The 1970s was when jazz and rock met head-on, thereby creating the jazz-rock genre, the most significant and certainly the most controversial development in jazz since the free-jazz movement of the previous decade. Miles Davis’s seminal ‘Bitches Brew’ album, recorded in 1969, is regarded as jazz-rock’s first major statement, but of equal importance was a different strand of rock-influenced jazz being developed in Britain at the same time. Among its leading exponents were such gifted young musicians as Mike Gibbs, Ian Carr, Mike Westbrook and, from the generation before theirs, bandleader, composer and alto saxophonist John Dankworth (1927-2010). The albums compiled here are two of Dankworth’s most significant forays into the jazz-rock genre, and show that he was responsive to the latest developments in jazz. 1972’s ‘Full Circle’ and 1973’s ‘Lifeline’ both feature an exciting blend of rock’s energy and electric instrumentation with jazz’s intricate harmonies and melodic contours. Dankworth leads a powerhouse band consisting of such fine players as Tony Hymas/Alan Branscombe/John Taylor (keyboards), Daryl Runswick (bass guitar) and Harold Fisher/John Spooner (drums), while in the brass and reeds sections are luminaries including Mike Gibbs, Kenny Wheeler, Stan Sulzmann, Don Rendell and Dankworth himself.
Remastered from the original stereo analogue tapes.

"British jazz composer and saxophonist extraordinaire, the late Johnny Dankworth was a highly versatile musician who recorded some memorable sides for television, film and vinyl alike. This excellent series of re-issues from Vocalion enables us to rediscover some of the mid-1960s and early to mid-1970s period era of his work, and this particular edition focuses on two albums from 1971 and 1972 respectively. The former, 'Full Circle', is slightly stronger with the reflective piece 'Scmaltz waltz' and it's lovely use of vibes and piano (John Taylor no less) a highlight. By contrast there is a strong percussive cu-bop feel to 'Earthman' (the first of the Dankworth original compositions) with big band unison on the main theme and a lovely flute solo. The second of the two originals on the album, 'Academy One', is an unabashed attempt at a contemporary sound that conjurs up the backbeat to Serge Gainsbourg's 'Melody Nelson' from the same period. Finally an uplifting fusion-jazz number is 'A family joy' with Bruce Graham soloing on piano. The second album, 'Lifeline', features one of Dankworth's most memorable and easily recognisable tunes, the theme from 'Tomorrow's world' which for the uninitiated was the long-standing science programme for the BBC. This includes a gorgeous extended solo on flute from Stan Sulzmann. Far more elaborate and intricate is a five movement suite and, of these pieces, the moody brass-led 'Orinoco' impresses as does the disitnctly 1970s soundtrack ambiance of 'Brass roots' with its use of wah-wah guitar and electric bass. Here Don Rendell features on soprano saxophone alongside Cleo Laine's wordless vocals. All in all a fine example of how British jazz had evolved from bop imitation into something quite distinct and refreshing."
4/5, Tim Stenhouse, Manchester Evening News, August 2011

"Dankworth’s foray into jazz rock, popularised at the time by many exponents here and across the pond, since the seed was first sown by the likes of Blood Sweat and Tears, and of course, Miles Davis in '69, with Bitches Brew. Leading exponents here were Colloseum, Mike Gibbs, Ian Carr, Mike Westbrook, and from the preceeding generation; Mr John Dankworth. The albums compiled here are two of his most significant journeys into the jazz-rock style, reflecting just how responsive he was to the latest developments in jazz, unlike some of the old school who turned their nose up at change and stuck to the same old, same old. 'Full Circle' and 'Lifeline' feature an exciting blend of rock’s energy and electric instrumentation, with jazz intricacy, jazz harmonies and melodic contours. Dankworth leads a powerhouse band of fine players, including Tony Hymas, Alan Branscombe, John Taylor on keys. Daryl Runswick on bass. Harold Fisher and John Spooner on drums. In the brass and reed sections, sat such luminaries as Kenny Wheeler, a colossus of a player. He was in great company, with the likes of Mike Gibbs, Stan Sulzman, Don Rendell and Mr Dankworth himself. A fitting tribute to the late and great JD, this re-issue should remind us of just how bloody brilliant the man was, and just how much he contributed to the world of music. Luckily for us, his music lives on - and he left us with a heck of a lot of it too."
Simon Redley, www.bluesandsoul.com

"Dankworth’s carefully-wrought arrangements, with their rich sonorities, stylistic élan and harmonic sophistication are also in evidence on two of his ’70s big band LPs, Full Circle and Lifeline. The latter contains a souped-up version of his theme to the BBC science programme, Tomorrow’s World.
Charles Waring, Record Collector, September 2011 (four stars out of five)

