Further Reading
26th May 2023
Our featured recording this week is a reissue of the sole album from Joy, a post-bop outfit that exemplified the vibrant musical cross-pollination taking place during the mid-70s British jazz scene.
Rare 1970s British jazz from Joy: Chris Francis, James Dvorak, Frank Roberts, Ernest Mothle, Keith Bailey, featuring 2 extended tracks, new texts and photos. Remastered from the original tapes by Keith Bailey and Lawrence Czoka. With insert featuring new pics by acclaimed photographer Jak Kilby, it's the first ever reissue of this cult British jazz LP.
The mid-70s should be seen as a vibrant and fecund period for British jazz including Spear, Molongo, The Brotherhood of Breath, Keith Tippett and Elton Dean's groups and and others were bands such asThe Quintet (Joy's direct precursor), Keith Bailey's Orbit, Chris Francis' Naima, Maggie Nichols' Voice, Dave Defries' Lemonspiel, Gary Windo's I Dogu featuring Frank Roberts, Quincicasm, Landscape, Harry Becket's Joy Unlimited, Isotope - all working with the punk ethic and generating a special scene. Joy were part of this: there was undoubtedly a buzz around this hip young multi-cultural band featuring London musicians from South Africa, The Caribbean, The US and UK. The LP that came out in 1976 only increased the buzz: one of the best of the bands playing in the contemporary post-bop style but with their own material.