Jazz-London 5 & 6

Released in 1973 by the BBC Transcription Services, this recording is part of the Jazz-London series, a collection of limited-edition discs intended specifically for international radio broadcast rather than commercial retail sale. The session brought together the legendary violinist Stéphane Grappelli with the progressive jazz-rock talents of John Surman, Jack Bruce, and Jon Hiseman, capturing an era where traditional jazz virtuosity intersected with the adventurous spirit of the British fusion movement.

The production quality of the BBC Transcription discs was held to high standards to ensure clarity for broadcast, and these records were strictly distributed to radio stations under licensing agreements. As these items were never intended for the public market, they became highly sought after by collectors seeking archival-quality recordings of unique collaborations. The pairing of Grappelli's improvisational grace with the rhythm section of Bruce and Hiseman, two pillars of the era's jazz-rock scene, provides a distinct snapshot of 1970s cross-genre experimentation.