Don Rendell & Ian Carr

Previously unreleased. Live in London. 1-4, 6, 8: Recorded 16th November 1964. From the Neil Ardley tape archive. 5, 7: Recorded 4th April 1964. From the Dave Green tape archive.

Creating ‘a most interesting groove which combines a good deal of avant garde experimentation with the jazz fundamentals of logic andswing’ (Melody Maker), the Don Rendell-Ian Carr Quintet has gone down in British jazz history as a cult band, its few commercially- issued albums remaining among the most collectable of their kind. Mixing the gravitas of the veteran saxophonist Rendell with the ambitious and eclectic tastes of co-leader Carr the unit was a crucible of Brit-jazz development, swiftly moving from orthodox Hard Bop to a style unquestionably its own.

Scottish trumpeter, composer, educator and author Ian Carr was on the cutting edge of the U.K. jazz scene for over four decades. From 1963 to 1969, the self-trained musician worked in the fabled Don Rendell-Ian Carr Quintet, which released five influential albums including Dusk Fire, Phase III, and Change Is. All are considered pillars of British jazz. During the 1970s, after Carr and Rendell were co-billed as soloists on Neil Ardley's seminal prog rock-cum-modal jazz masterpiece Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercise, Carr established the groundbreaking jazz-rock fusion ensemble Nucleus.

A jazz event… and a packet of crisps, please! The energy exuded by the group bounces off the walls and magnifies their imaginative enthusiasm to new heights. Apparently the original tape wasn’t in the best condition, so what we have here is a fine piece of archival reconstruction, though the slightly forward tone remains to ensure that we get to hear all of the instruments clearly. A nice chance to hear Carr and Rendell let off the leash.

Although the present album is the quintet’s debut, it could maybe be seen as their second one, since the band evolved out of the formation that had recorded Rendell’s Roarin’ album four years previously. Featuring the amazing Ian Carr on trumpet and the well-travelled Trevor Tomkins on drums, the quintet being completed by a usual-suspect of Green on bass and Purbrook on piano, although the latter’s departure would be the only line-up change in the quintet’s history. Some of these members were also involved in the cross-town rivals, The New Jazz Orchestra, and together, these two groups will carry more or less the who’s who of the next 15 or 20 years of the country’s jazz scene.

Many have tried - and failed - to reissue these albums by legitimate means. However, two decades since our initial approach, Universal Music has gone to great lengths to research their vast archives, and we have finally managed to succeed. The band played together for seven years and during this fruitful time they made a plethora of deeply melodic, post-bop British jazz compositions that later on took influences from Indo and more spiritually guided jazz. Produced by the influential Denis Preston and recorded at his Lansdowne Studios in London, the band was primarily made up of saxophonist Don Rendell, trumpeter/composer Ian Carr, and pianist/composer Michael Garrick. This is UK jazz at its absolute finest, and the quality of our box set pays testament to that.

A jazz event… and a packet of crisps, please! The energy exuded by the group bounces off the walls and magnifies their imaginative enthusiasm to new heights. Apparently the original tape wasn’t in the best condition, so what we have here is a fine piece of archival reconstruction, though the slightly forward tone remains to ensure that we get to hear all of the instruments clearly. A nice chance to hear Carr and Rendell let off the leash.

A grey-area reissue of this legendary album: the magnificent Dusk Fire album recorded in 1966. Rightly considered a masterpiece of British Jazz, cool and quirky finishing on a high with Michael Garrick's powerful composition Dusk Fire. Rendell/ Carr Quintet shows how far British jazz in the second half of the ’60s had taken new directions. Not a jazz songbook standard in sight, moving away from the usual jazz conventions, heads and solos, rhythm section down in the engine room, improvised virtuosity of the soloists. The writing is more structured, a pictorial composition, storytelling, replete with literary allusions.

The band (Don Rendell, reeds; Ian Carr, tpt, flug; Michael Garrick, pno; Dave Green, bass; Trevor Tomkins, drums) had invited forty friends to witness this recording and to alleviate the sterility of studio recordings. The whole enterprise is a success. There is urgency, emotion and wonderful playing throughout. It just shows just how good British jazz was fifty years ago.

Many have tried - and failed - to reissue these albums by legitimate means. However, two decades since our initial approach, Universal Music has gone to great lengths to research their vast archives, and we have finally managed to succeed.