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Harry Beckett

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Harry Beckett
Background information
Birth nameHarold Winston Beckett
Born(1935-05-30)30 May 1935
Saint Michael, Barbados
Died22 July 2010(2010-07-22) (aged 75)
London, England
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Trumpet, flugelhorn
Years active1961–2010

Harold Winston "Harry" Beckett (30 May 1935[1] – 22 July 2010) was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player of Barbadian origin.

Biography

Born in Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados, Harry Beckett learned to play music in a Salvation Army band.[2] A resident in the UK since 1954, he had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long.[3] In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass player and composer Graham Collier.[3] Beginning in 1970, he led groups of his own, recording for Philips, RCA and Ogun Records among other labels.

He was a key figure of important groups in the British free jazz/improvised music scene, including Ian Carr's Nucleus, the Brotherhood of Breath and The Dedication Orchestra, London Jazz Composers Orchestra, London Improvisers Orchestra, John Surman's Octet, Django Bates, Ronnie Scott's Quintet, Kathy Stobart, Charlie Watts, Stan Tracey's Big Band and Octet; Elton Dean's Ninesense.[4] He has also recorded with Keef Hartley, Jah Wobble, David Sylvian and worked with David Murray. He toured abroad with Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor, Keith Tippett, John Tchicai, Joachim Kühn, Dudu Pukwana's Zila, George Gruntz's Bands, Belgian quintet The Wrong Object, Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Band and Annie Whitehead's Robert Wyatt project, Soupsongs, which also featured Phil Manzanera and Julie Tippetts, among other jazz and rock luminaries.

His dub-oriented album, The Modern Sound of Harry Beckett, was produced by famed British producer Adrian Sherwood and released on On-U Sound in late 2008.

In 1972, Beckett won the Melody Maker jazz Poll as "Top Trumpeter in Britain". He was a member of the Orchestre National de Jazz between 1997 and 2000.[3]

Beckett died on 22 July 2010 after suffering a stroke.[5]

Selected discography

With Graham Collier

With Barry Guy/The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra

  • Ode (Incus, 1972)

