By the second half of the last century, Alpha Boys alumni 'Dizzy' Reece and Joe Harriott would take British jazz to unprecedented heights, challenging even the Americans as new music innovators.

Alphonso 'Dizzy' Reese, is a trumpeter, author, and playwright who eventually moved to the United States with a Blue Note Records contract in his pocket after Miles Davis brought him to the attention of executives at that label. In the 1950s, Miles would call him to sub with the classic quintet that included John Coltrane.

Others who utilised Reece's big brass sound included Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Paul Chambers, Hank Mobley, and Duke Jordan, who all turned to Reece for his outstanding musicianship. Many of his top-quality recordings for Blue Note are still available and Mosaic Records recently released a 3-disc 'Dizzy' Reece box set under its Mosaic Select line, a testament to his importance. Reece still resides in America after over 50 years.

Joe Harriott remained in Britain, winning polls as Europe's leading alto saxophonist and becoming the single most outstanding of the European jazz musicians during the late '50s and '60s. A daring conceptualist, he was simultaneously exploring the boundaries of free jazz with the better-known American, Ornette Coleman. In 1958, Modern Jazz Quartet's John Lewis personally requested Harriott's participation in their tour as featured saxophonist. Disappointing Charles Mingus, who tried on several occasions to hire him, Harriott by remaining in Britain is today regarded as the father of European free jazz and one of the first to attempt what we now call 'world music' when he and Calcutta's John Mayer created a double quintet, which played a fusion of jazz and Indian classical music.

Wynton Kelly was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of a Trinidadian mother and Jamaican father and is regarded as one of the most influential pianists in jazz. Some of the outstanding artistes who recognised Kelly's early talents, musical character and unique conceptual approach were Diana Washington and Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, who gave him his earliest exposure. He gained further recognition working with Lester Young and Dizzy Gillespie. Kelly participated in Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (1959), considered by many experts the most influential jazz record to date.

He played on the track Freddie Freeloader. Kelly thus shares the distinction, along with Bob Marley, of being the two Jamaicans who participated on recordings rated the number one record of the 20th century. The drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassist Paul Chambers (who also played with Davis) were participants in a group led by him that was regarded as one of the most compelling jazz trios of its time.

As a pianist, Wynton Kelly was considered a consistent and sometimes brilliant improviser, [who] had exceptional skill as an accompanist, though this often overshadowed his rhythmically infectious solo style.

[His] influence is clearly evident in the early work of Victor Feldman, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and other young pianists of the 1960s. Wynton Kelly's family lineage and musical heritage extends through his nephew Marcus Miller, a star bassist and producer who also worked with Miles Davis, and his grandniece the hip-hop/R&B diva, Lil' Kim.

Winton 'Bra' Gaynair, a tenor and soprano saxophonist, had a bold tone inspired by Coleman Hawkins, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, and Sonny Rollins. John Coltrane later influenced him, inspiring his gravitation to the soprano sax. Gaynair made his name on the British scene before moving to Germany where he became one of that country's outstanding jazz musicians. Among his recordings, Blue Bogie is considered a classic.

Harold 'Little G' McNair established himself as one of Europe's leading saxophonists on both tenor and alto following his migration to England in the 1960s. During that period, he was also rated Europe's leading flutist.

As a flutist McNair incorporated all the jazz flute techniques prevalent in his time and added his own perfect blending of lyricism to develop his incomparable phrasing, mature tone and driving swing. Though not as well known among today's average jazz fan, McNair continues to generate accolades among the more knowing, to whom his recordings are prized.

McNair played and recorded with Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Jon Hendricks, Philly Joe Jones, Quincy Jones, Melba Liston, Ginger Baker and Donovan. He was among the most successful of second-generation Jamaican jazzmen who migrated in search of fame abroad. Making pop and studio recordings and tours with British rockers provided McNair with a relatively high profile. He was considered an outstanding saxophonist and a modern master on flute.

The bebop trumpeter Sonny Gray lived in Paris, France, where he recorded and performed with Eric Dolphy, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Nathan Davis, and Woody Shaw, among others. A match for anyone on trumpet or for that matter, any challenger on any instrument, his daring imagination and technique enabled him to stand with the best of the Americans passing through. There are legendary stories about his cutting contest exploits.

Herbie Miller is a cultural historian
specialising in Caribbean music and jazz.

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