BLP 4006

Dizzy Reece - Blues in Trinity

Released - April 1959

Recording and Session Information

Decca Studios, London, England, August 24, 1958
Dizzy Reece, trumpet #1,2,4-6; Donald Byrd, trumpet #5,6; Tubby Hayes, tenor sax #1-3,5,6; Terry Shannon, piano; Lloyd Thompson, bass; Art Taylor, drums; Tony Hall, producer.

1001 Blues In Trinity
1002 Color Blind
1004 'Round Midnight
1005 I Had The Craziest Dream
1007 Close-Up
1008 Shepherd's Serenade

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date	Duration
Blues in Trinity	Dizzy Reece	24/08/1958	06:45
I Had the Craziest Dream	Mack Gordon, Harry Warren	24/08/1958	03:04
Close-Up	Dizzy Reece	24/08/1958	10:38
Side Two
Shepherd's Serenade	Dizzy Reece	24/08/1958	06:36
Color Blind	Dizzy Reece	24/08/1958	06:02
Round About Midnight	Thelonious Monk	24/08/1958	04:46

Liner Notes

ABOUT two years ago, I sent some records of Dizzy Reece to Miles Davis. Miles must have been impressed. Because he took the trouble the next day to ‘phone critic Nat Hentoff and say “there's a great trumpeter over in England: a guy who's got soul and originality and, above all, who’s not afraid to blow with fire”. Miles must have played those sides to a number of his friend. For when the invasion of Europe by American modern jazzmen began a few months afterwards, one of the first questions they asked on reaching Paris was “where’s this cat, Dizzy Reece, that Miles told us about?”

Though Dizzy was officially based in Britain, he’d spend much of his time in Paris. There, in 1956, he would play with Kenny Clarke and Don Byas. Then the Basie band arrived and an affiliation began between Dizzy and Frank Foster and Thad Jones. I once heard the two trumpeters together at a private party in London. I’ve seldom heard Thad play better. But he didn’t cut Dizzy. There was a tremendous respect between them and and awareness of the other’s talents.

Then Miles himself came over to Paris and told Dizzy that Sonny Rollins had heard his records. “If you ever go to the States, Sonny says you can have a job in his band any time”. With Miles on this “Birdland Show" tour was the Modern Jazz Quartet. Percy Heath, Connie Kay (or Klook) and Milt Jackson (generally on piano) would often play with Dizzy at the Club St. Germaine.

The next Americans to arrive included Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt and Oscar Pettiford. They, too, had heard about Reece. Again, there were some stimulating sessions on the Left Bank in the early hours. And the Dizzy Reece legend grew.

Finally, in the late summer of 1958, Donald Byrd and Art Taylor came to the continent for some jazz festivals and club dates with a band comprising Bobby Jaspar, Doug Watkins and pianist Walter Davis. Dizzy was in Paris from Cannes here he’d been playing with the French big band Kenny Clark had worked with.

"We’d heard about Dizzy from Miles and Sonny (Rollins)”, said Byrd. "So we were looking out for him. He came into the club one night and sat in. I don’t know what it was, but things didn’t work out too well that night. But he came in again the next night and blew like mad. It was a good session”.

As you may have gathered, Paris has become an international jazz centre. There, American and European musicians would blow together in an environment very different from that in New York or London. The Americans would find in Paris a release from many of the domestic and social tensions and problems they experience at home. French musicians found the presence of their American idols stimulating and encouraging. For British jazzmen, here was an opportunity to hear the Americans in less formal surrounding than the concert hall to which their British appearances were confined - and occasionally to sit in with them.

These recordings were made while Byrd and A.T. were in Paris. Dizzy was there with the big band. The Canadian bassist, Lloyd Thompson was working at a club with Zoot Sims. The British musicians, tenorist Tubby Hayes, and pianist Terry Shannon were on their annual vacation.

Let's quote from Byrd again: “I first heard Tubby when I spent a weekend in London. Man, he can play. I’d like to have thrown some really fast tempos at him, just to get him mad. But he’d have made them.”

When discussing a musician new to the American record-buying public. It’s customary for the annotator to write at length about his various influences. I find this very difficult with Diz. I\e been listening to him for five years now. I’ve watched his technique improve. At one time. it was a question of digging what he was thinking more than what he played. But now his thoughts are coming out of the bell of his horn with clarity. To me, he has always sounded like just himself. “Sure I’ve listened to lots of trumpet-players” he says. “But I just fed my music this way. My playing is like my way of life. It’s a religion”.

He’s basically a “hot” player. Sometimes his lines are simple: at others, naggingly multi-notedly complex. “But if people are looking for something mysterious or sensational in my playing they won’t find it. I just like to play”. He has a tremendous — often starkly dramatic - feeling for dynamics. This sense of drama in his playing is accentuated by his use of unusual intervals and accenting of notes.

As I’ve been Dizzy’s recording manager and friend for four years now. Alfred Lion sent me a test pressing of this LP so that I could write the liner. Dizzy hadn’t heard the tapes since the session, so he came over to my pad to hear the tests. His reaction? “There’s lots of music there. It sounds good. Better than a lot of records I’ve heard. AT. sounds just great. Hr’s ridiculous, man. A long beat.”

