio flow, but also as an enticement for all of you to go get the cd while it's still out there. The only difference from what I can hear is that this recording retains a bit of applause at the beginning and at the end. There is a small discrepancy in that the blog post reports Stan Tracey as being the pianist on the 1976 tracks while the cd says it's Keith Tippett. I'm inclined to go with the latter, so the info file has been corrected.

Finally, there are a couple of 1977 tracks with a different line-up which to my knowledge has not been released in these versions. "Orange Grove" and "Traumatic Experience" appeared on the "In Conference" lp on Ogun which was not with the Isipingo group.

Both of the aforementioned lps were reissued as part of the Harry Miller Collection, a 4 cd box set which is unfortunately out of print. Hopefully it will be reissued to keep Harry Miller's music in circulation. We're doing our little bit here. In any case, do get both the Reel and Cuneiform Isipingo releases. You won't regret it!


Harry Miller Isipingo - 1976

Marc Charig - trumpet
Malcolm Griffiths - trombone
Mike Osborne - alto sax
Keith Tippett - piano
Harry Miller - bass
Louis Moholo - drums

1. Family Affair (9:58)
2. Peter Clayton (0:38)
3. Where Now Then? (9:53)

Harry Miller Quintet - 1977

Trevor Watts - alto & soprano sax
Alan Wakeman - tenor & soprano sax
Berni Holland - guitar
Harry Miller - bass
Louis Moholo - drums

4. Orange Grove (9:22)
5. Charles Fox (0:41)
6. A Traumatic Experience (17:20)
7. Charles Fox outro (0:30)

Sources:
#1-3: BBC broadcast early 1976
#4-7: Jazz in Britain broadcast 24-12-1977(?)


I've edited the track sequencing so that the radio announcements by Peter Clayton and Charles Fox are inserted at the right points.


11 comments:

wightdj said...

New to me, thanks.

Wallofsound said...

Great to see this reposted. Miller is a quiet voice in British jazz, but no less important from those characters who assert themselves. These BBC broadcasts catch the British-South African musicians in full flower. Highly recommended.

miloo2 said...

Great, kinabalu, thanks a lot. I really appreciate your writings too. Harry Miller Ogun box set is a treasure, but sadly not very well mastered...

Anonymous said...

Thankyou very much Mr Andy Jazzman el Supremo

ubu said...

I'd gotten these tracks from dime ... before the Reel disc was out. Thanks to my post, I found out about Reel Recordings in the first place, and by now I own the entire catalogue (not yet the latest one though) and am a big fan!

Their Harry Miller disc is terrific, any fand of ZA jazz should get it!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for Miller...

propylaen2001 said...

May I ask for a reupload please?
Many thanks in advance.

miloo2 said...

new link for FLAC @ MEGA

and @ ulozto.net

correct silence said...

"Orange Grove" is available on the cd "different times different places vol 2"

propylaen2001 said...

@ miloo2
Thanks so much for the new link!

Guitarradeplastico,scraping oddities said...

Many thanks