This is the only documented appearance of the Tubby Hayes Octet known to man, since it apparently appeared for one night only. For that alone, it is a unique addition to the Hayes discography.

However, the potential consumer might wish to balance this against the poor quality of the source material, taken from a domestic reel-to-reel tape recording. The microphone was placed closest to the saxophone section, and with both Hayes and Scott doubling on baritone sax, the rest of the band is edged into second place. Hayes’ announcements are reduced to that of a Dalek announcing the 8.15 to Manchester Piccadilly has been cancelled, while the trumpet solos lack prominence.

In the case of the Dean Benedetti Charlie Parker recordings, or should a cylinder by Buddy Bolden ever be discovered, historical value outweighs an imperfect sound source. But a one-off concert by a Tubby Hayes Octet is of a different scale, and with arrangements more 1948 than 1958 and replete in big band cliche, it is something for which the charming, but needlessly everlasting, liner notes cannot compensate.