Major Surgery - The First Cut

Excellent Any Time

I’m just listening to an outstanding reissue of the 1976 album Major Surgery - The First Cut, with saxophonist Don Weller and guitarist Jimmy Roche. The sax playing is relentlessly paced and brilliant throughout. As so often when I am reviewing I am listening in tandem, and at the moment the delightfully titled Don’t Wait For The Shrimp Boat Mother – Father’s Come Home With Crabs is playing, guitar and sax weaving wonderful textures together, and then Weller solos in great acrobatic displays, though always melodically.

Had a pause to listen and now Roche is soloing expertly.....and there they go having merged again.....and now they’re duelling. Tony Marsh does blistering drums [check out Dog and Bullfight]; Bruce Collcut romping on bass duties. British jazz of the time par excellence.