Flashpoints And Undercurrents

Featuring truly a who's who of late 60s British jazz, this professionally recorded concert, recorded April 18, 1969 in Germany, has never before been released. At the time of the recording of this show, John Surman had just finished recording his second album as a leader, How Many Clouds Can You See, so this is a unique chance to get an expanded view of his formative work as a leader and also at the early work of his musical compatriots who appear here with him.

Additionally, some of these compositions were never performed other than these events! Surman states that "choice of material was up to me...and I wrote several pieces especially for the workshop-but it was customary to invite a few participants to bring a piece of their own if they wanted to; hence the pieces from Kenny, Erich and Fritz."

John Surman - soprano and baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Alan Skidmore - tenor saxophone and flute
Ronnie Scott - tenor saxophone
Mike Osborne - alto saxophone
Malcolm Griffiths – trombone
Erich Kleinschuster – trombone
Kenny Wheeler - trumpet and flugelhorn
Fritz Pauer – piano
Harry Miller – bass
Alan Jackson – drums.

CD 1
1. "Jack Knife"
2. "Gratuliere"
3. "Hallo Thursday"
4. "Undercurrent"
5. "Mayflower"
6. "Dallab"

CD 2
1. "Puzzle"
2. "Background"
3. "Where Fortune Smiles"
4. "Aqua Regis"
5. "Beyond The Hill"
6. "Once Upon A Time"
7. "Flashpoint"