Cornetist Digby Fairweather has become one of the leading figures on the British jazz scene, both as a bandleader and sideman in other leader’s bands, and as a writer and broadcaster, as well as being the founder and director of the charity Jazz Centre UK in Southend, aimed at promoting, preserving and celebrating the culture of jazz. This 26-track-2-CD set is the third volume of a retrospective of his career to date, compiled by Digby himself, and with substantial booklet notes written by him. It comprises mostly ‘live’ recordings from across his career, and features performances with a host of the top names in British jazz, including some by the notable band he led, Digby’s Fairweather Friends. Among the artists with whom Digby performs in this set are Ron Russell, Lennie Hastings, Stan Barker, Denny Wright, Brian Lemon, Keith Nichols, Keith Ingham, Pete Strange, Randy Colville, Cas Caswell and many others. Mostly recorded at club dates, festivals, all-star jam sessions and in other settings, the performances capture Digby and his associates on pieces selected to represent the very best from those occasions, taken from LPs and CDs, many long out of print, from across the years. It’s the third part of a musical overview of a significant career selected by the artist himself, and providing not only a showcase for his talents, but an entertaining insight into the British jazz scene across several decades.