“Michael Garrick is the most poetic and painterly of the Sixties British jazz men, and The Heart is a Lotus is the composer’s/pianist’s pastoral jazz masterpiece….‘Temple Dancer’ draws heavily on Garrick’s interest in Eastern music (check Norma Winstone’s incredible vocals here).”
Andy Thomas, Straight No Chaser Magazine, Winter 2005

“Ian Carr is his beautiful understated self, playing with a mute but a million miles from Miles on ‘Temple Dancer’. ‘Beautiful Thing’ has gorgeous arco figures from Coleridge Goode, and some fine clarinet work from Art Themen and the little-remarked Jim Philip….I always thought this was the record that really established Michael Garrick’s quality. Great stuff.”
Brian Morton, Jazz Review, October-November 2005

“The Heart is a Lotus is put together with glorious attention to detail – nothing wasted, subtle, charming and gorgeous. There’s so much here to admire….The album closes with ‘Rustat’s Grave Song, a track that for me ranks alongside W.C Handy’s ‘Didn’t He Ramble’ as one of the great funeral elegies in jazz. Any better elegy or closing track eludes me.”
Duncan Heining, Jazzwise, September 2005

No.3, Top 10 Reissues of 2005, Duncan Heining, Jazzwise, December 2005-January 2006

No.7, Top 10 Reissues of 2005, Stuart Nicholson, Jazzwise, December 2005-January 2006

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“The Septets are very fine indeed. Joe Harriott and Tony Coe solo on ‘Webster’s Mood’, a rich swing tribute. Don Rendell takes the main theme on the waltz ‘Ursula’, with thoughtful contributions from Ian Carr and Coe again.”
Brian Morton, Jazz Review, October/November 2005

“This album contains some genuine delights. Though I’m no fan of poetry and jazz, somehow John Smith’s words and plummy English vowels on ‘Jazz for Five’ and ‘Jazz Nativity’ suit the music so much more than Kerouac or Roxroth ever did. It’s well worth parting with your hard-earned for this one.”
Duncan Heining, Jazzwise, September 2005

No.7, Top 10 Reissues of 2005, Mike Flynn, Jazzwise, December 2005/January 2006

“It sees the composer rework Duke Ellington’s approach into a personal vision comprising poetry, religious music and unusual instrumentation….Black Marigolds is a superb album of unorthodox jazz originals.”
John Fordham, The Guardian, 15 July 2005

“An intriguing glimpse of an accomplished artist reaching out across disciplines.”
Clive Davis, The Times Sunday Supplement, 2005

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Turn Circle is the debut album of the quartet led by guitarist and composer Ray Russell. Recorded in 1968 for CBS’s ‘Realm Jazz’ series and arguably Ray’s finest jazz album, it mixes compositions by such notable figures as Wayne Shorter (Footprints) and Charles Lloyd (Sombrero Sam) with Ray Russell originals. The best known of these is the suite in three movements A Day in the Working Life of a Slave of Lower Egypt. This remarkable work blends modal writing and free collective improvisation to stunning effect while showcasing the individual talents in the quartet, which are Roy Fry (piano), Ron Mathewson (double bass) and Alan Rushton (drums).

"As Oliver Lomax points out in his liner notes to this reissue of guitarist Ray Russell's first CBS album (recorded in 1968), distortion and feedback, wah-wah and other special effects were everywhere being applied to guitar playing at the time, courtesy of Jimi Hendrix et al., but Russell (mostly) eschews them. As those who've witnessed his recent gigs at the Vortex will know, Russell can provide some of the sharpest, neatest runs you're likely to hear, his articulation clean and fleet, his musical imagination always fertile. On this album, he's joined by one of the UK 's most accomplished and versatile bassists, Ron Mathewson, sometime Graham Bond drummer Alan Rushton and pianist Roy Fry, but the focus is very much on Russell, both as absorbing soloist and composer, providing as he does all but two of the album's pieces. The opener, Wayne Shorter's classic 'Footprints', sets the tone: although it starts in 6/8, it shifts almost imperceptibly into 4/4 during Russell's solo, imbuing the whole with a highly effective rhythmic ambiguity. Such understated subtlety is the band's hallmark, whether they're musing through the odd ballad ('Bonita'), indulging in bouts of free improvisation during the propulsively vigorous original 'Peruvian Triangle', or easing their way through Charles Lloyd's relatively straightforward 'Sombrero Sam'. Concluding with a richly varied three-piece suite, 'A Day in the Working Life of a Slave of Lower Egypt', which touches all the above bases, this is a fascinating glimpse of a fine musician launching himself, apparently already fully formed, on a career that would later see him perform with the likes of Mike Gibbs, Ian Carr and Gil Evans, not to mention composing for TV ('Bergerac', 'A Bit of a Do' etc.) and playing with touring outfits such as the Four Tops and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band."
Chris Parker, vortexjazz.co.uk, Winter 2007

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