Spiral Staircase

"Spiral Staircase" (1968) was McTell's second album and includes the original version of "Streets Of London". Includes original sleeve artwork, expanded via contemporaneous bonus tracks, compiled with McTell's full help and co-operation.

Featuring Original Song "Streets of London"
McTell's second album remains most remembered for the first version of "Streets of London", although this acoustic version is different from the mid-'70s re-recording that made it to number two in the British charts.

This release from the co-op hard bop group Out Of The Blue was most notable for adding pianist Renee Rosnes to the strong lineup (trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman, altoist Steve Wilson, tenor-saxophonist Ralph Bowen, bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Billy Drummond). Rosnes wrote the opening selection (the driving "North Of The Border") and at this point was not only a strong soloist inspired by McCoy Tyner but an excellent accompanist behind the horns. Trumpeter Michael Mossman is the most impressive soloist in the group, playing in the Freddie Hubbard/Lee Morgan tradition. Four of Mossman's originals make up the majority of the program; Bowen and Wilson also contributed a song apiece. This O.T.B. release finds the group moving a bit beyond their original role model (Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers) to create a fresh "in the tradition" hard bop-based style of their own.

A demented killer stalks the streets, preying on young, handicapped women. Where will he strike next? Whom will the next victim be? The answers might surprise you…because they're always another twist to The Spiral Staircase.

Beautiful young mute Helen is a domestic worker for old ailing Mrs. Warren. Mrs. Warren's two sons, Albert (a professor) and womanizing impudent Steven, also live in the Warren mansion. Mrs. Warren becomes concerned for Helen's safety when a rash of murders involving 'women with afflictions' hits the neighborhood. She implores her physician, Dr. Parry, to take Helen away for her own safety. When another murder occurs inside the Warren mansion, it becomes obvious that Helen is in danger.