ISSUE 139 WINTER 2015UK £3.25

THE JAZZ RAGDAVID GORDON TRIO

2 3THE JAZZ RAG

CONTENTS

DAVID GORDON TRIO DAVID TELLS THE STORY OF HIS INTRIGUING NEW CDON MISTER SAM RECORDS, ALEXANDER SCRIABIN'SRAGTIME BAND. (PAGES 14-15)

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4 NEWS

7 UPCOMING EVENTS

8 OBITUARIESSIMON SPILLETT ON DON RENDELL, JUSTIN RANDALL ON ALLEN TOUSSAINT

10 SO WHO ARE THE GREATEST?THE BBC'S 50 GREATEST JAZZMUSICIANS CONSIDERED

11 NEWARK JAZZ EXHIBITJEWISH AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN JAZZ

12 NEW BOOKSFROM THE AMERICAN WEST COASTTO THE TEREZIN GHETTO

16 FOUR UNUSUAL JAZZ CAREERS: SCOTT YANOW

18 BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS

20 LIVE REVIEWS: WHITLEY BAY AND LONDON

22 CD REVIEWS

30 TUBBY HAYES REMEMBEREDA FILM AND A DISCOGRAPHY

32 BEGINNING TO CD LIGHT

THE JAZZ RAG

UPFRONTThe 2015 winners of the longest established and most prestigious of awards to jazzmusicians in this country, the British Jazz Awards, are listed in full on pages 18-19. Evenamong the sought after ‘Jazz Oscars’ the award for Services to British Jazz stands out,honouring not just musical expertise, but serving jazz in a whole variety of ways.

So Digby Fairweather is an ideal choice. His skill as a trumpeter is beyond dispute andas a bandleader he regularly scoops the Small Group Award with his Half Dozen, buthis dedication to British jazz goes far beyond that. As an author he ranges throughmemoirs, instruction manuals and – as co-author – the admirable Rough Guide, as wellas being a perceptive and generous reviewer. We on Jazz Rag have every reason to begrateful to Digby for his cheerful willingness to supply wise words on whatever topicclaims our attention. A fine broadcaster and teacher and a perpetual encouragement toyoung musicians, he himself is proudest of his great work in founding and developingthe National Jazz Archive.

So this is a good time to mention the Digby article that is missing from this edition. InJazz Rag 138 he promised further details of exciting developments in the National JazzArchive. Now the plans for Southend have become even more ambitious and, as aresult, will take a little longer to mature.

UNION CENTENNIALThe Mutual Musicians FoundationInternational, once known asLocal 627 or the ‘colored’musicians union and based at1823 Highland in Kansas City,began in 1917 as a charter of theAmerican Federation ofMusicians. On June 16-18, 2016,MMFI will begin centennialcelebrations with an awards galafor surviving black musiciansfrom the ‘colored’ unions.Currently MMFI is seeking tocontact any musicians whobelonged to a segregated unionor were represented by a blackorganiser of the AFoM for thiscelebration of a highly significantinstitution in jazz history.www.mutualmusiciansfoundation.org

JAZZ AT NORDENFARMThe jazz programme at NordenFarm Centre for the Arts nearMaidenhead has an impressivejazz element in the New Year: theBig Band with Five Star Swing(January 14), the Alex GarnettQuartet (22), Sink or Swing (29)and Dave O’Higgins (February12). Also of more than passinginterest are D’Ukes, a ukulelesextet (December 19) and theLondon Klezmer Quartet (Jan.21).Tel.: 01628 788997

NEW NAMES FORKESWICKThe 25th Jennings Keswick JazzFestival (May 12-15) offers over90 performances in seven venues,with first-timers to the festival

including the Funky Butt HallN’Awlins Jazz Band, Hot SauceFinger Snappers, Janet Seidel. La’alBig Band, the Dance Band Divas,Nevada Street Jazz Band and TadNewton’s Jazz Friends. Of courseit’s not all newcomers: thoselooking to hear festival favouritessuch as Enrico Tomasso, AlanBarnes, Spats Langham, JohnHallam and Keith Nichols won’tbe disappointed.Tel.: 017687 74411www.theatrebythelake.com

JAZZ AT OPERANORTHIn the middle of a variedprogramme of concerts, films andeven a world opera premiere, theHoward Assembly Room ofOpera North at Leeds GrandTheatre has a number of strikingperformances of jazz and worldmusic. The Mingus Big Bandappears on January 23 andAmerican saxist/clarinettist ColinStetson on March 13. Known asthe ‘father of Ethio-jazz’,vibraphonist Mulatu Astatko(February 10) combines EastAfrican sounds with the jazz ofGil Evans and Duke Ellington. Twoevenings of music and film featurepianist/composer/flim-makerChristophe Chassol providing themusic to his own film of life inMartinique (February 1) andMoishe’s Bagel accompany theSoviet silent propaganda film, Saltfor Svanetia (1930), with a newscore on March 17.Tel.: 0844 848 2700www.operanorth.co.uk

CLEETHORPES JAZZFESTIVALGrimsby Jazz runs monthlysessions at the Old Clee Club,with the New Year bringingChetro, Neil Yates’s Chet Bakertribute (January 20) and the RobBarron Quartet (February 17).Grimsby Jazz also promotes theCleethorpes Jazz Festival withtop-class bands at McCormack’sBar from Friday evening throughSaturday and Sunday. The 2016festival, on June 24-26, features,among others, the Janet Seidel

Trio, Matt Skelton All Stars, PatMcCarthy, the Liz FletcherQuintet, Alan Barnes/GiladAtzmon Quintet, MarkNightingale Quartet, LianeCarroll and the Alan BarnesOctet.www.grimsbyjazz.com

STABLES JAZZCleo’s Christmas Show(December 18-19), featuringCleo Laine with a host of familyand friends, is the pre-Christmastreat at the Stables, Wavendon.2016 jazz and jazz-related eventsbegin with Brubecks PlayBrubeck, Darius, Chris and Danwith Alec Dankworth and DaveO’Higgins (January 12) and alsoinclude the Syd LawrenceOrchestra (29), Christian Garrickand the Budapest Cafe Orchestra(February 4), The TemperanceSeven (14), Cafe Society Swing(19), the Puppini Sisters (March16), Denys Baptiste (24) and theJive Aces (25). Appearing at Stage2 at the Stables are Zoe SchwarzBlue Connection (Jan. 23), theMarco Marconi Trio (Feb. 9) andthe Andy Panayi Trio (March 8).Tel.: 01908 280800www.stables.org

JAZZ AT SCHOTTMUSIC SHOPOn March 11, between 6.00 pmand 9.00 pm, the Schott Music

Shop at 48, Great MarlboroughStreet, London, launches its newand comprehensive selection ofjazz sheet music. The TimRichards Trio provides the musicat a drinks reception to launch animportant new facility for jazzlovers and musicians.www.schott-music.com

WEDNESDAYS AT THECONCORDEInternational Jazz Night at theConcorde Club, Eastleigh,resumes after its Christmas/NewYear break with the ScottHamilton Quartet (John Pearce,Dave Green, Steve Brown) onJanuary 13, followed by A Night inthe Deep South with theMississippi Swamp Dogs (20) andthe Bob Kerr Whoopee Band(27). February brings the JiveAces (3) and the Back to BasieBig Band (10). Sunday Jazz Nightstake a rest after the ChristmasJazz Party on December 20 withthe John Maddocks Jazz Band andspecial guest Julia Titus. The WestSide Syncopators start thingsgoing again on January 10,followed by Cuff Billett’s NewEuropa Jazz Band (17), theOriginal Rabbit Foot Spasm Band(24), Graeme Hewitt’s HighSociety Jazz Band (31) and JohnMaddocks Jazzmen (February 7).Valentine’s Day brings a specialJazz Lunch with GOJO (GirlsOnly Jazz Orchestra), a 20-piecebig band playing charts from thelikes of Goodman, Basie andEllington.Tel.: 023 8061 3989www.theconcordeclub.com

KING PLEASURE ONTHE ROADKing Pleasure and the BiscuitBoys play Greystones, Sheffield,on December 18 before seeing inthe New Year at BournvilleGardens. Bookings in early 2016include the Artrix, Bromsgrove(January 2), Risbay Village Hall,Bury St. Edmunds (22), the TivoliTheatre, Wimborne Minster (30),the Robin 2, Bilston (February 4),Granvilles, Stone (21) and theBristol International Jazz andBlues Festival (March 18).Bookings abroad take the bandto the Swing’n’Sweet Jazzclub,Bergen (Jan. 23) and theStadsschouwburg, Bruges (March6).Tel.: 0121 454 7020www.kingpleasureandthebiscuitboys.com

MAY DAY ON THE ISLEOF BUTEThe 2016 Isle of Bute JazzFestival occupies the May DayBank Holiday from April 29 toMay 2. Bands and musicians onthe bill include, among manyothers, Richard White’s Fivers,the Savannah Jazz Band, AnthonyPurdy, the Bobby Wishart Band,the Chicago Teddy Bears, HavanaSwing, Martin Bennett’s GreenRiver Band and the ButeCommunity Band. In its 29th yearthe festival offers over 40 eventsand lower ferry fares!www.butejazz.com

4 5THE JAZZ RAG

NEWS NEWS

THE JAZZ RAG

Alex Garnett

Dave O’Higgins

Enrico TomassoPhoto by Merlin Daleman Photo by Merlin Daleman

UPCOMINGEVENTS

Oxfam Stomp at Kings HeathCricket and Sports Club (January8) features Jazz Salon Rouge,George Huxley’s All Stars, theNew Georgia Band and theSopranos, plus jam sessions,providing four hours of jazz insupport of Oxfam.Tel.: 0121 444 136207518 822312

Jazz Steps’ excellent Autumnseason in the Nottingham areaends with Led Bib at theBonington Theatre, Arnold, onDecember 17.www.jazzsteps.co.uk

Friends of the Upton Jazz Festivalhold their Christmas Party withBev Pegg and his Good Time JazzGang at Hanley Castle HighSchool on December 19. The firstconcert of 2016 sees Alan Barnesand Scott Hamilton lead an all-star quintet with John Pearce,Dave Green and Steve Brown onJanuary 8.Tel.: 01684 593794

The fortnightly jazz at the BellHotel, Clare, Suffolk, featuressome impressive soloists: BrigitteBeraha (December 20), DickPearce (January 3), Simon Spillett(17), Trudy Kerr (31), GiladAtzmon (February14), AlexGarnett (28), Laura Zakian(March 13) and Nicolas Meier(27).Tel.: 01787 237653

Seeing out the Old Year forTuesday Jazz and Swing atWilmslow Conservative Cub onDecember 29 are singer MarilynRoyle and trumpeter DaveBrowning with the Steve HallTrio. Dave returns on January 12with Lucy Mae and Luc, billed asan ‘exciting young couple’ onvocals and guitar, and the VinnieParker Trio. The previous week(5) Liam Byrne shares the standwith mysterious fellow-reedmanthe Masked Jazzman, but onFebruary 2 is on more familiarterritory with the Brownfield-Byrne Hot Six. Other highlightsof the regular Tuesday sessionsare Nicki Allan and Rod Mason(Jan. 19) and Alan Barnes andJohn Hallam (Feb. 9), both withthe Tom Kincaid Trio. The SinatraSwingers continue at CheadleHulme Conservative Club on thefirst Thursday of each month,with guest singers Debbie Wilson(Jan. 7), Joanne Stewart (Feb. 4)and Rosie Harrison (March 3).Tel.: 01625 528336

Tipitina’s final date of 2015 is atthe Ibis Hotel in Birmingham onDecember 17 and the band’sNew Year starts with a returnbooking at Ronnie Scott’s onJanuary 3. Tel.: 0121 454 7020www.bigbearmusic.com

Southern Sounds’ SilverAnniversary French QuarterFestival departs on April 4,incorporating flights to NewOrleans and 10 or 14accommodation at The FourPoints by Sheraton FrenchQuarter and a whole series ofjazz and non-jazz events.www.southern-sounds.co.uk

Wednesday lunch-time sessionsat the Spice of Life in CambridgeCircus, Soho, end 2015 with theswinging mainstream of the BrianRutland Band with special guestRoy Williams (December 30) andkick off 2016 with Bob Dwyer’sRhythm Aces (January 13).Tel.: 020 7437 7013www.spiceoflife.com

On January 5 Neville Dickiepresents The History of the JazzPiano - The First 50 Years at SolihullTrad Jazz Club. The regularSunday lunch-time gigs continuewith the Savannah Jazz Band

(January 10) and Tad Newton’sJazz Friends (24).Tel.: 0121 688 6115

Pete Lay and the Gambit Jazzmenare hosting a series of three JazzFestivals at Warner LeisureHotels in 2016. Each features sixbands: the Gambit Jazzmen, JohnMaddocks Jazzmen, Savannah JazzBand and three others. The firstis at Sinah Warren Coastal Hotelin Hampshire on February 26-29,with the Sussex Jazz Kings, NewOrleans Heat and Cuff Billett’sNew Europa Jazz Band.Tel.: 02392 466421 (quote JAX16)

Val Wiseman’s Lady Sings the Bluestakes to the road again in March,with shows at the QueensTheatre, Hornchurch (12) andthe Borough Theatre,Abergavenny (16).Tel.: 0121 454 7020

Watermill Jazz at the Friends LifeSocial Club in Dorking is closedduring December, but opens upin the New Year with Ray Gelatoand the Giants on January 7. Theregular Thursday night sessionscontinue with A Tribute to TootsThielemans led by Phil Hopkins(14), Tom Cawley’s Curios Trio(21) and Joe Locke playing musicfrom his latest album, Love is a

Pendulum (28). ConfirmedFebruary dates are the LianeCarroll Trio (4), the StanSulzmann Neon Orchestra (11)and MALIJA(Lockheart/Noble/Hoiby Trio -18). The monthly Sundayafternoon jam sessions are onJanuary 10 and February 7.Tel.: 07415 815784www.watermilljazz.co.uk

Plymouth Jazz Club celebratesNew Year’s Eve with theappropriately named EnjoyYourself Jazz Band led by GrahamTrevarton. The regular Sundayevenings at the Royal BritishLegion Club in Crownhill,Plymouth, continue with CitySteam Jazz Band (January 17),Maggie Reeday with the CraigMilverton Trio (February 7) andSavannah Jazz Band (21).Tel.: 01752 721179www.plymouth-jazz-club.org.uk

Lichfield’s Garrick Theatre startsa series of monthly Jazz at theGarrick events with ChristineTobin (January 13), followed byPartikel’s String Theory (February17) and Phil Robson’s Organ Trio(March 15). An extra jazz event isthe appearance of the RemiHarris Project on January 29.www.lichfieldgarrick.com

JAZZ AT ILMINSTERIlminster Arts Centre at theMeeting House promotesfrequent Friday evening jazzevents, resuming after theChristmas break with the EdisonHerbert Trio playing lyrical guitarjazz on January 8. After MikeDenham’s Speakeasy (22), an all-star trio of Alan Barnes, BobbyWellins and Jim Mullen takes overthe following week (29). The KateDaniels Quartet features inGlamorous Nights - from HoagyCarmichael to Peggy Lee onFebruary 12, followed by theMike Collins Quartet (26).Tel.: 01460 54973www.themeetinghouse.org.uk

MARSDEN NAMEDYORKSHIRE’S BESTFESTIVALIt’s always pleasing to find jazzevents and musicians recognisedoutside the specialist field, somany congratulations to MarsdenJazz Festival for winning the titleof Outstanding EstablishedFestival at the Yorkshire GigGuide Grassroots Awards.Marsden is a three-day festival(this year October 9-11) whichtakes over the Pennine village fora long weekend, with big-nameconcerts at the MarsdenMechanics (this year’s billincluded Jean Toussaint and EvanChristopher) and many otherperformances at some 25 venues:bars, restaurants, schools andchurches.www.marsdenjazzfestival.com

LOVE REMAINSSUPREMEIt was announced in Novemberthat the Love Supreme Jazz

Festival, first held in 2013, willreturn to Glynde Place in EastSussex from July 1 to 3, 2016.Discounted Early Bird tickets arealready on sale and theorganisers promise the mostambitious line-up yet.www.lovesupremefestival.com

VENTURE AWAYMUSIC WEEKENDSVenture Away has five jazzweekends scheduled for 2016. AtWarner’s Holiday Village atNorton Grange on the Isle ofWight (March 18-21), with halfprice fare on the ferry, the bandsinclude Richard Exall and AmyRoberts Quintet, Baby Jools andthe Jazzaholics, the Dart ValleyStompers, the Savannah JazzBand, the Sussex Jazz Kings andthe Golden Eagle Jazz Band. TheSavannah is also to be found atthe Royal Hotel, Scarborough onApril 15-18, with Dave Rae’sLevee Ramblers, Matt Palmer’sMillennium Eagle Jazz Band, theDave Donohoe Band and RichardLeach’s 7 Stars of Jazz.Tel.: 01305 750797www.ventureawaymusicweekends.co.uk

STAR NAMES FORGATESHEADThe 2016 GatesheadInternational Jazz Festivalcontinues the celebrations of thelife and work of Tubby Hayes byfollowing a performance of theacclaimed film, Tubby Hayes: AMan in a Hurry (see reviewsection), with a performance ofhis music by the Simon SpillettQuartet. The three-day festival atthe Sage Gateshead (April 15-17)also features such star names asGregory Porter, Courtney Pineand Zoe Rahman, TerenceBlanchard with the E-Collective,Liane Carroll and John Surmanwith the Alexander Hawkins Trio.www.sagegateshead.com

FIRST ACTSANNOUNCED FORCHELTENHAMThe first acts to be announcedfor Cheltenham Jazz Festival in2016 (April 27-May 2) includethree bands from the UnitedStates. Trumpeter Christian Scottbrings a nine-piece band to playmusic from his album StretchMusic, influential saxophonist TimBerne appears with his bandSnakeoil and singer/songwriterBecca Stevens is featured withher band. An especially interesting

UK premiere is Let it Be Told, anextended piece by JulianArguelles presenting the music ofSouth Africans in exile, with theFrankfurt Radio Big Band, DjangoBates and Julian’s brother Steve.www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz

NEWCASTLE JAZZCAFÉThe Jazz Café’s 2016 programmecomprises top class regional,national and internationalmusicians. Zoë Gilby and PaulEdis (January 8) play TheloniousMonk in Gilby’s Pannonica set.Guitarist Stuart McCallumreturns to play a solo gig (22),vocalist Gilby appears once againin a voice-double bass duo withAndy Champion (23) and vocalistAlice Grace returns with herquintet (26). The Vieux CarréJazzmen make a first visit to thePink Lane venue at the end of themonth (29). February sees Paris-based Hot Club violinist DanJohn Martin working in thecompany of Swing Manouche (9).Alan Barnes makes a guestappearance with Seven Pieces ofSilver (19), followed by the guitarduo Pete Oxley and NicolasMeier (23).