With Oliver Nelson

[Draft] Complete chronological discography

Artist/Group Title Original label Recording date Location Year first released
Various Artists Soundtrack to the film "All Night Long" Fontana 01/01/61 ? 1962
West African Rhythm Brothers ? Melodisc? 01/01/63 ? 1963
Georgie Fame ? Columbia?
Nigerian Union Rhythm Group ? Melodisc? 01/01/66 ? 1966
Ambrose Campbell High Life Today Columbia Lansdowne 01/01/66 ? 1966
The Graham Collier Septet Deep Dark Blue Centre Deram 24/01/67 "Jackson Studios, Rickmansworth,
Hertfordshire" 1967
Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers No.1 In Your Heart Parlaphone 01/07/67 London 1967
John Surman • Alan Skidmore • Tony Oxley Jazz In Britain '68-'69 Decca Eclipse 01/03/69 London 1972
Small Faces Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake Immediate 01/01/68 London 1968
Graham Collier Workpoints Cuneiform 16/03/68 Southampton University, Southampton 2005
John Surman John Surman (Anglo-Sax in the US) Deram 14/08/68 London 1969
The New Jazz Orchestra Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe Verve 01/09/68 Pye Studios, Marble Arch, London 1969
Ray Russell Quartet Dragon Hill CBS Realm 01/01/69 London 1969
Keef Hartley Band The Battle Of North West Six Deram 01/01/69 Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London 1969
Graham Collier Sextet Down Another Road Fontana 21/03/69 London 1969
Joe Harriott Journey Moonlight Tunes 18/04/69 BBC TV Studios, London ? 2011
Jack Bruce Songs For A Tailor Polydor 20/05/69 Morgan Studios, London 1969
Manfred Mann Chapter Three Manfred Mann Chapter Three Vertigo 01/06/69 Maximum Sound Studios, London SE1 1969
Keef Hartley Band Halfbreed Deram 01/06/69 Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London 1969
Galliard New Dawn Deram 13/12/69 London? 1970
Mike Osborne Outback Turtle 01/01/70 London 1970
Bob Downes Open Music Electric City Vertigo 01/01/70 London 1970
Ray Russell’s Rock Workshop Rock Workshop CBS 01/01/70 De Lane Lea Studios, Kingsway, London 1970
C.C.S. C.C.S. RAK 01/01/70 London 1970
Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Two Vertigo 01/01/70 London 1970
John Surman How Many Clouds Can You See? Deram 01/03/70 London 1970
Ray Russell’s Rock Workshop The Very Last Time CBS 04/04/70 De Lane Lea Studios, Kingsway, London 1971
Neil Ardley’s New Jazz Orchestra Camden ‘70 Dusk Fire 26/05/70 Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre, London WC1 2008
Graham Collier Music Songs For My Father Fontana 01/06/70 London 1970
Various, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice Jesus Christ Superstar MCA 01/06/70 London 1970
Memphis Slim Blue Memphis Barclay 01/06/70 ? 1970
Colosseum Daughter Of Time Vertigo 01/07/70 London 1970
Harry Beckett Flare Up Philips 15/07/70 London 1970
Ray Russell Rites And Rituals CBS 01/08/70 De Lane Lea Studios, Kingsway, London 1971
The Trio Conflagration Dawn 01/11/70 London 1971
Graham Collier Music The Alternate Mosaics BGO Records 12/12/70 The Torrington, North Finchley, London 2008
Graham Collier Music Featuring Harry Beckett Mosaics Philips 12/12/70 The Torrington, North Finchley, London 1971
Ian Carr with Nucleus Solar Plexus Vertigo 14/12/70 Phonogram Studios, London 1971
Michael Gibbs Tanglewood ‘63 Deram 23/12/70 Morgan Studios, London 1971
Harry Beckett Warm Smiles RCA Victor 01/01/71 Command Studios, London 1971
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Brotherhood RCA 01/01/71 London 1971
Miller Anderson Bright City Deram 01/01/71 London 1971
Faces Long Player Warner Brothers 01/01/71 Morgan Studios, London 1971
Storyteller More Pages Transatlantic 01/01/71 Sound Techniques, Chelsea, London 1971
Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath RCA Neon 09/01/71 Sound Techniques, Chelsea, London 1971
John Surman / John Warren Tales Of The Algonquin Deram 01/04/71 London 1971
Ray Russell Live At The I.C.A. RCA 11/06/71 ICA, The Mall, London 1971
The Keef Hartley Band Little Big Band Deram 13/06/71 Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London 1971
Oliver Nelson Swiss Suite Flying Dutchman 16/06/71 Montreux Jazz Festival 1972
