Wallen Bink

17/12/2023

At Abbey Road Studios today mastering the next WallenBink release, a double LP by Kiwi jazz-rock-fusion band, Dr Tree. Led by drummer Frank Gibson Jr, and featuring the cream of New Zealand’s jazz musicians: Murray McNabb, Kim Paterson, Martin Winch, John Banks, Bob Jackson and Colin Hemmingsen. Their sole release, a 1976 self-titled album, was critically acclaimed but with a tiny press run and limited exposure it fell into obscurity. Break nerds might recognise Frank’s drums from Paz’s 1980 LP, Paz are Back - this multi-award winning drummer has also recorded and toured with Nat Adderley, Frank Foster, Johnny Griffin, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, John Scofield, Sonny Stitt, Dionne Warwick, Ernie Watts and Milt Jackson, among others. This will be the first ever vinyl reissue of this long lost album, and features a second LP of previously unreleased Dr Tree material.

16/05/2023

WallenBink Records present two long-lost recordings from Marc Moulin's Placebo band, and it's earliest incarnation, Kiosk. Debuting unreleased outtakes from Placebo's sophomore album, '1973', and the first ever official reissue of the proto-Placebo single by Kiosk. Originally pressed in tiny numbers in 1970 as a promotional release for Moulin's Sunday night radio show, Dimanche Musique, at RTB, Brussels. Taken from the only existing mastertapes, just recently resurfaced – the other mastertapes for the three Placebo albums have never been found – and mastered by Sean Magee, Abbey Road Studios. Manufactured at The Vinyl Factory (EMI).

- Limited-edition pressing
- Placebo WB018: 300 black vinyl / 200 transparent orange vinyl copies (500 total)
- Kiosk WB019: 500 copies – black vinyl
- New artwork authentically recreated on heavyweight gloss sleeves
- Mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy Award winning engineer, Sean Magee
- Manufactured by The Vinyl Factory (Previously EMI Records pressing plant)

Available at www.wallenbink.com and good record shops worldwide

03/05/2023

Sandy Jordan, Clifford Jordan's wife, kindly sent over a copy of the new 'Drink Plenty Water' album. An unissued session from ‘74, set to follow 'Glass Bead Games' as his third album on Strata East. Sadly, with Strata East folding in ‘75, it never saw the light of day. Sandy, working with label co-founder Charles Tolliver and renowned engineer, Malcolm Addey, unearthed this long-lost set, piecing together the 49-year-old tapes. Talking to Malcolm, he described to me the huge efforts involved, first working with reference tapes, then discovering 16-track reels, to finally setting up an analogue facility for the mix.

Clifford first began honing his chops, alongside classmates Johnny Griffin and John Gilmore, at the Chicago jazz factory known as DuSable High School – that's three giants of the artform there in one classroom. It was Gilmore who gave Clifford a leg up on his move to New York, joining him on his debut Blue Note LP in ‘57, 'Blowing In From Chicago'.

He could play in any setting, in '65 recording both his set with Brazilian combo Bossa Tres (essential LP) and a bluesy juke joint folk tribute to 'Leadbelly' Ledbetter. Equally poles apart, Clifford moves from spiritual masterpiece 'Glass Bead Games', to sharing the front line with vocalists in 'Drink Plenty Water'. Between and behind the intonation, Clifford trades potent solos with the choir, supported by a heavyweight cast: Dick Griffin – trombone, Bill Hardman – trumpet, Charlie Rouse – bass clarinet, Stanley Cowell – piano, Billy Higgins – drums, Sam Jones – bass, and Bill Lee arranging. It's like no other Jordan recording, closest I can think is Max Roach's Percussion Bitter Sweet, with Abbey Lincoln's haunting support.

After brief stints in Europe in the late 60s, Clifford joined Strata East, bringing with him a clutch of ready-made productions for the label under the Dolphy Series. As Charles Tolliver notes, outside himself and Stanley Cowell, Clifford was the single greatest contributor to the artist-owned label. This latest addition, posthumously released some 49 years later, is essentially his sixth Strata East production.