JAZZ NORTH EASTIn 2016 Jazz North Eastcelebrates fifty years as Britain’sfirst grant-aided voluntary jazzpromoter. A busy schedule of gigsat various venues includes theRoller Trio (January 10) at theBridge Hotel, Newcastle, an allday extravaganza – Paris sur Tyne– at the Literary & PhilosophicalSociety (24) and Entropi at the

Black Swan, Newcastle (February4).

DARLINGTON JAZZFESTIVALThis year’s Darlington JazzFestival (April 21-24) will adoptlast year’s successful formula ofstaging concerts at various towncentre venues. Al Wood willreturn once again givingworkshops and performingalongside promising youngmusicians from the region.

USHAW COLLEGEUshaw College, formerly aseminary, on the outskirts of,Durham, is developing a yearround programme of eventsincluding classical, folk and jazzconcerts. January’s jazz gig (29)features the brilliant young tenorplayer Matt Anderson with hisWildflower Sextet playing musicinspired by Wayne Shorter. Laterin the year the first Durham JazzFestival @ Ushaw is scheduledfor the August Bank Holidayweekend (Aug. 26-28) with a hostof big names to be announced.

MILLIE AT THE DRUMLegendary soul singer MillieJackson makes her only publicappearance of a UK mini-tour ina special pre-Valentine’s Dayperformance at the Drum inBirmingham. Accompanied by a10-piece band, she performs theappropriately named An IntimateAffair with Millie Jackson onFebruary 7.Tel,: 0121 333 2444www.the-drum.org.uk

6 7THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

UPCOMING EVENTSNEWS

Scott Hamilton Alan BarnesRoyWilliams

Richard Exall

HOHNER MELODICA COMPETITIONWinner of prize of a Hohner melodic for correcting identifyingEARL ‘FATHA’ HINES is WILLIAM JAMES of Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Photo by Merlin Daleman

Photo by Merlin Daleman

8 9THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

ALLEN TOUSSAINTTHE CURIOUS DON

Allen Toussaint was a pianist,songwriter, producer andarranger from New Orleans. It’sdifficult to write about himwithout writing a book. He was aN’Awlins Piano Professor,carrying on a lineage from JellyRoll Morton, through ProfessorLonghair and carrying on todaywith Dr John and Henry Butler.Professor Longhair (‘Fess’) washis mentor and greatestinfluence. Fess’s style can beheard in all the New Orleanspiano stylists to appear after himand can be heard in most ofToussaint’s playing. His regulartribute was to perform Tipitina,Fess’s signature tune and name ofthe main club in The Big Easy.

As a songwriter and producer,Toussaint began in the 60s withthe New Orleans brand of R & Band Rock ‘n’ Roll, writing andrecording with artists such asIrma Thomas (It’s Raining) andErnie K-Doe (Mother in Law).Black music styles then evolvedto more soulful melodies andfunkier rhythms and Toussaintwas at the forefront in producingground breaking music with LeeDorsey, The Meters and Dr Johnto name but a few. They laiddown the backbone of modernfunk, although the music was stilldrawing upon the traditionalMardi Gras/street parade soundswhich Toussaint then developed.His horn arrangements are alsolegendary and include The Band’sThe Last Waltz film.

He was a shy person andreluctant performer throughout

most of his career, preferring theconfines of the studio, but cameout of his shell in the last 15years of his life. Ironically, thebiggest push to this was possiblythe tragedy of Hurricane Katrinain 2005, in which he was forcedout of his home and studio. Hedryly called Katrina his ‘bookingagent’ as he relocated to NewYork and began playing soloconcerts that were well receivedand were to inspire him todevelop his solo act further.During this time he recorded TheRiver in Reverse with ElvisCostello and the Grammy-nominated 2009 album The BrightMississippi as tributes to hisbeloved Crescent City.

I was lucky enough to catch oneof his last solo concerts atRonnie Scott’s in April 2014. Iwas knocked out at the depthand versatility of his playing,having previously only heard himin band settings where a twofisted piano plunker can get lostin the mix and be limited bothrhythmically and harmonically.Toussaint showed his trueProfessor status as he told greatstories of his tumultuous careerand inventively reworked all hisgreatest hits including FortuneTeller, Working in a Coalmine,Southern Nights and BrickyardBlues.

Toussaint returned to live out hislast years in New Orleans in atypically modest house similar tothe one he lost in the flood. Hedied from a heart attackfollowing a concert in Madrid and

a tribute was held for the Rock‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee andGrammy award winner at thehistoric Orpheum theatre inNew Orleans. Jimmy Buffett, BozScaggs and Elvis Costello joinedNOLA legends Irma Thomas, DrJohn, Trombone Shorty and JonCleary onstage. This was followedin true New Orleans style by aprocession with the PreservationHall Band walking out of thetheatre playing The PreservationDirge. The funeral car followedthem down the street to Didn’tHe Ramble, all the second lineparticipants singing, clapping andplaying to send Toussaint off in away like no other on earth.Remarkable video footage of thiscan be seen on this website:http://www.avclub.com/article/watch-allen-toussaint-gets-jazz-funeral-treatment-228855. Hewas buried in a private funeral onNovember 21st (also Dr John’s75th birthday).

We have a mutual friend in KeithSpera, former writer for theTimes-Picayune in New Orleans.Keith opened the door to the

city for my wife Debbie and mein 2013 when we visited NewOrleans for the first time. Hetook us to places and gave usexperiences we would nevernormally have had and trieddesperately to arrange anafternoon for us with Toussaintbut sadly he was exhausted aftera grueling tour. Keith wrote achapter on Toussaint for his bookGroove Interrupted: Loss, Renewaland the Music of New Orleans. Inhis obituary for Toussaint Keithsaid he was ‘remarkablyaccessible for someone of hisstatus’, always finding time to chatand have his photo taken withfans. He said, ‘he had an air abouthim but never put on airs’ and‘he did his thing, moving throughlife with ease. Serenitysurrounded him. No one elselooked as cool in socks andleather sandals. He was a tirelessambassador for the city,unfailingly pleasant and gracious,always a gentleman. AllenToussaint’s light was fully on, andthen it was off. New Orleans is alittle less bright without him.’

established leaders likeDankworth and Garrick andheading his own bands, featuringan impressive roster of newstars. There were quintets withsaxophonists Barbara Thompson,Stan Robinson and AlanWakeman, among others, andambitious larger scale projectsincluding the suite Earth Music.

During this period, Rendell hadalso realised the benefits of theburgeoning jazz educationmovement, becoming a highlyrespected teacher of woodwindat The Guildhall School of Music,

on John Dankworth's WAPcourses and privately, a capacityin which many saxophonestudents first encountered him.(For a time, actor WarrenMitchell was among his pupils –in a twist of fate Mitchell, whowas the same age as Rendell,passed away barely a month afterhis former tutor.)

However, performing remainedhis first love, well into hisseventies. Although the technicalfluency may well have begun tounravel by this point (not alwayshelped by Rendell's at times

hypochondriac-like search for theperfect mouthpiece) there wasnever any doubting hiscommitment to improvisation orhis love of sharing the joys ofmusical discovery. ‘I feelremarkably fortunate that I havereached more than three scoreyears and ten and still really enjoyplaying,’ he said in 2000, aged 74.‘I still have some breath left...andsome teeth!’

What he also had was theaccumulated practical wisdom ofa lifetimes work as a jazzmusician, gleaned throughout

what was undoubtedly theGolden Age for the music. Ashe'd readily confess, he'd heardand met them all – Prez, Hawk,Parker, Getz, Rollins, Trane andbeyond. He played, though, likeno-one but himself – the ultimategoal of all jazzmen. ‘When I thinkof all the miraculous aspects ofmy long career,’ he onceconfessed, ‘I wouldn't change athing.’

Don Rendell (March 4th 1926 –October 20th 2015)

ALLEN TOUSSAINT(14TH JANUARY 1938 – 10TH NOVEMBER 2015)JUSTIN RANDALL of Tipitina remembers an inspiring figure in New Orleans music.

Curiosity. One dictionary definesthe term as a ‘desire to know’,and it was exactly this brand ofself-improving inquisitiveness thatwas the guiding rationalethroughout the remarkable 70-year-plus career of saxophonist,bandleader and composer DonRendell, who passed away inOctober, aged 89.

Chronologically at least, Rendellbelonged to the same generationas the two other great pre-Scottand Hayes British jazz tenors,Jimmy Skidmore and TommyWhittle, both of whompredeceased him. With thistriumvirate all now gone it'sintriguing to compare andcontrast their respective careerpaths. Although all three startedwith both feet firmly planted inthe dance band world of pre-bop,the de-rigueur education for anentire generation of Britishjazzmen, following exposure toLester Young's example eachblossomed into a markedlyindividual stylist in his own right,forging swing and bop to his ownends.

Rendell, however, pushed his ownpersonal musical envelope farfurther than either of hisillustrious contemporaries everdared do, beginning his musicaljourney by chasing fashion andculminating it in possession of ajazz voice all his own.

Listening back to Rendell's early1950s work with The JohnnyDankworth Seven, then the hotBritish modern jazz outfit, or inthe bands of drummer TonysKinsey and Crombie, one isinstantly struck by both his poiseand utter confidence within theuber-hip ‘Brothers’ idiom ofGetz, Sims et al, anaccomplishment made all themore notable for having beenmade largely in isolation from itssource.

Indeed, pre-Tubby Hayes Rendellrepresented one of the mostnaturally confident of all localmodernists, displaying his waresin a delightful series of quintetsand sextets which offeredglorious cheerful, parochialreflections of the West Coastish

leanings of Gerry Mulligan, ZootSims and others.

Although the saxophonist’salbums from this time – includingrare-as-hens’-teeth sets on theTempo and Nixa labels – are fullto the brim with the leader’sauthentic-sounding take oncontemporary jazz, and remainimpressive to 21st century ears,what is now perhaps even morestriking is how, barely in his earlythirties, Rendell already hadband-leadership and talent-spotting skills second to none.Among those who gainedvaluable early exposure via hismid-1950s outfits were suchsoon-to-be stars as KennyWheeler, Ronnie Ross and PhilSeamen. He also had a taste forthe maverick too: theunclassifiable trumpeter BertCourtley was a frequent partnerduring these years, as was pianistDamian Robinson, a player whosecomposing and improvising hadsomething of a quirky,Twardzikian air.

That Rendell himself was the realdeal was confirmed several timesduring the 1950s, the decade inwhich he received a seriesnotable invites to work with bonafide US stars: in 1954 heaccompanied Billie Holiday onher initial UK visit, a dream-likeassignment for any Prez-inspiredtenorman; two years later it wasStan Kenton who hired him as alast-minute replacement on hisinitial British tour, ‘experienceyou could not buy’, as Rendellonce recalled it. And in 1959, hewas a cornerstone of the one ofthe UK's first truly transatlanticmodern jazz collaborations,Woody Herman's Anglo-American Herd, a ridiculouslytalent-packed band who made ananecdote-filled month-long jauntaround the British Isles under theauspices of the National JazzFederation. The tour programmedescribed the saxophonist as‘acknowledged as being the bestin Europe’, a claim confirmedwhen a bootleg LP of one of theHerman concerts appeared inthe 1980s. Indeed, Rendell'spersonal account of theGetz/Herman-associated anthemEarly Autumn would rate as a

classic under any flag.

Rendell, however, was never aman to stand still, and as thevanguard of jazz moved everoutward during the early 1960s,he found himself suddenlyreinvigorated by John Coltrane'sexample. He later recalled achance encounter with arecording by the Americansaxophonist - played asbackground music during theinterval of a gig in Manchester in1960 - as the moment when ‘thedoor opened for me.’

From then on, Coltrane becameRendell's second great stylistictouchstone. To his credit, he wasone of the very few Britishmusicians who didn't baulk at thecontroversial opening nightappearance of Coltrane's soleUK tour in 1961, even going sofar as badgering his way into theAmerican’s hotel room thefollowing day in order to try andfind out more about whatunderpinned his inscrutablemethods. The discovery thatColtrane was similarly devout(Rendell was a lifelong Jehovah’sWitness) was all but eclipsed bythe revelation that they sharedLester Young as a primaryinspiration. ‘For me, nothing injazz has been quite the samesince,’ Rendell once said of thisepiphany.

And so the 1960s saw Rendell'smusical world re-fitted for a newpost-bop sensibility. For a time heheaded a quintet featuring theDolphy-meets-Cannonball altosaxophone of Graham Bond -part musical stimulus, partspiritual nemesis - recording thevaunted Roarin' album for the

American Jazzland label. WhenBond was replaced by trumpeterIan Carr in 1962 the recruitmentof new blood was to launch notonly one the saxophonist’s bestbands, but also an ensemble thatwas to re-write much of the rulebook of local modern jazz. Re-billing itself as the Rendell-CarrQuintet, and featuring young lionsMichael Garrick, Dave Green andTrevor Tomkins, the band soongarnered a reputation for itsunique brand of home-grownexperimentation: Carr's literaryinspirations, Garrick's interest inIndian music and Green andTomkins' Garrison/Jones-likesynergy combined to spurRendell to some of his greatestheights. The band attractedsomething of a cult following onthe university circuit, and itssequence of classy albums for theColumbia label – Dusk Fire andthe atmospheric Live among them– have remained some of themost engrossing records of theera, the perfect place in which tohear British jazz broaching a newlanguage cast between cerebralreserve and the emotionalism ofthe avant-garde. They alsoshowcased Rendell's growingmastery of composition andmulti-instrumentalism, addingnew textural variety on flute,clarinet and soprano saxophone.

But, as is often the way of allthings British jazz, it couldn't last.By 1969, Ian Carr was chompingat the bit, eager to taste thericher pickings to be had in thenascent jazz-rock movement. ForRendell though, this was onemusical avenue he saw as a deadend, and accordingly throughoutthe 1970s and into the '80s, heshuttled between work with

THE CURIOUS DONSIMON SPILLETT’s tribute to DON RENDELL

10 11THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAGTHE JAZZ RAG

To those of us in the Jazz Ragoffices who are convinced thatLouis Armstrong is a shoo-in forthe nomination as GreatestJazzman Ever, his placing atNumber 2 caused the odd raisedeyebrow, but generally it wasdifficult to take exception to theBBC’s Top 10, featured on all thePress Releases. However, as wedelved deeper into the Top 50,oddities and eccentricitiesbecame ever more numerous.Where were such acknowledgedgreats as Bix Beiderbecke andJelly Roll Morton – too far back,maybe, but what about CliffordBrown or Wes Montgomery? IsJamie Cullum really a greater jazzsinger than Joe Williams or MelTorme? (Incidentally, we are quiteconfident Jamie had no hand inhis own inclusion!)

So it seemed like a good idea tocontact a few folk around jazz tosee what their Top Five would be.Richard Pite’s instant replysuggested we might well haveasked for the Hot Five:1.Louis Armstrong2. Louis Armstrong3. Louis Armstrong4. Louis Armstrong5. Louis Armstrong

Richard’s sardonic comment,‘That should help re-balance thepoll’ expressed in a moreextreme form the opinion ofmany of the correspondents.

Distinguished American jazzcommentator Scott Yanow, forinstance, turned round the BBC’sfirst two places with thefollowing choice:1.Louis Armstrong2. Miles Davis3. Charlie Parker4. John Coltrane5. Dizzy Gillespie

No Duke Ellington? But Scottadds a coda: ‘Anybody choosingDuke Ellington (my Number 6),Jelly Roll Morton or Art Tatumwon’t get any argument out ofme.’

The people who do get some

argument from Scott are thosewho voted for the lower placings(outside the Top 10) in the BBCpoll:‘How can anyone seriously listNina Simone, Sun Ra (ahead ofOrnette Coleman?), Loose Tubes(they were joking, right?),Gregory Porter, John Taylor,Esbjorn Svensson, Jamie Cullum,Jan Garbarek, Norma Winstone,Hugh Masakela (who is not evena jazz musician), Stan Tracey andDianne Reeves in the Top 50?Has the BBC never heard ofColeman Hawkins, BixBeiderbecke, Clifford Brown, LeeMorgan, Freddie Hubbard, JackTeagarden, J.J. Johnson, JohnnyHodges, Benny Carter, EricDolphy, Jelly Roll Morton, JamesP. Johnson, Cecil Taylor, CharlieChristian, Wes Montgomery, JacoPastorius, Max Roach, BessieSmith, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormeand Joe Williams?’

‘I suppose the BBC list is a littlepredictable,’ said Art Themen –only from 1 to 10, Art! – ‘butthen so are my top five!’1.Louis Armstrong2. Charlie Parker3. Duke Ellington4. Art Tatum5. Thelonious Monk

Two noted jazz wordsmiths werein less voluble form than usual,with Digby Fairweathercoming up with the following list:1.Louis Armstrong2. Duke Ellington3. Art Tatum4. Charlie Parker5. Clifford Brown

Dick Laurie’s five began in anow familiar way before divertingonto some less predictablechoices that got nowhere nearthe BBC’s long list:1.Louis Armstrong2. Duke Ellington3. Django Reinhardt4. Anita O’Day5. Barney Bigard

The most eloquent case for aselection well in tune with mostof our correspondents, and with

a considerable overlap with ScottYanow in comments on the BBClist, was made by Bruce Adams:1.Louis Armstrong2. Duke Ellington3. Coleman Hawkins4. Charlie Parker5. Django Reinhardt

Bruce provided a justification foreach of his choices – or rather, inthe case of Louis, thepointlessness of having to justifyit: ‘While I recognise thatopinions are subjective, I don’tbelieve that the choice of Louisshould even be challenged.’ Ofthe Duke, Bruce singles out ‘hisability to develop and present thetalents of others such asStrayhorn, Hodges and Webster’as well as his own talents aspianist, bandleader and composer.As for Hawk, ‘in Sonny Rollins’opinion, he was the greatest saxplayer ever, so don’t argue withme, argue with Sonny.’ CharlieParker ‘reinvented everythingthat stands today, no matter whathorn you play’ and Django wasBruce’s first influence in jazz, ‘atrue original who still makes myhair stand on end – and he wasDuke Ellington’s favouriteguitarist.’

