NEW RELEASE AUTUMN 2009 - CD PRICE : £12.00 (incl. p&p)
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Stan Tracey - piano Simon Allen - saxophones Andy Cleyndert - bass Clark Tracey - drums |
1. Afro-Charlie Meets The White Rabbit 2. Duffy's Circus 3. Dream Of Many Colours 4. Rocky Mount 5. Triple Celebration 6. Stemless The Grandad Suite 7. Benology 8. January's Child 9. Portrait Of Katie 10. Zach's Dream |
Play Clips of the Grandad Suite
Stan Tracey Quartet - Senior Moment
RSJ 108
Tim Stenhouse
Stan Tracey returns with one of his freshest sounding recordings in years and at least one of the reasons for this seems to be the new musical collaboration with young and upcoming talent in saxophonist Simon Allen alongside long-term band members Andrew Cleyndert and drummer Clark Tracey. The elder Tracey has enjoyed special musical relationships with some of the all-time greats...more/less
For this latest album Tracey has revisited some of his vast back catalogue of his compositions and, in addition, offering an excellent new suite, 'The Grandad Suite', devoted unsurprisingly to his own grandchildren. Coltrane and Ellington are indeed conjured up with the reflective 'Dream of my colours' featuring beautiful soprano saxophone from Allen while in contrast 'Duffy's Circus' is an uptempo bop number in which Stan Tracey stretches out and Allen delivers a fiery solo on alto. There is an obvious nod to Thelonius Monk on the be-bop number 'Afro-Charlie meets the white rabbit'. However, of the non-suite pieces, the tour de force is unquestionably the calypso driven 'Triple celebration' where the tenor of Simon Allen hints at late-fifties Sonny Rollins and the overall feel is one that Dollar Brand would be at home with. The lengthy four piece suite impresses greatly with the lyrical first piece, 'Benology' the stand out track once again featuring the soprano saxophone of Allen and one of the album's most melodic pieces wheareas the fourth part, 'Zach's dream' is a blues-inflected number that is the ideal vehicle for Stan Tracey to solo at length. As ever immaculate accompanying from Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey respectively. This is one of Stan Tracey's most enjoyable albums in several years and a very fitting tribute to his sadly deceased wife Jackie.
Tony Hall. Jazzwise Dec/Jan issue.
This is the first new Stan Tracey recording I've heard in ages and deserves to be hailed as on of his best. The band is so relaxed. Sounds just as though they were on a gig. Quite a few first takes? Stan really is a national treasure. In his 80's, he's playing better than ever...more/less
Stan dedicates the record to wife Jackie, who recently passed away. A contemporary of mine long ago at Decca, she started as switchboard operator (with Sir Edward Lewis among her fans), progressed to promotion, then shortly after producing his classic 'Lil Klunk' for Tempo, left to manage Stan. Always feisty, to put it mildly, she gave up everything for Stan and will be missed.
Ray Comisky, Irish Times Oct. 2009
Along with Andy Cleyndert (bass), Clark Tracey (drums) and Simon Allen (alto/soprano/tenor), Stan Tracey revisits some of his old originals for an album as fresh and enjoyable as anything he’s ever done. The relative newcomer is Allen, a formidable talent with wide experience at the top table and the ability to burrow into a piece, take on its colours, produce exhilarating solos and quit with plenty of gas left in the tank...more/less
Peter Bacon, blogcatalog.com, October 09
Disc of the day -
It’s a catchy, Caribbean-tinged, joyful tune that could have been written by Sonny Rollins, and the saxophonist is doing nothing to dispell that thought. The pianist launches into a solo of exuberant high and low end keyboard conversation, before the saxophonist returns to work a sure-footed and nearly manic display of melodic happiness. Meanwhile the rhythm team buoys them all along, the bass solo takes the theme of enjoyment on and the drummer carries it through. And then it’s back to the head. The whole thing seems to be over in less than a minute, though it has lasted more than five. That’s what happens to time when you are having fun... more/less
Stan’s always played a strong card in irony and deadpan, of course – and the title is a classic case in point. In a blindfold “guess the ages of the band members” test the number 80 would have no chance of being mentioned, yet this adventurous, spirited, robust and superbly executed album is the latest from the supreme grandaddy of British jazz. Some of those half his age should be ashamed! Senior Moment is made up of new versions of tunes from his vast library – Duffy’s Circus, Stemless, Dream of Many Colours, etc – but making up the second half is the four-section The Grandad Suite of recently written pieces inspired by his grandchildren.