01/05/2023

I was very sorry to hear about Dusko Goykovich's passing earlier this month. I recently spoke with Heinz Czadek, who told me the sad news. Heinz toured all over Europe and Africa in a band with Dusko throughout the early 70s. Heinz visited Dusko last September to give him a copy of the new Erich Kleinschuster ORF LP he features on – I'm told it inspired him to pick up his horn again, despite being fairly frail, having moved to a home early last year. Dusko, along with Heinz, were incredibly supportive of WallenBink's ORF project. After I discussed the idea with Dusko at the outset, he did all he could to help, sending photos and even digging out original notations for various compositions from his ORF set. As Heinz consoled, Dusko, nearly 92, lead a rich life, not in monetary terms, but a full one – from his early scholarship at Berklee to playing well into his 80s. He leaves an indelible legacy, forging Balkan folk with modern jazz; inventing a new musical genre in the process. Not unlike Mulatu Astatke's creation of Ethio jazz – also a Berklee alumni, enrolling there two years after Dusko.

While European jazz may have struggled for an identity, Dusko drew alternative inspiration from his roots – with his first testament, the 'Swinging Macedonia' album, a European modern jazz masterpiece. This and his 1975 'Slavic Mood', recorded nine years, later would be good place to start if you don't know his work. A superlative soloist, Dusko's equally a writer and arranger, his compositions being picked up by Johnny Griffin on his 'Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz' album, and the title track for John Patton's' Soul Connection' – both essential. I thought I'd share the photos Dusko sent, hanging out with Kenny Clarke, Francy Boland, Sahib Shihab and Jimmy Woode – along with Gigi Campi, Dusko was an essential catalyst in the formation of the Clarke-Boland band. © Dusko Goykovich. Also some pics of favourite albums worth tracking down – Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz signed by the Little Giant himself

20/11/2022

Stumbled across Jazz Messengers in Lisbon, never seen a record shop like it. Stacks of quality selections, spotted some Wallenbinks in the racks - three Erich Kleinschusters. good to meet and talk!

15/10/2022

Great to see the Erich Kleinschuster albums get exposure on Gilles Peterson show

13/09/2022

Chuffed to be featured on BBC Radio 6 Music tomorrow night for Gideon Coe’s show: Wallen Bink is the Label Of Love

Sessions from Cornershop, Blurt! Samantha Crain, Status Quo and The Beta Band.

01/09/2022

Andreas Felber will be reviewing the new Erich Kleinschuster releases on WallenBink Records today at 17:30 (16:30 GMT) on ORF Radio 1 (Austrian national broadcaster). Along with rediscovering Erich’s music, the programme will explore how renowned international guest soloists including Joe Henderson, Clifford Jordan, Charles Tolliver, Dusko Goykovich, Carmell Jones, Art Farmer and Slide Hampton came to work with the Sextett. (Show will be in German)

Musik aus allen Richtungen mit Andreas Felber. Wiederentdeckte ORF-Aufnahmen des Erich-Kleinschuster-Sextetts plus Gäste aus den Jahren 1968-71

23/08/2022

Thanks to UK Vibe for this in-depth review

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of this incredible three-volume set of recordings from the Erich Kleinschuster 6tet, and rather than waiting until the usual summary at the end of a review, I have to get this out of my system as early on as possible. This is absolutely sensational! And, on so many...

23/07/2022

(Fortsetzung) Frank Parry im Studio, Barry Altschuls 3Dom Factor 2022 in Wien; 01:00, 03:00 und 05:00 Uhr Nachrichten

23/07/2022

Following the launch of WallenBink's latest series of Erich Kleinschuster Sextet releases, I’ll be talking to Andreas Felber, Head of Jazz, Pop & World Music at ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) tonight on Radio Ö1. The show, recorded at the Vienna Funkhaus, will delve into the Sextet studio sessions recorded there 50 years earlier, with accompanying giants of the jazz scene, including trumpeters Art Farmer, Carmell Jones, Charles Tolliver and Dusko Goykovich, saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Joe Henderson and trombonist Slide Hampton. Along with playing previously unreleased material, newly mastered at analogue facilities at Abbey Road Studios, we’ll be looking at Erich Kleinschuster’s pivotal role in creating a spiritual home for jazz in Vienna.