Another issue (which LesTomkins also raised) is theplaylist that the BBC supplied forall the Top 50. Many choices werepredictable and unarguable, but

some were a touch bizarre.Despite Ricky Riccardi’s justifiedenthusiasm for the music ofLouis’ later years, What aWonderful World is rather a feeblerepresentation of a career ofsuch explosive genius asArmstrong’s, as Bruce remindsus, not only running through histransformative effects on music,but also his powerfulinterventions on Civil Rights.Sounding not at all humble, Bruceconcludes that Louis was ‘a forceof nature and, in my humbleopinion, the greatest jazzmusician to ever tread theplanet.’

Sharing a near-unanimity ofknowledgeable judgement withScott Yanow, Bruce writes, ‘I finda list that includes Sun Ra, LooseTubes, Gregory Porter, EsbjornSvensson, Jamie Cullum, HughMasakela, Mark Murphy and PatMetheny as representative of thegreatest jazzmen laughable.’Bruce doesn’t deny their talent,but not to compare with theomitted Ben Webster, CliffordBrown, Johnny Hodges, JackTeagarden, Zoot Sims, FrankRosolino, Fats Navarro, RoyEldridge, Bunny Berigan, BixBeiderbecke, Sonny Rollins, ArtieShaw, Stan Getz, DjangoReinhardt, Charlie Christian, WesMontgomery...and Bruceconcedes even this list inincomplete.

SO WHO ARE THE GREATEST?After all the justified complaints about jazz being neglected by the media, it was great newsthat the BBC mounted a pop-up jazz station during the EFG London Jazz Festival. When thestation drew up a list of the 50 Greatest Jazz Musicians for a playlist, interest was certainlypiqued, but controversy was inevitable.

SO WHO ARE THE GREATEST?SO WHO ARE THE GREATEST?

Finally, as well as contributing athoughtful article (too long toquote in full), Les Tomkinsshowed what a difficult selectionthis is. Without overlapping at allwith the favourites or bearingmuch resemblance to the BBClist, Les came up with an‘arbitrary choice’ of five ‘people Ilike listening to’:1.Stan Getz2. Art Pepper3. Clark Terry4. George Shearing5. Milt Jackson

However, Les’ full article presentsthe problem in more detail. Heworks through various categories(each instrument, singers, Britishmusicians), mostly confininghimself to people he hasinterviewed. All his choices aregood ones, but include them alland the undoubted greats thatLes never met and the figure 50has long since been left behind.

As Les wrote, ‘a different list of100 could scratch the surfacesomewhat.’

Maybe a list of the Top 50 is asimpossible now as acomprehensive single volume jazzhistory. Interestingly, in ourstrictly unscientific survey, onlyfive musicians appeared in morethan one correspondent’s list –and they didn’t include Miles!

JAZZ RAG TOP 51.Louis Armstrong2.Duke Ellington3.Charlie Parker4.Art Tatum5.Django Reinhardt

Please send your commentson our Top 5 and the BBC’slist by email tojazzrag@bigbearmusic.comor by post to Jazz Rag, P.O.Box 944, Edgbaston,Birmingham, B16 UT.

THE BBC TOP 501. Miles Davis2. Louis Armstrong3. Duke Ellington4. John Coltrane5. Ella Fitzgerald6. Charlie Parker7. Billie Holiday8. Thelonious Monk

(Joint 8th) 9. Bill Evans (Joint 8th)10. Oscar Peterson11. Nina Simone12. Dave Brubeck13. Pat Metheny14. Charles Mingus15. Sun Ra16. Ornette Coleman17. Fats Waller18. Loose Tubes19. Herbie Hancock20. Keith Jarrett21. Gregory Porter22. Count Basie23. Wayne Shorter24. Lester Young25. Art Tatum

26. John Taylor27. Esbjörn Svensson28. Jamie Cullum29. Buddy Rich30. Kenny Wheeler31. Jimmy Smith32. Tubby Hayes33. Art Blakey34. Dizzy Gillespie35. George Shearing36. Jan Garbarek37. Norma Winstone38. Hugh Masakela39. Woody Herman40. Stan Tracey41. Abbey Lincoln42. Mark Murphy43. Gerry Mulligan44. Cannonball Adderley45. Charlie Haden46. Charles Lloyd47. Betty Carter48. Carmen McRae49. Dianne reeves50. Mary Lou Williams

NEWARK JAZZ EXHIBITNewark, New Jersey, has its placein jazz history as the home townof such great figures as Willie‘The Lion’ Smith, James P.Johnson, Sarah Vaughan, JamesMoody and Wayne Shorter, butperhaps even more so as thehome of the Institute of JazzStudies at Rutgers University, theoldest dedicated jazz institutionof its type in the world. Foundedby Marshall Stearns in the 1950sand permanently located atRutgers for 50 years, the Institutewas directed for 37 of thoseyears by the eminent DanMorgenstern.Currently the Institute isinvolved in a community culturalproject with the imposing title,Jazz, Jews and African Americans –Cultural Interactions in Newark andBeyond, an exhibit that runs untilDecember 13 at the JewishMuseum of New Jersey inCongregation Ahavas Sholom, theoldest synagogue in Newark. TadHershorn, archivist at theInstitute who has curated theexhibit, talked to Jazz Rag a weekafter the official opening (musicprovided by the Aaron WeinsteinTrio) and felt that it was stillgrowing as visitors suggestedfurther themes to develop.

The exhibit, in a gallery on thesecond floor of the synagogue,

consists of art panels on manyaspects of the subject, fromcultural themes to the lives ofindividuals, in different styles, withgreat emphasis on visual impact.Nowadays the centrality ofAfrican American musicians injazz is beyond dispute, butHershorn is quite clear thatthere is no political or socialagenda to give Jewish musicianstheir due recognition. He takes abroad view of jazz history andbelieves that the Jewishcontribution is well recognised,from the great songwriters whogave jazz improvisers much oftheir best material to promotersand record producers – and, asthe author of a very receivedbiography of Norman Granz, TadHershorn should know plentyabout promoters and recordproducers!

So the displays highlightmusicians, but also suchinfluential figures as LorraineGordon whose marriagescovered years of jazz history – toAlfred Lion of Blue NoteRecords and Max Gordon of theVillage Vanguard – before sheherself took over the running ofthe Village Vanguard on Max’sdeath. Nor are the famous figuresfrom Rutgers itself forgotten:Dan Morgenstern, Ed Berger and

Vincent Pelote who workedtogether at the Institute for 34years.

Hershorn’s constant theme isbringing communities together.He wants to show how differentcultures react to each other andhe wants to involve thecommunities of Newark in theproject. For instance, fivedifferent congregations arebacking the exhibit, includingAfrican American and Hispanicchurch congregations.

The programme for Jazz, Jews andAfrican Americans has includedmany interesting Sundayafternoon events, including ashowing of The Gig (a film abouta group of amateur Jewishmusicians recruiting an AfricanAmerican professional for a gig inthe Catskills) and a paneldiscussion with Dan Morgensternamong the participants. Theclosing reception on December13 features Ben Sidran.

www.newark.rutgers.edu/news

Louis Armstrong

Willie The Lion Smith

12 13THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

WEST COAST JAZZ WITH A DIFFERENCE THE GHETTO SWINGER

Peter Vacher’s previous twobooks consisted of verbatiminterviews with American jazzmusicians: Soloists and Sidemen(Northway Books, 2004) andMixed Messages (Five LeavesPublications, 2013). Neither ofthese has a theme as such, butSwingin’ on Central Avenue usesthe same format to present apicture of an important jazzcommunity that Peter feels hasbeen marginalised and neglectedby jazz commentators: theAfrican American West Coasterswhose style developed beforebebop.

These interviews took placebetween 1974 and 1990 with apretty long-lived set of musiciansborn between 1898 and 1920.Since then Peter has added theoccasional phone interview withthe likes of trumpeter NormanBowden, the only one stillsurviving. Peter, in fact, spoke toNorman on his 100th birthdayonly this September and isdelighted to report thatNorman’s wife - 104 years old! -has read Swingin’ on CentralAvenue and pronounced it ‘awonderful book’.

What is West Coast jazz? Tomost jazz lovers the termconjures up cool hip whitemusicians of the 1950s, GerryMulligan, Shorty Rogers, etc. Untilthe merger of the black andwhite unions in 1953, themusicians he writes aboutliterally belonged to a differentmusical world.

Peter Vacher’s crusade to rescuethis generation of West CoastAfrican-Americans fromobscurity began, oddly, with oneof the few able to pass as whiteand work both sides of thecolour line, the Creoleclarinettist, Joe Darensbourg.

As Peter puts it, ‘Back in the1950s I developed a huge interestin New Orleans jazz and themusic of the likes of Kid Ory. Iwanted to learn more about itand make contact with themusicians. In those days LeonardFeather’s Encyclopedia gave theaddresses of musicians, so I

wrote to Joe Darensbourg out ofthe blue. In fact I probably wroteto several, but he was the onewho replied. We correspondedand then we met up when hecame to London with LouisArmstrong’s All Stars.’

From these beginnings thefriendship developed in whatPeter calls a ‘fortuitous andwonderful’ circumstance, leadingto him putting together Joe’sreminiscences into theautobiography, Telling it like it is.When visiting Joe in Los Angeles,Peter was introduced to, andwelcomed into, a thriving jazzcommunity of which he hadknown little - in common withalmost everyone outside ofCalifornia. On all his visits to LosAngeles, he interviewedmusicians and sometimes refinedthe results over more than onevisit or added a Londoninterview on one of the rareoccasions these musicians visitedhere.

One of the points that Petermakes in the book and inconversation is that by and largehis 16 subjects had a merely localfame, were limited to LosAngeles, to Central Avenue,especially before the unionmerger. I took issue with this tosome extent: none of themusicians was born in California,many did their best known workin Saint Louis, Chicago or KansasCity, Caughey Roberts even wentto Shanghai with Buck Clayton’sband, and so on. However, hispoint is that, once in LA, theytended to stick there and alsomost of them were shamefullyneglected by record companies.Some settled for comfortabledomesticity.

Billy Hadnott is a case in point.Most of the musicians here areonly known for the occasionalbrush with fame such as Roberts’two brief stints with the earlyBasie band, but Hadnott was inthe Benny Moten band, themusical associate of Kansas Citygreats from Count Basie toCharlie Parker, played with LouisJordan and Jazz at the Phil, then,at the height of his fame, re-

trained as an engineer and wentto work for McDonnell Douglas.Though he had the ability to cutit in the new world of bebop andthe formal skills to work instudio orchestras, Peter reckonshis main concern was to avoid arepeat for his family of his ownloveless hardscrabble childhood.One of the most memorableanecdotes in the book,incidentally, is of Hadnott’sattempt to rescue Charlie Parkerfrom himself - some horrifyinglygraphic description.

Peter makes the point that thesewere ‘jobbing musicians’ who hadto be prepared to take ondifferent styles of music, taking tothe road in minstrel shows ordoing Cotton Club reviews, but itdoes appear that bebop defeatedmost of them. On the other handDixieland was something thatmany of them learned. DuringTeddy Buckner’s two decadesleading a traditional band inDisneyland, several of theinterviewees had extended stintswith him, but comments aboutthe difficulty of coming to termswith the style are common.Trumpeter Andy Blakeney said ofplaying with Kid Ory, ‘To tell thetruth I didn’t take to it so easy.’Blakeney also respected BarryMartyn for a late-career revivalwith the Legends of Jazz (thesame happened with FloydTurnham) without sharing hismusical ideas.

It’s certainly surprising that suchmusicians as Red Mack,Streamline Ewing and ChesterLane are not better known, given

their successful careers - google‘Chester Lane’ and you aredirected to Chester Lane Library,St. Helens! But Swingin’ on CentralAvenue is not a story ofdeprivation and prejudice.Admittedly there are a few hair-raising accounts of racial violenceon tour and some of themusicians ended up in a pitiablestate: Peter is still clearlysaddened by Caughey Roberts’lonely poverty in his last days.However, middle-class comfortwas the rule for many of hissubjects.

Especially interesting is to puttogether the accounts (some notstrictly accurate, of course) toform an overall picture of amusical scene. Maxwell Davis, forinstance, in testimony of onemusician after another, emergesas a top arranger and goodstrong tenor saxist, but who wasMaxwell Davis? I certainly hadnever heard of him. Sadly he diedin 1970, too early to beinterviewed by Peter Vacher, andremains a pretty much unknownfigure who, according to Peter,was so much in demand in therecord studios, especially forrhythm and blues, that he almostliterally worked himself to death.

Swingin’ on Central Avenue iscopiously illustrated with mattblack and white reproductions ofrare photographs from thecollections of Peter Vacher andthe musicians themselves andpublished by Rowman andLittlefield in hardback (ISBN 9780 8108 8832 6) at £37.95.

WEST COAST JAZZ WITH A DIFFERENCERON SIMPSON talks to PETER VACHER about his new book, Swingin’ on Central Avenue,subtitled African American Jazz in Los Angeles.

The sub-title of the book, A BerlinJazz Legend Remembers, points ustowards its subject, the memoirsof Heinz ‘Coco’ Schumann,several times voted Germany’stop jazz guitarist in the 1950s andstill playing jazz at the time of thebook’s initial publication inGermany in 1997. Now, with JohnHoward’s English translationabout to be published, thenonagenarian Schumann canwrite in his preface, ‘I am amusician who spent time inconcentration camps, notsomeone in a concentrationcamp who also played a littlemusic.’ In other words, Schumanndefines himself by his music, nothis suffering, but for all that themain title focuses on a fewmonths in 1944.

Now normally referred to by itsCzech name, Terezin,Theresienstadt (as Schumanncalls it) has increasingly been thesubject of historical interest inrecent years, as proved by thestring of documentary films ofthe last 30 years featuring CocoSchumann and listed in anappendix. It may not have beenthe scene of wholesale slaughterthat death camps such asAuschwitz-Birkenau were, but itreveals a peculiarly perverted andcynical aspect of the evil of theHolocaust and also the Nazis’success for so long in fooling awillingly credulous world.

Terezin was a fortress town inNorth West Bohemia that wasconverted into aghetto/concentration camp after

1940. Its occupants were for themost part from Czechoslovakiaand from the beginning containeda large number of academics andartists. A vibrant intellectual lifedeveloped there, not, at first,encouraged by the authorities,before gradually they saw thepossibilities for a propagandacoup. An inspection visit by theInternational Red Cross in 1944brought about a cleaning upoperation, with the more sicklyelements transferred to deathcamps and more room for thehealthy; programmes of self-government, self-improvementand cultured relaxation madetheir phoney appearance. Mostbrazenly of all a film was made ofthe beautified ghetto, longthought to have the amazing title,The Fuhrer Gives a City to the Jews,though now it’s believed that theofficial title was more formal. TheRed Cross was suitablyimpressed by the visit, but thepropaganda value of the filmproved to be nil: the war endedbefore it had been edited andmuch of it was destroyed, thoughthere are plenty of fragments tobe found on Youtube.

In the film a string orchestra ledby Karel Ancerl, later probablythe greatest conductor of theCzech Philharmonic, plays; achildren’s opera, Brundibar,written by Hans Krasa shortlybefore his confinement, is staged,as indeed it was many times inTerezin; and a jazz band, theGhetto Swingers, led by famouspianist Martin Roman, includesCoco Schumann on drums –when he arrived, the band alreadyhad a guitarist, and Coco wasnothing if not resourceful, as thebook proves time and again.

Survivors from Terezin includedAncerl, Schumann, Roman andthe boy who became a majorCzech novelist, Ivan Klima, butmany more died, often after beingtransferred to Auschwitz oranother death camp. Krasa wasone of the victims, as was VictorUllman whose satirical opera, TheEmperor of Atlantis, written inTerezin, rehearsed but neverstaged, is now performed withsome frequency. Schumann’s

friend, clarinettist Fritz Weiss(‘our Benny Goodman’), died inAuschwitz and, most ironically,Kurt Gerron found collaborationhad no power to save his life.Gerron was an actor and singerwho had achieved fame in 1928in Brecht and Weill’s ThreepennyOpera and was now engaged todirect the film depicting thecomfortable life of Jews inTheresienstadt. Before the filmhad been edited he received hisreward in the gas chambers.

The story of Terezin arouses somuch interest because of itsstrange mixture of cynical crueltyand the inspiring survival of thehuman spirit. The beautification ofTerezin may have been phoney,but there was nothing spuriousabout the dedicated writing,composing, educating andperforming that went on amongpeople who had only transportto a death camp to look forwardto. Coco Schumann exemplifiesthis spirit. He claims that musicsaved his life – forming a band inAuschwitz certainly kept himalive – but so did his decisive andopportunistic temperament,refusing to be outfaced even byJosef Mengele. He also refersseveral times to his guardianangel and certainly his luck inmeeting old friends at timeswhen they could help him vergedon the miraculous!

Schumann begins his memoirwith the recollection of the timehe realised he was not, as he hadalways thought, a German, but aJew. In fact he was a half-Jew, hisfather Aryan, his mother aGerman Jew – it was enough toget him excluded from joining theHitler Youth with the rest of hisclass. Clearly young Heinz wasnot of a particularly religioustemperament and it was only thesufferings he endured for his racethat made him feel Jewish. Hisidentification as a German alsowas fairly ambiguous in the post-war years. He consideredemigration to the States, even(briefly) to Israel, and spent a fewyears in Australia in the 1950s,but settled back in Berlin. Later inlife he claimed he did not knowhow to handle his concentration

camp memories: ‘it cannot beforgotten, ignored or suppressed,but the remainder of your lifeshould not be determined solelyby the horrors that happeneddecades ago.’ The book endstellingly with his response – calm,polite, but acid – to young peoplein the 1990s who claimed thatthe tales of Auschwitz were ‘onebig lie’.