Of course, we know of Stan’s exemplary taste in musicians, but a special word for Simon Allen is in order. We may be familiar with his playing from a longish stint in Clark Tracey’s band, and with the BBC, Laurence Cottle and Matthew Herbert big bands, but he really gets to shine at length here, and, on whichever saxophone he chooses, he is superb: articulate, impassioned, big and bold or more delicate of tone as the music dictates, and always matching head and heart in perfect balance. You feel like every note is considered and every note is heartfelt; he doesn’t let his concentration stray for an instant, neither does he let in any cliches.
All in all, a storming set.
released July 07 - CD PRICE : £12.00 (incl. p&p)
Stan Tracey Orchestra - Live At The Appleby Jazz Festival
RSJ 103
Recorded July 2004 & July 2006
Stan Tracey / Bobby Wellins - Play Monk
Quartet with Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey
RSJ 104
Recorded December 2006
Live At Appleby Jazz - "Recording quality is vivid and atmospheric and the music is absolutely glorious."
Peter Bevan
All About Jazz - NY Oct 07
By Donald Elfman
Englishman Stan Tracey has long been influenced by Monk's pianistics and on Play Monk he presents - along with cohort saxophonist Bobby Wellins - a more conventional (that is, more like the classic Monk quartet recordings) but never less than compelling take on an evening's worth of the master. Recorded at London's renowned The Bull's Head, it plays up how much Monk's vocabulary has been absorbed by Tracey and Wellins. A familiar collection of tunes with their quirky ups and downs, the co-leaders play as if this music is in their blood - as indeed it must be. Tracey's son Clark plays drums and the bassist is Andy Cleyndert, a working quartet that never lets these tunes become old hat. The essence of the group and of Monk is immediately evident on "Bright Mississippi", the composer's stunning ‘simplifying' of "Sweet Georgia Brown". The band digs in for a ride that finds Monk and his source in beautiful tandem. Tracey's solo calls up not just Monk and Duke (another hero) but also the stride roots from which both emerged. On "Monk's Mood", unaccompanied tenor and piano delve into this episodic composition but take paths that suggest other worlds. And none of these players ever loses the joy and spirit of the music from which they take off.
see more reviews of these two albumsSTAN TRACEY - CD RELEASE RE-ISSUES
We Still Love You Madly
CD PRICE : £12.00 (incl. p&p)
Released on double CD
Trumpets: John Barclay, Steve Sidwell, Guy Barker, Henry Lowther - Trombones: Malcolm Griffiths, Chris Pyne, Geoff Perkins - Saxophones: Peter King, Jamie Talbot, Alan Skidmore, Art Themen, Phil Todd - Piano: Stan Tracey - Bass: Roy Babbington - Drums: Clark Tracey
CD2 - 'Stan Tracey Plays Duke Ellington'
Stan Tracey and Roy Babbington
1 I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
2 Prelude To A Kiss
3 Satin Doll
4 In A Mellotone
5 Day Dream
6 Great Times
7 Sophisticated Lady
8 Black Butterfly
9 Lotus Blossom
CD1 - the Orchestra
1 I'm Beginning To See The Light
2 Creole Love Call
3 Festival Junction
4 In A Sentimental Mood
5 Stomp, Look And Listen
6 Blue Feeling
7 Passion Flower
8 Just Squeeze Me
9 Mood Indigo
10 Lay By
Released for the first time on double CD
Stan Tracey Quartet's "Captain Adventure" from the Steam Catalogue first released in 1975 now with extra tracks from the live recording.
Stan Tracey - piano / Art Themen - saxes / Dave Green - bass / Bryan Spring - drums
Disc Two
1 Tease 'N' Freeze
2 Lover Man *
3 Constant Pud *
4 Captain Adventure
5 'Twas Ever Thus *
6 Blues, Encore Blues *
* Previously unissued material
Disc One
1 Friday the 31st *
2 They'll Call Us *
3 Doin' It For Art
4 Afro Charlie Meets The White Rabbit *
5 See Meenah
"Not only a return for Captain Adventure, but a return to the catalogue for one of Stan Tracey's most memorable groups. This is a double CD reissue of the session recorded live at the 100 Club in November 1975 by pianist Tracey with Art Themen on saxes, Dave Green on bass and drummer Bryan Spring.
It seems a long time ago, but this inspired music - sometimes tranquil, sometimes fierce - holds up wonderfully well, and is a vivid reminder of how each member of the quartet brought his own distinctive qualities to it. Everything from the original Steam recording is here, plus seven extra tracks which make up the whole of the evening's session. So those who have the old LP will need no encouragement to buy the CD set, and new listeners can do no better than to start here."
Pete Martin. Jazz UK.