If there ever is such a title of a CD that would reflect fittingly an inspired, description esprit de corps of its music, then it must be “The Happy Pals with Brian Carrick” album, because every tune in it gives out a feeling of joyful happiness.

The enharmonic flow of delight and passion rising up to a third of its playing time reaching Love In Bloom the song in question sung by Roberta Hunt with a mind imprinting voice of heightened fever that goes giocoso dal forza sino reaching a dizzy achieved apex point that was masterfully cuddled by the Patrick Tevlin muted trumpet blast intro to the chorus of it, causing an audience roar of an appreciative, hilarious, excitement, doing heard adoringly loud as was beckoned entering into her room as the lyrics of the tune goes - wishing I was there.

It really is sensational.

Cliff “Kid” Bastien played N.O. jazz at the Grossman’s Tavern regularly in the 70s until his passing, and this “Kick-Ass New Orleans Jazz 2007 Party” was staged for a remembrance celebration gig for all that the Kid did for the music in Toronto, Canada.

I immediately recognised the Brian Carrick voice on saxophone pronounced on Mobile Stomp and the tune Over The Waves as by memories of England in the 60s, and in particular, when I heard New Orleansian clarinettist George Lewis play that tune at the 100 Club in Oxford Street, London, which is saying a great deal for the performance here in Toronto for this very fine British Clarinettist reeds player.

The album includes the customary American March, a Cakewalk, a Gospel, in say Bugle Boy, Mobile and How About You ending up on Morton’s Kings of Jazz High Society and to those with faith, it is not unexpected that this jazz music recorded twelve months ago is still being played in Canada, averaging over six minutes a tune duration.

Kings Jazz Review
Saturday the 2nd of February 2008