This is clearly a serious andimportant book, but also moreentertaining to read than I mayhave suggested. Heinz was verymuch a city boy and his youthwas spent roaming Berlin insearch of hot music and otherdiversions. At 12 he claims thathe and his mates had ‘the coolestlatest records’: as well as Germanjazzers he lists the likes of DukeEllington, Chick Webb with Ella,and Nat Gonella. In defiance ofthe race laws he continuedplaying jazz and anything else thathe could in the bars of Berlinuntil arrested in 1943.

After Terezin and Auschwitz hewas ultimately freed atWolfratshausen and set aboutrebuilding his life: his parents hadsurvived, in his mother’s casethanks to a piece of quickthinking by his father worthy ofCoco himself. Making some sortof a living playing music in theOccupation years again relied onCoco’s ingenuity.

His first big successes came withviolinist Helmut Zacharias, thenfollows a vivid and fairly briefaccount of an up-and-downcareer, swayed by the changes inmusical fashion. At its best hejammed with Dizzy Gillespie, EllaFitzgerald and Lennie Niehaus,but he adjusted to pretty muchevery style, working on cruiseships or turning out noveltysongs when necessary, teachingclassical guitar, before finallydeciding that it was jazz ornothing.

The Ghetto Swinger, co-writtenwith Max Christian Graeff andMichaela Haas, gets a clear andunfussy translation from JohnHoward and is illustrated by afascinating range of photographs.

THE GHETTO SWINGERRON SIMPSON looks into the background of the book, The Ghetto Swinger, to be published bythe DoppelHouse Press of Los Angeles in January.

Norman Bowden playing with blues guitarist T-Bone Walker (photo courtesy Norman Bowden)

14 15THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

WHOSE RAGTIME BAND?

Cobb’s Russian Rag which rags aRachmaninoff Prelude and datesfrom 1918 – near enough DavidGordon’s focus year. Russian Ragis not on the album, but AlexanderScriabin’s Ragtime Band certainlyis. After Praeludium Mysteriumchallenges the listener at theoutset (haunting effects from allthe trio), David explodes intowhat he correctly calls ‘the lastthing that anyone expects’, ahilarious version of the IrvingBerlin classic, with jaunty ragtimepiano, precariously harmonizedvocals, a passage of Berlin as itmight have been adapted byScriabin, and crazily wise words:‘If you want to hear AlexanderScriabin played as written,’ youare advised to get out of here!It’s a strange track to find on analbum that is essentially serious,despite outbreaks of wit andeccentricity, but David claims thathe has become ‘more shameless’about such things as he’s gotolder – and a good thing, too!

The CD as it exists in the pre-publicity form which I heardflows continuously from onetrack to the next, though, whenwe spoke, David still had adecision to make on whetherthat would be the case on thecommercially issued version. It’srather appealing, giving the senseof the sounds of 1915 merging inone very disparate soundscape,but, given David’s allusive stylewith such melodies as Debussy’sCakewalk (the golliwog tactfullyremoved in the interests ofpolitical correctness, no doubt),it’s not always clear when thenew track begins – a nice effectin my opinion, but a matter ofchoice for David!

Debussy, at the height of hispowers embracing ragtime andthe cakewalk, is only one of aseries of more light-heartedinterpolations into Scriabin. Manyof them, such as the jazziest itemon the album, St. Louis Blues, arefairly short, between moreextended deconstructions ofScriabin’s work. Several of theseinterpolations reflect DavidGordon’s love of Latin music, TresLindas Cubanas by Antonio MariaRomeu, for instance, providing adelightful and refreshinginterlude.

Alexander Scriabin’s Ragtime Bandis the sort of album that attractswords like ‘challenging’ and‘ambitious’ which might put the

frighteners on some members ofthe listening public, but in fact theshow has already beenthoroughly road-tested – withgreat success – in liveperformance. David believes that,if the concept works, then itworks in its entirety, so audiencesfrom Beaumaris to Hexham haveenjoyed the full 70-or-so minutesof Alexander Scriabin’s RagtimeBand. David happily reports that,for the second of two visits tothe 606 Club, not only was therea full house, but the audience waspin-drop attentive. It’s not aprogramme (live or on CD) forthe lazy listener, and the setorder is crucial in providingcontrasts and light relief.

Unprompted, David Gordonvolunteered the information thathe has no idea yet what theconcept for his next project willbe. Clearly he intends it to beimaginatively themed and full ofthe sort of originality that theScriabin project possesses. Whenhe gives his reasons for focussingon the Russian composer (leavingaside the coincidence of the armfracture) – the time was ‘an eraof innovation and novelty’,Scriabin’s ‘inventiveness and elanlives on’ – it’s obvious whatqualities David Gordon aspires toin his own music.

www.davidgordontrio.com

WHOSE RAGTIME BAND?

Since this is probably the firstmention of Alexander Scriabin inJazz Rag, a few words ofintroduction would be helpful.The Russian composer, who died100 years ago, was a greatinnovator, in his short life movingfrom Chopin-esque romanticismto controversial avant-garde.After his death he soon went outof favour: something moredefiantly realistic, less mystical,was required by the new regimein Russia. In recent decades therehas been something of a revivalof interest in his work – in the

jazz world Bill Evans and ChickCorea have recorded his musicmuch of which was originallywritten for piano – and nowDavid Gordon’s latest projecttakes it at least one stage further.

It’s tempting to say that DavidGordon is a one-man cross-overcampaign, except that a quicklook at the careers of themembers of his trio – bassistJonty Fisher and drummer PaulCavaciuti – reveals the sameversatility and mixing of styles.Both Jonty and Paul, like David

himself, are well known ascomposers, with Jonty’s range ofexpertise taking in world musicand television themes and Paul, aBerklee graduate, operating inthe States as a Music for Healthpractitioner, working withsufferers from schizophrenia,depression and autism – both, ofcourse, appear regularly indifferent jazz contexts, too. As forDavid himself, he is described ona press release as ‘composer, jazzpianist and harpsichordist’. Hiswork with his trio is solely onpiano, but he not only playsharpsichord in chamberorchestras, but in RespectableGroove, a fusion of an earlymusic ensemble and a jazz group,with Evelyn Nallon on recorder,Oli Hayhurst on bass and TomHooper on percussion. For suchan original musician, David ispretty good at collaboration,working with Jacqui Dankworth,Christian Garrick and cellist BenDavis in Butterfly’s Wing, achamber jazz group performingmainly originals. In the midst ofthese and other imaginativelynamed groups in various stylessits the simply titled DavidGordon Trio which has beenplaying jazz since 1995 and isnow on its sixth album. Duringthese years David and the triohave gained a particularlyenthusiastic following in Japan inthat their albums consistently sellwell there. As yet there has beenno Japanese tour for the trio, butsurely it’s only a matter of time.

David talks fairly diffidently abouthis work, but he certainly has alarge-scale view of it, seeing it interms of ‘projects’ and identifying‘concepts’. His previous album,for instance, The David Gordon TrioSpeaks Latin!, had as its theme themusic of South and CentralAmerica, and he is much happierwith some such concentrationthan with a sequence ofunconnected numbers. TheScriabin project began by chance.One of his students broke herright arm, so he dug out his copyof Scriabin’s Prelude for LeftHand. The piece, as he says, ‘gaveup its inner tango and early jazzinfluences’ and became the firstelement in the album. It appears

on the album as Prelude for BothHands and, sure enough, theelements David found can beheard, notably the Latin rhythms.

David had played Scriabin’s musicas a student and had entertaineda vague desire to present it in ajazz context, but, after thisprovided the impetus, he becameincreasingly aware of thecomposer’s relevance to jazz andpopular music. A song he wrotefor Jacqui Dankworth was heavilybased on Scriabin’s harmoniesand he found the structure ofmuch of Scriabin’s musicreflected that of popular song –the AABA format. If his musicshares harmonic and structuralfeatures with Broadwaystandards, David claims itpossesses more beauty.Incidentally, he points out thatfollowing Scriabin’s rhythmicexample was never an option: hewas apparently notoriouslywayward himself in performance.So far, so good with developingwhat David genuinely sees as ‘anew standard repertoire’, but, asthe project developed, it becameclear that the intensity of theScriabin pieces needed relief –for the sake of both performersand audience!

That’s when the project enlargedto include a sort of musicalworld-view of the year 1915when Scriabin breathed his last ata time of great innovation inpopular music. David’s dating isnot strictly precise – Alexander’sRagtime Band, for instance, datesfrom 1911 – but that hardlymattered as he put together aseries of musical trends andfashions for the time: thedevelopment of jazz, tango feverin Europe, classical composerssuch as Debussy discovering jazz,the Russian diaspora helping toopen the Great AmericanSongbook.

The wonderful title of the albumpresented itself as a gift to Davidwhen he was trying to perfectthe concept, but the Russianmusic-ragtime link was therealready for him, two forms ofmusic in which he is interested. Inthe trio’s repertoire is George L.

WHOSE RAGTIME BAND?DAVID GORDON tells RON SIMPSON about the thinking behind his latest CD, AlexanderScriabin’s Ragtime Band, due out on December 11 on Mister Sam Records.

Dear Jazz Rag,

Looking For Mike Taylor

In regard to the piece in Jazz Rag 138, I have enclosed details onsome Taylor writings that can be referred to.

If not already at hand and for anyone who may have follow upinterest they could dig them out as they give some insight onTaylor’s jazz life.

Also an excellent book to refer to is Innovations In British Jazz Vol.1.1960-80 by John Wicks. This includes a number of references toTaylor’s life, music, sessions and comment by fellow musicians whoplayed with him, knew him and associated with him.

Happy ListeningRay WhitehouseBiographical (Jazz) Research Services, Milnrow, Rochdale

Melody Maker [GB]• Taylor-Mystery Man of British Jazz – A Look at The Late Pianist [Feb 15, 1969 Page 8]

• In Memory of Mike Taylor plus Comments On His Talents by John Hiseman and Henry Lowther [Dec 6, 1969 Page 8]

• Caught “Music of Mike Taylor” Tribute w/Various Artists (F. Ricotti/N.Winstone/I.Carr/B.Thompson/D.Gelly at LSE, London School of Economics [Dec 13, 1969 Page 6]

Coda [Canada]• Pianist Found Dead [Mar/Apr 1969 Page 32]

Jazz Journal [GB]• Part 1 – The Innovator, Into The Land of Warthogs & Rhythming

Piano [Dec 1974 Page 18]• Part 2 – Composer at Work, Into The Land of Warthog [Jan 1975 Page 21]

Jazzwise [GB]• The Strange Life and Death of Mike Taylor [Dec 2007 Page 42]

Harry Barris (1905-1962)should have been a star. Checkhim out during the 1932 shortRambling Round Radio Row (whichcan be found on You Tube). Henot only plays some rollickingpiano and scats but verballyimitates drum cymbals (with histrademark 'pahhh'). Barris isclearly a predecessor for SlimGaillard, Harry 'the Hipster'Gibson and other jive scatsingers, and he is quiteentertaining and witty. Buttypically, his moment in thespotlight lasts barely a minute.

Barris was a fine pianist, a uniquesinger and a talented songwriter,but he never really made it.During 1927-30, he was amember of the Rhythm Boys, avocal trio also featuring theyoung Bing Crosby and Al Rinker.Barris inspired the group toperform a zany variety of hot jazzand was the most exciting of thetrio. The Rhythm Boys, one of thevery first jazz vocal groups, werefeatured with the Paul WhitemanOrchestra for two years(performing Mississippi Mud in thefilm The King Of Jazz) and brieflywith Gus Arnheim’s band. Whilewith the latter, Crosby becamesuch a major attraction that helaunched his solo career and theRhythm Boys broke up. Barris,who composed such Crosby hitsas I Surrender Dear, It Must Be Trueand Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams,appeared in at least 44 filmsduring 1931-50 including ShowBoat, Holiday Inn, The Fleet’s In andThe Lost Weekend, but he wasusually unbilled and his cameosoften lasted no more than aminute, as if he were trying toremain anonymous.

Harry Barris, who drankexcessively, had an aimless careerand, although Crosby did his best

to help him, he sank quickly intoobscurity and was long forgottenby the time he made his last filmappearance. It has always seemedstrange that he had very few solorecordings, is not listed in jazzdiscographies, and was notrecorded by anyone in the 1950s.

Leo Watson (1898-1950) iseven less remembered today yethe was an innovative scat singerwho influenced Dave Lambert. Atrue eccentric, Watson gainednotoriety one night when,employed as a drummer, herefused to stop playing during hisdrum solo. The police had to becalled to drag him away!

Watson had the rare ability ofbeing able to make up words ashe sang and have it make sense.He emerged in 1929 as part of avocal group that toured with theWhitman Sisters. After the tour,the singers broke away and wererenamed the Spirits Of Rhythm.The Spirits consisted of acousticguitarist Teddy Bunn, a drummer-vocalist and three singers(including Watson) who playedthe tiple (a small ukulele). Watsonworked with the group off andon until 1941, making someobscure but swinging recordings.

In the 1930s, Leo Watson alsoworked with many other bandsfor a short time. He sang andplayed string bass on a sessionwith the Washboard RhythmKings in 1932, performed with anearly version of the John KirbySextet in 1937, and had briefassociations with the big bands ofArtie Shaw and Gene Krupa,recordings some dazzling scatsinging with both orchestras. Healso had a record date of his ownin 1939 of which the highlightwas his very original singing of JaDa.

After moving to Los Angeles, LeoWatson was associated withother eccentric singers includingSlim Gaillard (with whom heplayed drums) and Harry 'TheHipster’ Gibson. In 1946 herecorded four songs including acrazy version of Jingle Bells thatreally shows how inventive animprovising singer he could be.But unfortunately Watsonscuffled during his last years,working at day jobs beforepassing away from pneumonia in1950.

Perhaps the oddest career ofthese four singers wasexperienced by Jackie Paris(1924-2004). An excellent andversatile jazz singer, Paris notonly did not catch on but most ofhis recordings are as difficult tofind now as they were during hislife. He had a warm voice, swungat all tempos, could scat and hadhis own sound, but for somereason, few labels have ever beeninterested in reissuing his mostlyexcellent records.

Paris learned the guitar when hewas quite young, tap-danced, andworked in vaudeville when hewas growing up. After two yearsin the Army, in 1947 he made hisrecording debut, having a minorhit with his version of Skylark. Hiscombo, which was inspired by theKing Cole Trio, performed at theOnyx Club on 52nd Street for sixmonths. Paris liked andunderstood bebop, was a friendof Charlie Parker with whom hetoured (but unfortunately neverrecorded), and worked withLionel Hampton during 1949-50.On Nov. 12, 1949 he became thefirst singer to record 'RoundMidnight. After coming off theroad with Hampton, Paris was soexhausted that he turned downan offer to join Duke Ellington,

which would have made him thefirst white member of Duke’sband.

By 1952, when he recorded ParisIn Blue with Charles Mingus,Jackie Paris was still just 28 andseemed to be on the brink ofgreater fame. But somehow itnever happened. While herecorded albums for the Coral,Brunswick, Wing, Emarcy, Timeand Impulse labels during 1954-62, none were major sellers andall are scarce today. He worked inthe 1960s with his wife singerAnne-Marie Moss but norecording resulted. In fact, otherthan one song with CharlesMingus in 1974 (Duke Ellington’sSound Of Love), he was offrecords entirely during 1963-80.In his later years Paris recordedfor a few small labels and inJapan, remaining active until nearthe end of his life, but it seemedas if no one knew who he was. Infact, in the 1990s a majorreference book reported thatParis, who lived until 2004, haddied in 1977!

Was Paris’ inability to catch ondue to his personality, bad luck ormissed opportunities? Theworthy film ‘Tis Autumn: TheSearch For Jackie Paris (2006),which was made with the singer’scooperation and releasedposthumously, tries hard butdoes not really solve the mysteryof why Jackie Paris, like HarryBarris and Leo Watson, failed tomake it. But fortunately fortoday’s listeners, their recordsserve as evidence of their talents,if one can find them!

Scott Yanow is the author of11 jazz books and over 750liner notes. He can becontacted onscottyanowjazz@yahoo.com.

16 17THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

FOUR UNUSUAL JAZZ CAREERSFOUR UNUSUAL JAZZ CAREERS

Jazz history is filled not only withacclaimed greats and innovatorsbut unique and quirky figureswho made an impact for a shorttime and then faded almostcompletely out of the historybooks. This article covers fourunusual male instrumentalistswho gained some recognition fortheir singing but are largelyoverlooked today for differentreasons: Ted Lewis, Harry Barris,Leo Watson and Jackie Paris.

Ted Lewis (1892-1971) is thebest known of the four but notfor a good reason. Consideredthe epitome of corn as a singer(where Al Jolson was aninfluence), clarinetist andsaxophonist, Lewis is bestremembered for Me And MyShadow and his phrase 'Iseverybody happy?' 'The highhatted tragedian of song' wasoverly sentimental in his singing(which was actually closer totalking), full of nostalgia for an erathat never really existed. Butdespite this, many of Lewis’recordings contain excellent jazzand he was one of the earliestsolo saxophonists to be featuredon record.

Born Theodore LeopoldFriedman, he began playing

clarinet as a youth and was aband leader as early as 1910.While he could playconventionally, he made a widevariety of odd sounds in his solosincluding squawks, roars andimitations of animals. Precedingsuch gaspipe specialists as WiltonCrawley, Boyd Senter and FessWilliams, Lewis was considered asensation. In 1915 he moved toNew York, joining pianist EarlFuller’s Famous Jazz Band. Hemade his recording debut withFuller during 1917-18 and wasthe star of ensemble-orientedperformances which sounded likea rather noisy version of theOriginal Dixieland Jazz Band. In1919 he and the other sidemenleft Fuller to form a new groupwith Lewis as the leader.

