Release Date: 24 October 2025
Label: Storyville Records
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 717101436828
Genres: Jazz Contemporary
Description
Storyville Records present 'Never Say Yes - 1986', a previously unreleased live-in-studio recording by the Doug Raney Quartet, captured in Studio 3 at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation on January 9, 1986. The album features Doug Raney on guitar, Ben Besiakov on piano, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Finnish drummer Jukkis Uotila. 'Never Say Yes' offers seven tracks of inspired modern jazz, full of interplay, elegance, and technical brilliance.
Doug Raney, the son of jazz guitar legend Jimmy Raney, carved out a distinctive path of his own, particularly within the vibrant Scandinavian jazz scene, where he lived and worked for decades. This recording, unearthed from the archives of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, captures Doug in strikingly fine form following a return to health, backed by some of the most intuitive players on the Scandinavian scene.
"He had an incredibly refined technique on the guitar, I'd almost call it organically innate," writes bassist Jesper Lundgaard in the liner notes. "His playing felt like an extension of his personality, effortless, and yet grounded in a deep understanding of jazz's inner architecture, which is so difficult to truly master. Doug had a special ability to voice chords, and in my opinion, there was a beauty in his soloing that only very few possess."
Despite his remarkable talent, Doug Raney remains a somewhat overlooked figure in modern jazz. With this release, Storyville Records shines a new light on a singular voice whose artistry remain as vital and moving as ever.
Tracklisting
Lennart Ginman, Thomas Blachman & Carsten Dahl
Doug Raney Quartet
Sophisticated Ladies
Michel Petrucciani Trio
Rosa Passos
Peter Vuust Quartet
Carsten Dahl Ensemble
Danish Radio Big Band
Howl Quartet
Fred Hersch Trio
Kerry Politzer
Vincent Courtois Trio
Mike Westbrook Orchestra
Harper Trio
Gaspare Pasini
Jordan Williams
