Louis Stewart : I Thought About You

I have been listening to my promo recording of this album being the UK distributor for Livia

And it is stunning, the calibre of playing on this album is world-class, as the musicians are world-class.

It was recorded at the point in these musicians' careers where they were constantly playing live supporting artists and house band at Ronnie Scott's and a touring band as far as Australia.

If they were not on stage, they were in the studio. And you can hear this.

Louis Stewart

I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU with John Taylor, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins

I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU is a remixed and remastered release of Louis Stewart’s quartet album with John Taylor, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins. Recorded when Louis and John Taylor were working with Ronnie Scott, which coincided with Cedar Walton’s quartet appearing at Ronnie's club. So enthralled was Louis by Sam Jones and  Billy Higgins that he invited them to record with him in London's Olympic Studios. Originally recorded in 1977 and released in 1980 with some edits and overdubs, this impeccably restored version delivers the full original London recording for the first time, with two extra tracks. The results are possibly Louis's best studio recording, with top-level accompaniment from the brilliant supporting trio.

A little background

Recorded in March 1977, I Thought About You and pianist John Taylor was a culmination of many hours of live and studio performance. This you can hear in the fluidity of Louis's playing and the the ease of playing in a quartet.

Louis was a firm member of the Ronnie Scott Quartet at the time of this recording along with bassist Ron Mathewson , drummer Martin Drew.

Louis would play in Ronnies quintet regularly and also opening for visiting bands such as Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers and the buddy Rich Big Band ans also part of the house band for touring performers such as Dizzy , Sarah Vaughn, Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz.

The residencies at Ronnies at theta time would consist of two or three sets a night for sometimes up to two weeks, this also included extensive touring in the UK , Europe and Australia.

All of this exposure gained Louis wide critical acclaim from the known high flyers of that time.

George Shearing was taken aback by Louis's Out On His Own released in 1977 and remastered and reissued by Livia Records in 2023 that he seeked to employ the Louis, He recorded two albums with Shearing in Germany Windows and 500 miles High, numerous other recordings quickly followed with other well known Jazz players.

There is now question this as a golden period for Louis in recording and and touring work says bassist Ronan Guilfoyle who joined Stewarts quartet in aged 21 in 1979.

Available in Vinyl and CD remasters

Having listened to the test pressing, which was very kindly provided for by Livia Records, I can safely say that this is a phenomenal body of work.

It's hard to imagine that this guitar playing is from outside the United States, as the US is regarded as housing some of the greatest talent in Jazz internationally. This album and others that have recently come to light in Ireland and the UK, in my mind, throw this into question. My personal view is that the US import market has been allowed to overshadow players in the UK, Ireland, and Europe as serious contenders, including Sweden, Denmark, the Baltic states, and, of course, France. By no means am I suggesting that certain US musicians changed the face of Jazz, but so did players on the European continent, and I feel these musicians have spent to long in the shadows.