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| Carlo Krahmer and Esquire... |
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Carlo Krahmer was born in Shoreditch, London in 1914 and was first and foremost a musician but was probably better known in the second half of his life as the man behind Esquire Records. It is no exaggeration to say that without Esquire there would be virtually no recorded history of British modern jazz from the late 1940s through to the mid 1950s.Carlo was friendly with Peter Newbrook, a confirmed record collector and 'jazz nut' and in the immediate post war years they became frustrated with the difficulties of getting jazz records and the fact that very little British jazz was being recorded. They decided that something had to be done to preserve the British jazz of this period (i.e. the birth of bebop) and founded Esquire Records as a company on December 13th, 1947, Carlo retiring from full time playing. In retrospect the launching of the company, just after the war, was a hazardous occupation with shortages of paper, shellac, recording equipment etc. but Carlo's innate enthusiasm and the business expertise of his wife Greta won through. From the late 1940's Krahmer did a great deal to encourage Victor Feldman giving him drum tuition and encouraging him to switch to the vibraphone, as well as recording the first titles under Feldman's own name. Esquire began as a record club, records only being available through mail order, but you needed a broad taste because the 10" and 12" 78's were a mixture of old and new style British jazz. Almost immediately the company undertook leasing deals with American record companies and modern jazz predominated. They issued the Charlie Parker Dials and later almost the entire Prestige catalogue. The company introduced the British record collector to to the names, (and beautiful music), of Scandinavian jazz, names such as Arne Domnerus, Lars Gullin, and Bengt Hallberg. Throughout Newbrook and Krahmer were firm in their support of the British modernists and home grown talent formed a large part of their catalogue. Some of the British artists Carlo recorded were for old times sake or because he genuinely loved the music they played. "I think Alan Clare plays fantastic piano, he would say, so I record him. The records don't sell of course". |
Discographically Esquire was a boon to collectors. From the very earliest days they printed the recording dates and personnels on the labels or later the sleeves of the records.Besides Ronnie Scott other British beboppers were recorded early in their careers: Johnny Dankworth, Dennis Rose, Tommy Pollard, Victor Feldman, Eddie Thompson, (all from 1948) - Jimmy Deuchar, (1951) - Kenny Graham (1952), being just a few, later came Tommy Whittle, Harry Klein, Joe Harriott, and Vic Lewis. He was the first to record Cleo Laine. Full details of all their sessions are available from the discography page. The first Esquire records issued were by Carlo Krahmer's Chicagoans, recorded live at the Birmingham Town Hall on November 21st, 1947, but the first studio session was on January 1st, 1948. The 'studio' was a vast basement room at 76 Bedford Court Mansions, an address familiar to anybody who ever bought an original Esquire record. This first 'modern' session recorded four titles by the The Esquire Five, and featured Ronnie Scott who was 21 at the time. The group was assembled for the recording session only. The titles produced a 12" 78rpm record (12-002), and a 10" 78rpm record (10-002)... The Esquire Five - January 13th, 1948 (Esquire) Ronnie Scott (ts), Pete Chilver (g), Ralph Sharon (p), Jack Fallon (b), Carlo Krahmer (d). Lady Be Good(12-002)/Boppin' At Esquire(10-002)/Idabop(10-002)/What Is This Thing Called Love(12-002). Titles of the Esquire LPs and EP's issued are listed as many people still collect vinyl. Original modern jazz 78rpm catalogue numbers are also listed... From 1938 to 1949 Carlo Krahmer was an active musician who recorded with many prominent musicians of the time. Carlo Krahmer discography... |