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Bremen To Bridgwater Cuneiform 20/06/71 Lila Eule, Bremen, Germany (1971) & Bridgwater Arts Centre, Bridgwater, UK (1975) 2004
Neil Ardley A Symphony Of Amaranths Regal Zonophone 23/06/71 Lansdowne Studios, Holland Park, London 1971
Mike Westbrook Orchestra Metropolis RCA Neon 03/08/71 Lansdowne Studios, Holland Park, London 1971
The Running Man The Running Man RCA Neon 15/10/71 Trident Studios, London W1 1972
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Eclipse At Dawn Cuneiform 04/11/71 Berliner Philharmonie, Berliner Jazztage, Berlin, Germany 2008
CCS CCS RAK 01/01/72 London 1972
Alexis Korner Bootleg Him! RAK 01/01/72 London 1972
Harry Beckett's S & R Powerhouse Sections Themes For Fega RCA Victor 04/02/72 ICA, The Mall, London 1972
Coulson, Dean, McGuinness, Flint Lo & Behold DJM 01/03/72 Maximumsound, Old Kent Road, London 1972
Barry Guy/The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra Ode Incus 22/04/72 Oxford Town Hall, Oxford 1972
The Mike Gibbs Band Just Ahead Polydor 31/05/72 Ronnie Scott’s Club, London 1972
Alan Cohen Band Duke Ellington's Black Brown & Beige Argo 19/10/72 Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London 1973
Scaffold Fresh Liver Island 01/01/73 Air Studios, Hampstead, London NW3 1973
Jaki Whitren Raw But Tender Epic 01/01/73 Nova Sound Recording Studios, London 1973
Ray Russell Secret Asylum Black Lion Records 01/01/73 Black Lion Records Studios, London 1973
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Travelling Somewhere Cuneiform 19/01/73 Lila Eule, Bremen, Germany 2001
Giorgio Gaslini L'Integrale - Antologia Cronologica - CD N°7 (1973), CD N°8 (1973–74) Soul Note 13/10/73 Studio 7, Milan, Italy 2008
Giorgio Gaslini & Jean-Luc Ponty Fabbrica occupata Produttori Associati 27/10/73 ? 1974
Sharon Forrester Sharon Ashanti 01/01/74 ? 1974
Alexis Korner Mr Blues Toadstool 01/01/74 London 1974
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Live At Willisau Ogun 27/01/74 Jazz Festival Willisau, Switzerland 1974
Harry Beckett Joy Unlimited Cadillac Records 12/03/74 Chalk Farm Studios, Camden, London 1975
Graham Collier Music Darius Mosaic 13/03/74 Cranfield Institute of Technology, Bedfordshire 1974
Harry Beckett Still Happy Desire Records 11/08/74 BBC Studios, London 2016
Graham Collier with Graham Collier Music Jazz Illustrations Resources of Music 01/01/75 ? 1975
Graham Collier with Graham Collier Music Jazz Lecture Concert Resources of Music 01/01/75 ? 1975
Bob Downes Open Music Hells Angels Openian 01/01/75 ? 1975
Various (including Graham Collier Music) Trad Dads, Dirty Boppers and Free Fusioneers Reel Recordings 01/01/75 ? 2012
Graham Collier Music Midnight Blue Mosaic 17/02/75 Nettlebed, Oxfordshire 1975
John Warren Bigband Live (Sparkasse Bremen, Sparkasse In Concert II / 76) Sparkasse Bremen 21/06/75 der Aula des Ausbildungszentrums der Oberpostdirektion Bremen 1976
Harry Beckett Memories of Bacares Ogun 25/11/75 The Sussex, Culford Road, London N1 1975
Elton Dean's Ninesense Oh! For The Edge Ogun 22/03/76 100 Club, London 1976
Graham Collier Music New Conditions Mosaic 02/06/76 Nettlebed, Oxfordshire 1976
Giorgio Gaslini Giorgio Gaslini Meets …. Pausa Records 27/10/76 ? 1976
Graham Collier Music Symphony Of Scorpions Mosaic 07/11/76 Ronnie Scott’s Club, London 1977
Stan Tracey Octet The Bracknell Connection Steam 29/11/76 100 Club, London 1976
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Procession Ogun 10/05/77 Halle aux Grains, Toulouse, France 1978
Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited Got It Made Ogun 13/07/77 London 1977
Elton Dean's Ninesense Happy Daze Ogun 26/07/77 Redan Recorders, London W2 1977
Stan Tracey Octet The Early Works ReSteamed 17/09/77 St Edmund’s Art Centre, Salisbury, UK 2008
The Jive Bureaux Stick It Gull 01/01/78 Morgan Studios, London 1978
Alan Price England My England Jet 01/01/78 ? 1978
Stan Tracey Octet Salisbury Suite Steam 25/02/78 The Royal Festival Hall, London 1978
Graham Collier Music The Day Of The Dead Mosaic 01/03/78 Nettlebed, Oxfordshire 1978
Elton Dean's Ninesense Live At The BBC Hux 17/03/78 BBC Studios, London 2003
Kathy Stobart Arbeia Spotlite 28/03/78 Konk Studios, London N8 1978
