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

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.

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.