![]() Among them are The Jazz Doctors: Intensive Care by the Billy Bang Quartet (with Frank Lowe) from 1983/1984, on both CD (SGC020), which includes an unreleased session, and vinyl (SGCLP020) the Chris Francis/Jim Dvorak band’s Joy (with Frank Roberts, Ernest Mothle and Keith Bailey) from 1976 (SGCLP022/SGC022) two Johnny Dyani reissues on vinyl – Rejoice (SGCLP023) and Together (SGCLP024) plus the third digital single from Trinidad steel-pan project Younger Zen – Oy Me Redentor (SGCS1023). ![]() The label will celebrate the anniversary with a selection of reissues from its back catalogue. It has even branched out into book publishing with Jazz & Cricket – An Unlikely Combination, which received accolades including being one of The Cricketer magazine books of the year 2021. When John died in 2017, long-time friend and collaborator Mike Gavin took over and has guided it successfully through the difficulties of recent years, issuing material from the archives and continuing John’s policy with releases by Albert Nicholas, Evan Parker, Tori Handsley and others. The constant factors for John were improvisation, honest expression of emotion, and creativity, leading him to issue George Lewis, Bruce Turner, Stan Tracey, the Christie Brothers Stompers, Bobby Wellins, Dudu Pukwana, Bunk Johnson, Mike Osborne, Joe Harriott, Trevor Watts Moiré Music, Ken Colyer & the Crane River Jazz Band, Andy Sheppard and David Murray. The releases that followed on the label reflected John’s wide appreciation of jazz styles. It came at a time when small independent labels were surfacing, after major record companies had largely withdrawn their support for jazz. This Wednesday, 5 April 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Cadillac Records, set up by John Jack and Mike Westbrook in 1973 to release Mike’s album Live! (SGC1001). With such notable portrayals, the film's formulaic flaws are all forgiven, and the audience will walk out humming the tunes.Left, collective staff of Cadillac, Ogun, Collet's & Ray's in 2006 right, John Jack. Even Knowles, looking spot-on as the frosted-haired James, proves she has some acting chops hidden beneath that gorgeous, impenetrable persona. Eamonn Walker is a commanding scene-stealer as scary, sexy, gravelly voiced bluesman Howlin' Wolf Columbus Short should propel himself into his first leading role after his remarkable turn as Waters' protégé Little Walter and Def is hilariously perfect as charismatic, duck-walking Berry. Wright nails every role he's in, and his Muddy - the bluesmen who "sings about pain but doesn't live it" - is just one more example of why he's one of the most versatile actors working today. ![]() Led by Brody and Wright, the cast is truly superb (the only weak link is Cedric the Entertainer's underwhelming narration). The soundtrack includes killer renditions of classics like "At Last," "Mannish Boy," "Maybelline," "Smokestack Lightning," and "No Particular Place to Go." But despite director Darnell Martin's creative liberties (in real life, Chess had a brother named Phil, and the Chess lineup included other key players who are completely missing from the film, most notably Bo Diddley), a collection of standout performances transforms a standard genre timeline of milestones into a fast, funny, and even thrilling ride down musical lane. As a story, Cadillac Records is as melodramatic as every other rags-to-riches, Behind the Music tale of tortured musicians. ![]()
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