The show will be repeated three times across Radio Ö1 Jazz Night, and conducted in English and German.

(Fortsetzung) Frank Parry im Studio, Barry Altschuls 3Dom Factor 2022 in Wien; 01:00, 03:00 und 05:00 Uhr Nachrichten

15/07/2022

Join WallenBink Records at the Independent Label Market London this Saturday 16 July 11.00am to 6.30pm – Coals Drops Yard, Stable St., Kings Cross N1C 4DQ. Our new Erich Kleinschuster 6tet ORF series of three limited-edition double LPs will be available at ILM, featuring previously unreleased studio recordings from 1968 to 1971 The albums feature some of the most influential jazz musicians of the 1960s and ‘70s, including Clifford Jordan, Charles Tolliver, Joe Henderson, Dusko Goykovich, Carmell Jones, Slide Hampton, Art Farmer, Jimmy Woode and Fritz Pauer. Mastered 'All Analogue/AAA’ at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award winning engineer Sean Magee, transferred from the original ORF 15IPS studio mastertapes. Housed in heavy weight ‘tip-on’ gatefold covers and pressed on 180 gram audiophile quality double LP. Gatefold cover artwork features previously unpublished session photos. Limited edition of 1,000 copies worldwide. Pressed by The Vinyl Factory (Previously EMI). Other WallenBink releases will also be on sale, along with exclusive one-off test pressings. 10+ London breweries will also be providing beer for the day!

02/07/2022

The third double album in the Erich Kleinschuster Sextet ORF series features Carmell Jones, Slide Hampton and Art Farmer, recorded between 1968 and ’71.

Formed in 1966, the Kleinschuster's Sextet substantially enriched the continental jazz landscape. The band supported the early careers of some of Europe’s best jazz soloists, and attracted exceptional U.S. expatriate musicians seeking shelter from the trials and tribulations of life in America.

Carmell Jones wrote all three tracks on the first side, the compositions have never appeared outside of this recording. His earliest contracts took him to Pacific Jazz Records in LA, recruiting Harold Land to his band, then a tenure with Gerald Wilson. Following a European tour with Horace Silver in '65, Jones set up residency in Europe.

The second side features Slide Hampton and opens with Kleinschuster’s ‘Soulsides’, a composition that received repeated radio play for ORF, and which was later reworked by Art Farmer and the ORF Big Band for his 1972 Mainstream album ‘Gentle Eyes’.

Art Farmer is the final guest artist in this series. In 1968, Art recorded with Erich Kleinschuster’s Sextet for the ORF, later becoming a permanent member along with bassist Jimmy Woode. In 1971 he joined the ORF Big Band, staying until the mid-seventies.

The recordings in this series – many only recently discovered and presented for their first time on these vinyl editions – provide an illuminating and long overdue testament to one of the unsung forces of modern jazz in Europe.

The six 180g LPs were mastered at Abbey Road Studios via an ’all analogue’ chain using original 15ips mastertapes. Housed in heavy weight tip-on gatefold sleeves featuring unseen session photography, the three volumes are limited to 1,000 copies.

Available now at www.wallenbink.com

#

02/07/2022

The second double album in the Erich Kleinschuster Sextet ORF series features Joe Henderson and Dusko Goykovich, recorded between 1968 and ’70.

This three-part anthology, featuring previously unissued ORF studio sessions, provides a fascinating insight into Erich Kleinschuster’s long-lost yet significant contribution to the musical landscape within Europe.

The first LP in this second volume features Joe Henderson. Kenny Dorham recorded ‘Mamacita’, the first number in this set, for his LP ‘Trompeta Toccata’. ‘Recorda Me’ was featured on ‘Page One’, Joe’s first album as leader, cut in '63. Henderson's take on ‘Chelsea Bridge’ demonstrates his depth and range, from latin and bossa to ballads, then switching in and out on ‘Inner Urge’, the title track of his '64 album. ‘The Kicker’ follows, recorded a year before this ORF date, under a new signing with Milestone.

