The First And Last Words

The Jazz Couriers have gone down in the annals of British modern jazz history as one of the most swinging, cohesive and urgent sounding groups of its type.

Those who have "Tubby Hayes - The Swinging Giant, Volume 2" will be familiar with the circumstances surrounding the formation of one of the legendary modern jazz groups of the late 1950s, The Jazz Couriers. Co-led by tenor saxophonists Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott, during its fairly short duration it has gone down in the annals of British modern jazz history as one of the most swinging, cohesive and urgent sounding groups of its type. Formed in April 1957, its birth coincided with the opening of the new 'Jazz at the Flamingo' club just after Tubby had been fronting a group at the Club "M" following the folding of his 8-piece band the previous September. Ronnie had just returned from the United States where his sextet had toured, most uncomfortably, with a rock 'n' roll package! Neither being particularly happy at the time and having great respect and admiration for each other's playing, they seemed to gravitate together to form the two-tenors led group.