A BOSTON CONCERT WITH KEN COLYER'S JAZZMEN - JUNE 1972 Ken Colyer's Jazzmen Upbeat Recordings URCD 161 Mid Price

This disc, recorded at a live gig in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1972, is interesting to say the least: firstly, the band under the name of Ken Coyler's Jazzmen has only one of the original members, a certain Mr. Coyler on trumpet. Furthermore, in the twenty years between the 50s trad boom in the U.K., certain elements of the band have remained just as bad. When listening to the disc, I had to ask myself if it is really in the true tradition of New Orleans jazz to play out of tune with bad ensemble skills. Only the rhythm section seems to be able to play together. Despite this, the recording does re-create the 50s British trad jazz style, even down to the slightly out-of-tune piano and the bad recording quality.

In my opinion, the major difference between this recording and the original 50s records is the general energy level. It is apparent the musicians are having fun on stage between themselves, but this is at the expense of the forward motion of the music. Solos tend to sag, especially in their version of Up Jumped the Devil, where the tempo seems to drag throughout the track. They seem to be playing to a listening audience with a minimal amount of enthusiastic dancers. Speeds in general seem to be roughly 30 per cent down on earlier recordings! Colin Bowden on drums doesn't seem to be able to muster any sense of excitement in the other six players.

No player on the CD particularly stands out for me. It is a shame that twenty years of experience from the (great) Ken Coyler doesn't bring us anything new. The obvious advantages of recording old tunes in an old style in the 70s are not evident. Why this disc was recorded in such a strange archaic way is a mystery to me; the album as a whole seems to underline the change in public opinion away from the trad style. A disappointment for any jazz fan.

Carl Raven