A new Desert Island Record: The Chitinous Ensemble directed by Paul Buckmaster

I owned this very elusive disc in cassette and open-reel 9 i.p.s./2 tracks formats for most of my (musical) life - the record dates back to 1971 - and only recently I found a copy, a nice copy on Deram label - Made in England, a truly gorgeous pressing.

Well, must say I wasn't prepared to the enjoyment I experienced this afternoon, when I had a listen, a careful, loving listening to the vinyl, at last.

It's music I've really been exposed to for decades, it's part of myself, BUT, nonetheless, the legendary Decca's recording quality made the miracle I discovered literally WORLDS of never heard sounds, the music passed at a completely different level of perception than other lesser medias, period.

The disc is simply AMAZING: Ian Carr's trumpet shines, while orchestra and prog-jazz musicians who recorded in three days - imagine they were well rehearsed - the masterpiece are in seldom heard league.

... not a cheap disc... BUT, folks, it's worth every sum, believe me.

For anyone interested in classic British jazz and prog-jazz, I listed some records I own and which recently listened to with great pleasure... consider them a sort of compendium to The Chitinous Ensemble (I'm listening to it right now...), an enlarged memory soundtrack to those magical early '70s, where all happened.

McLaughlin, Holland, Stu Martin, Surman - Where Fortune Smiles (Dawn)
Michael Gibbs - Just Ahead (Polydor 2lps)
Mike Westbrook - Love Songs (Deram)
McLaughlin/Okley/Surman - Extrapolation (Immediate)
Mike Westbrook - Marching Song Vol. 1 e 2 (Deram)
Michael Gibbs - Tanglewood '63 (Deram)
Michael Gibbs - First (Deram)
Keith Tippett's Centipede - Septober Energy (RCA 2lps)
Mike Westbrook - London Bridge is Broken Down (Venture/Virgin 3 LPS)
Ian Carr - Belladonna (Vertigo)
Norma Winstone - Edge of Time (Argo)
Keith Tippett/Marc Charig- Pipedream (Ogun)
Coxhill/Miller-Miller/Coxhill (Caroline)
Mike Westbrook - Metropolis (RCA)
Surman/Oxley/Skidmore - S.O.S. (Ogun)
Michael Garrick - Troppo (Deram)
Keith Tippett - Blueprint (RCA)
John Surman - Morning Glory (Island)
Hugh Hopper - 1984 (CBS)
Robert Wyatt - Ruth is Stranger than Richard (Virgin)
The Chitinous Ensemble (Deram)
Elton Dean (CBS)
John Surman - Westering Home (Island)
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (Virgin)
John Surman - Tales of Algonquin (Deram)

You can't be wrong on the above... Enjoy!