Dusko Goykovich guests on the second set. ‘Swinging Macedonia’ was his first album, fusing modern jazz with Balkan folk. ‘Sega Se Karame’, perhaps the most memorable composition from that date, is reprised for this ORF recording. The oriental feel of the original is enhanced for this reworking with the exotic tone of Han Salomon’s bass clarinet, while Fritz Pauer’s eastern textures interplay with Fritz Ozmec’s percussion.

The recordings in this series – many only recently discovered and presented for their first time on these vinyl editions – provide an illuminating and long overdue testament to one of the unsung forces of modern jazz in Europe.

The six 180g LPs were mastered at Abbey Road Studios via an ’all analogue’ chain using original 15ips studio mastertapes. Housed in heavy weight tip-on gatefold sleeves featuring unseen session photography, the three volumes are limited to 1,000 copies.

Available now at www.wallenbink.com

02/07/2022

The first double album in the Erich Kleinschuster Sextet ORF series features Clifford Jordan and Charles Tolliver, recorded between 1968 – ’69.

Erich Kleinschuster’s projects and initiatives played a vital role in establishing a spiritual home for jazz in Vienna. The founding of his sextet in 1966 and, in 1968, a jazz department at the Vienna Conservatory, were catalysts for a scene that attracted international stars as well as nurturing the careers of home-grown virtuosos.

Clifford Jordan’s Viennese sojourn produced numerous ORF studio sessions with Kleinschuster’s sextet. ‘Leavin’ Train’ – his opus to Coltrane – along with early renditions he would go on to record for Strata East Records that same year, capture Jordan at the height of his powers. The second LP in this set features Charles Tolliver, the five selections are all originals; latter-day hard bop, modal explorations that also went on to appear on Strata East releases, a label he co-founded. ‘Right Now’ was first recorded four years earlier on a 1965 Blue Note album of the same name. The date was led by Jackie McLean, who first introduced Tolliver, then 22 years old, to the Blue Note stable. Four months after this ORF date, Tolliver would go on to record his first album as leader, again featuring ‘On The Nile’, perhaps his greatest composition

The recordings in this series – many only recently discovered and presented for their first time on these vinyl editions – provide an illuminating and long overdue testament to one of the unsung forces of modern jazz in Europe.

180g vinyl mastered at Abbey Road Studios ’all analogue’ via original 15ips mastertapes. Housed in heavy weight tip-on gatefold sleeves featuring unseen session photography, the three volumes are limited to 1,000 copies.

Available now at www.wallenbink.com

#

02/07/2022

Just completed the latest series of releases on WallenBink and delivering 38 mastertapes back to ORF studios in Vienna, along with recording an interview to be broadcast next month. The releases feature studio sessions by the Erich Kleinschuster Sextet with Clifford Jordan, Charles Tolliver, Joe Henderson, Dusko Goykovich, Carmell Jones, Slide Hampton, Art Farmer, Fritz Pauer, Jimmy Woode, P***e Mikkelborg and others, all recorded between 1968 - ‘71. Much of the material in this series of three double LPs is completely unreleased and features compositions that would go on to be recorded for Strata East albums in the following years. Along with titles found on Blue Note LPs such as Joe Henderson’s Inner Urge, Jackie McLean’s Right Now and Dusko Goykovich’s Swinging Macedonia. The six 180g LPs were mastered at Abbey Road Studios via an ’all analogue’ chain using original 15ips mastertapes. Housed in heavy weight tip-on gatefold sleeves featuring unseen session photography, the three volumes are limited to 1,000 copies. The project has been made possible thanks to the kind help and support of Erich’s widow, Guggi; Heinz Czadek (member of Erich’s ORF Big Band, Heinz also arranged for Clifford Jordan and worked with Art Farmer); and Andreas Felber at ORF.

