Really Good Albums That You Might Not Have Heard

No 1 - Under Milk Wood - Stan Tracey I had only vaguely heard of Stan Tracey, and had never heard of this album, until I watched the short BBC series 'Jazz Brittania' last year. I was so impressed by what I saw of the 1950's black and white film of Tracey's band that I tracked down this CD. It was not easy to find - but what a reward ! This is a simply stupendous record. Tracey plays piano, and is supported by sax, bass and drums, in a very intimate small band sound of the sort you dream of hearing in a smoky nightclub. This is like a British 'Kind of Blue' substituting Tracey's piano for Davis's trumpet. The pieces are inspired by Dylan Thomas's work of the same name, with the track 'Starless and Bible Black' being such a tremendously moving piece of slow blues sax playing over a haunting and tinkling piano that you will instantly elect it as one of your top 5 jazz tracks of all time. I would recommend that you dash out and buy it straight away - except that if you do not live near to the specialist jazz shops in Soho then you can dash hither and yon as much as you like, you've no chance of finding it. If this review has whetted your appetite then contact me and I am sure we can arrange a file transfer situation.