TERRY DAY AND FRIENDS, CELEBRATING THE ARCHIVES

Eunjung Kim (Komungo) Terry Day (drums) plus Steve Beresford (objects & electronics) track 6.
Recorded at London School of Sound.
Mixed and Mastered by AJ Pillette.

Working with the Komungo playing of Eunjung Kim allowed me to be free of percussive concepts that I employ & thus enter a world of abstraction on the drum kit & open space in the music.  This studio recording is the only time we have played together, other than an initial get together at my house where only a few tambourines were percussed upon.

Other than working with the Shakuhachi playing of Clive Bell, this was my first experience of collaborating with a non-western instrument. (Terry Day)

Lyric: ‘Vincent’ by Terry Day.
Music by Terry, except with Pat Thomas track 16 and Ted Milton track 5.
Mixed, mastered and collated by Tasos Stamou.

Throughout my ‘Free Jazz’ period of drumming the sound of the Sizzle Cymbal provided the texture, pulse & ‘time-free’ nature of the music. The purring voice on track 17 hints at the ‘SIZZLE ‘ sound of a sizzle cymbal.

 Track 7 leads into a dedication to ‘VINCENT’ van Gogh whose life was plagued by loneliness & inner turmoil, & whose Art & Life have been with me since I was 14 years old.

Track 1 could be my very first actual drum solo; albeit not on my own kit, & therefore the solo is an exploration of an unknown kit being played for the first time.

As with many of my solo recordings, some are intended to be over-dubbed by either myself or other musicians as they see possible.

Lyrics & music by Terry Day – voice, bamboo reed flutes.
Accompaniment by John Edwards – bass.
Recorded at London School of Sound.
Mixed and Mastered by AJ Pillette.

Recorded at the London School of Sound studios 2015.

This is John Edwards & Terry Day’s third outing as a duo based on the vocalizing of Terry Day’s lyrics with just bass accompaniment. On a number of tracks, the Lyrics flow one after another without a pause between. The first occasion recorded by Tim Fletcher at Foyles was lost, then found in John Russell’s archives, & now found again by Tim.

The second was at Cafe OTO.

Lyrics & music by Terry Day except for track 3 – music by Day and Jean Francois Pauvros.

Mixed and Mastered by Dave Hunt

This album covers original versions of my songs & tunes with Tony Hymas track 15, the LIO – recorded by Tasos Stamou at Café Oto track 8, in Steve Broughton’s studio with Katie Perks voice & Jerry Hunt bass track 11,  solo & multi-tracks in Dave Chambers studio tracks1,7, & home-recorded solos.

Music by Evan Parker, John Edwards, Terry Day
Recorded at IKLECTIK
Mixed and mastered by AJ Pillette

This is the very first & only time TD has played in a trio with EP. Other times both played in the LIO & in a Pete Cusack group that included Maarten Altena & Gus Johansen that toured Holland.
A recording of this group remains in Pete Cusack’s archives. Since 2009 Terry Day has played on House Drum Kits – on this gig he plays his own Kit & percussion….!!!

Hannah Marshall cello, Satoko Fukuda violin, Terry Day percussion, Bamboo Reed Flutes
Recorded at London School of Sound
Mixed and Mastered by AJ Pillette

This is the second recording of HST at London School of Sound, and in many ways not so relaxed or spirited as the first which was lost. However, it is always a delight to play with Hannah & Satoko in whatever combination & HST is amongst my favourite trios. Hannah & Satoko also have a great rhythmical feel which attracts a particular percussive way of playing with them.

Terry Day, alto saxophone solos
Home recording digitally transferred from cassettes to CD / mixed & mastered by Yadley Day

These Alto sax recordings were made using embouchures that employed the use of my teeth in various ways resulting in a harsher sound, tone, expression & delivery. At times my teeth gripped straight onto the reed – be it plastic or cane. For example, the titles of tracks “Teeth” & “Gnashers” reflect these techniques.

Recorded at 33 Studios in Luton around 1977.

During this period it was the act of improvising that was focused upon rather than seeking to be melodic or compositional, as such the rhythmical aspect of playing the piano tends to dominate. 

Terry Day Songs, Tunes Riffs & Themes
Lyrics, voice, piano, alto, soprano

Mel Davis piano track 13. “Tis Sad” – complete version recorded by Tasos Stamou.

Dave Hunt mastering.

Lyrics by Terry Day. Live at Cafe Oto

Mixed & mastered by Peter Urpeth. Edited by Adrian Northover & Terry Day.

