Graham Collier - British Conversations (2LP) [VINYL]

To commemorate the 10th year since the passing of esteemed British jazz composer, bassist and bandleader Graham Collier, My Only Desire Records presents this 1975 recording of his previously unreleased suite 'British Conversations'. The recording features lead soloists trumpeter Harry Beckett and guitarist Ed Speight, alongside The Swedish Radio Jazz Group - made up of the hottest players on the '70s Scandi jazz scene - including saxophonists Arne Domnrus, Claes Rosendahl and Lennart berg, trumpeter Jan Allan, pianist Bengt Hallberg, guitarist Rune Gustafsson and drummer Egil Johansen. Collier steers the band through the five-part suite that encompasses beautifully composed melodies, driving jazz rock and as many extremes as the British weather that inspired its name. Remastered from the original tapes by Caspar Sutton-Jones @ Gearbox Records, 'British Conversations' is available as a limited edition (500 units worldwide) 2LP set housed in a gatefold sleeve and 'mini-LP' gatefold CD, with sleeve notes by Graham Collier biographer Duncan Heining. Graham Collier (1937 - 2011) was one of the most accomplished, popular and collectable British jazz artists during the Brit-jazz heyday of the '60s and '70s, with his career of musically challenging yet hugely rewarding albums spanning five decades. His early LPs 'Deep Dark Blue Centre' (Deram, 1967), 'Down Another Road' (Fontana, 1969) and 'Darius' (Mosaics, 1974,) are rightly considered classics of the era. Released in co-operation with the Collier estate, we hope this wonderful record leads to many new people discovering and enjoying the music of Graham Collier. Press: "Like the British climate itself, it's a work of constant evolution and change, moving from languid apprehensive ballads to stormy, propulsive guitar rock, deep pastoral melancholy, modal patterns of rich colour and heavy big-band prog."- **** MOJO "Excellent session...Beckett and Speight's solos are superb and enhance a finely written suite that showcases the riches of a UK-EU fraternity." - **** Echoes "British Conversations is beautiful. It's touching and tender. There's a British noir aesthetic; a Geordie Gil Evans-Axelrod. It gets pretty damned heavy (special shout to Brolund on bass) but there's always a deft sensitivity. It's hip but focuses less on the material, less on the spectacle of hip and more on atmosphere and warm emotion." - **** UK Vibe "The recording is studio quality and the sole indication this is a live recording is the applause heard at the end...British Conversations ends with "Mackerel Sky", its most tense section. Ed Speight steps on his fuzz pedal and employs sustain, nudging himself towards Jeff Beck territory. The contrast between this and the bands ebbing, flowing, percussive rendering of a series of refrains adds to the tension." - The Arts Desk