Lola

Originally released in 1964, and now much sought after by collectors and connoisseurs, original vinyl copies of this landmark Jazz album now sell for around £500. As the original sleeve notes stated, 'jazz is inevitably associated with the United States', and yet it has long been the case that other countries and cultures are able to bring a unique perspective to the music, as displayed on 'Lola', an album recorded in a pre-internet age by a hugely talented Polish quartet, at a time when the international exchange of ideas, let alone overseas travel, was extremely limited. Made up of seven original compositions, and a new take on the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II standard 'Ol' Man River', 'Lola' draws on Polish folklore for inspiration, particularly highlander music.