Available now at www.wallenbink.com

24/11/2021

I’m currently working on a Slide Hampton album with Erich Kleinschuster’s Sextet, along with several further sextet albums with others artists all recorded at ORF Studios in the late 60s and early 70s. Having only just mastered the LP at Abbey Road, it was shocking and sad to hear Slide sadly passed away a few days ago. It’s a massive honour to have been loaned these mastertapes by ORF, much of which has never been previously released in any form, and feature some of the greatest works I’ve heard by him. He settled in Europe for many years, staying in Vienna along with other giants of the scene like Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan. He’s put out some incredible albums. If you don’t know them, I highly recommend his 'Drum Suite' LP with Yusef Lateef, the 'Fabulous Slide Hampton Quartet' with Philly Joe Jones and his MPS LP 'A Day In Copenhagen’ with Dexter Gordon. RIP. Image ©Austrian Broadcasting Corporation / Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)

05/10/2021

Malcolm Addey sent over this photo of him creating the new analogue mix for Andrew Hill’s Passing Ships. Globally, few studios have a working 8-track machine to handle Van Gelder’s 1” multitracks, and fewer still have Malcolm’s experience. While his background as a recording engineer is pretty well unrivalled, Malcolm is also a writer and composer in his own right. It was an incredible experience working with Malcolm and I could spend hours listening to his stories – he seems to have known or worked with just about every name in jazz I can think of. From Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Evans, Larry Willis, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Heath, Roberta Flack, Cedar Walton, Mel Torme, Brian Bennett, Phil Seamen, Kenny Clare, Buddy Rich, Reuben Wilson, Melvin Sparks, Carmen McRae, Mike Longo, Kenny Barron, Mark Murphy, Dexter Gordon, Tito Puente, to touring Europe with Freddie Hubbard, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. I have countless records Malcolm’s worked on, recording pretty well every Groove Merchant, Muse, Solid State, Capitol, Cobblestone, Bobby Marin's Speed Records etc… Kool & The Gang’s debut album on De-Lite, Live at P.J.’s etc – were also Malcolm’s. He has an incredible body of work behind him… Image courtesy of Charlotte Schroeder

24/08/2021

I had the privilege of being involved with the production for Andrew Hill’s Passing Ships LP, recently released by Blue Note. I’d started work on the release a few years ago planning it to be our second Blue Note album on WallenBink.

It was a year-long project, kindly supported by engineer Malcolm Addey and Michael Cuscuna. No mastertapes existed, Van Gelder had just started working with 8-track recording around the time, so went back to his 1” multitracks to create a new mix. Malcolm had his 8-track reconditioned especially for the project. I’d also tracked down 1” multitracks with various alternative takes from Hill’s Dance with Death, One For One and Grass Roots albums.

With separate channels on the 8-tracks, we had Ron Carter’s bass isolated, allowing us to recreate that full sound found on Carter’s CTIs. I’d ask Malcolm to give Lenny White’s drums slightly more presence for the new analogue mix, but generally tried to replicate the lovely sound he captured on the original CD release.

The Passing Ships tracks fitted three LP sides, so for the spare side we had 1” 8-tracks from Hill’s ‘One For One’ session to work with and remixed an alternate take of ‘Illusion’ (the string quartet version, not the Sam Rivers one). After that, we had another alternative take of ‘Dance With Death’, with Joe Farrell again. The last track was another alt take, ‘Soul Special’ – with Woody Shaw, Jimmy Ponder and Idris Muhammad. There was a last minute change to the licence just as we were about to send the new mastertapes to Abbey Road for cutting. Blue Note took the project on and I ended up producing for them. They had planned to use our new artwork and extra tracks but sadly changed back to replicate the CD release. High time this album finally came out on vinyl, and an amazing honour to have been involved.

24/08/2021

10th in the Black Forest 45 series (SABA WB013) – Fats Sadi – Night Lady

Recorded in 1966, Fats Sadi’s ‘Ensadinado’ was his second recording as leader, his first album had been an early Blue Note 10”. Essentially comprising the Clarke-Boland rhythm section, with Sadi on vibes, Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, this 45 features the two standout tracks from this rare SABA LP, which remains unissued on vinyl since its release in 1966. ‘Ensadinado’ finds the quartet playing a latin oriented title penned by Jimmy Woode. Boland’s ‘Night Lady’, a standard for the band and the highlight from this collectable album, has a hard, swinging percussive groove driven by the irrepressible pulse of Kenny Clarke.

