About

After contributing to the Rendell-Carr Quintet and founding the seminal New Jazz Orchestra, a centrepiece of the Singing London jazz scene, Ardley started working on his first solo album, when it became obvious that NJO was nearing its end. But it’s like Neil went far to find collabs for his project, as most of the cast for Greek Variations played in the NJO at one point or another. We’ll find Rendell, Carr, Gibbs, Jenkins, Barbara, Clyne, Ricotti Marshall, Tomkins, Whitehead, but a bit more surprising Spedding and Jack Bruce. Some writers (and Ardley himself) tend to present Variations as the first chapter of a trilogy that also include Amaranths (Ok, that makes sense musically) and oddly enough Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows - I’d have named the flawed Will Power instead. So this album is attributed to Ardley, but to Ian Carr and Ron Rendell as well, (all three were part of the RCQ’s first line-up), but Ardley’s composition takes the whole first side, while Ian’s and Don’s share the flipside

The sidelong instrumental title track is based on Greek folk tunes, but given the heavy-handed jazz and classic arrangements, it’s not that easy to spot them - not that I’m any kind of expert in Greek music, much less ancient themes. Yup, I could hear certain intonations or motifs reminiscent of the Greek heritage in each of the six movements, but the whole concept is explained in the original liner notes (better find your looking glass though, because of the small print) much better than I could. Ian Carr’s quarter album is a very quiet and calm one, despite the fact that the line-up is of the first Nucleus – Spedding included – and you won’t find much of the fire and volcanic activity on their own fusion albums. Surprisingly enough Don Rendell’s tracks are a little more upbeat than Ian’s, but remain jazzy and lighthearted like the rest of the album.

Generally regarded as Neil Ardley’s first solo chef d’oeuvre, Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises is indeed quite a semi-lost classic of 60’s & 70’s British jazz, one that would deserve a lot more interest both among specialist and casual jazzheads. The only CD reissue I’m aware of is the Impressed-Re-pressed label one, under the Universal patronage, which might appear odd, since the vinyl was released on the Columbia-UK label, but let’s leave it the benefit of the doubt, since it’s Greek Variations is simply too stunning to be ignored on pure honesty principles. Definitely one of Britain’s best jazz albums, GV is the living proof of Neil Ardley’s extraordinary composition and directing talents. — (via Jazz Music Archives)

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The central thesis of psychoanalyst and cultural theorist Klaus Theweleit – set out in his book a-e-i-o-u, published two years ago – is this: the vowels of our language emerged on the sea between the Greek islands. For in a place where an entire country must constantly take to the water in order to trade, tell stories or occasionally plunder, strings of T-K-G-Ch sounds will only get you so far. Against the storm, you have to shout »AAAAAAAAAAN«.

More than 50 years ago – in 1970, to be precise – three Britons, pianist Neil Ardley, trumpeter Ian Carr and saxophonist Don Rendell, recorded an album that moves in a similar direction. Never reissued, aside from a bootleg travesty, Greek Variations became the golden fleece of English modern jazz: many went searching for it, very few succeeded, and most had to absorb considerable financial losses. Decca’s reissue now proves that all the effort was worthwhile, because – as already suggested – the trio and a formidable supporting cast quietly achieve nothing less than a cultural history of ancient and modern Greece.

Lyrically, the ensemble moves through Phrygian and Lydian modes, at times combining archaic, folk-like pentatonics with Byzantine microtonality, and using classical Greek motifs – the so-called dromoi – to create a magical soundtrack to Hellenistic myths and legends, while always remaining grounded in the twentieth century. The wait was worth it. — (via HHV Magazine)

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Label: Decca
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, 180 g
Released: 2025
Genre: Jazz
Style: Modal

File under: Jazz - Trumpet
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