Wilton Gaynair: “Blue Bogey” TAP25 (1959) Tempo

Selection: Wilton’s Mood (Gaynair)

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Track List

A1. Wilton’s Mood 6:07
A2. Deborah 4:04
A3. Joy Spring (Clifford Brown) 9:14
B1. Rhythm 5:17
B2. Blues For Tony 7:25
B3. The Way You Look Tonight (Jerome Kern) 7:12

Artists

Wilton Gaynair, tenor sax; Terry Shannon, piano; Kenny Napper, bass; Bill Eyden, drums; recorded at  Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London,  August 26, 1959; Michael Mailes, engineer; Tony Hall, producer.

Music

The Tempo label is the UK’s premier division of British jazz pressings of the Fifties and early Sixties, whose mythical status and extreme rarity commands prices. What sets them apart from Contemporary Vogue, which are pretty good in their own right, is the extraordinarily fine engineering and pressing of these all British recordings. This pressing delivers just about as perfect tonal range and physical musical presence as I think is possible in a record. Any more and you will be pouring a fresh cup of tea for the musicians in your living room.

It is only about the second or third Tempo I have ever seen in the flesh, and the first it has been my privilege to own. I am honoured. It came from the disposal of a small part of the collection of a well-known British jazz musician popular in the Fifties and Sixties.

I had never heard of Wilton Gaynair before, but he was apparently from the same Jamaican alpha-boys background as Dizzy Reece, and similar to the legendary and sought after Joe Harriott. These were black jazz musicians from the West Indies, as opposed to Afro-American, which seems to have struck a chord with current British cognoscenti of jazz and funk.

Gaynair has a fabulous rounded tenor voice, quite fresh and with powerful grasp of variation in melody and speed that is a joy to listen to, and sufficiently different to refresh your palate with British Jazz.

Marketing Director’s Tea Break

The title “Blue Bogey“? – a “bogey” being common parlance for nose-pickings. “Hi there nose-pickers, have we got a pick for you – it’s blue! It’s Wilton – no, not a luxury fine woven carpet – and he’s not “gay” (as far as we know) or a new low-cost pink airline – it’s Wilton Gaynair.  Duh.

Vinyl: Tempo TAP 25, original, Decca pressing 1959.

Liner notes by the British jazz producer Tony Hall, whose close links with TV and radio recording industry helped to ensure the financial survival of the small British Jazz scene.

Collector’s Corner

In best condition this record commands over $2,000, though with the world vinyl jazz demand today I should really quote it in yen. Here a Japanese collector proudly showed off his Tempo collection, all the most sought-after titles, many priced in four figures.

Rare copies that appear at auction are rapidly spirited away to Japan by teams of (probably Disc Union) professional buyers. I recently lost one Tempo  to a bidder whose Ebay history showed over 47,000 bids, against my 400. Arbitrage,  Japanese collectors will pay multiples more than the final auction price, and Disc Union agents scour auction sites night and day for originals. It’s a depressing experience.

Popsike Ebay auction history – top 20 auctions

The recommendation on the record came from the shop manager, who commended the tenor playing of Wilton, and filled me in on some of the background. First out of the box for a private viewing before being put on sale, the advantage of being a regular customer who takes time for a friendly chat. I grabbed a couple of the more interesting rarities, having already got copies of many in the collection, inevitably due to the previous owner having similar taste to my own. Those I passed on I now regret.

The cover in fairly terrible condition, laminated soft card very vulnerable to tears and scuffing, this is no beauty, but I doubt you will ever see another to compare. (Cover photo here is restored a little with Photoshop)

British Jazz fans have a cult following of the likes of Tubby Hayes, who often sharpened his jazz credentials recording with the New York scene (doing a sterling performance with Dizzy Reece of ‘Round about Midnight on BN 4006 Blues in Trinity) Tempo is something to look out for, and if ever I see another it’s max out with the credit card. Nothing chauvinistic about UK Jazz from LondonJazzCollector, but this is good music, from London.  Help some stay there.

(Pictures updated and text refreshed December 2022)