Afro-Cubists...
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Kenny Graham's Afro Cubists...
Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists...
How did the band come about? In his early dance band days, as first tenor, Kenny had little chance to blow jazz, so when most of the band left the stand for the then obligatory Latin American dance sequence, he would stay on, quietly blowing some jazz to the accompaniment of the bangers and shakers of the rhythm section and it seemed to fit! So Kenny took the plunge and formed his own group the Afro-Cubists who made their debut at Sutton in Surrey in April 1950. It was an amalgam of bebop, African and Cuban rhythms and super-modern harmonies. The next two years produced "unique exciting jazz, breadline money, a pile of debts and a load of fun".

The jazz personnel remained constant until the final months when Jo Hunter and Dickie Devere left for financial betterment. Kenny implied that there was a reticence among musicians to join such a rhythm heavy outfit so the acquisition of unknowns was not entirely accidental.

Without Kenny's determination the band would not have survived two months, let alone two years, but by March 1952 disaster stared him in the face and he disbanded. He reformed periodically for dates with Esquire, a few club engagements and a broadcast, but never again as a regular unit.
During the band's short life it notched up a few firsts - they were the opening attraction at Studio 51 which remained the mecca of British modernism, rivalled two years later by Jazz at The Flamingo whose opening attraction was a later version of the Afro-Cubists. They were the first group to broadcast on the BBC's Jazz For Moderns.

c1951

Joe HunterxxxDickie DeverexxxTerry Brown

An ongoing tragedy is that not a single recording of the original Afro-Cubists is currently available on CD. Only one recording date, made with a studio band that was nothing like the original group line up is currently available. In the period from February 1951 to September 1955 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists recorded some 54 titles for Esquire records of which only six from 1951 were ever re-issued in a long discontinued 4 CD set (Bebop in Britain). Sixteen titles, (up to 5/2/53), were issued on an LP issued by Esquire in the 1970s in the Treasure Chest re-issue series. This is titled "Mango Walk - Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists Volume One". Volume Two included his Caribbean Suite....
Kenny Graham biography and discography...
Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - February 10th, 1951 (Esquire)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Jack Honeybourne (p), Roy Plummer (g), Cliff Ball (b), Dickie Devere (d) + maracas, conga and bongo.
Mango Walk*#/Pina Colada*#.
(*Charly/Esquire 4 CD box set - bebop IN BRITAIN - issued in 1991 currently only available second hand...)
(#Hallmark CD - Basement Bop - British jazz in the 1950s)

June 4th, 1951 (Esquire)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Ralph Dollimore (p), Roy Plummer (g), Cliff Ball (b), Dickie Devere (d) + maracas & conga.
Chloe*/Over The Rainbow*/Skylon*/Dome Of Discovery*.
(*Charly/Esquire 4 CD box set - bebop IN BRITAIN - issued in 1991 currently only available second hand...)

February 13th, 1952 (Esquire)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Ralph Dollimore (p), Roy Plummer (g), Stan Wasser (b), Don Lawson (d) + maracas, conga and bongo.
Mike Fright/Pip Squeak/Kenny's Jig/Cuban Canon.

The February 13th date above was the last recording session by the band as a working unit. Esquire continued to record the band for another three years although the musicians were re-formed for the date...

October 8th, 1952 (Esquire)
Terry Brown (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Ralph Dollimore (p), Bruce Swain (b), Dicky Devere (d) + maracas, conga and bongo.
Boom/Barbados/All The King's Horses/Peanut Vendor.

February 5th, 1953 (Esquire)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham , Derek Humble, Joe Temperley, Bertie King (ts), Oscar Birch (bs), Ralph Dollimore (p), Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d) + conga.
I'll Remember April/Jump For Joe (two takes)/A Night In Tunisia (two takes)/Take The 'A' Train (three takes).

April 29th, 1953 (Esquire 20-012) (JMC2)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham, Norman Fantham, Eddie Mordue, Wally Moffatt (ts), Oscar Birch (bs), Ralph Dollimore (p), Joe Muddel (b), Phil Seamen (d) + maracas and conga.
Afro-Kadabra (parts 1 and 2)/Flamingo/Keni B'sindika.

