Walt Dickerson – Peace (SCCD 31042)

SCCD 31042 Peace / Walt Dickerson Trio

It has always been SteepleChase’s goal to “re-discover” great jazz talents who for one reason or another have disappeared from the active scene.

Walt Dickerson, who was regarded as “Coltrane on vibraphone” chose in the sixties to leave the music scene to become a real estate broker.

Produced Nils Winther had a long-time admiration for the original style of Dickerson and after a long search Walt was located in a suburb of Philadelphia and brought to New York for his first SteepleChase recording venture in November 1975.

Being considered the innovator of the vibraphone playing from his recording debut in early 1960 Walt’s re-entry caused quite a stir in the jazz community throughout the world.

1. Universal peace (Walt Dickerson)
2. Chant of peace (Walt Dickerson)
3. Warm up (Walt Dickerson)

UPC/EAN: 716043104222

Ken McIntyre – Home (SCCD 31039)

SCCD 31039 Home / Ken McIntyre Quartet

Multi-reed player and professor in music Ken McIntyre (b. 1931 in Boston) was one of the main figures in free jazz of the 60s. Eric Dolphy played on his first album. Since he received his doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1971, he has been more active in teaching than in performing as a full time musician except for the few recordings he made for SteepleChase in the 70s.

This is his second album for the label and USA’s Stereo Review commented, “… an excellent musician, equally at home on all his instruments, and he is a composer of admirable originality…..McIntyre who spends most of his time teaching, ought to visit a studio more often.”

1. Undulation (Ken McIntyre)
2. Cousin Elma (Ken McIntyre)
3. Charlotte (Ken McIntyre)
4. Amy (Ken McIntyre)
5. Sea train (Ken McIntyre)
6. Home (Ken McIntyre)
7. Kheil (Ken McIntyre)
8. Jamaican sunset (Ken McIntyre)
9. Corner time (Ken McIntyre)
10. Peas 'n' rice (Ken McIntyre)

UPC/EAN: 716043103928

Michael Carvin – The Camel (SCCD 31038)

SCCD 31038 The Camel / Michael Carvin Quintet

This is another debut album of a young talent that came out of Nils Winther’s NY recording trip of ‘75. Michael Carvin who had played in numerous Motown recordings with the label’s stars like Stevie Wonder was beginning to be recognized also as jazz drummer on the New York scene playing in the Hampton Hawes Trio in the early 70s.

As the leader of a band consists of the Big Apple’s rising stars, Carvin cut an album with “ an overwhelming feeling of sheer musical competence ….” (Jazz Journal).

“ Talentueuse et surchauffée, cette musique mêrite que l’on s’y arrête .” (Jazz Hot)

1. Osun (Michael Carvin)
2. Naima (John Coltrane)
3. Kwebena's blues (Ron Burton)
4. M.C. blues (Michael Carvin)
5. The camel (Michael Carvin)
6. Billy boy (Traditional)
7. Osun (Michael Carvin)

UPC/EAN: 716043103829

René McLean – Watch Out! (SCCD 31037)

SCCD 31037 Watch Out! / René McLean Sextet

Even from the founding days SteepleChase has been known for its daring enterprise of recording leader albums by young, less-known (but talented, of course) musicians. This debut album by René McLean is a good example. Coming from a highly jazz inspiring home, René 29 at the time of this recording was already a matured musician actively involved in the “loft scene” in New York in the 70s. Even though heavily and inevitably influenced by his great father Jackie, he has developed his own musical personality.

“ A thoroughly professional, occasionally provocative and invariable enjoyable album ….” (Jazz Journal)

1. Bilad as Sudan (René McLean)
2. Aida (René McLean)
3. What it is (René McLean)
4. Watch out! (René McLean)
5. Jack's tune (Jackie McLean)
6. Jihad (René McLean)
7. Uptown-downtown (Hubert Eaves)

UPC/EAN: 716043103720

Jackie McLean, Michael Carvin – Antiquity (SCCD 31028)

SCCD 31028 Antiquity / Jackie McLean & Michael Carvin

“… Antiquity, an invigorating series of duets …” (Gary Giddins, Village Voice)

“… highly enjoyable …” (Cadence)

“… in a way, there are more music here than many releases with four or five participants …” (Jørgen Frigård, Politiken)

1. The tob (Jackie McLean)
2. Antiquity: The hump (Michael Carvin)
3. Antiquity: The slaveship (Jackie McLean)
4. Antiquity: The hunter and his game (Jackie McLean)
5. Antiquity: The crossing (Jackie McLean)
6. Gong go lye (Jackie McLean)
7. Ti ti (Michael Carvin)
8. Down in the bottom (Jackie McLean)
9. De i comahlee ah (Michael Carvin)

UPC/EAN: 716043102822

Billy Gault – When Destiny Calls (SCCD 31027)

SCCD 31027When Destiny Calls / Billy Gault Septet

The Music Of Billy Gault

Pianist/composer Billy Gault’s first SteepleChase recording is a collection of his own compositions characterized as hard bop with religious overtones.

