BARRE BASS

I got into jazz in the 70s and have fond memories of Mole Jazz in central London where I used to pick up a lot of my records. They had a special box near the till with records that were, as I recall, “rare as hen’s teeth”. Usually, the prices were out of my range but I did peck there a couple of times. As a fan of Charlie Mingus I always had a soft spot for bass players and so bought Barre Phillips’ Unaccompanied Barre on the Music Man label. I think it cost me £40. Quite a sum back then when LPS were £2.99 to £4.99. I never played it much because it was somewhat free-form improvisational and not really my cup of tea. So it is Mint-minus I’d say. What is it worth now?

Stanley Fuller via email

Barre Phillips was born in San Francisco and took up the standing bass initially as a classical player but then moved to jazz. Moving to New

York to become part of the free music scene, he appeared as a sideman with Archie Shepp’s band on the New Thing At Newport LP (HMV CSD 3551, UK, 1965, £30) split between John Coltrane and Shepp. Crucially, as well as playing on some of their albums, he toured Europe several times with the bands of Hungarian guitarist Atilla Zoller and pianist and bandleader Peter Nero.

Barre came to London alone with his bass around 1968 and though strict Musicians’ Union rules affected his ability to play live, he hooked up with baritone sax player John Surman and and joined his band. Unaccompanied Barre (Music Man SMLS 601, UK, 1969) was recorded in a three-hour session in St James Norlands Church on 30 October 1968. John Surman wrote the liner notes, which stated: “From time to time, sounds from the outside world penetrate into the church and Barre’s reaction to these sounds is quite fantastic.”

The record was issued on the Music Man label whose only other releases were a blues album by Tramp (SMLS 603, 1969, UK, £150) and Firepoint, a blues and folk compilation (SMLS 602, UK,

1969, £30).

Unaccompanied Barre did attract some reviews ranging from the Music Business Weekly’s cautionary “slim sales potential” to the more effusive Record Buyer which stated, “Free-form jazz and not a little classical influence abound, and in many ways the album is a landmark.” This was echoed by Melody Maker who enthused, “It is an intensely emotional record and virtuosi technique is subordinated to feeling, as it should always be. This record, if heard as widely as it deserves, could change the heads of a whole generation of bass players.” It was one of the first solo bass albums ever released and sales were low; a Mint copy is worth in the region of £200. Barre was soon recording with Surman’s group as well with Surman and drummer Stu Martin on The Trio (Dawn DNLS 3006, 2LP, UK, 1970, £100). Barre moved to France but went on to enjoy a very successful career. Unaccompanied Barre was reissued in 2022 in Italy on the Eargong label (EG 07, £20).