Personnel: Peter Urpeth piano. Neil Charles bass. Adrian Northover soprano sax. Joe Wright tenor sax. Dawid Frydryk trumpet. Terry Day drums & lyrics. 

Even though I was born at the start of the second world war, the images of the first world war of 1914-18 had a huge effect upon me as a child, & those images haunt me to this day. I mourn & have sorrow for the young men who were sacrificed in the name of that war. The lyric ‘Shook Up’ is an expression of the loss of life & the effect of war upon those that survived.

In this lyric, words & phrases of Elvis, others, & my own are used to convey the aftermath of war upon us. Equally, the images & events of wars appear in my lyrics as a consistent theme………..’ she runs screaming’…….’ the tanks roll in’……..’blood-splattered walls’…….’ for fear is fearful frightening for all when frightened men carve each other in’.

Mixed & mastered by Yadley Day & Adrian Northover

Sampler – Taster is a selection of solo tracks from TD’s Archive Albums featuring

various instruments played by TD & multi-tracking excerpt.

Plus: Track 1 features Ansuman Biswas – voice, percussion. TD – Bamboo Reed Flutes,  percussion, balloon.

Track 15 John Russell guitar TD mandolin

Track 17 OMMU – Davey Payne sax. Charlie Hart bass. TD drums ( all three were members of the People Band & Ian Dury’s Kilburn & The Highroads. Davey continued to play with Ian as a member of the BLOCKHEADS, & Charlie with RONNIE LANE’s “SLIM CHANCE”).

John Russell guitar,  Terry Day mandolin

Recorded by TD mid1970s digitally transferred from cassette to CD + mixed & mastered by Yadley Day.

Russell & Day regularly got together for afternoon sessions in JR’s flat in Finsbury Park London during the 1970s.

JR & TD first encountered each other at the Little Theatre Club. TD had been playing at the Club in the late 1960s with the first generation of improvisers. Then in the early 1970’s the second generation of improvisers, inclusive of JR, turned up at the club. JR & TD were also members of Mal Dean’s ‘AMAZING BAND’, & toured Holland with Luc Houtkamp’s ‘CLIMAAT’

OMMU lived & played in the Netherlands throughout the late 60s early 70s – it was their second home. They stayed mainly at the home of music entrepreneur Anita de Jazz in Delft (near Jan Vermeer’s house).  OMMU only ever played a couple of gigs in England, & returned to the Netherlands in 1980 for a little tour.

All three played with the PEOPLE BAND & Ian Dury’s “KILBURN & The HIGHROADS”.

Davey continued with the “BLOCKHEADS’ & Charlie with Ronnie Lanes “SLIM CHANCE”.

Recorded in Zwolle 1970 & at Vrije Akademie in the Hague 1969.

Davey Payne saxes, flute. Charlie Hart basses, violin, marimba.

Terry Day drums, alto sax.

All three percussion –  Davey Payne on the middle section at Vrije Akademie edited by T Day. mastering  Charlie Hart

Mixed & edited by TD mastering  Charlie Hart

Davey Payne saxes, flute. Charlie Hart bass, violin. Terry Day drums, piano. All – percussion

Recorded at Rotterdam & Utrecht in 1980 when OMMU returned to the Netherlands for a little tour.  In contrast to the earlier ‘Free Jazz’ feel of OMMU music, the flavour of the 1980s music was a tendency towards a more rhythmical feel.

John Butcher saxes.
Alison Blunt violin.
David Leahy bass.
Terry Day percussion, drums

Having played with Alison, John & David in various groups this was the only time we came together in this combination. We also adopted the format employed at the 100YEARS GALLERY of combining in duos, thence as a complete group for the last set.

Bei Bei Wang percussion. Pat Thomas electronics, TD drums & percussion (his own.)

This session was also the only time Bei Bei, Pat & myself played as a trio. Aside from duos with Bei Bei & Pat on a number of occasions, we all played in the LIO. This trio was part of a week of gigs at the IKLECTIK with various musicians during which I played on my own Drum Kit for the first time since 1987. Apart from that week, I have only played on House Drum Kits since 2009 in London & tours abroad.

Live at Unity Theatre, London

George Khan (Tenor Flute), Charlie Hart (Bass), Terry Day (Drums)

On this evening the Nisar Ahmed Khan Trio played opposite the duo of Steve Beresford on piano & Dave Soloman on drums. This was the very first time I had seen or heard Steve & Dave play. Given the ‘serious’ & claustrophobic nature of improvisation at that time, what a great delight it was, & how refreshing to hear two young musicians playing with so much spirit & so freely…..Yes!  