That same year, Ted Lewis begana long association with theColumbia label, recordingprolifically and becoming a majorstar. There are a few surprisingaspects to Lewis’ acousticrecordings of 1919-25. He rarelysings, is heard on C-melody saxand alto much more than onclarinet, and he fits very well intothe era. Some of the tunes,including his theme When MyBaby Smiles At Me, are a bit cornyand some of his solos are

questionable, but the band (withcornetist Walter Kahn andtrombonist Harry Raderman)plays hot dance music well. Evenwith his eccentricities, Ted Lewiscomes across as an excellentclarinetist for 1921.

With the advent of electricrecordings in 1925, Ted Lewis forthe first time sounded as if hewas falling behind the times. Amajor success on the vaudevillecircuit who epitomized jazz tomany listeners who wereunfamiliar with black music, Lewissaw no reason to change ormodernize his style. He kept hisvery expressive style on clarinetthe same (considering that partof his act), getting more datedeach year. Ironically his groupsteadily improved while theleader stood apart from hismusicians as an odd show bizfigure. By 1924, Lewis’ bandincluded trombonist GeorgeBrunies and he had one of thetop tuba players around in BarryBarth. Barth was also one of thefirst string bassists on recordwith the 1925 recording ofMilenberg Joys although that wasjust a one-time appearance. Lewisfrequently featured the short-lived Don Murray on clarinet andsaxophones during 1928-29. The

great cornetist Muggsy Spanierwas a regular with Lewis during1929-34, trombonist JackTeagarden was with the bandbriefly in 1930, and Murray’ssuccessors included FrankieTeschemacher (for one session in1929), Jimmy Dorsey (1929-30)and Benny Goodman (1931-32).Fats Waller even guested on afew songs in 1931. Goodman(who gained attention as a youthwith his imitation of Ted Lewis)and the other clarinetists weresometimes mistaken for theleader on the recordings, amistake that Lewis neverdiscouraged! Many of hisrecordings have their rewardingmoments and some have theunintentional humour ofalternating his corny solos withthose of his best sidemen.

Ted Lewis continued as ahousehold name in the 1930s and‘40s, rarely changing his act. In1941 he recorded his last clarinetsolos on Tiger Rag and Jazz MeBlues, still sounding as if it were1921. He stayed active as asinger/personality into the late1960s. Many of his recordings areworth getting for the work of hissidemen and even occasionallyfor Lewis’ contributions.

FOUR UNUSUAL JAZZ CAREERSby Scott Yanow

Ted Lewis

Leo Watson

Jackie Paris

Harry Barris

18 19THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS 2015 BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS 2015

Once again Jazz Rag is proud to announce the winners of the British Jazz Awards in 12 categories for individual performers, two band categoriesand two industry awards for CDs. The Jazz Awards operate on the theory that musical talent is permanent, fashion is merely temporary and therecipients of these awards over the years have been musicians of the highest quality - and 2015 is no exception.

The final choice is made by individual voters, many of them Jazz Rag readers, but at an earlier stage a panel of distinguishedwriters/promoters/producers draws up a list of potential winners, though voters are welcome to make their own choices from outside that list.

In addition one award is made by nomination by the organisers themselves: Services to British Jazz. This year, not before time, the award goes toDigby Fairweather. As a musician, Digby’s achievements are regularly recognised by the British Jazz Award for Small Group for his Half Dozen, buthis services to British jazz go far wider, as broadcaster, writer, educator, archivist and record producer. Jazz Rag readers are familiar with hisgenerous and knowledgeable reviews and articles and his work for the National Jazz Archive has been of major importance for British jazz. Theoriginal founder of the archive at Loughton, he is now engaged in developing a further site at Southend. He has produced volumes of biographyand autobiography as well as co-authoring The Rough Guide to Jazz. Beneath his benign exterior is a dedicated workaholic, most of it in theservice of jazz.

BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS 2015

BRITISH JAZZ AWARD WINNERS 2015

Digby Fairweather

Alan Barnes Clare Teal

Laura Jurd

Mark Nightingale

TRUMPET1 Guy Barker2 Enrico Tomasso3 Steve Waterman4 Bruce Adams

TROMBONE1 Mark Nightingale2 Dennis Rollins3 Ian Bateman4 Roy Williams

CLARINET1 Alan Barnes2 Pete Long3 Julian Marc Stringle4 Mark Crooks

ALTO SAX1 Nigel Hitchcock2 Alan Barnes3 Pete King4 Derek Nash

TENOR SAX1 Karen Sharp2 Art Themen3 Alex Garnett4 Robert Fowler

PIANO1 Zoe Rahman2 Dave Newton3 Gareth Williams4 Craig Milverton

GUITAR1 Jim Mullen2 Martin Taylor3 Nigel Price4 Dominic Ashworth

DOUBLE BASS1 Alec Dankworth2 Dave Green3 Andrew Cleyndert4 Len Skeat

DRUMS1 Clark Tracey2 Bobby Worth3 Ralph Salmins4 Steve Brown

MISCELLANEOUSINSTRUMENT1 Amy Roberts (Flute)2 Alan Barnes (Baritone Sax)3 Jim Hart (Vibraphone)4 Chris Garrick (Violin)

VOCALS1 Clare Teal2 Liane Carroll3 Claire Martin4 Tina May

RISING STAR1 Laura Jurd2 Remi Harris3 Ben Holder4 Alan Benzie

BIG BAND1 BBC Big Band2 Echoes of Ellington3 Back to Basie4 Beats & Pieces

SMALL GROUP1 Digby Fairweather's Half

Dozen2 Remi Harris Trio3 Brassjaw4 Tipitina

NEW CD1 Liane Carroll – Seaside [Linn]2 Courtney Pine – Song[Destin-E Records]

3 Skelton SkinnerAllstars Septet – play Ellington and Basie[Diving Duck]

4 Fishwick/Roberts/Basile – When Night Falls[Hard Bop Records]

RE-ISSUE CD1 Johnny Dankworth Orchestra

– Duet for 16 [Vocalion]2 Tubby Hayes – Meets US Jazz Greats [Fresh Sound Records]

3 Freddy Randall and Friends – Before and After [Lake]

4 Eddie Thompson – In the USA[Hep]

SERVICES TO BRITISH JAZZ: DIGBY FAIRWEATHER

Photo by Merlin Daleman

Photo byMerlinDaleman

Photo by Merlin Daleman

21THE JAZZ RAG

LIVE

20 THE JAZZ RAG

REVIEWS

The London Jazz Festival maynow be one of the mostsignificant and substantial eventsof its kind in Europe but even soit remains below the radar as faras the majority of Londoners areconcerned. There were postersaround the city and one or twoof the broadsheet newspapersoffered previews and concertreviews once the festival wasunderway but that’s about it. Ofcourse, some events were carriedon BBC radio but you’ll havelooked in vain for coverage onany of the terrestrial TV channels.Maybe that says something aboutthe place of jazz in the culturalscheme of things in the UK;maybe it’s just that the capital isnow so polyglot and so suffusedwith artistic events that the LJF isjust seen as more box to beticked, its activities consumed andcast to the winds once done. It’s also interesting to considerwhat the term ‘festival’ actuallymeans. Consider Brecon,Swanage, Southport, Cambridge,Scarborough, and so many othersmore locally generated, usuallyconcentrated in a manageablearea, with ease of movement anda sense of collective endeavourthat creates a collaborativeexperience. Not so London, as itis spread city-wide with keylocations [the Barbican and SouthBank, plus Cadogan Hall thisyear] set aside for ‘marquee ‘names and myriad smallervenues, often hard to locate,spaced out across town. As thefestival’s closing press release hasit: ‘2000+ artists, 300+ gigs, 50+venues, 23 years, 1 city. Trulyspectacular!’

All of this is to explain this partialover-view: one man’s slice of amuch larger pie, you could say. Asever or at least for the last eightyears, my Festival experiencebegan with Jazz Voice at theBarbican, in itself a colossus ofjazz enterprise, with Guy Barker’smassive orchestra in support ofan array of vocalists, some centralto the music like Elaine Delmar,others near if not wholly jazz-oriented like the impressive JoeStilgoe, with still others from the

worlds of pop and soul whosejazz sensibility is totally absent.Still, it’s a great occasion forsponsor schmoozing and generalback-slapping. It also underlinesBarker’s ability to harness thatgreat orchestra and to turn intoa swinging jazz ensemblewherever the programme allows.

After that we continued on alargely vocal trajectory, alightingat Chelsea’s vaulted CadoganHall, once a Christian Sciencetemple built in 1907 in theByzantine revival style and nowthe location of choice for thefestival’s mainstream concerts.First up was my vocalist of theyear, the divine Cecile McLorinSalvant, part French and partHaitian, and a young singer ofgreat expressive range, able todig deep in to the Bessie Smithrepertoire before de-constructing a contemporarysong, sometimes taken perilouslyslow. At their core, her momentsof adventure owed much to herinspiring pianist Aaron Dielh,whose lightning-fast reactionsand John Lewis-like nimbletouches set her on yet moreadventurous pathways. Brilliant,brilliant music.

It was to be Allen Toussaint tofollow but fate intervened withthe news of his sudden deathfollowing a concert appearance inMadrid just days before hisscheduled LJF Barbicanappearance. The alternative mighthave been Cassandra Wilson atRFH but we decided no,thankfully given this diva’sshameful failure to show. So backto CH a day later for the superbKurt Elling also supported by atop trio, and in imperious form,that magical voice plumbingdepths and hitting heights like thetrue improviser he is.

On to Maria Schneider’sorchestra again at CH, easily themost eagerly-awaited concert ofthe year. The diminutive MsSchneider darts to and from,cueing each variation, and elicitingbeautiful sounds from her bandof New York all-stars. It’s her

writing of course, that they play,and the pieces heard (many fromher current album ThompsonFields) were largely elegiac, lyrical,often evocative of time and placeand quite beautiful, somewhat inthe manner of her mentor, GilEvans. Key soloists emerged,altoist Steve Wilson quicklymoving into Ornette-likedistortions and tenorists ScottRobinson and Donny McCaslinbarking and grinding on her Birdsof Paradise. What one missed wasanything more stirring, more up-tempo and bright. Lush Life,pianist-arranger Alex Webb’scentenary tribute to the life andsongs of Billy Strayhorn came justdays later, also at CH. Using threeassorted vocalists, a narrator andFrank Griffith’s neat FestivalTentet, this one-off account of akey musical life was just what afestival like the LJF should offer.Informative and very rewarding.

The final day highlight was theJazz Repertory Company’s hugelyambitious project, a kind ofperiod bookend to Barker’sopening salvo. Hosted atCadogan Hall yet again, RichardPite had corralled some 30performers in a re-creation ofPaul Whiteman’s 1920srepertoire, subtitled Bix, Bing &Rhapsody in Blue. Bing being SpatsLangham, Bix was Guy Barkerand the full score of Rhapsody inBlue was performed superbly bypianist Nick Dawson and the

entire orchestra, strings included.Tight playing, authenticreplication with no hint ofparody, an informative narration– Barker a delight in his Bixianinterludes – made for a trulyworthy achievement. So goodthat they played it twice.Having digested the afternoonPW extravaganza, there was timeenough to dash to Pizza Expressin Soho for a double-bill ofbracing jazz modernism, withAlex Garnett’s crunching Bunchof Five, featuring the brilliant UStenor-saxophonist Tim Armacostand then the New York StandardsQuartet, here to launch theirnew Whirlwind CD, again withArmacost. Flanked by pianistDavid Berkman, Whirlwindproprietor and bassist MikeJanisch and the totally brilliantdrummer Gene Jackson andfronted by Armacost, theirs wasmusic whose frame of referenceand balanced creativity was atotal joy.

So there you have it. Too manysuperlatives? Well, there were noduds among what I saw andaudiences, despite my caveatsearlier, were truly plentiful. Sowhat didn’t we see? Well, KeithJarrett for a start, his concertdescribed by Clive Davis in theTimes as a paean to ‘self-love’ orthe mighty Kamasi Washington,or Terence Blanchard and somany more, edgy or avant-garde…next year maybe?

THE EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 13-22 NOVEMBER 2015 One man’s view by Peter Vacher

Richard Pite

Mike Durham’s Classic Jazz Partyran for three days, from noon tilllate, with an extended dinnerbreak, amounting to 30 hours ofjazz in nearly 40 mostly themedsessions of an hour or less. Myflying visit from Saturdayafternoon to Sunday afternoonwas nowhere near enough tosample all the delights of thefestival, but enabled me to get theflavour of what must be a uniqueor nearly unique event. Certainlydrummer Josh Duffee, one of aquartet of Americans present, inpaying tribute to its founder, thelate Mike Durham, claimed thatsuch an event would not bepossible in the States.

The Classic Jazz Party couldn’twork without the versatility andreading and quick learning skillsof some 30 musicians, with alarge contingent from the wellschooled jazz world of NorthernEurope. Of course individualstylists make their mark, but theability to understand andreproduce different styles ismore important in the context ofthe festival. The new (to me)name to make the biggestimpression was the youngNorwegian trombonist, KrisKompen, whose talents rangedfrom the fiercely laconic swing ofDickie Wells on the Spike Hughessession to the legato lead onSmoke Rings in the Casa Lomatribute. Similarly, established starssuch as Matthias Seuffert andMichael McQuaid demonstratedan enormous range stylisticallyand, in some cases, instrumentally.McQuaid, for instance, MennoDaams’ lead alto for the SpikeHughes big band, brought plentyof attack to ClarenceHutchenrider’s clarinet solos for

the Casa Loma before followingup with a Bixian lead in aninformal Keith Nichols smallgroup.

In an odd sort of a way the starsof Whitley Bay were thearrangers from the 1920s and1930s – and, of course, the 21stcentury musicians whotranscribed (and, wherenecessary, re-arranged) theirscores and the others who learntcomplicated parts in the run-upto the festival. The highspot forme was the restoration of thereputation of Gene Gifford andthe Casa Loma Orchestra. In itslater years the Casa Loma movedtoo far towards sweet music forthe average jazz fan, but in thelate 1920s and early 1930sGifford’s arrangements wereenormously important in helpingto lay down the template for theswing sound. Duffee led a fine 10-piece in a set that began with thecumulative riffs of Stompin’ Aroundand soon hit on to one of thehottest numbers of 1931, WhiteJazz, with instrumentalgymnastics from a terrific saxsection of McQuaid, Seuffert andRobert Fowler. Having negotiatedthe vicious sax writing of WhiteJazz, they found themselvescompeting with a mighty brassteam of Andy Schumm, DukeHeitger and Kompen in the fierceriffing of Casa Loma Stomp. Thiswas undoubtedly the mostexciting set I heard and I doubt ifmany of the 20-odd I missedcould stand comparison.

Equally interesting, if slightly lessdynamic musically, was the SpikeHughes set, with trumpeterMenno Daams taking us throughhis short, successful and

controversial career in jazz. AtWhitley Bay the educationalelement is never totally missing:you have fun and enjoy greatmusic, but you’d better beprepared to learn something, too.The 14-piece band (a tight fitwith its music stands on themodest-sized platform, with aYamaha grand already inresidence) hit the ground runningwith Hughes’ most famous Britishpiece, Six Bells Stampede, with thelight and crisp sax sound of earlyEllington, before Hughes tookhimself off to New York. Therehis all-star sessions were astrange but appealing mix of topAmerican soloists and Europeansemi-classical compositions suchas Arabesque and his excursioninto arranged folksong, DonegalCradle Song, though Sweet SorrowBlues tipped its hat to Ellington’sjungle sound. Let off the leash formore extended solos, Seuffertrelished being given the role ofColeman Hawkins.

Oddly enough, Claus Jacobi’s seton the Cotton Club made ratherless impact than Hughes or CasaLoma. It was a thoroughlyenjoyable sequence of earlyEllington which sufferedsomewhat in quality from what itgained in uniqueness. With theexception of East St. Louis Toodle-Oo and The Mooche, it consistedof lesser known numbers, severalrather undistinguished. Mostinteresting was a medley Jacobiput together on the Ducal modelof songs from Blackbirds of 1928,including an uninhibited rompthrough Doin’ the New Lowdown. Aword for Josh Duffee’s perioddrumming, as upfront as SonnyGreer, but exercising enoughrestraint, and Martin Wheatley,reminding us how integral thebanjo was to the Ducal soundcirca 1927.

Regular bands were not much inevidence, but one that played acouple of sets of its own as wellas supplying many of themusicians for other bands wasthe Union Rhythm Kings, theunion in question being betweenNorway and Sweden. An elegantseven-piece under the directionof bass saxophonist FransSjostrom, this band, too, paid

tribute to the greatarranger/composers of the1920s. A clever arrangement ofDavenport Blues foregroundedSjostrom, the Adrian Rollini ofthe Skaggerak, and always he gavecredit to the arrangers – FudLivingston for the avant gardeHumpty Dumpty, the great BillChallis for Clarinet Marmalade,slick, smart, harmonicallydelightful – and even thearchaeologist, New Yorkbandleader Vince Giordano, whounearthed a 1930 Jelly RollMorton obscurity, CrocodileCradle, far from the best ofMorton, but worth unearthing.

Maybe I have made the ClassicJazz Party sound too much like aseminar – which, in a sense, itwas, but an immenselyentertaining one. It’s easy toimagine the likes of Bent Perssonand Matthias Seuffert gleefullymeeting up before next year’sfestival to mull over theobscurities they have found. Theone I most regretted missing thisyear (only by an hour, too) wasJosh Duffee’s re-creation of themusic of the much-loved giant ofthe xylophone, Teddy Brown.

The open-mindedness of theClassic Jazz Party is bestillustrated by an easy-going set ofWestern Swing, reclaiming BobWills for the jazzers and playingout on Roy Rogers’ Happy Trails,and a bizarre set under the titleSeagoon Serenaders. Keith Nicholsclaimed to have been inspired bythose spikily flatulent chords sobeloved of the Goons, but, whenthe band went into a delightfulSomeday Sweetheart – McQuaidas Bix, Sjostrom as Rollini – itsounded as though Bill Challis,not Spike Milligan, was theinfluence. But that was beforeKeith Nichols launched into If IGive Up the Saxophone, Will YouCome Back to Me?

