Name: Happiness Is... Takin' Care of Natural Business... Dig?
Brand: Al Tanner Quintet

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

JMANLP135

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-06-30

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Kudos

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5036468001353

Total Cap

Black LP

JMANCD135

2 Additional Tracks - Lobby Lizards / Kuba (Alternate Version)

5036468201357

Artist

Al Tanner Quintet

Genre GB

Jazz

Label GB

Jazzman

Jazzman Records is a UK label that was established in 1998 by Gerald Short, a dealer in rare funk and jazz LPs and 45s. With a mission to re-release the best and most obscure tracks from the late '60s and early '70s, Jazzman Records aims to bring back the long-forgotten sound that didn't receive recognition during that time period.
Since its inception, Jazzman Records has been dedicated to unearthing hidden gems of jazz and funk music, showcasing both well-known artists as well as more obscure talents. The label's releases span across various formats including vinyl records, CDs, and digital downloads.
With their extensive catalog of *artists* and *performers*, Jazzman Records continues to be at the forefront of preserving and promoting this unique genre of music. Whether you're a seasoned collector or new to the world of jazz and funk, Jazzman Records offers an unparalleled selection for all enthusiasts.

Newest Listed Items

In a 1990 interview, producer James Bronson described his Touché label as a 'floating record label', comparing it to the 'floating gambling houses' that Black people in his city had operated to try and avoid attention from the law. The label itself was a private enterprise, run from home, and had scant budget for promotion nor expansion. His slogan "Record companies don't make music, musicians do" spoke volumes as to his respect for the artist. Nevertheless, the Al Tanner LP Happiness Is... Takin' Care of Natural Business... Dig? was the first of just 3 albums the label was to release over the following 20 years.

For an ambitious musician with ideas of fame and fortune, the situation may have appeared far from acceptable, but pianist Al Tanner didn't have such aspirations. He may have recorded an album for Bronson, but his ambition of living his life as a working musician was fulfilled – he was a professional until the day he died – and that of being a recording star wasn't a part of it. He was much more inclined to be a gigging jazzman, and was well-known as such in and around the local Bay Area nightspots. He was also heavily involved in musical education, and could be found performing at countless local community events, schools and recreation centres. He rarely travelled outside of the area.

With Bronson's limited resources and Tanner's reluctance to put himself through the mill of touring, it was perhaps inevitable that the album would garner little attention nationally, or even within the wider California region. As noted in a 1967 review of 'Happiness is…' published in Downbeat Magazine, 'Apparently, he [Tanner] is accorded a considerable amount of respect in San Francisco, though he has no national reputation. This isn't unusual. Many gifted jazzmen stay on their home base for years, playing well but attracting little attention, while other, sometimes less talented musicians gravitate to New York and make names for themselves'.

Nevertheless, reasons notwithstanding for a lack of commercial success, Tanner found happiness in the music that he made throughout his career. 'I would say it's a spiritual thing. I find a lot of love for the piano, and a love for music. And I try and express myself on the piano as I love it. Jazz is a spirit to me, there's a spiritual side of jazz and there's a side of jazz where you playing a whole lot of notes and you're trying to get so many notes in one bar. I like the feeling and the spirit and the groove. If the music don't groove, the people don't move.'

Happiness Is... Takin' Care of Natural Business... Dig?

Music GB