Rock Workshop

Formed during 1970 by guitarist Ray Russell, the short-lived yet flexible jazz-rock ensemble brought together several of Britain’s most promising young jazz players. Its original lineup encompassed Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bob Downes on saxophone, Bud Parkes and Tony Roberts on trumpet and woodwind, Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Alan Greed handling vocals, Brian Miller on keyboards, Daryl Runswick on bass, and Alan Rushton alongside Robin Jones on drums. Many participants pursued parallel work at the time, issuing solo projects from Downes and Russell while contributing session performances to Jack Bruce, Keef Hartley, and Harvey. Wadsworth and Parkes joined Harvey’s Roman Wall Blues, and Harvey in turn supplied vocals for the bulk of Rock Workshop.

The follow-up, For The Very Last Time, swapped Robin Jones for percussionists Phil Wainman and Tony Uter while adding Ginger Harper to the vocal roster. Afterward the musicians pursued separate paths. Rock Workshop endures as an overlooked treasure, highlighted by Russell’s frenetic “Spoin Kop” and the atmospheric, brass-driven “Primrose Hill.” Although both original vinyl releases have remained out of print, they embodied an adventurous effort to blend what later became known as rock jazz rather than conventional jazz rock. Angel Air finally restored the debut to circulation in 2003, appending bonus material and altering the track sequence, though this edition unfortunately substitutes an inferior alternate version for the definitive recording of “Primrose Hill.”