mister pc records is proud to announce
‘SAMMY SIDE UP’, RELEASED DECEMBER 2025
It was, to the best of my knowledge, in 1995 when I first had the good fortune to meet Sammy Mayne. He was 17 at the time and came to dep on a Sunday afternoon with my recently formed big band. At that time time we were playing absurdly difficult music; music that required hours of rehearsal over many weeks to get performance ready.
Without the benefit of rehearsal, Sammy came in and nonchalantly sight read everything, and soloed on the charts, many of which had far from run of the mill changes, as though he had played them a thousand times.
In the intervening years we have played together now and again, as you do: the formation of Simon Spillett's big band gave me the opportunity to hear Sammy play a little more frequently, and as everyone in the musician community knows, he has grown into a stone cold master of his craft.
This important fact has, however, remained largely unknown to UK jazz fans, but that all changes now. A little while ago, an impromptu lunchtime quartet gig in Croydon, did, as a consequence of last minute deps and illness end up with the following lineup; Sammy, alto sax, Sam Dunn, guitar, Pete Whittaker, hammond organ, and me. It was so good that after the third tune I turned to the guys and said, "Do you want to make a record?" The answer was never in doubt, so we did. It's been a bit of a journey, but we are here. The music is mixed and mastered, the sleeve notes are writtem, and the pressing will commence imminently.
Before that happens though, you can play a part in this by helping me decide which colour scheme to go for on the album cover. The three options are in the comments, so like your favourite. Ladies and gentlemen, the next release on Mister PC Records, 'Sammy Side Up'.
AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM EARLY DECEMBER
now available
‘up in town’, the simon spillett quartet
Recorded live at the legendary Soho Pizza Express jazz club, here is Simon’s quartet doing what it does best. Uncompromising, high octane straight ahead jazz. Available from the store page of this website, Amazon, Ebay and Bandcamp. A limited edition vinyl pressing is scheduled for ate 2025.
‘DEAR TUBBY H’, THE SIMON SPILLETT BIG BAND
“Quite brilliant from start to finish!”
(andy peebles, radio 1 legend)
“a remarkable win for British jazz that, hands down, plays as one of the most exciting big band recordings in recent years”.
(MARK YOULL, JAZZ JOURNAL)
“everything about this release exudes class” *****
(PETER VACHER, JAZZWISE MAGAZINE)
“Superlatives along the lines of ‘tour de force’ do little justice to this new recording by the Simon Spillett Big Band. IT’S AN ALBUM THAT’S BEAUTIFULLY PLAYED AND RECORDED BY ALL INVOLVED, ONE THAT DESERVES TO SIT PROUDLY ON THE RECORD SHELVES OF ANY DISCERNING JAZZ LOVER”
(DENNY ILETT, LONDON JAZZ NEWS)
“bravo simon spillett and pete cater for making the best big band album of the last ten years. the solos are first rate, the sound and packaging superb, and the ensembles are tighter and more exciting than the 60s band”
(JOHN ALTMAN, HOLLYWOOD FILM COMPOSER)
the music came to life and can now be heard in what is probably the most swinging British big band since well, maybe time began.
(LANCE LIDDLE, BE BOP SPOKEN HERE)
QUANTITY LIMITED
CLICK HERE FOR THE ONLINE SHOP
CLICK HERE TO ORDER VIA BANDCAMP
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STRICTLY FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
A brand new label specialising in straight ahead British jazz makes its debut in summer 2023. The first release will be ‘Dear Tubby H’ by the Simon Spillett Big Band. Recorded in early April 2023 this A team British big band presents roughly an hour of killer big band charts composed by or associated with Tubby Hayes. All of these charts have been painstakingly re edited by Mark Nightingale and none of them were ever recorded on any of Tubby Hayes’s commercially released albums.
Personnel:
Saxophones: Sammy Mayne, Pete Long, Alex Garnett, Simon Allen, Alan Barnes
Trumpets: Nathan Bray, George Hogg, Freddie Gavita, Steve Fishwick
Trombones: Jon Stokes, Mark Nightingale, Ian Bateman, Pete North
Piano: Rob Barron
Bass: Alec Dankworth
Drums: Pete Cater
Musical director, tenor sax solos and all-round project mastermind: Simon Spillett
If you have any enquiries regarding this or other future releases from Mr PC, email petecaterdrums@gmail.com or call 07831 419958
LIMITED EDITION DOUBLE VINYL AVAILABLE FROM JUNE 2024
ARTISTS: INTERESTED IN COLLABORATING WITH MR PC RECORDS? EMAIL PETECATERDRUMS@GMAIL.COM
‘Mr PC records, releasing great British jazz until the money runs out’
If you wou;d like to donate, please click on the button below. All donations will be acknowledged in the sleeve notes of forthcoming releases, with high value donations given executive producer status. Also donors will be in line for future exclusive special offers, gifts, early bird releases, limited editions and more.