RON SIMPSON

The Mike Durham ClassicJazz Party will certainlyreturn in 2016, but dateshave yet to be confirmed.Checkwww.whitleybayjazzfest.orgfor details.

MIKE DURHAM’S CLASSIC JAZZ PARTYThe Inspiration Suite, Village Hotel, Whitley Bay, November 6-8

Josh Duffee's Teddy Brown set

23THE JAZZ RAG

ON RECORD

22

REVIEWS

tracks originally came out on a10-inch LP, and they show what afine band Freddy had. BesidesRandall’s virtuosic playing,clarinettist Al Gay is outstanding.The repertoire consists ofDixieland favourites like Dr Jazzand Dinah but they are givenfreshness by the solos and theingenious ensemble sections.

The 1972 tracks were recordedin Wallsend at the end of aninaugural tour for Britain’sGreatest Jazz Band. The line-upwas indeed an all-star affair, withsuch great names as GeorgeChisholm, Dave Shepherd andBrian Lemon. In fact these threemusicians are given the lion’sshare of the solo space, with onlyfour ensemble numbers out ofnine tracks. But it is a delight tohear George Chisholm’s ironictrombone and Brian Lemon’seducated piano. Rathersurprisingly, Freddy Randall isgiven few solos, although hemakes an excellent leader.

This well-filled, well-remastereddisc provides excellent evidencefor the quality of the musicianswho, together with those in AlexWelsh’s band, set a high standardof Dixieland jazz in Britain.

TONY AUGARDE

MOONLIGHT SAVING TIME

MEETING AT NIGHT

MSTCD002 48:53

Moonlight Saving Time comprisesEmily Wright, vocals, NickMalcolm, trumpet, DaleHambridge, piano, Will Harris,bass and Mark Whitlam ondrums. Making guest appearancesare Jason Yarde, alto ( tracks 2and 7) and Dan Moore, organ(tracks 8 and 10). Ms Wright hasa light, classical voice which, onClouds is overdubbed from timeto time, with trumpeter Malcolmplaying obligato, whilst on MeetingAt Night Malcolm has a free formsolo, followed by Yarde on alto,with Wright's wordless vocalsseeming to clash, purity after thepower of trumpet and alto.Oddly, midway there's a fadebefore the wordless vocalreappears and theinstrumentalists riff until theclose.

After a while the double-trackedvocal, the odd tempo changes,sudden stops and the clashbetween the pure-sounding vocaland the more gutsy instrumentalsled to more frustration thanenjoyment for this listener.

GREG MURPHY

MONTY SUNSHINE

REMEMBERING MONTYSUNSHINE

Lake Records LACD344 2CDs73:53/78:34

Having acquired an instrument ‘Igot a squeak out of it [which]became a note’. Four weekslater, according to Monty, he wasworking with a band!

By 1952, he had joined forceswith Chris Barber and KenColyer to form a professionaloutfit which can be heard onCD1 Track 2: Monty’s own SlowDrag Blues. The band has anauthentic feel, ingenuous andunpretentious. The clarinetistunderstands well the function ofhis instrument in free ensembleand his solos have a light, floatinglilt. If he never quite becameanother Ed Hall he certainly keptthe flag flying for traditional jazzup to the end of the century.

Disc 1 follows his career fromthat first essay into the NewOrleans tradition around 1953until the mid-sixties. Along theway he meets collaborators asdiverse as guitarists LonnieDonegan and Diz Disley,trumpeters Ken Colyer and RodMason and bassists Jim Bray andJack Fallon. The tunes are culledfrom the familiar trad repertoire– Down Home Rag, Saratoga Shout,Big Butter And Egg Man. Thenthere are three Sunshine originalsand a couple of early Ellingtons.

Disc 2 has Monty in the studiowith a line-up which, in additionto his regulars, includes severalmodernists of the day. The resultis a sort of cool ‘sixties take onthe Bob Crosby Band. Nicely

thought out and performed.

From then on, it’s Sunshine’sband at its best with scintillatingtrumpet from Alan Wickham.

Verdict: Worthwhile historicaldocument, swinging jazz, greatfun.

HUGH LEDIGO

CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT

FOR ONE TO LOVE

Mack Avenue MAC 1095 52:48

When I reviewed Cecile'sprevious album, Womanchild, twoyears ago, although finding her aperformer with much personality,I had problems with the contentsof her compositions and wasrather repulsed by what she didwith one particular classicstandard. This second trio-based,12-track New York set is anotherstory.

The five originals presented hereare admirable, and benefit fromthe atmospheric variety of herenactment of her vivid lyrics.They are mainly meaningfulslows, with Underling havingpersonal appeal to me, as itcarries the heartfelt message thatthe album title quotes from.

The reshaping of oldies is entirelyto my liking. On Trolley Song herspaced-out verse leads into up-tempo, extensive variations onthe chorus, propelled by hersterling support, led by AaronDiehl, as before. As for her 10:33take on Bernstein's Something'sComing, she maintains aneffortless swing, whether easilymedium or stompingly up - a

Monty Sunshine

Cecile McLorin Salvant

BOB BROOKMEYER QUARTET

THE BLUES HOT ANDCOLD/ 7X WILDER

Phoenix Records 131613 72:30

This release contains twocomplete consecutive releases byBrookmeyer, both of whichappear here on CD for the firsttime. The Blues Hot and Cold(1960) features Jimmy Rowles(piano), Buddy Clark (bass), andMel Lewis (drums) whilst 7 xWilder (1961) has Jim Hall (guitar)and Bill Crow (bass) with Lewisretained and with Brookmeyeradding piano to his familiar valvetrombone.

There is an evident joy inBrookmeyer’s playing. On theSunny Side of the Street and I GotRhythm are just two examples.The only criticism that I have ofthe set is that sometimes Rowles’playing ‘gets a bit tooimpressionistic in spots’. Thisaside, Brookmeyer seems to beplaying at the peak of his powers.

The Alec Wilder set is a joy tobehold. It leads off with

Brookmeyer on piano on WhileWe’re Young. His piano playingtends to steer clear of thesometimes ‘galumphing comedy’of his trombone work and thepresence of Jim Hall gives analmost chamber jazz feel to thesession. That’s the Way It Goes isthe outstanding track of this setand the more familiar Wildertunes like I’ll Be Around and WhoCan I Turn To? are also included.

Original sleeve notes and artwork are included to make analmost perfect compilation and ifyou are new to Brookmeyer, thiswould be a wonderful place toget to know his music.

ALAN MUSSON

BECKY KILGORE NICKI PARROTT

TWO SONGBIRDS OF AFEATHER

Arbors CD ARCD 19447 53.37

One can see the concept behindthis pairing; two excellent singersfrom the acceptable quality endof popular singing could beteamed together in the belief that

two is better than one.Unfortunately, that adage is notalways true and in this case thecompromises required, from bothof these ladies, to make thissession work, weaken theindividual contributions of both.

There is, also, a feeling that thesession has been hastily preparedand casually approached. Thisreminds us how much artists arein the hands of the recordingengineers. The pianist, Mike Renzi,a fine player and a more thancapable accompanist, is vastlyover-recorded, in some instances,his piano overpowers the singers,drowning out their words.

On the other hand, the othertwo musicians, Chuck Redd onbass and Harry Allen on tenor,suffer from under-recording, sothe effect is a skewed balance.

Two singers singing in unison, asopposed to harmony, canproduce an uneven sound evenwith singers with voices as similaras theirs. On their individualefforts both artists show thanthey can ‘read’ a good lyric andthere is nothing wrong with thesong selection which steers clearof well-worn standards with

numbers such as Blue Moon,Moonglow, A Woman’s Prerogativeand They Say It’s Spring.

There is little to dislike about thisrecord. It is simply that, instead oftwo voices being better than one,it is more the case that twovoices are only half as good asone.

It would have been much betterto have given them their ownsessions. They deserve that.

JOHN MARTIN

FREDDY RANDALL AND FRIENDS

BEFORE AND AFTER

Lake LACD 343 78.51

Freddy Randall might be calledthe British equivalent of EddieCondon, although as a player hewas closest to Wild Bill Davison.His bands specialised in theChicago style of Dixieland: hotand swinging. This compilationpresents Freddy as leader of hisown band in 1957 and also as amember of ‘Britain’s GreatestJazz Band’ in 1972. The 1957

25THE JAZZ RAG24 THE JAZZ RAG

ON RECORD REVIEWS

CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE

LIVE AT THE VILLAGEVANGUARD

Mack Avenue MAC1099 68:35

Christian McBride has emergedin recent years as a virtuosobassist, with fine technique andideas to match, and this liverecording at New York's VillageVanguard features his regular triowith Christian Sands, piano andUlysses Owens Jnr., on drums.This is is a high-energy trio, withpianist Sands exploring WesMontgomery's Fried Pies at hightempo; it's as well he doesconsidering the impetus set up byMcBride and Owens Jnr., butSands is up to the challenge usingboth hands in his improvisation.McBride's solo runs the gamutbefore Owens Jnr contributesand then it's back to theme andout.

The flying fingers of ChistianSands state the theme ofJ.J.Johnson's Interlude but he isquickly into improvisationalmode, admirably driven on byMcBride and Owens Jnr, whotake time to ‘trade fours’ to greateffect before the theme is quicklyrestated. Sands' own compositionSand Dune follows at a moreleisurely pace and as the pieceprogresses the pianist is at firstlyrical but soon settles into somemore intense improvisation.Other highlights include Cherokee,the basis for many fineimprovisations and othercompositions, and Good MorningHeartache, with some fine bowedbass from McBride.

In all, a hugely enjoyable trio set.

GREG MURPHY

KENNY BARRON

AT THE PIANO

Xanadu Records 906076 50:54

Born in the early ‘forties, KennyBarron’s most impressionableyears coincided with theconsummation of the bebopmovement. Indeed, on thisrecording the influence of BudPowell is very evident and twotitles are by Monk.

Gifted with a prodigioustechnique, enormous stamina and

highly developed harmonic sense,Barron is well qualified to tacklethe demanding role of solorecitalist.

Bud-Like is what it says on thelabel: fast and relentless with aninsistent ground bass and long,percussive, single note lines.

Star Crossed Lovers, a beautifulEllington ballad, is full ofrhapsodic flourishes andarpeggaic flights that thecomposer would have beenproud of.

Misterioso: Monk’s hauntingtwelve-bar theme reveals thepianist’s deep understanding ofthe blues. Unlike the precedingtracks, though, the flavour of thetheme is not carried through intothe improvisations.

Calypso: Barron’s composition,has an attractive, deceptivelysimple theme, his solo is full ofinvention and dancing rhythms.

Body and Soul: Much of it isrubato, the theme stated inuncomfortable snatched phrases,the improvisation a glitteringexhibition of technique but withnone of the tenderness the songrequires.

Enchanted Flower: Another ofBarron’s calypsos has a delightfulfloating quality.

Rhythm-a-ning: Monk’s quirky up-tempo number is exciting, withmore of Bud than Monk in theimprovisations.

On his own Wazuri Blues thepianist re-affirms his commitmentto the blues, with elements ofboth Boogie and stride left handlending a convincing earthiness.

So, mostly good but, for me, he isinclined to let virtuosity obscurethe true beauty of his music.

HUGH LEDIGO

CLIFFORD BROWN/MAX ROACH ALL STARS

BEST COAST JAZZ

Fresh Sound Records FSR-CD868 77:00

Brown was known as a hardbopper in the style of FatsNavarro and it is interesting tohear him in the company ofplayers from the West Coastscene.

Here we have the re-issue of twoalbums from 1954, Best Coast Jazzand Clifford Brown All Stars whichtogether make for excitinglistening. The ‘All Stars’ alongsideBrown and Roach comprise HerbGeller and Joe Maini (alto saxes),Walter Benton (tenor sax),Kenny Drew (piano) and CurtisCounce (bass). The openingtrack, Coronado, a swinging bopblues theme sets the scene forwhat is to follow. These areessentially ‘blowing sessions’ withthe shortest track clocking in ataround 15 minutes butnevertheless managing tomaintain the listener’s attention

throughout. There is plenty ofvariety with a mid-tempo versionof You Go to My Head and a gentlybuoyant interpretation of Autumnin New York. The audio quality isexemplary for the period.

I particularly enjoyed thecontrasting styles of Geller andMaini, who has a more bitingtone, with both showing theinfluence of Charlie Parker, andfound Benton, a new name tome, to be an attractive player.

This is yet another well producedre-issue from Fresh SoundRecords and well worth havingavailable once more.

ALAN MUSSON

CAL TJADER

DEMASIADO CALIENTE

Cheese Cake 8245 79.00

After working as a drummer forDave Brubeck, Cal Tjaderspecialised in Latin jazz, being oneof the first musicians to mix aform of ‘world music’ with jazz.All his albums featured this style,with Cal’s vibes leading groupswhich featured such Latin-American percussionists asMongo Santamaria and WillieBobo, plus rising jazz stars likepianist Vince Guaraldi and bassistEugene Wright. This CD iscompiled from various sessionsbetween 1954 and 1960 by sixdifferent ensembles.

With a title that apparentlymeans ‘a bit too hot’, this album

Kenny Barrontruly inspiring evocation.

Another high point I mustmention is her beautiful Frenchenunciation on Le Mal De Vivre, onwhich she comes over as agenuine chanteuse. I hope to hearher next release.

LES TOMKINS

THE KOFI-BARNES AGGREGATION

Woodville wvcd 145 53.26

Barnes, Woodville’s estimableproprietor, continues his series ofone-to-one encounters onrecord with this pairing withfellow-altoist Tony Kofi. He’s alsoput together a new rhythmsection for this album, comprisingthe perceptive pianist JohnTurville, the London-based USdrummer Rod Youngs and thisyear’s Musicians’ Company JazzYoung Musician, Adam King onbass. In the notes, Barnes praisesKofi’s ‘indefatigable enthusiasm’but he’s cut from the same clothhimself, their ‘amiablycompetitive’ instincts servingthem both well. They’re certainlyaided by this terrific rhythm team

with Youngs hitting the markevery time over King’s suppleand very swinging line, Turvillenimble and to the point in hissolos.

All of this is evident in PeverillPoint, one of five Barnes originals(the remaining three pieces areby Kofi) before Los Caracoles usestempo variations in a neat way,ahead of Kofi’s The Village BluesWalk, a valiant, blowsy strut thatthe late Art B. might have liked,the two altoists shadow-boxingagreeably, with Barnes on tip-toebefore Kofi calls his childrenhome. Wendi is more elegiac,plaintive almost, the harmonisedtheme prompting a fine Turvillesolo, before Kofi’s edgy entry. HisHoagy is a surprise, a yearningmelody with an interestingharmonic shape and I particularlyliked Barnes’s perky In The Offingwith its stop-time rhythm andBarnes’s zippy solo, before Kofi’sThe Last Message gives Youngs achance to shine. And so it goes,piece by piece, with twoaccomplished soloists, pepperand mustard, you could say, in atrue meeting of minds.

PETER VACHER

Christian McBride

THE JAZZ RAG26 27THE JAZZ RAG

ON RECORD REVIEWS

big band, and point up somecontrasts. She has a ball and theband romps on Hallelujah, I LoveHim So and similar, but on the fastRunnin' Wild her voice soundssomehow forced, and PhilWoods' alto wailing comes as arespite. When we get to therelaxation of I Can't Face TheMusic, she is securely in hercomfort zone and groovingnicely. Then Laughing On TheOutside is the first of threeballads on which her deliveryseems more expressive with aband than I've found it withstrings.

I always enjoyed Ella most of allin live performance, and a liverecording is the next best thing.Ten tracks are included from herappearance at the Newport JazzFestival in 1957, that capture thewhole happy ambiance of theevent. Her initial ballad, I Got ItBad, proves that a trio - hereDon Abney, Wendell Marshall andJo Jones - was her ideal zone,phrasingwise, in this vein.

After a string of good oldregulars, among which I amamused to note she sings about'kisses at the bottom', she comesto a three-song climax. On AprilIn Paris she stays with the lyrics acouple of times before scattingthe Basie version, complete with'just one more time' at the end.Then one of her all-scatmasterpieces, Air Mail Special,embracing familiar riffs,exchanges with the drums, lots offunny quotes, her bass-hummingand the final vocal swoop. Top ofthe show is I Can't Give You etc.with its spot-on impressions ofRose Murphy and LouisArmstrong. Here you have Ella atthe peak of her jazz excellence.

LES TOMKINS

ERNESTINE ANDERSON

FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS

Avid AMSC 1170 2 CDs 138.18

This is one of Avid’s digitallyremastered collections of fourLPs on two CDs. ErnestineAnderson is now in her eightiesbut these albums were recordedin the late 1950s. Hot Cargo wastaped in Sweden in 1956, whereErnestine was backed by aSwedish big band. The Toast of the

Nation’s Critics from 1958 usedsongs by well-known writers likeHoagy Carmichael, Mel Torméand the Gershwins. 1960’s MyKinda Swing had arrangements byErnie Wilkins who conducted aneleven-piece group in someswinging arrangements. The smallgroup here, containing the likesof Clark Terry and Kenny Burrell,is superior to the big bandswhich accompanied Anderson onthe other albums. The sameyear’s Moanin’, Moanin’, Moanin’used a Basieish big band arrangedand conducted by Hal Mooney.

One thing has hindered me inreviewing this album. Jazz Rag is ajazz magazine, so how can Iusefully review the work ofsomeone who, on the basis ofthis collection, hardly convincesme of her credentials as a jazzsinger? To be sure, Ernestine singsin tune and with good projection,albeit sometimes rather shrilly,but she is more like a cabaretsinger than a jazz performer. Shehardly improvises at all, nor doesshe use jazz phrasing: twoqualities I could expect in a jazzvocalist. To be frank, I found mostof these 46 tracks faultless butboring.

