Into the Blue is an album by Guy Barker, released in late May 1995 by Verve Records. It was nominated for the 1995 Mercury Music Prize, but lost to Portishead's Dummy.
Contents
Reception
The Times's Chris Parker wrote that Into the Blue "places Barker firmly where he deserves to be: in the growing ranks of world-class British jazz players."
L'Unità's Filippo Bianchi spoke negatively of the album, saying Barker "lacks the 'philosophy'" and "vocation to invent language" of European jazz greats.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Guy Barker, except where noted.
"Into the Blue" – 6:43
"JJ Swing" – 6:10
"Oh Mr. Rex!" – 10:52
"Low Down Lullaby" (Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger) – 6:03
"Did It 'n' Did It" – 3:50
"The Sphinx" (Ornette Coleman) – 4:12
"Enigma" (Bernardo Sassetti) – 7:28
"Ill Wind" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 5:41
"This Is the Life (For Stan Tracey)" – 8:48
"Weather Bird Rag" (Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong) – 3:13
Personnel
Musicians
Guy Barker – trumpet
Sigurður Flosason – alto saxophone
Bernardo Sassetti – piano
Alec Dankworth – bass
Ralph Salmins – drums
Technical
Guy Barker and Richard Cook – producers
Recorded in London, December 1994 and February 1995
Tristan Beenz Powell – recording and mixing engineer
Andy Taylor – assistant engineer
Mike Tucker – assistant, editing and transfer
Gary Moore – mastering engineer
Lucy Ward – art direction and design
Becky Stevenson – release coordination
Nick White – photographer