Taking the tracks in the order on the album:

Blues In Trinity is a most striking Reece original. ‘These are my changes”, says Dizzy. “Basically. it’s a slow blues. The bass plays double-time. The drums are three times up. So you get a 1.2.3 feeling. The soloist can chose his tempo and the piano has a lot of freedom.” Note that Diz takes his solo slowly before Tubby Hayes comes out snorting fire and fury. After the piano solo, Dizzy has a most striking chorus, employing very few notes, with the changes just passing beneath him.

I Had the Craziest Dream was a pop song of World War II. It’s a moving ballad vehicle for Dizzy, who plays a chorus and a half. “This tune’s been with me all my life. A Jamaican trumpet player named ‘Bubbles’ always played this tune. A sharp-looking cat, sort of Mexican-looking. He’s a good friend of AT. Lives next dooer to him in New York. That’s why I called it on this session. Terry plays nice changes here. And listen to A.T.!”

Close-Up is another Reece blues, but of a different hue than Trinity. Don Byrd. who was visiting at the session, makes the first of two guest appearances on this track. Dizzy is first, then Tubby. then Byrd. with Dizzy leading off again after Terry’s piano spot. The trumpet exchanges which follow remind me in places of an LP Byrd made in 1955 with Joe Gordon. Says Diz: “This was the Swinger. A nice, relaxed groove. No panic. A first take. But there’s a hungriness there. You listen! That Tubby! Byrd plays very good”. So does Dizzy.

Shepherd’s Serenade is an up-tempo 32-bar (2 16’s) Reece romp. Byrd played on this one, too. The way he and Arthur work together here is quite uncanny. There’s an empathy between them that is the result of much work together and understanding of each other. Dizzy takes off first. ‘There’s a real earthy feeling. It’s very natural”. A.T.’s exchanges here are a gas. And Shannon wails as much as anyone.

Color Blind was originally written by Dizzy two years ago in Paris. It’s a catchy 32-bar theme of two 16-bar sections. This was the first tune of the date and Reece and Hayes take fine solos.

‘Round About Midnight is probably the most beautiful jazz ballad ever written. Tubby Hayes uses it for his tenor feature. His sound is softer on this track and his solo is very moving, especially around the coda. Terry and Lloyd accompany him with intelligence and sensitivity.

Here, then, is Dizzy Reece’s first Blue Note album, And he’s right: there’s a lot of music here. He is a musician of sincerity and originality who should go to America as soon as possible (“I want to go so much”). I’m convinced that, in the New York environment, he could easily become one of the world’s great jazz trumpeters. If you don’t believe me, ask Miles!

BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES

Alphonso Son “Dizzy” Reece: born in Kingston, Jamaica on January 5, 1931. Son of a former “silent films” pianist. First instrument : baritone horn at 11. Switched to trumpet at 14. His schoolmates included altoist Joe Harriott and tenorist Wilton “Bogey” Gaynair. Came to Europe via London in 1948. In Paris (49-’SO), sat in with Don Byas, Jay Cameron. Worked Germany and Holland with drummer Wallace Bishop, Sandy Mosse and Byas. Returned to London in ‘54, working the clubs mainly with Quartets and a spell with Tony Crombie’s band. Spent 1956.7 in Paris, Portugal and London. In 1958, he worked in France with Jacques Helian’s big band and was resident at London’s Star Club. Currently gigging in London clubs, with occasional visits to France.

Edward Brian “Tubby” Hayes: born in London, England on January 30, 193S. Studied violin at 8 (his father was a well known BBC sessioneer), switching to tenor at 12. Turned professional at 16 with Kenny Baker’s Sextet. Spent four years on the road with the Vic Lewis, Ambrose, Jack Parnell big bands. From April ‘SS - September ‘56, he led a storming 8-piece band; then a pianoless Quintet. Took up vibes alter encouragement from Vic Feldman. Has been co-leader (with tenorist Ronnie Scott) of The Jazz Couriers since April ‘57 at London’s Flamingo club. Now equally adept on baritone, alto and flute. Main favourites and influences: Parker, Stilt, Getz, Rollins, Mobley, Coltrane. Griffin.

Terence “Terry” Shannon: born in London, England on November 5, 1929. Began playing at 7. Since 1955 has been ‘the” sympathetic section man and soloist for British jazznen. A founder member of the Jazz Couriers. Likes Horace Silver, Bud Powell, John Lewis, Sonny Clark.

Lloyd Thompson: born in Ontario, Canada in 1934. His brother, a tenor-player. leads a hand in and around New York. Came to Europe with Pia Beck Trio. Has worked in Paris with Allen Eager, Byas, Kenny Clarke, Al Levitt, Art Simmons, Zoot Sims etc. Currently in London with Dizzy etc.

—TONY HALL

Cover Photo by BILL PENNY
Cover Design by REID MILES
Recording by RUDY VAN GELDER