Guitarist Louis Stewart's masterpiece Out On His Own re-released on vinyl
Mike Flynn
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Out On His Own, the 1977 solo album by the late, internationally acclaimed Irish guitarist Louis Stewart, is re-released on vinyl on 24 November
The first vinyl pressing since the 1980s of the album regarded as Louis Stewart’s masterpiece, the remastered 180g vinyl edition follows the successful reissue on CD of the title by the newly reactivated Livia Records in February this year.
Originally recorded in late 1976 and released on LP and cassette in 1977, and on CD in 1995, this new edition includes extensive sleeve notes by Irish Times jazz critic Cormac Larkin and a trove of previously unseen photographs.
Stewart, who remains the only Irish jazz musician to attain front-rank status, recorded the album in Bray, just outside Dublin, while at the peak of his powers. At the time he was a member of saxophonist Ronnie Scott’s band and was playing nightly with top line visiting musicians at Scott’s club.
Having made his award-winning debut at Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968, Stewart was soon playing with major names. Over the course of a long career, he appeared on over seventy albums and toured and recorded with Benny Goodman, JJ Johnson, George Shearing and Tubby Hayes, as well as Ronnie Scott. He also formed mutual admiration societies with fellow guitarists Joe Pass, Jim Hall and Martin Taylor.
Livia Records was founded by Dublin artist Gerald Davis to release Out On His Own, after Davis produced Stewart’s debut album, Louis the First, in 1975. More releases followed before Livia ceased operations on Davis’ death in 2005. Stewart died in 2016. Dublin radio presenter Dermot Rogers began a reactivation project in 2021 and with Davis’ family’s blessing is overseeing a programme of reissues on the re-launched Livia Records. A duo album by Stewart and pianist Noel Kelehan, Some Other Blues was released in May this year and further releases are due in 2024.
Out On His Own features Stewart playing a repertoire of jazz and Great American Songbook standards, tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chick Corea and Steve Swallow plus an interpretation of an Irish traditional tune, She Moved Through the Fair, and a self-composed blues.
Reviews of the reissue have been glowing, as was the response to the original, with Jazzwise recognising Out On His Own as “a master class in modern jazz guitar” and All About Jazz describing Stewart’s dexterity as “jaw-dropping.”
For more info visit liviarecords.com
