Harry Beckett - The Modern Sound Of Harry Beckett

Barbados-born trumpeter Harry Beckett is one of the great treasures of British culture. Charlie Mingus was a fan, and his old LPs such as 'Flare Up' have become sought-after rarities. Now in his early 70s and on great form, he has bequeathed a magnificent sonic treat in the shape of ‘The Modern Sound Of Harry Beckett’, on which he’s teamed up with a variety of dub-reggae and electro-jazz collaborators, confidently stirred into a steaming sonic bouillabaisse by On-U Sound producer Adrian Sherwood. Beckett and Sherwood have worked together many times over the years, but this album is the first full length from this unusual pairing, created by the simple but effective method of Beckett improvising over new and revised On-U rhythm tracks. Beckett's genius is that he is always true to himself, whoever he performs with. Whether the context is free jazz, Jah Wobble's folk-dub or one of Graham Collier's classic bands, Beckett's effervescent, tumbling, improvised melodies never fail to lift the spirits. Here, pitted against dark, insistent riffs (‘Fantastic Things’), fractured, urban soundscapes (‘Facing It’), throbbing, ‘Tutu’-like skank (‘The Forgotten Man’) or feelgood beats (‘Switch Up!’), he is magnificent. Other players include Carlton ‘’Bubblers’’ Ogilvie on piano and organ, Skip McDonald on Guitar, and Doug Wimbish on bass. “Blue Note, which rejected this album, must be feeling very foolish

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