On Esquire LP 20-023, (titled Caribbean Suite), the eight movements of Graham's 'Caribbean Suite' are linked together by Dennis Preston's narration, which was dubbed on later. Recording details as below:
Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists - October 23rd* and 27th, 1953 (*Esquire 20-023)
Jo Hunter (tp), Kenny Graham, Joe Temperley, Norman Fantham, Eddie Mordue (ts), Don Honeywell (bs), Dill Jones (p), Roy Plummer (g)*, Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d), Judy Johnson (voc), + maracas.
Beguine*/Tempo Medio Lento*/Saga Boy*/Bongo Chant*#/Mango Walk/Dance Of The Zombies/Wha' Happin' Sah?/Haitian Ritual#.
(#SWP Records CD - The Late, Great Phil Seamen)

April 27th, 1954 (Esquire)
Dizzy Reece (tp), Kenny Graham (ts), Joe Harriott (as), Eddie Mordue (bs), Freddy Logan (b), Ginger Johnson (d).
The Continental/Cottontail/Fascinating Rhythm/Blues In The Night.

August 23rd, 1954 (Esquire)
Kenny Graham (ts), Dave Goldberg (g), Arthur Watts (b), Phil Seamen (d), + conga.
Good Bait/Bike Up The Strand.

December 3rd, 1954 (Esquire)
Kenny Graham (ts), Dave Goldberg (g), Freddy Logan (b), + maracas and conga.
Jeepers Creepers/Sunday, Monday or Always/The Nearness Of You/Lover Come Back To Me.

May 6th, 1955 (Esquire EP83*) (JMC17*/25^)
Leo Wright (tp), Kenny Graham, Eddie Mordue, Pete King, Alan Rowe (ts), Bill Andrews (bs), Lennie Metcalfe (p), Victor Feldman (vib,conga), Sammy Stokes (b), Phil Seamen (d).
Caravan*/Kings Cross Climax*/When Your Lover Has Gone^/When A Bodgie Meets A Widgie^.

Nixa NJL12 was a showcase for Kenny's arranging talents and was very different to his original concept for the Afro Cubists. These sessions used three trombonists whereas the original Afro Cubists never used one. Apart from Kenny's fine arrangements and playing a highlight was the marvellous trumpet playing of Joe Hunter who played on the original Afro Cubists recordings. Unfortunately, this is the only recording currently available on CD...
Kenny Graham's Afro Cubists - January 14th, 1957 (Presenting Kenny Graham - Nixa NJL12) (JM0258)
Jo Hunter (tp), Jackie Armstrong, Laddie Busby, George Chisholm (tb), Kenny Graham (ts), Cliff Townsend (bs), Stan Tracey (p,vib), Sammy Stokes (b), Jack McHardie (cga).
Cuban Fantasy*/Rockin' In Rhythm*/Monkey Business*/I Dreamt I Dwelt In Harlem*.
(*Castle 3CD box set - Too Hot - The Best of British Mainstream Jazz)
(*Vocalion CD - Presenting Kenny Graham)

February 5th, 1957 (Nixa NJL12) (JM0258)
Personnel as January 14th.
Tuxedo Junction*/Swallowin' The Blues*/Don't Get Around Much Anymore*/Times A Wastin'*/Bongo Chant*.
(*Castle 3CD box set - Too Hot - The Best of British Mainstream Jazz)
(*Vocalion CD - Presenting Kenny Graham)

February 25th, 1957 (Presenting Kenny Graham - Nixa NJL12) (JM0258)
Jo Hunter (tp), Jackie Armstrong, Laddie Busby, George Chisholm (tb), Kenny Graham (ts), Don Honeywell (bs), Dick Katz (vln), Eddie Thompson (p,org), Sammy Stokes (b), Frank Holder (cga).
Olwen's Dream*/I'll Get By*^.
(^Castle 3CD box set - Too Hot - The Best of British Mainstream Jazz)
(*Vocalion CD - Presenting Kenny Graham)

Kenny Graham biography and discography...
the early classic records...
The Afro-Cubists...
The Afro-Cubists and the Melody Maker...
Kenny Graham the composer...



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