Jazz on the Beach 219 & Blues Beach 91: Martin Taylor & Ulf Wakenius, Walter Bishop Jr, Harold Alexander, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Barney Willen, Lambert Hendricks & Ross
Jazz and blues radio, show notes and playback links
There have been a number of sensational guitar performances on recent Jazz on the Beach playlists including those from Pat Martino and Ron Affif, and on this week’s show there’s another one. It comes from guitarists Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius with a fabulous unreleased performance of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer’s One for My Baby (and One More for the Road), and was recorded at PizzaExpress Live in London on Wednesday 25th November, 2016 for a proposed live album that sadly never materialised. It’s a masterclass, the playing is exquisite and the support they give each other is incredible.
There’s more astonishing guitar playing with Wes Montgomery’s version of Sonny Rollins’ Airegin from The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (Riverside, 1960), recorded with Tommy Flanagan and two of the Heath brothers, double bassist Percy and drummer Albert.
The concept of contrapuntal arrangements always strikes me as pretty wild, and it certainly works beautifully on Charles Mingus’ Pre-Bird (Mercury, 1961), an album of repertoire Mingus had composed or heard before encountering the music of Charlie Parker for the first time. Here coming through the left channel is Billy Stayhorn’s Take the ‘A’ Train, blending perfectly with Jimmy McHugh’s Exactly Like You in the right channel. (Don’t worry if you’re listening in mono, it still works perfectly).
The musicians alongside Mingus on double bass are trumpeter Ted Curson, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, flautists Yusef Lateef and Eric Dolphy, saxophonists Joe Farrell and Booker Ervin, pianist Richard Hanna and drummer Dannie Richmond. There’s a second example on the album, with Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me and I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, which is just as effective.
To kick start Miles Davis’ 100th Anniversary celebrations (he was born on 26th May 1926), there’s a 10 LP and 8 CD reissue of the superb Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel (Columbia, 30th January). I’ve chosen All of You recorded at the second set on December 23, 1965, with the Second Great Quintet lineup of tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, double bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams.
Although All Blues will always be associated with Miles, this version by tenor saxophonist Barney Willen (who performed with Miles in Paris on the soundtrack to Ascenseur pour l’échafaud), is from his wonderful La Note Bleue (Ida Records, 1987), with pianist Alain Jean-Marie, guitarist Philippe Petit, double bassist Ricardo Del Fra and drummer Sangoma Everett. The 2021 box set reissue by Elemental Records with extra tracks, bonus CD and the 88 page Barney et La Note Bleue comic book is a work of art.
From the early ‘70s come tracks from two short lived but vital labels, Gene Russell’s Black Jazz (1971-75) and Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman (1969-84). There’s Walter Bishop, Jr’s Track Down from Coral Keys (Black Jazz, 1971), with saxophonist Harold Vick playing soprano, double bassist Reggie Johnson and drummer Idris Muhammad. While a year later, there’s saxophonist and flautist Harold Alexander’s Quick City Revisited from Are You Ready? (Flying Dutchman, 1972), with electric pianist Neal Creque, double bassist Richard Davis, drummer Bernard Purdie and Richard Landrum playing conga & cowbell. Both groove deeply, but when you look at the two drummers involved, how could they possibly not?
Before founding Flying Dutchman, Bob Thiele was ran Impulse! Records from 1961-69 where he produced the previously mentioned double bassist Richard Davis and drummer Elvin Jones’ album Heavy Sounds (Impulse! 1968). Closing this week’s playlist is their Raunchy Rita with tenor saxophonist Frank Foster and pianist Billy Greene.
There’s the irrepressible Slim Gaillard with Potato Chips (Mercury, 1953), with Gaillard singing and playing guitar with tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, pianist Cyril Haynes, double bassist Ray Brown and drummer Milt Jackson.
I’ll use any excuse to share again the Vout-O-Reenee Dunkin’ Bagel clip from the 1947 short O’Voutie O’Rooney:
One of the finest Blue Notes has to be tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley’s Soul Station (Blue Note, 1960). Here’s Dig Dis with pianist Wynton Kelly, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey.
Blakey’s former Jazz Messenger, the pianist Bobby Timmons, composed Moanin’, the opening track on the album Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (Blue Note, 1958). Jon Hendricks added lyrics and recorded it with his fellow vocalists Dave Lambert and Annie Ross on their fourth album The Hottest New Group in Jazz (Columbia 1959). They’re supported by trumpeter Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison and the Ike Isaacs Trio, featuring Isaacs on double bass with pianist Gildo Mahones and drummer Walter Bolden.
And finally… tracks from two of my favourite tenor players. There’s Binker Golding’s deeply moving My Two Dads from Dream Like A Dogwood Wild Boy (Gearbox, 2022), with guitarist Billy Adamson, pianist Sarah Tandy, double bassist Daniel Casimir and drummer Sam Jones. And Charles Owens’ afrobeatish Cameron the Wise from 10 Years (La Reserve, 2021), featuring electric bassist Andrew Randazzo and drummer Devonne Harris aka DJ Harrison.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #219 21st January 2026
Christian McBride & Inside Straight - Sweet Bread
Hank Mobley - Dig Dis
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross - Moanin’
Charles Owens Trio - Cameron the Wise
Walter Bishop, Jr - Track Down
Wes Montgomery - Airegin
Miles Davis - All of You
Mammal Hands - Paper Boats
Slim Gaillard & his Bakers Dozen - Potato Chips
Harold Alexander - Quick City Revisited
Charles Mingus - Take the ‘A’ Train / Exactly Like You
Martin Taylor & Ulf Wakenius - One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)
Binker Golding - My Two Dads
Barney Willen - All Blues
Elvin Jones & Richard Davis - Raunchy Rita
Blues Beach
There was a positive reaction to the recent off piste playlist, and this week I’ve included some of the tracks there wasn’t room for last time. So as well as blues cuts including Elmore James’ Goodbye Baby, Magic Sam’s I Don’t Want No Woman, BB King’s Better Not Look Down, Jimmy Dawkins’ All For Business and Slim Harpo’s Baby, Scratch My Back, there’s also Solomon Burke’s Everybody Needs Somebody to Love, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes’ version of Sam and Dave’s Broke Down Piece of Man, Steve Miller’s Mary Ann from his Ben Sidran produced Born 2 B Blue, Ray Charles’ B-side Worried Life Blues and Duke Levine’s instrumental version of the Ike and Tina Turner hit I Think It’s Going to Work Out Fine. Trust me, it will.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Blues Beach #91 22nd January 2026
Solomon Burke - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Elmore James - Goodbye Baby
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - Broke Down Piece of Man
Magic Sam - I Don’t Want No Woman
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Walkin’ by Myself
Canned Heat - Going up the Country
Duke Levine - I Think It’s Going to Work Out Fine
Rory Block - Cypress Grove Blues
Jimmy Dawkins - All For Business
Ray Charles - Worried Life Blues
Elvin Bishop Group - So Fine
Steve Miller - Mary Ann
BB King - Better Not Look Down
Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland - Turn On Your Love Light
Slim Harpo - Baby, Scratch My Back
John Lee Hooker - I Got a Good ‘Un
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Jazz On The Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
Blues Beach broadcasts every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).
Great set! I don't get to listen live but love having the recording available. Appreciate you introducing me to stuff I haven't heard before.