| Joy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 1976 |
| Recorded | 22 March 1976 |
| Studio | Chalk Farm, London |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Length | 52:04 |
| Label | Cadillac |
| Producer | John Jack |
Joy is a jazz album by the group Joy that was originally released in 1976. It was re-released in May 2023 to positive reception.
The group Joy was made up of members from the UK, US, Caribbean and South Africa. The musicians that played on the album were James Dvorak on trumpet, Frank Roberts on piano, Ernest Mothle on bass, Keith Bailey on drums, and Chris Francis on alto saxophone. [1]
The recording session took place on 22 March 1976 at Chalk Farm Studio in London. The album was engineered by Vic Keary and the producer for the album was John Jack. [2] The recording session was apparently subsidized by the Greater London Arts Association and done in a day. [3]
The album was originally released in 1976 on Cadillac (SGC 1006). [4] [5] [6]
The band's label, Cadillac Records got in touch with the surviving members of the band. Ernest Mothle, the South African musician who played bass, had since died. However they discovered that drummer Keith Bailey was already working on a reissue. Getting hold of the master tapes was a worthwhile exercise. In addition to the vinyl record album re-release, there were additional recordings for the compact disc. [7]
Chris Francis the saxophonist was interviewed by Mike Gavin of UK Jazz News, which was published on 10 August 2023. [8]
Mike Hobart of the Financial Times reviewed the album which was published on 26 May 2023. Giving it four stars out of fine, he referred to it as a "fascinating, and indeed joyous, recording from 1976". He also noted that there were two tracks on the album that were edited down. He said that they were presented in full on the CD. He said that the "album sounds remarkably fresh today." [9]
In his 12 June 2023 review on the album, Russell Perry of WTJU 91.1 FM referred to it as "An important, if fleeting, moment in UK jazz" and "As fresh as tomorrow". [10]
Nick Lea of Jazz Views published his review on 26 July. He said that the group was active for British Jazz, the 1970s and the group's contribution shouldn't be overlooked. He also noted that the drummer on the album was Keith Bailey and that he led the bands Orbit and Prana. He said that "Martini Sweet, the opening track was perfect to get the band going and the alto-sax of Chris Francis pushing the boundaries and then getting back into the feel. He mentioned the solioing and abilities of the other members and said that it was a wholly satisfying album while making it known that this was the only recording from a fine group. [11]
Recognized as a Best Archive/Reissue of the Year album, the label Cadillac Records received a Presto award in 2023. Mike Westbrook who was the label's co-founder was unable to attend the presentation so it was accepted by Matthew Wright. Wright was pictured with Barney Whittaker of Presto Music in the article about the presentation. [12]
Side one
Side two
Island Records is a Jamaican multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another label recently acquired by PolyGram, were both at the time the largest independent record labels in history, with Island having exerted a major influence on the progressive music scene in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Island Records operates four international divisions: Island US, Island UK, Island Australia, and Island France. Current key people include Island US president Darcus Beese, and MD Jon Turner. Partially due to its significant legacy, Island remains one of UMG's pre-eminent record labels.
Terrance James Reid, nicknamed "Superlungs", is an English rock vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist best known for his emotive style of singing in appearances with high-profile musicians as vocalist, supporting act and session musician. As a solo recording and touring artist, he has released six studio albums and four live albums. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists including The Hollies, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Arrival, Marianne Faithfull, Cheap Trick, Jack White with The Raconteurs, Joe Perry, Rumer and Chris Cornell.
Verve Records is an active American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Jon Batiste, and Diana Krall among others as well as a diverse mix of other recordings that fall outside of jazz including albums from disparate artists like the Velvet Underground, Kurt Vile, Arooj Aftab, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and many more. It absorbed the catalogues of Granz's earlier label, Clef Records, founded in 1946; Norgran Records, founded in 1953; and material which was previously licensed to Mercury Records.
Ernest Ranglin is a Jamaican guitarist and composer who established his career while working as a session guitarist and music director for various Jamaican record labels, including Studio One and Island Records. Ranglin played guitar on many early ska recordings and helped create the rhythmic guitar style that defined the form. He has worked with Theophilus Beckford, Jimmy Cliff, Monty Alexander, Prince Buster, the Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Eric Deans Orchestra. Ranglin is noted for a chordal and rhythmic approach that blends jazz, mento and reggae with percussive guitar solos incorporating rhythm 'n' blues and jazz inflections.
The Hungarian Dances by Johannes Brahms (WoO 1), are a set of 21 lively dance tunes based mostly on Hungarian themes, completed in 1879. They vary from about a minute to five minutes in length. They are among Brahms's most popular works and were the most profitable for him. Each dance has been arranged for a wide variety of instruments and ensembles. Brahms originally wrote the version for piano four hands and later arranged the first ten dances for solo piano.
Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana was a South African saxophonist and composer.
Julie Driscoll Tippett is an English singer and actress, known for her work with Brian Auger and her husband, Keith Tippett.
Michael John David Westbrook is an English jazz pianist, composer, and writer of orchestrated jazz pieces. He is married to the vocalist, librettist and painter Kate Westbrook.
A Night at the "Village Vanguard" is a live album by American jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins recorded at the Village Vanguard in New York City on November 3, 1957 and released on Blue Note the following year.
Wild Bill Davis was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis. He is best known for his pioneering jazz electric organ recordings and for his tenure with the Tympany Five, the backing group for Louis Jordan. Prior to the emergence of Jimmy Smith in 1956, Davis was the pacesetter among organists.
Spirit is the seventh studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 28, 1976, by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Warm Dust were a British progressive jazz rock band of the early 1970s. Although a relatively obscure group, they featured Paul Carrack and Terry “Tex” Comer, who later formed Ace. They recorded for the Trend and BASF labels. They also had releases on the Uni, Stateside and Metronome labels.
Thunder into Our Hearts is the second album of South African group Jabula, released in 1976 on Caroline Records.
"I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People)" is a song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Madeira (sometimes credited as Paul Mertz) first published in 1941. It has become a jazz and pop standard.
Home Cookin' is an album by the American jazz organist Jimmy Smith of performances recorded in 1958 and 1959 and released on the Blue Note label. The album was rereleased on CD with five bonus tracks.
The Delmé Quartet, aka The Delmé String Quartet, was a String quartet, founded in London in 1962. In 1967, it became the first string quartet to be attached to a British university as Artist-in-residence—in this case, the University of Sussex. The quartet also spent four years as performing Fellows at Lancaster University, and taught the art of quartet performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They toured extensively and released 30 albums.
Ebony Woman is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. The album was produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, arranged by Stanley Johnson and Bobby Martin, and engineered by Joe Tarsia. On its original Neptune Records release in 1970 the LP reached number 12 on the Billboard soul charts and number 183 on the pop charts. The Bobby Martin penned "Let's Fall in Love All Over" was released as a single but failed to chart. The album was re-released with new cover art in 1973 on Philadelphia International Records reaching number 186 on the pop chart and number 43 on the soul charts. Big Break Records remastered the album for its 2012 re-release on CD.
James Peter Dvorak is an American jazz trumpeter.
"Old Folks" is a 1938 popular song and jazz standard composed by Willard Robison with lyrics by Dedette Lee Hill, the wife and occasional colleague of Billy Hill. The lyrics tell of an old man nicknamed "Old Folks" and reference his service in the American Civil War, his habit of smoking with a "yellow cob pipe", and the prospect of his death.
Ernest "Shololo" Mothle was a South African jazz musician and composer.