Circa Early 1970s. mixed & mastered by Yadley Day

I first played with Derek Bailey in a quartet with Christine Jeffries (voice) & Jonny Dyani on bass. Thereafter we played mainly as a duo. I had frequented the LTC since the late 1960s & was a member of FREE SPACE along with Trevor & the second generation of improvisers, but have no recollection of this gig……!

AMAZING BAND: Mal Dean trumpet. Mick Brannen alto sax. Radu Malfatti trombone.

John Russell guitar. Marcio Mattos bass. Terry Day drums

The AMAZING BAND was Mal Dean’s creation, & I was privileged to be amongst the last personnel & play on the last recordings prior to & after Mal’s demise. Sadly Mick Brannen is also not around to enjoy the release of The Last Amazing Band recordings.

Featuring Maartje ten Hoorn, Sylvia Hallett, Sue Ferrar – violins (1982)

Recorded by Terry Day at the London Musicians Collective in 1982/85. & at Luton 1979.

Mixed & mastered by Yadley Day. Remastered by Charlie Hart.

Terry Day alto & piano solos (1985). The penultimate track features Maartje ten Horn violin. TD alto & soprano sax, bamboo reed flutes, mandolin, Chinese flutes, whistle. (1982)

Last track of Maartje ten Horn, Sylvia Hallett, Sue Ferrar –  violins (1982)

The lively acoustics of the London Musicians Collective are heard in these recordings

Multi-track & solo recordings by Terry Day.
Mixed and Mastered by Yadley Day.

Other than track 17 the Titles of these tracks define the different embouchures, focus, intent & techniques employed to achieve the voicing, sound & content of each track e.g., on ‘Breathy’ the sound of the human breath is foremost. Track 17 is an excerpt from ‘MULTI-TRACKS COMPLETE 1980’…………I think…….????  

Terry Day solos.

Home recording by TD.

Digitally transferred from cassette to CD / mixed & Mastered by Yadley Day.

This album focussed on the ‘Time’, Beat & Rhythmical aspect of my playing…..& my love of BEBOP which was introduced to me when I was 5 years old by my eldest brother Tony Day who was 14 years older than me & was an aficionado, cognoscenti, connoisseur of Jazz. Tony was in 1945/47 the first “Air Trombonist” in the world. He would wind up the 78rev gramophone with its side handle. Put on the 78rev record of Charlie Parker or Jay Jay Johnson & then simulate playing the trombone by putting his fingers to his lips as if he was playing the trombone. Then stroll around the room of our council house like he was on stage for real…….I was smitten. Prior to Steve Race’s monthly Jazz radio broadcast in the 1940s, Steve would meet Tony to consult him on the latest developments in Jazz. Then when we listened to the radio programme my other two brothers would shout “Tony told him that”.

Recorded by Terry Day in Steim studios Amsterdam 1978.

The idea of multi-tracking the various instruments I played using studio technology had appealed to me via home multi-tracking with cassettes. I was then, delighted that Steim Studios gave me free use of their recording studio. However, apart from a few basic recording instructions I was left alone to fathom how to multi-track.
The Steim recordings, therefore, are in parts disjointed, fractured, bitty.

Terry Day multi-tracks (unedited) of Drums, Cello, Alto & Soprano sax, Organ, Toys, Bamboo Reed Flutes 

Track 1 is a mixture of recordings made at Steim studios & Steve Broughton’s studio in High Barnet in 1980. Prior to me, Lol Coxhill recorded in Broughton’s studio & George Khan played with the Broughton Brothers Band.

Track 2 was recorded at Broughton’s studio by Martin Smith on his first day at the studio. The disparity of sound & volume of the instruments & recording is due to Martin having to suss out the studio technology for the first time, & having never recorded improvised music before this date.  

Track 3 is Terry Day home recordings made by multi-tracking cassette to cassette recordings.
I’m really pleased with my technological accomplishments in producing cassette to cassette multi-tracks.

Terry Day cello.

Home recording by TD Digitally transferred from cassette to CD + mixed & mastered by Yadley Day. Remastering Adrian Northover.

These cello recordings are amongst those that I’m comfortable with, & OK to listen to without having doubts about the merits of my cello playing…!!!   These cello solos reflect a ten year period of development. The multi-tracking on track 6 was produced on home cassettes & the Alto sax overdubbed in  Steve Broughton’s Studio. The cello was/is a 1890s industrial model with a warped neck & pegs that were unstable. As such the pegs would slip & the cello would quickly go out of tune which accounts for some odd chords & tuning….!!!