This superb Catalonian jazz album was originally released on Edigsa in 1968 and sees its first ever vinyl reissue here. Barcelona has always had a boiling jazz scene, and since the 1960s a strong focal point of the city jazzmen has been the Jamboree Club, in the centric Plaça Reial. The Jamboree was a regular point for al American artists doing the European jazz circuit, as it was for all European acts and, of course for the local talent.
Among these, a young quartet formed by alto sax & flute player Ricard Roda, pianist Ricard Miralles, bassist Enric Ponsa and drummer Joan-Josep Tudurí became regular on the club's night gigs. The four musicians were experienced jazzmen in the Barcelona circuit, having already played in several outfits and accompanied several soloists when they gathered together for this experience.
Ricard Roda had a vast experience in the local jazz scene, having started when he was only seventeen in the Crazy Boys orchestra in 1948. He was also a close friend of Tete Montoliu since they studied together in Barcelonas Conservatorium. In the seventies he was a member of the Orquesta Mirasol Colores, pioneers of jazz rock fussion in Barcelona, and he also played with musicians outside the jazz scene like Joan Manuel Serrat or Xavier Cugat, and even with Liza Minelli.
Ricard Miralles was the son of trumpeter and band leader Jaime Miralles. He often attended and played at the Kit Kat Club jam sessions in the early sixties, where he met with bassist Manuel Elías. They both debuted as proffessionals accompaining "Pocholo" and became regulars in the city's jazz circuit. Miralles became a composer and arranger and worked with musicians like Francesc Pi de la Serra or Joan Manuel Serrat.
Enric Ponsa was one of the most in demand local bassists, and Joan-Josep Tudurí was the youngest talent of the pack. They were approached by Edigsa to record one of the most interesting Catalonian jazz albums of the sixties. Supposed to be a first volume in a series of Jamboree related jazz, it opened with the great Ricard Miralles penned piece "Asteriscs," and then moved to a couple of standars ("Stella by Starlight," "On Green Dolphin Street"). B side showed a love for more modern jazzers, including Wynton Kelly's "Kelly Blues," John Coltrane's "Theme For Ernie," Jimmy Heath's "C.T.A." and Miles Davis's "Solar" as bonus track.
Lovers of modern jazz and labels like Blue Note or Prestige will enjoy this first ever vinyl reissue, original artwork in nicely proper backflapped sleeve (improving a bit the quality of the Edigsa sleeves from the era which were a mere paper folded by the middle), remastered sound, in a limited edition of 500 copies only plus one bonus track.
PERSONNEL:
RICARD RODA, sax
RICARD MIRALLES, piano
ENRIC PONSA, bass
JOAN-JOSEP TUDURÍ, drums
SIDE A:
01. Asteriscs (Ricard Miralles)
02. Stella by Starlight (Victor Young)
SIDE B:
01. Kelly Blues (Wynton Kelly)
02. Theme For Ernie (John Coltrane)
03. C.T.A. (Jimmy Heath)
04. Solar (Miles Davis)
RICARDO RODA, RICARD MIRALLES, ENRIC PONSA, TUDURI LP Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree
Label: Wah Wah Records – WBSLP 020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Country: Spain
Released: Apr 2018