TONY AUGARDE

CLARK TERRY BOB BROOKMEYER QUINTET

COMPLETE STUDIORECORDINGS

Phono 870232 2 CDs68.32 / 63.09

Terry and Brookmeyer arenatural partners because theyboth bring a familiarity with, anda respect of, the backstory ofjazz. They are both comfortablein any milieu and are beyondcategory.This is ageless musicplayed with humour, wit andintense musicality; jazz withoutthe labels. The repertoire ismainly originals by bothmusicians with a sprinkling ofMonk, Parker, Basie, Ellington anda few standards thrown in.

The supple rhythm section onthe first set has Bill Crow on bassand Dave Bailey on drums,colleagues of Brookmeyer’s in hisGerry Mulligan days. A wisechoice on piano was the brilliantand resourceful Roger Kellaway.The gorgeous sound offlugelhorn--Terry’s preference onthis occasion-- and Brookmeyer’svalve trombone makes amellifluous and seductivecombination and the interplaybetween the two horns isastonishing. All the 15 tracks are

hugely enjoyable but perhapsBrookmeyer’s ingeniousarrangement of Gal in Calicodefines the mood succinctly withits rolling, ever inventive drive.Especially worth mentioning isthe superb work of Kellawayepitomised in his stride pianotreatment of Terry’s Tete a Tete

On CD 2, the piano spot is takenover by the matchless HankJones—so no fall in standards,there-- and Bob Cranshawreplaces Bill Crow. The material,again, features, mainly, Terry andBrookmeyer compositions andsome fairly obscure, butworthwhile, tunes such as JimmyHeath’s Gingerbread Boy. Terryairs his singular vocal talents on IWant A Little Girl, there is aversion of Bye, Bye Blackbirdwhich offers an alternative choiceto the Miles Davis version, andthe ebullient Green Stamps whereboth musicians indulge in a noholds barred battle of skills andhumour.

There is an overall spirit of goodnatured enjoyment throughoutboth these sets and the sleevenotes suggest that listeners will‘be caught in an undertow ofpleasure’.

I couldn’t put it any better.

JOHN MARTIN

Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyeris typical of the Tjader style:pleasant melodic jazz, with Latinpercussion adding a rhythmicbite. The style becomes sopredictable that the jazz elementalmost disappears, allowing themusic to turn into easy listening.This is particularly true of thepercussion solos, which canbecome rather samey. But thereis some interesting flute workfrom the likes of Paul Horn andJosé Lozano. And Cal Tjader’svibes always sound good.

TONY AUGARDE

OSCAR PETERSON

EXCLUSIVELY FOR MYFRIENDS

MPS Records 0210325 MSW

8CD Boxed Set41.32/40.13/40.38/40.56/37.36/37.42/75.47/69.21

Through the ‘sixties Petersontook annual trips to HansGeorge Brunner-Schwer’s villa inthe Black Forest. This boxed setof eight CDs is the result –mostly in trio format but alsoseveral solo performances.Peterson’s two classic line-upsare represented: Ray Brown withEd Thigpen and Sam Jones withBob Durham. On the evidence ofthese recordings both bassplayers have a clear intuitiveunderstanding of the maestro’srequirements and each hascommensurate skills. Little isasked of the drummers than thatthey swing mightily.

Which brings us to the manhimself: a veritable Titan amongstjazz pianists. Over the years hehas been accused of eclecticismand self-indulgence. One criticdescribed his playing as‘relentless as a pile driver’.

Listening to eight CDs-worth ofPeterson at the very height of hiscreative ability is, if somewhatmind-boggling, a goodopportunity to get to grips withhis huge musical personality.

Firstly, he has the mostformidable technique of any jazzpianist past or present, combinedwith both power and finesse.Consequently, he can draw onthe whole stylistic range of thejazz oeuvre and turn it to hisadvantage. He also has a wide

range of dynamics and anexhaustive chordal knowledge, sothat his extemporizationsbecome harmonic as well asmelodic explorations. Add to thisan incomparable sense of swingand a repertoire of superb tunesfrom the Great American SongBook and you have somewherearound six hours of superlative,definitive piano jazz.

HUGH LEDIGO

THEO TRAVIS DOUBLE TALK

TRANSGRESSION

Esoteric/Antenna EANTCD105254:50

On his albums as band leader,Travis has played with numerousother jazz musicians. These haveincluded, on his 2007 albumDouble Talk, guitarist MikeOutram and organist PeteWhittaker. Travis did not recordanother jazz album for eightyears, and when he did so in2015, he named his new bandTheo Travis' Double Talk after the2007 album.

The opening track, Fire Mountain,recalls the power of theMahavishnu Orchestra withTravis' gutsy saxophone workenhancing the 'seventies feelwhich is enhanced by MikeOutram's fierce guitar outing. Thefeeling changes completely onTransgression with a hauntingtheme outlined by Travis,supported by Pete Whittaker'sswirling organ figures, and Smokin'at Klooks (‘Klook’ was once thenickname of bop drummer KennyClarke) with fine soli by guitaristMike Outram and Travis on flutebefore the gentle theme isrestated. Song For Samuel has ahaunting theme and some fineimprovisations by Travis andOutram while drummer Francekeeps the rhythm moving in nouncertain terms.

The Mahavishnu influence can beheard again the powerful themestatement of Everything I Fearedwhere guitarist Outram has anoutstanding solo, but perhaps it'sunfair to highlight individualcontributions; this is an incrediblyintegrated band with a highlistening value.

GREG MURPHY

BOBBY HACKETT & ZOOT SIMS

COMPLETE RECORDINGS

Solar 4569961 71.21

Here are two LPs on one CD, thefirst Strike Up The Band from 1974and originally on Bob Thiele’sFlying Dutchman label, combiningthe two principals with guitaristBucky Pizzarelli and a rhythmsection led by pianist Hank Jones,and completed by the over-busybassist Richard Davis and acedrummer Mel Lewis. Hackett ishis usual crisp and clear self, Simssimilarly righteous and at ease,their solos and those of Jonesunfurling in breezy style, the tentracks including five credited toproducer Thiele which may tellyou something about the date. IfI’m bothered by the over-amplified bass sound, that’sclearly my problem for theplaying throughout is pleasing,this exemplified on the neat FullCircle. In truth these guys can dono wrong.

From there we regress to 1967to a Verve album entitled CreoleCooking with a virtual big bandplaying the regular New Orleansrepertoire using well-wroughtarrangements by Bob Wilberwho plays soprano and clarineton the date. Annotator StanleyDance notes Hackett’s ‘aerial

mobility’ which is a good way todescribe how the cornetistemerges from these crowded,sometimes agitated ensembles.Sims plays hardly at all for it’sdefinitely Hackett’s date, althoughtrombonist Bob Brookmeyerdoes get the occasional look-in.Wilber does well here and thereespecially on soprano as on TinRoof Blues with Dave McKenna’ssinuous piano heard too. Whileit’s fun to see what they do withThe Saints and such oldwarhorses as Fidgety Feet andMuskrat Ramble, it’s important toemphasise that these are quiteshort tracks, with very littledevelopment, none of themgetting beyond three minutes andall accomplished in business-likefashion. Still, any chance to hearHackett front and centre shouldbe seized without delay. He was amaster craftsman, one of a kindreally.

PETER VACHER

ELLA FITZGERALD

RHYTHM IS MY BUSINESS

Essential Jazz ClassicsEJC55672 76:38

An interesting Ella collection, inthat, in my opinion, itdemonstrates where she was ather best on disc. 13 tracks haveher in front of a brassy 17-piece

Bobby Hackett

THE JAZZ RAG

ON RECORD REVIEWS

28 29THE JAZZ RAG

more workmanlike trombonework. As on their recent visit,theirs is a two-person front-line,the co-partners combiningcapably on what is mostly familiarCrescent City material, theexception Leroy’s engagingsamba Caipirinha da Lapa, theiraccompanists here includingpianist Paul Longstreth, asophisticated player who prefersto go his own way as do guitaristTodd Duke and bassist MitchellPlayer. It’s obvious that thesemusicians are clearly capable ofmoving well away from therestrictions operating in present-day New Orleans whererepertoire and audienceexpectations can impose theirown limitations. This also resultsin rhythm sections often playingin two, as on Fidgety Feet here,with the consequent loss ofswing. Somehow one longs tohear all these players, Jonesincluded, let loose on somedecent tunes with a swingingpulse and no holds barred.

The lusty sounding vocalist TriciaBoutte is heard on several tracksand gives her all on Stardust withLongstreth finding someharmonic variations well awayfrom the familiar, these picked upably in Jones’s solo. Gospel-influenced vocalist YolandaWindsay does much the same onMy Funny Valentine, this garlandedby Jones’s sensitive flugelhorn. So,a set full of contrasts, familiar faremixed with soulful creativity,much like New Orleans itself.

Jones continues with flugelhornon his Sweeter album, retaining hisrhythm section and adding astring overlay, the arrangementscleverly crafted by him. Thesedays any trumpeter worth his saltfeels the call to record withstrings and Jones is no exception,annotator Terence Blanchardciting Clifford Brown as anexemplar. The results areengaging, the warmth of the Jonesflugel sound and the quality of hisideas speaking for themselves.Naturally, Benny Golson’s IRemember Clifford is given prideof place but each of thesestandards plus Jones’s titlecomposition reward attention.Final credits go to Katja whomaster-minded the graphics onboth albums and acted as co-producer on the group session.

PETER VACHER

JENNY GREEN

CAUGHT A TOUCH OFYOUR LOVE

JG001 33:27

Here is a lady singer who strutsher stuff regularly in theLondon/Surrey area. Her light,listenable sound is applied tosome ear-worthy songs, withfirst-rate British players in variedsupport.

She opens with an easy-grooved,sextet-backed rendition of Oscar

Brown Jr's Humdrum Blues. ThenTaking A Chance On Love has aneat score and nice trumpetfrom Bryan Corbett. Jenny'sphrasing impresses on You TurnedThe Tables On Me with just thetrio of Sean Hargreaves, NevilleMalcolm and Winston Clifford.The title song, new to me, is livelyand bluesy, enhanced by EdJones's tenor. He is also heard onher first ballad, The More I SeeYou, interpreted meaningfully. Thewarmth of Let's Get Lost findsthe trio particularly propulsive.

As an admirer of DuncanLamont's fine songs, it's good to

hear his tenor filling out thesadness of her expressive readingof his I Told You So. Her spiritedversion of Always Something ThereTo Remind Me illustrates that theBacharach repertoire can lenditself to swinging. Finally, I'minterested to find a Rodgers &Hart song I'm not familiar with.On This Funny World, accompaniedsolely by the Hargreaves piano,Jenny brings her CD to amemorable close.

LES TOMKINS

FRANCES FAYE

FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS

Avid AMSC 1177 2 CDs,74:07/68:53

It's saddening in a sense to listenback to a talented artist whosepublic impact, although she livedmuch longer, was restricted to alimited period in the past. In thecase of Frances Faye, whocertainly had a unique approachfor that era, her album-makingsuccess covered about nineyears.

The main interest in this packageis her 1953 breakthrough, NoReservations. Her strident,raunchy style sounds potenthere, with a Dave Cavanagh bandfeaturing Jack Costanzo onbongoes. The dozen gems take ina hot Summertime, a dramaticMiss Otis, a classic Sister Kate andher own appealing ballad, You'reHeavenly. And Night And Day hasnever had such a distinctivetreatment. Plus she does twowhole choruses every time.

Everything else is of like calibre.Highlights of a set of folk songsfrom 1957 are an entertaininglyextended Frankie & Johnny and areally romping Skip To My Lou inwhich Don Fagerquist's trumpetblossoms out of the ten-piece. In1956 and 1961, surrounded byfurther gatherings of West Coastjazzmen, Ms Faye recorded twomore batches of good songs thatwere not as standard then asthey are now. For devotees ofdynamic jazz vocalising, this iswarmly recommended.

LES TOMKINS

TEDDY EDWARDS

FEELIN’S

Xanadu Master Editions906077 40.18

The decision by Elemental Musicto re-release a series of DonSchlitten productions under theXanadu ME heading has gainedplenty of publicity recently.Beautifully presented in a high-quality jewel case with extranotes and session data thisreissued session recalls a timewhen the established Los Angelesbopper Edwards had beenwithout a ‘name’ album for some

seven years. Remembering pastassociations, Schlitten hired himfor Muse and saw to it that thetenorist was given a classy line-upwith which to work, this includingthe prominent trumpeter ConteCandoli, with pianist Dolo Coker,bassist Ray Brown and drummerFrank Butler in support.

Bear Tracks has the bluesy feel ofa Blue Note number, the rotatingriff secured by a single low note,Edwards sounding forced, tryingtoo hard to be different, beforehe rips off a fast-moving run overthe rather stodgy beat. Coker hassome nice moments. The prettybossa April Love is better withCandoli showing some prowessalthough the constant putteringof percussionist Jerry Steinholz isa turn-off for me and inimical toswing. Brown’s rather oddly titledRitta Ditta Blues has assertiveCandoli in pure bebop mode,Edwards entering in stealthy styleand building strongly. The finaltrack The Blue Sombrero has aLatin feel and may be the bestthing on the session. As Teddy’sformer UK manager ErnieGarside once said of anotherEdwards recording, ‘it’s onerehearsal away from being a goodalbum’ and this one feels aboutthe same with its lack ofcohesion and a poor level ofswing.

PETER VACHER

THELONIOUS MONK

THE COMPLETE 1947-56TRIOS

Essential Jazz ClassicsEJC55677 2 CDs, 77.18/75.32

For once, a ‘complete’ set thatlives up to the title; here we haveall of the Thelonious Monk(1917-1983) trio sides recordedfor Blue Note, Prestige andRiverside including alternativetakes where available. It's a setthat not only highlights Monk'scompositional abilities but hispianistic technique; a highlyindividual stylist, his unorthodoxapproach to the piano, combinesa highly percussive attack withabrupt, dramatic use of tempochanges and a strong rhythmicfoundation.

This set illustrates Monk'sindividuality as a composer, withsuch advanced compositions as

Round Midnight, Well, You Needn't,and Misterioso to name just three;all classics of the genre displayinginnovative use of dissonance andunexpected, angular melodicism.But above all, the music has asense of ‘walking on eggshells’which prompts the listener toexpect the unexpected, so tospeak. For example, consider theoriginal Prestige recording ofBemsha Swing, where Monknavigates the opening theme withice-skating grace.

Then there's the complex TheseFoolish Things and the hugelyenjoyable Trinkle, Tinkle butMonk's pianistic ability is reallyshowcased on the Duke Ellingtonsides. Monk professed ignoranceof these works and requestedcopies of the sheet music, butreturned with these individualinterpretations.

This fine set presents a trulyenjoyable listening experience.

GREG MURPHY

COUNT BASIE & HIS ORCHESTRA

KURHAUS CONCERT 1954

Doctor Jazz DJ015 76:51

Adherents of the soloist-led driveof the Count Basie band's outputare likely to have a few sampleson their shelves. So these 'newly-discovered' recordings of aconcert in Holland by thereassembled 'fifties line-up arepossibly for completists only. Butaside from a balance fault thatmakes some trumpet sectionpassages a bit distant, the overallpresence is good.

Among the 18 tracks are variousspecial features. In relaxed mood,Marshal Royal's alto and Henry

Coker's trombone emote freely.The uppish Rockabye Basie hasmuscular baritone from CharlieFowlkes. Perdido allows FrankWess to show his prowess onboth tenor and flute. There's theinevitable partnership of Wessand Foster on Two Franks.Temporary band member,trumpeter Joe Wilder gets acouple of powerful spots. As forthe Count himself, his sparklingspates on Nails and Basie Boogieearn loud applause.

At the end of the CD, it'sregrettable to me that OneO'Clock Jump lasts only 1:40. It's atreat to hear swing bands riffingaway at length on such flagwavingvehicles.

LES TOMKINS

NEW ORLEANS HELSINKI CONNECTION

PARADISE ON EARTH

Spirit of New Orleans SONOP0714: 75.47

LEROY JONES

SWEETER THAN A SUMMERBREEZE

LJCD 0780 44.26

Jones and his trombone-playingwife, the Finnish-born KatjaToivola, were among us recentlyand it’s thanks to them that thesealbums have come our way.Unsurprisingly it’s Jones whoimpresses, vocally andinstrumentally, his characteristicclipped trumpet delivery, thinnishsound and almost boppish turn ofphrase contrasting strongly in theNOHC band album with Toivola’s

Teddy Edwards

30 31THE JAZZ RAG THE JAZZ RAG

TUBBY HAYES REMEMBERED TUBBY HAYES REMEMBERED

Jimmy Deuchar and DickieHawdon, and a pianist, HarrySouth, whose big band Tubbylater played in.

For much of the ensuing periodstudio, live and broadcastrecordings of Tubby Hayes’ smallgroup and big band (and for onespell, of course, the JazzCouriers) alternate withappearances with all-star bigbands and American giants suchas Paul Gonsalves and SonnyRollins, accompaniments topopular singers (Peter andGordon, Matt Monro, SusanMaughan, Ringo Starr, plusfrequent sessions with popularjazz singer Georgie Fame) andthe occasional frankly bizarresession. How about the LittleJohn Anthony Band from 1960?Tubby’s tenor was described as‘tongue-in-cheek’ on an album ofTony Crombie songs thecomposer didn’t want to admitto - with titles like Teen BeatSpecial it’s obvious why! OrTubby’s final recording, abroadcast duet with BruceForsyth’s piano?

More seriously, a picture emergesof a time when jazz was muchhigher up in the list of cultural

priorities in the UK. Certainly afair number of Tubby’s broadcastswere in the service of pop or‘general entertainment’, but justlook at all those radio Jazz Clubsand television Jazz 625s.

Aside from the main discography,100% Proof adds a list ofincorrect attributions (veryshort) and of films and televisionprogrammes, including featurefilms such as All Night Long (cross-referenced to the recordings inthe main discography), incidentalmusic for plays, a briefappearance on the early eveningshow, Tonight, in 1961 and, mostremarkable, a full 13-weektelevision series of Tubby PlaysHayes.

100% Proof is a first-classexample of the discographer’s artin all its meticulous detail, theindexes that round off the booktypically thorough and accurate,but at the same time the open-minded browser will find anoblique, but often vivid, insightinto the life of a top jazz musicianhalf a century ago. And where isthat unissued 1964 performancewith the Ellington band?