– First vinyl release since 1966 and never before released on 7” single
– AAA Transfers from analogue mastertapes
– Audiophile-grade vinyl – single one-off batch limited-edition pressing
– New artwork authentically recreated on heavyweight gloss sleeves
– Cut at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award winning engineer, Sean Magee
– Manufactured at Pallas Group GmbH, Germany
– Metallic hype sticker

24/08/2021

10th in the Black Forest 45 series (SABA WB013) – Fats Sadi – Ensadinado / Night Lady

Recorded in 1966, Fats Sadi’s ‘Ensadinado’ was his second recording as leader, his first album had been an early Blue Note 10”. Essentially comprising the Clarke-Boland rhythm section, with Sadi on vibes, Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, this 45 features the two standout tracks from this rare SABA LP, which remains unissued on vinyl since its release in 1966. ‘Ensadinado’ finds the quartet playing a latin oriented title penned by Jimmy Woode. Boland’s ‘Night Lady’, a standard for the band and the highlight from this collectable album, has a hard, swinging percussive groove driven by the irrepressible pulse of Kenny Clarke.

– First vinyl release since 1966 and never before released on 7” single
– AAA Transfers from analogue mastertapes
– Audiophile-grade vinyl – single one-off batch limited-edition pressing
– New artwork authentically recreated on heavyweight gloss sleeves
– Cut at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award winning engineer, Sean Magee
– Manufactured at Pallas Group GmbH, Germany
– Metallic hype sticker

24/08/2021

9th in the Black Forest 45 series (SABA WB012) – Mark Murphy – Sconsolato / Just Give Me Time

Although considered to be one of the greatest jazz singers the world has ever known, Mark Murphy remained underground with a cult status. Perhaps the pinnacle of his recording career was Midnight Mood released by SABA in 1968, aligning his unique vocal skills with the Clarke-Boland Octet. With the arrangements of Francy Boland, Kenny Clarke playing offbeats and between-beats, and individualists like Sahib Shihab and Ake Persson, the backing on this date provided a unique dialogue for Murphy. After the latin touch of Jimmy Woode’s ‘Sconsolato’, the mood switches on side 2’s ‘Just Give Me Time’ – a hot, uptempo jazzy bossa dancer, with a rich sound and room-filling low end on this all-analogue 45.

– First ever release on 7” 45 single
– Pressing split: black vinyl/250 copies in matching translucent orange
– AAA Transfers from analogue mastertapes
– Audiophile-grade vinyl – single one-off batch limited-edition pressing
– New artwork authentically recreated on heavyweight gloss sleeves
– Cut at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award winning engineer, Sean Magee
– Manufactured at Pallas Group GmbH, Germany
– Metallic hype sticker

24/08/2021

8th in the Black Forest 45 series (SABA WB011) – Baden Powell – Canto De Ossanha

SABA developed ‘world music’ beyond its jazz label remit, the eclectic ‘Jazz Meets The World’ series brought together artists from Japan, India, Tunisia, Indonesia and Brazil. Producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt travelled to Rio in 1966 to create SABA’s first Brazilian release with a giant of the scene, guitarist Baden Powell. The resulting album, one of Baden’s greatest, bore two deeply rhythmic, spiritual titles found on this 45. ‘Sarava’ is a trance-like ritualistic number designed to whip dancers into frenzied possession. ‘Canto De Ossanha’ is another offering to the gods and an equally hypnotic dancer.

– First ever release on 7” 45 single
– AAA Transfers from analogue mastertapes
– Audiophile-grade vinyl – single one-off batch limited-edition pressing
– New artwork authentically recreated on heavyweight gloss sleeves
– Cut at Abbey Road Studios by Grammy award winning engineer, Sean Magee
– Manufactured at Pallas Group GmbH, Germany
– Metallic hype sticker