harry beckett’s flare up (1970) is a much talked about and sought-after album from an artist and composer who had a six-decade career in jazz.

the album contains the funk driven track third road, which was featured on the critically acclaimed 2020 bje compilation album journeys in modern jazz; britain 1965-1972. beckett’s choice of musicians on the album included john surman, alan skidmore, john taylor, amongst others, with graham collier as co-writter and co-arranger, along with beckett and surman. a barbadian by birth, beckett learnt the trumpet with the salvation army in the early 1950s before embarking to london as a nineteen year old in 1954.