Credits:

Kenny Wheeler

Description:

Born in Canada in 1930, Kenny Wheeler began playing the trumpet at age 12 at the urging of his father, a trombonist. After studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, he moved to London in 1952, where he was surrounded by the sounds of Miles Davis, Booker Little, Fats Navarro, etc. In 1959, Wheeler joined the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra, where he remained until 1963, but returned frequently for shows and other projects. Wheeler soon became a prominent soloist with the orchestra, and he also played on Dankworth's major albums of the 1960s. Wheeler also met and performed with many of the up-and-coming artists of the London free jazz scene. Trevor Watts, Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, and other musicians who defied the conventions of the time, eschewing formal composition and structure in favor of group improvisation. For a musician like Wheeler, who had thoroughly studied the conventions of charts and dance bands, this was a radical experiment. Wheeler's contribution demonstrated that he was flexible enough and that he could inhabit both the free environment and the more formal and controlled environment of a big band or orchestra. This was most clearly demonstrated in this 1969 original release, recorded on Fontana with the John Dankworth Orchestra.The album features a young John McLaughlin on guitar, bassist Dave Holland, and a host of other talented and prominent musicians to create one of the greatest modern jazz big band and orchestral albums of all time. Audio record remastered & cut by Gearbox Records from the original master tapes, 180g weight LP, flipback LP sleeve, 380g heavy front laminate sleeve, 12x12 insert with new liner notes and Audio download voucher enclosed. Personnel] Kenny Wheeler (flgh) John McLaughlin(g) Tristan Fry(perc) Alan Branscombe, Bob Cornford*(p) John Dankworth, Ray Swinfield, Tony Robert(sax) Tony Coe(sax,cla) Chris Pyne, Mike GibbsTrumpet - Derek Watkins, Henry Shaw, Henry Lowther, Les Condon(tb) Alf Reece, Dick Hart(tuba) Dave Holland ( double-b) John Spooner(ds)

Tracklisting:

1.Preamble
2.Don The dreamer
3.Sweet Dulcinea Blue
4.Bachelor Sam
5.Sancho