Elton Dean's Ninesense The 100 Club Concert 1979 Reel Recordings 05/03/79 The 100 Club, 100 Oxford St, London 2012
Barry Guy / London Jazz Composers Orchestra Stringer FMP 01/03/80 BBC Maida Vale Studio, London 1983
Dudu Pukwana Sounds Zila Jika 16/01/81 100 Club, London 1981
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Yes Please - Angoulème 1981 In And Out 01/06/81 Théatre Municipal, Angoulème 1981
Elton Dean's Ninesense / Harry Beckett, Harry Miller, Louis Moholo Ninesense Suite Jazzwerkstatt 20/06/81 Jazzwerkstatt Peitz N°41, Germany 2011
Beckett / Miller / Moholo Jazzwerkstatt Peitz No. 45 Jazzwerkstatt 24/04/82 Jazzwerkstatt Peitz N°45, Germany 2011
Robert Wyatt Nothing Can Stop Us Rough Trade 01/06/82 ? 1982
Weekend La Varieté Rough Trade 01/07/82 Power Plant Studio, Willesden, London NW1 1982
Trevor Bastow Sax Trax JW Music Library 01/01/83 ? 1983
Weekend With Keith Tippett Live At Ronnie Scott's Rough Trade 20/03/83 Ronnie Scott’s Club, London 1983
Dudu Pukwana And Zila Life In Bracknell & Willisau Jika 03/07/83 Bracknell & Willisau Jazz Festivals 1983
Stan Tracey Stan Tracey Now Steam 09/07/83 Lansdowne Studios, Holland Park, London 1983
Albert Van Dam The Sentimental Touch RCA 01/01/84 ? 1984
Harry Beckett Pictures of You Virgin 01/01/85 Wave Studios, London W1 1985
Jah Wobble & Ollie Marland Neon Moon Island 01/01/85 Guerilla Studio UK, Rail Studio Germany and The Fallout Shelter UK 1985
Working Week Working Nights Virgin 01/01/85 ? 1985
Elton Dean Quintet The Bologna Tapes Ogun 18/04/85 Osteria Delle Dame, Bologna, Italy 1985
Johnny Dyani Quartet Angolian Cry Steeplechase 23/07/85 Sound Track Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark 1985
Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra Even The Moon Is Dancing Steeplechase 30/07/85 Easy Sound Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark 1985
Lysis Superimpositions - IMProvised comPOSITIONS Soma 01/01/86 ? 1986
David Defries The Secret City MMC 01/01/86 ? 1986
Jah Wobble & Ollie Marland Tradewinds Lago 01/01/86 Guerilla Studios, London W9 & Paradiso, Amsterdam 1986
David Sylvian Gone To Earth Virgin 01/01/86 London 1986
Dudu Pukwana Zila 86 Jika 01/01/86 ? 1986
Chris McGregor And The South African Exiles Thunderbolt PAM 01/01/86 Open Ohr Festival, Mainz,Germany 1986
The Charlie Watts Orchestra Live At Fulham Town Hall CBS 23/03/86 Fulham Town Hall, London SW6 1986
Detail Plus – Ness Ness Impetus 01/07/86 Mannod Studio/Community Music, London 1986
Elton Dean Quintet Welcomet Live In Brazil 1986 Impetus 01/01/87 Radio Cultura de Sao Paulo, Brazil 1987
Pulse! Stormy Weather Spotlite 01/01/87 ? 1987
Harry Beckett / Johnny Dyani / Chris McGregor / Marilyn Mazur Grandmothers Teaching ITM 01/01/87 Woodhouse Studio, Dortmund and Hermes Studio, Kamen, Germany 1988
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath Country Cooking Virgin 01/01/87 Angel Studios, Islington, London N1 1988
Tom Mega Backyards Of Pleasure ITM 01/01/87 Woodhouse Studio, Dortmund, Germany 1988
Harry Beckett Maxine (Compilation 1987-1995) ITM 01/01/87 Various 2011
Jazz Warriors Out Of Many, One People Antilles 13/03/87 Shaw Theatre, Kings Cross, London NW1 1987
Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra Johnny Lives Steeplechase 15/04/87 Copenhagen, Denmark 1987
Harry Beckett Les Jardins du Casino ITM 01/05/87 London (1991) & Germany (1987) 1993
Harry Beckett – Courtney Pine Live, Vol. 2 West Wind 20/05/87 Manufaktur Schorndorf, Germany 1987
Harry Beckett Bremen Concert West Wind 23/05/87 Radio Bremen, Weserterrasse, Dacapo 1988
John Stevens’ Fast Colour Suite For Johnny Dyani Loose Torque 01/01/88 WIM Concert, Antwerp, Belgium 2004
U3 Klang Jazz Goes Underground West Wind 28/08/88 Kongreßhalle Berlin, Germany 1988
Various Bandes Originales Du Journal De Spirou Nato 01/01/89 The Chocolate Factory, London 1989
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath - Archie Shepp En Concert A Banlieues Bleues 52e Rue Est 18/03/89 Espace John Lennon at La Courneuve, France 1989
Anglo Italian Quartet Put It Right Mr. Smoothie Spalsc(h) 10/02/90 Barigozzi Studio, Milan, Italy 1991
Harry Beckett & Pierre Dørge Echoes Of... Olufsen Records 01/05/90 Sun Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark 1990
Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra Live In Chicago Olufsen Records 06/07/90 Southend Musicworks, Chicago, USA 1991
Vic Reeves I Will Cure You Island 01/01/91 ? 1991
Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Orchestra Featuring David Murray The Jazzpar Prize Enja 16/03/91 Germany 1992
Harry Beckett All Four One Spotlite 25/03/91 Porcupine Studios, Mottingham, London 1991
Harry Beckett Passion and Possession ITM 23/04/91 Porcupine Studios, London SE9 & CMP Studio, Zerkall, Germany (9 April) 1991
Beckett – Levallet – Marsh Images of Clarity Evidence 01/01/92 ? 1992
The Dedication Orchestra – Spirits Rejoice Spirits Rejoice Ogun 02/01/92 Gateway Studio, Kingston Hill, Surrey 1992
Harry Beckett Moon of Roses ITM 26/09/93 Kornet-Studio, Cologne, Germany 1995
Rude This Is …. Jazzprint 01/01/94 ? 1994
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart Take Me To God Island 01/01/94 Greenhouse Studios, London 1994
The Dedication Orchestra Ixesha (Time) Ogun 03/01/94 Gateway Studio, Kingston Hill, Surrey 1994
Anglo Italian Quartet Twice Upon A Time Spalsc(h) 01/01/95 ? 1995
Harry Beckett Compared 2 What? Basic 01/01/95 Porcupine Studios, London 1996
Gail Thompson Jazz Africa Enja 01/01/96 ? 1996
Orchestre National De Jazz / Didier Levallet Avec La Participation De Daunik Lazro ONJ Express Evidence 27/03/98 Studios Ferber, Paris 1998
Harry Beckett Tribute to Charles Mingus Westway 16/01/99 The Premises Studio, Hackney, London E2 2000
Harry Beckett Before and After Spotlite 01/02/99 The Band on the Wall, Manchester, UK 2001
Various Soupsongs Live Jazzprint 10/10/99 The Palace Theatre, Newark, UK 2002
London Improvisers Orchestra The Hearing Continues… Emanem 04/09/00 Gateway Studio, Kingston Hill, Surrey 2001
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath The Memorial Concert ITM 01/01/01 ? 2001
London Improvisers Orchestra Freedom Of The City 2002 Emanem 05/05/02 Freedom of the City festival, Conway Hall, London 2003
Carol Grimes Mother Irregular 01/01/03 ? 2003
London Improvisers Orchestra London Responses, Reproduction & Reality: Freedom Of The City 2003-4 Emanem 04/05/03 Freedom of the City festival, Conway Hall, London 2005
London Improvisers Orchestra Improvisations For George Riste psi 06/07/03 Red Rose, Holloway, London N7 2008
Jürgen Wuchner Group Feat. Harry Beckett Jürgen Wuchner Group Feat. Harry Beckett West Wind 15/12/03 Darmstadt, Germany 2004
Jah Wobble Elevator Music Volume 1A 30 Hz 01/01/04 Intimate Studios, London 2004
Jah Wobble Mu Trojan 01/01/05 Mark Angelo Studios 2005
Graham Collier Directing 14 Jackson Pollocks Jazz Continuum 01/11/04 ? 2009
George Haslam, Richard Leigh Harris, Stefano Pastor, Harry Beckett, Steve Kershaw Holywell Session: Live In Oxford Slam Productions 17/09/06 Holywell Music Room, Oxford, UK 2007
London Improvisers Orchestra / Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra Separately & Together Emanem 06/05/07 Freedom of the City Festival, Red Rose, London 2008
Harry Beckett The Modern Sound of Harry Beckett On-U Sound 01/01/08 On-U Sound Studios, London 2008
Duduvudu The Gospel According to Dudu Pukwana Edgetone 01/01/10 The Premises Studio, Hackney, London E2 2014

References

  1. ^ According to his wife, Beckett was 86 (sic) when he died, see the obituary by Steve Voce, The Independent, 24 August 2010, where his date of birth is given as 30 May 1923.
  2. ^ Steve Voce, "Harry Beckett: Highly respected trumpeter who worked with Mingus, Scott, Dankworth and Tracey", The Independent, 24 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Fordham, John (26 July 2010). "Jazz trumpeter and composer, his genial, unmistakable sound became legendary". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 June 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Fordham, John (9 June 2011). "Elton Dean's Ninesense: Ninesense Suite/Natal – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 June 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Jazz breaking news: Trumpeter Harry Beckett Dies". Jazzwise magazine. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
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