RON SIMPSON

TUBBY HAYES: A MANIN A HURRY

A FILM BY MARK BAXTERAND LEE COGSWELL

Mono Media Films MMDVD 01

It wasn't all that long ago, butsomehow the 1950s feel moredistant and unreachable than thereal, whiskery, historical past. It'snot the music. That's a knownquantity, the style and the soundof it, and you can enjoy it or not,depending on your taste. And themusic is the people playing it. Sowhen you see a photograph ofone of them, or even a movingimage, as in this film, it's familiarenough to seem almostcontemporary. But step back a bitand look around and you reallywill find yourself in that pastwhich LP Hartley famously calleda foreign country, where they dothings differently.

On the face of it, the film is astraightforward account of thelife and career of Edward BrianHayes, jazz musician and musicalprodigy, from his birth in 1935 tohis death on the operating table

38 years later. In this, in the spaceof slightly less than an hour, it isflawlessly efficient. Thecommentary, music, stills andmoving images, combineseamlessly into a compellingnarrative. The film clips of Tubbyin full flight are particularlyimpressive. Even when playing atbreakneck speed, his fingers seemhardly to move. And saxophonistswill be fascinated by a few close-up shots of his embouchure,surrounded by an impressivearray of facial muscle.

From this point of view the filmmakes a perfect companion pieceto Simon Spillett's complete andknowledgeable biography, TheLong Shadow Of The Little Giant.Indeed, the author himself carriesthe main burden of filling in detailat key points in the story.

But the film-makers have alsosucceeded in conveying theotherness of the world in whichthe events took place, and that'swhat sets it apart from most jazz-biographical films I have seen. Inthe first place, this is also a storyof jazz in Britain and its role inyouth culture and fashion. Tubbyhimself, as someone remarks, was

the wrong shape to be a fashionicon in the visual sense (althoughhe had the right haircut, suit,shape of shirt collar, etc.) but thealmost contemptuous ease withwhich he exercised hissuperhuman technique made hima king among the exclusive sub-culture of 'modernists'. There'squite a lot about style andattitude here - the dandyish,watchful, prickly modernists andtheir contempt for virtuallyeveryone else, especially baggy-sweatered student types.

It was this fairly small coterie andits broader fringe of adherentswhich formed the hard core ofTubby's audience. When theBeatles came along andmarginalised them, it had aprofound effect on his career. Forthe first time he had to thinkabout who he was playing for. Thefilm illustrates this veryeffectively, with clips of himperforming the Pink Panthertheme with Henry Mancini, hisappearance, along with RoyCastle, in the movie Dr Terror'sHouse of Horrors, his album ofmid-60s pop songs, and so on.Instead of setting the fashion hewas reduced to following it. Helooks uncomfortable, too, withstraggly hair, sideburns and no tie.And he becomes increasinglygaunt and ill-looking as timepasses.

Had he lived, he would probablyhave weathered it successfully, ascontemporaries such as BobbyWellins have, but it wouldn't havebeen the same afterwards.

There's a lot more in these 55minutes, and do see it if you getthe chance. I have just onecomplaint: why didn't somebodytell them how to pronounceJimmy Deuchar's name?

DAVE GELLY

[© Dave Gelly, 2015]

100% PROOF: THECOMPLETE TUBBYHAYES DISCOGRAPHY

COMPILED BY SIMONSPILLETT AND C. TOMDAVIS

Names & NumbersDiscographical Publications,Almere, Netherlands(www.names-and-numbers.nl);ring-bound paperback; 978 9077260 23 4; EUR 27.50 + 6.75postage

The two main requirements of adiscography are to becomprehensive and to be clearlylaid out. Without beingthoroughly versed in TubbyHayes’ output it’s impossible tojudge the former fully, but, with160 pages in the maindiscography including obscureunissued live sessions andbroadcasts and sessionsaccompanying a wide variety ofsingers all tracked down, 100%Proof seems to score on thatcount. Certainly the differentissues in various formats aremeticulously recorded. As forclarity, the lay-out is simple andeasy to follow, with interesting,informative and sometimesquirky notes separated from themain information.

With a career as dynamic asTubby Hayes’, you would hopethat the discography would opena window on to his musical life -and it does so in fascinatingdetail. The first surprise comeswith the 16-year-old Hayes’ initialvisit to a recording studio,accompanying singer Les Tomkins- these Jazz Rag reviewers geteverywhere! Following sessionswith such big names as Ambrose,Kenny Baker and Jack Parnell,Tubby took his own group intoDecca Studios at the age of 20,featuring two trumpeters whoworked with him frequently,

TUBBY HAYES REMEMBEREDWhat would have been TUBBY HAYES’ 80th birthday year the great tenor saxophonist hasbeen commemorated in a flood of publications. Following Simon Spillett’s acclaimedbiography The Long Shadow of the Little Giant comes the long-awaited film, A Man in a Hurry,here reviewed by guest reviewer, distinguished jazz writer and fellow-tenor saxist DAVEGELLY. Also the work of Simon Spillett (with C. Tom Davis) is a recently released Tubby Hayesdiscography, the subject of RON SIMPSON’s review.

the bigchris barber band

27 January

Stockport, the Stockport Plaza7.30pm

www.stockportplaza.co.uk

28 January

Ayr The Gaiety7.30pm

www.ayrgaiety.co.uk

12 February

Kirkcaldy Adam Smith Centre8pm

www.onfife.com

14 February

Norwich Playhouse 5pm www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk

15 February

Newcastle under LymeNew Vic Theatre

7.30pmwww.newvictheatre.org.uk

23 February

Liverpool, St George's Hall 7.30pm

www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk

24 March

Harrogate Harrogate Theatre7.30pm

www.harrogatetheatres.co.uk

19 april

Bromley Kent7.30pm

www.Churchilltheatre.co.uk

20 april

Epsom, Epsom Playhousewww.epsomplayhouse.co.uk

21 april

Wimborne Tivoli Theatre7.30pm

www.tivoliwimborne.co.uk

22 april

Portsmouth Kings Theatre7.30pm

www.kingsportmouth.co.uk

inForMation

www.chrisbarber.net www.wigtinternational.com

33THE JAZZ RAG

I guess the title ofRENAISSANCE (ArborsARCD 19448: 60.18) by BuckyPizzarelli has a double meaning.According to the notes the 89-year-old guitarist is undergoing arecent renaissance (and I believethis is his first album for someyears) but also the classical andjazz mix suggests a renaissanceman. The key to the whole album,in fact, is melody. Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Guitar Concerto No. 1is full of appealing tunes and lighttextures and then Pizzarelli duetswith fellow-guitarist Ed Laub on alargely ballad-based programme,often in the form of two-songmedleys. Highlights of a likeablealbum include the Malneck/Kahnmedley of I’m Thru with Love andI’ll Never be the Same and theageless Pizzarelli signs off withGordon Jenkins’ hauntingGoodbye. Percussionist ThomasStronen takes a less melodicapproach to crossover. TIME ISA BLIND GUIDE (ECM 2467:53.20) suffers from a typicallyuninformative booklet – probablyECM’s policy aims to makelisteners approach the music withopen minds, but I rather likeknowing what’s going on – butresearch reveals that Stronen wascommissioned to produce thissuite for a specially selectedcombination of instruments. Abasic jazz piano trio is joined byclassical violin and cello and twoextra percussionists. Titles suchas Everything Disappears, Lost Soulsand The Drowned City suggest themystical mood of theproceedings, and much of theinterplay with piano, strings andpercussion is moodily attractive,with the main jazz interestcoming from the excellent pianoof Kit Downes. There’ssomething of a classical influence,

too, in WITH STRINGS(Curling Legs CLP CD 139:37.39) by Norwegiansinger/songwriter Live FoynFriis. The strings in question takethe form of a string quartet insupport of Friis’ backing trio.Friis’ edgy urgent vocal style andelusive compositions, poisedbetween pop and jazz, are, Isuspect, an acquired taste and onsecond hearing I was some waytowards acquiring it. Withimaginative string arrangementsby Kasper Bai and Friis andaccomplished guitar solos by AlexJonsson, there is much to admirein this live set from Aarhus,Denmark. Live Foyn Friis alsoshows up on GYPSET (HotClub Records HCR 438: 34.30)by Norwegian quartet Touche –another extremely short albumfrom Scandinavia. Friis’ version ofAutumn in New York is fragile andsoulful, clearly indebted to BillieHoliday. Most of the other tracksare originals, five of them by thefine guitarist Johan TobiasBergstrom. Touche seems to bebilled mostly as a Django-influenced group, but the openingMarché Arabe is strikingly MiddleEastern, guest clarinettist GeorgReiss switches to the Hungarianwind instrument taragato at onepoint and hints of bebop andrhythm and blues surfaceelsewhere. Touche is a veryyouthful group – and it shows,not always to advantage, butthere is no shortage of originalityor talent. At the other end of theexperience scale Brian Millerhas had a professional career ofover 50 years, including work asdiverse as 15 years as MarianMontgomery’s MD, 21 years inthe orchestra for Cats and timespent in jazz/rock and fusionbands! At the end of 2013 he

made his first recording under hisown name: WHATEVERNEXT? (Inversion Records INV001 CD: 69.33), consisting of nineof his own compositions. Theresult is as eclectic as you mightexpect, highly professionalthroughout, though maybe hetries to cover too many bases.Miller starts off on organ with adynamic Blue Note-ish blues withpowerful solos from himself, PhilTodd on tenor sax and JohnParicelli on guitar. The extended,wanderingly atmosphericWhatever Next features FrankRicotti on a collection ofassorted percussion and much ofthe pleasure of the later trackscomes from Ricotti’s work onvibes. Despite an equally variedcareer (notably working with theMahavishnu Orchestra andWayne Shorter) MitchelForman has produced a muchmore coherent album with theLos Angeles-produced PUZZLE(BFM Jazz 3020624312: 67.52),essentially a poised and melodicset by a piano trio, though hetakes the odd diversion intoother keyboard instruments,

including effective use of themelodica on a funky Passing Smile,the first of six originals. Histreatment of other people’scompositions can be equallyoriginal, especially the openingmedley when the ominous pulseof Keith Jarrett’s Death and theFlower elides into up-tempovariations on What is this ThingCalled Love? Throughoutdrummer Steve Hass and bassistKevin Axt are a splendidlycreative and sympatheticcomplement to the pianist. Moretrio jazz comes from SamCoombes, the British saxistbetter known in France where hehas been based for some years.PACE OF CHANGE (POL-e-MATH Recordings SCPR 01:59.40) does what it says on thetin (or, rather, in the liner notes):‘this album is about rhythms.’Indeed the album is much moreinteresting rhythmically thanharmonically or melodically.Coombes’ edgy dry-toned altosax demands attention and he isaccompanied by a talented andever-attentive bass (Yoni Zelnik)and drums (Julien Charlet), but

THE JAZZ RAG

it’s all a bit mathematical. Alltracks are Coombes’compositions and titles such asAltered asymmetries and Go re-configure are a bit of a give-away.

Lurlean Hunter is one of thosefascinating figures in jazz whoseem to have gone fromcommanding everyone’sattention to disappearing withouttrace: she is mysterious enoughto get very different biographieson Wikipedia (in German) andAllmusic, with Wikipedia makingher nine years older than thesleeve notes from her albums.FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS(Avid AMSC 1171: 2 CSs,74.41/76.00) dates from theperiod 1955 (Lonesome Gal) to1960 (Blue and Sentimental).Apparently she made one morepop-oriented album beforeobscurity beckoned, but in thelate 1950s she was highly enoughrated to be served by arrangerssuch as Manny Albam, QuincyJones and Al Cohn and musiciansof the stamp of Joe Newman,Urbie Green and her regularrhythm team of Barry Galbraith,Milt Hinton and Osie Johnson.How good was she? Good, with arich mature voice, intelligent andtasteful phrasing and preciseintonation, but without the greatjazz singer’s ability to get to theheart of a song. She is at her beston her last jazz-styled album, Blueand Sentimental, with JimmyGiuffre’s arrangements, SweetsEdison’s inimitable mutedtrumpet and fine clarinet fromRudy Rutherford, but all thealbums have their moments. IraGitler, in his notes for Blue andSentimental, comments that she is‘a superior pop singer with jazzinclinations’ – a good summary.The wonderful DinahWashington’s COMPLETERECORDINGS WITH DONCOSTA (Essential Jazz ClassicsEJC 55670: 2 CDs, 76.28/76.45)begins with I’ll Be Around, theintense emotion, controlledpower and unique vocal timbredominating the string-basedaccompaniment which sounds atfirst sympathetically supportive.As the two 1962 albums (In Loveand Drinking Again) continue andsome of the songs are not sogood, Costa’s arrangements canbe fussy, over-dramatic andsometimes plagued with wailingchoirs. Washington herself is ontop form, committed anduncompromising, despite herown reported dissatisfaction with

the arrangements. The doubleCD set is completed by tracksdirected by Fred Norman and afascinating 21-minute medley ofballads with flute (Frank Wess)and piano (Jack Wilson), tryingout material, not a fullperformance. In contrast it’sgood to find Sarah Vaughanwith a trio on LIVE IN TOKYO(Domino 891236: 2 CDs,57.38/60.52) from 1973. Sarah’svirtuosity is beyond dispute, butoften her vocal style seems tosome of us just too mannered,too elaborate. There is little signof that here. In superb shapevocally, but also sounding veryrelaxed, she even reverts to herpiano-playing early days on TheNearness of You, taking over fromCarl Schroeder. Quality standardspredominate, often completewith their verses, sometimesskipped through nonchalantly inless than two minutes, sometimestaken apart and reassembled atexpansive length, including amemorable seven-minute Overthe Rainbow.

It’s interesting to come acrossPaul Desmond’s recordingsaway from the Brubeck Quartet:they’re always different andsometimes excellent. Sadly hisfirst LP under his own name from1954 is only the former.DESMOND: HERE I AM(Fresh Sound FSR CD 873: 67.12)begins with five short tracks froma piano-less quintet, all originalsby tenor saxist Dave Van Kriedtwho had a particular liking forfugues, and four more – includinga couple of standards – with theirritating presence of the BillBates Singers. Desmond himselfis, as always, pleasinglyidiosyncratic and the presence ofBarney Kessel on three of thechoral tracks is a real boost, butotherwise it’s a matter of waitingfor the second album, muchbetter, from 1956, a quartet, alsopiano-less, with Don Elliott’scoolly inventive mellophone afine complement to Desmond’salto and more extendedtreatments of some good tunes.Fresh Sound’s tendency to findobscure albums/musicians istriumphantly vindicated on 3SWINGING GUITARSESSIONS (FSR CD 869:71.16), three early-mid 1950s 10inch LPs by ‘outstanding, butunderrated jazz guitarists’. Forvarious reasons such asgeographical location and careerchoices these albums pretty

much stand alone for LouMecca and Bill de Arango andboth are impressive andenjoyable sessions full ofaccomplished versions ofstandards. Mecca’s fleet fingerwork operates in tandem withvibes player Jack Hitchcock andde Arango is very much the mainvoice in consistently short, butrather weightier and moreimaginative, treatments ofnumbers such as The Nearness ofYou. Chuck Wayne’s album israther different. Better knownthan the others for his work withWoody Herman and GeorgeShearing and with a major tenorsaxist for company (Brew Mooreon some tracks, Zoot Sims onothers), he offers meaty bebopon (mostly) his owncompositions. Teddy Charlescan hardly be said to havelanguished in obscurity, but he,too, is much less wellremembered than he deserves,possibly because in middle age heseems to have been keener onskippering a sailboat on LongIsland Sound than on playingvibes. FOUR CLASSICALBUMS (Avid AMSC 1174: 2CDs, 74.34/73.43) is remarkablefor the sheer variety of his workin the 1950s. Evolution isessentially West Coast cool instyle, though six tracks wererecorded in Hackensack, NewJersey, and Coolin’ teams him withMal Waldron and the muchunderestimated Idrees Suliemanin a sharp sextet on a set oforiginals by the band members.Most striking, though, are TheTeddy Charles Tentet, ambitiousforward-looking arrangements,many of them originals, with aconfident excursion into GeorgeRussell’s Lydian mode, and Flyin’Home, Salute to Hamp. Thiscaptures the spirit of numberssuch as Air Mail Special and Flyin’

Home, with a sextet including ArtFarmer, Bob Brookmeyer andZoot Sims, while Charles isfluency itself on his solo-with-rhythm features. On morefamiliar ground, CDs of ChetBaker’s European years arethick on the ground. ESTATE(Domino 891237: 53.39) is arather appealing one, Chet at hismost lyrical – though Cherokee issuitably dynamic – in a triosetting with Philip Catherine onguitar and Jean-Louis Rassinfosseon bass, recorded in Brussels in1983. Baker and Catherine proveperfectly compatible in aninteresting set of songs, mostlytinged with melancholy. For abonus a live recording of MyFunny Valentine from Bolognahighlights Chet’s trademark vocalstyle. My only query is Domino’sbranding the release as a ‘limitededition collector’s item’ when itfirst appeared in this form (samebonus track) on Gambit in 2008.Much more of a collector’s itemis Fresh Sound’s issue of theCARMELL JONESQUARTET (FSR CD 867:66.20), a previously unreleasedsession recorded in pianistForrest Westbrook’s studio inHollywood in 1960. Jones made acouple of albums shortlyafterwards for Pacific Jazz (nowon Fresh Sound), but hisrecorded output as a leader wasvery small, so these six tracks(with four alternative takes) are awelcome addition. Essentially ahard bop player, Jones is also verymuch part of the main stream ofjazz trumpeters, crackling withpositivity and purpose and with apersuasive way with a ballad.Westbrook is an inventiveimproviser, probably more sothan his leader, as he proves bytaking off on the trumpet-lessAiregin.

BEGINNING TO CD LIGHT BEGINNING TO CD LIGHT

32

RON SIMPSON’S ROUND-UP OF RECENT CDS

Carmell Jones

Bucky Pizzarelli

Lurlean Hunter

35THE JAZZ RAG34 THE JAZZ RAG

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