Gault was born in New York in 1941 and studied music at Bennett Highschool and Buffalo University. He played in the Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and since the 70s he has been playing with Jackie McLean.

1. The time of this world is at hand (Billy Gault)
2. Aisha (Billy Gault)
3. Mode for Trane (Billy Gault)
4. When destiny calls (Billy Gault)
5. Portrait of Joanna (Billy Gault)
6. Nothing but a man (Billy Gault)

UPC/EAN: 716043102723

Connie Crothers – Perception (SCCD 31022)

SCCD 31022 Perception / Connie Crothers Trio

This is Connie Crothers’ debut album. She has been a long-time student of Lennie Tristano, who employed polyphonic, polytonal improvisation already in the 40s and is regarded as the founder of the “cool school”.

“… she has great individuality..in her prolonged harmonic tensions and by means of a sensitive use of the tone qualities of piano …” (R.D.. Jazz Journal)

“… Perception is cool, haunting, angularly melodic, technically razor-sharp …” (Billboard)

1. Lennie's scene (Connie Crothers)
2. Free-way (Connie Crothers)
3. Labyrinth (Connie Crothers)
4. Hillside Avenue (Connie Crothers)
5. Three-way (Connie Crothers)
6. Perception (Connie Crothers)
7. Convergence (Connie Crothers)
8. Vibrations (Connie Crothers)
9. My old flame (Coslaw/Johnston)
10. All the things you are (Jerome Kern)

UPC/EAN: 716043102228

Dexter Gordon – Billie’s Bounce (SCCD 36028)

SCCD 36028 Billie's Bounce / Dexter Gordon Quartet

Dexter In Radioland vol. 7

The seventh and last volume of live transmission from the 60’s captures the exuberant atmosphere of the legendary ‘Dexter nights’ at Montmartre.

“… The music here, recorded for Danish radio. all comes form 1964, when Dexter was at…the zenith of his career and probably the happiest time of his life …” (Steve Voce, Jazz FM)

1. Introduction ()
2. Billie's bounce (Charlie Parker)
3. Satin doll (Duke Ellington)
4. Soul sister (Dexter Gordon)
5. A Night in Tunesia (Dizzy Gillespie)

UPC/EAN: 716043602827

Phineas Newborn – Stockholm Jam Session, Vol. 1 (SCCD 36025)

SCCD 36025 Stockholm Jam Session Vol. 1 / Phineas Newborn

Pianist Phineas Newborn (1931 – 1989), despite his enormous talent characterised by his prodigious technique and extraordinary speed � la Art Tatum, remained in a relative obscurity throughout his professional life due to his illness.

Fortunately for this overlooked and under-recorded genius, a private recording made during his visit to Sweden in 1958 survived.

“ Expertly cleaned up by Nils Winther, they sound fresh and bright enough to counterbalance the vagaries of a single-mike recording and a ropy piano. The music is of an unexpectedly high quality for a spontaneous session ….” (The Penguin Guide To JAZZ)

1. I'll remember April (DePaul/Raye)
2. Ladybird (Tadd Dameron)
3. Undecided (Charlie Shavers)
4. All of you (Cole Porter)
5. Woody'n you (Dizzy Gillespie)

UPC/EAN: 716043602520

Dexter Gordon – It’s You Or No One (SCCD 36022)

SCCD 36022 It's You Or No One / Dexter Gordon Quartet

Dexter In Radioland vol. 6

With his favourite rhythm section, Dexter leads the proceedings of this sixth volume of live transmission from the 60’s European jazz Mecca Montmartre .

“ This excellent series of records which starts with Montmartre Jazzhus live date from 1962 documents the way in which Gordon was playing when he arrived in Europe … They prove that he was playing very well at the time …” (Barry McRae, Jazz Journal International)

1. Introduction ()
2. Just friends (Klenner/Lewis)
3. Three o'clock in the morning (Roblero/Terriss)
4. Where are you? (Jimmy McHugh)
5. It's you or no one (Jule Styne)

UPC/EAN: 716043602223