Dave Chandler's Band

upstairs@thelambandflag

PERSONNEL:
Dave Chandler (tmb wshbd arranger); Peter Bennetto (reeds composer arranger); Paul Hart (violin pno); Malcolm Harrison (gtr);
Ken Reece (tpt 1-5, 10); Enrico Tomasso (tpt 6-9, 11-13 vcl [throat-7] ); Richard White (bs sax 1-13); Mike Henry (tpt 14-15):
Mike Cotton (tpt 16-17); Mary Wilkinson (vcl [throat 14-17] ); Billy Boston (bs sax 14-17); Covent Garden Low Fliers Angel Chorus (14, 16).

TRACKS:
Wolverine Blues * Davenport Blues * Look What You Missed * Runnin' Wild * Someday You'll Be Sorry * Blues For Billy * Gabriel's Horn * Copenhagen * I May Be Wrong * I've Got It Bad * Sorry * Drop Me Off In Harlem * Froggie Moore - Frog i More Rag * Careless Love - Blues *
Cakewalking Babies * Please Help Me Get Him Off My Mind * Some Of These Days

Recorded at Jo & Co's Studio, Dean Street, London West End, by courtesy of Paul Hart : Design: Malcolm Harrison : LMJ CD 35 : Time 76.50
Engineered by Rowland Harris during March 2004 : Distribution: London Metro Jazz, 40 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LH

It is nearly six months come next, over half a decade ago, as I recall, when I strolled into the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden, London. Photo of pub is adjacent, which I then took of it, and warm memories of that event linger with me to this very day.

The Lamb and Flag is a nice venue for our American visitor friends to check out whilst in London, along with jazz fans from all over, including tourists from other countries who will find it a special place of interest to visit.

The Dave Chandler Band has been resident every Sunday evening since 1993 at this famous Public House. There is a website address below giving a brief history of the establishment in a review of a former Chandler album.

On directing attention to this album, I believe that one will search far and wide throughout England to come across another CD featuring four of the country’s top ranking jazz trumpet players, who are unique masters of their craft, and, from whom up-and-coming budding young horn player musicians can acquire invaluable inspiration, indeed, emulate - why not, so there you are.

Although recorded exactly only three years ago in the Lamb and Flag pub setting, the last four tracks (14 - 17) are of jazz vocalist, Mary Wilkinson, who was and is today one of her kind, that is, complete as being influenced by Blues singer Bessie Smith, and that she has adopted Bessie's style of singing. The Bessie Smith audiences loved and idolised her. So say the same of Mary’s Lamb and Flag audience on this album.

The feelings of pianist Roefia Hueting of Holland are that the heart of jazz music is the Blues, and that Bessie Smith is the mother and Empress of the Blues - a sentiment that few knowledgeable would argue against. I wonder if our own George Melly, an authority on Bessie Smith has ever heard Mary sing.

Although re-mastered bring the singer to the foreground, I can’t be classed wrong in the current environment by placing Mary’s tracks in an historical category.

Bill Boston on bass saxophone takes control on all four of Mary’s tracks. Trumpeter Mike Henry opens Careless Love Blues in sooth, sentimental muted wonderment, going on to give fine appraisal his style as, as all love to hear, heard throughout the rest of the tune. At breakneck speed, Mary on Cakewalking sets out to the group proving that it’s of all round perfection. The difficult Please Help Me... coming to see a gypsy tune shows the gifted trumpeter Mike Cotton in scintillating, shinning control, exhibiting the beauty of the melody, with a fine touch of violin running through the tune, including the next one. Some Of These Days completes the set of four with much more to net.

Apart from track six Blues For Billy which is a beautiful Bennetto original tribute in nice tempo to bass saxophonist Bill Boston who was recovering from a serious stroke, and Runnin’ Wild at the opposite tempo range light brigade style with the Malcolm Harrison guitar to take control of it, the rest of the first dozen plus one have a semi-demi fast, lilting, swing tempi to them. Nice to hear from the team that Billy is started again playing.

From the opening Morton track Wolverine Blues made famous by cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, and his own Davenport Blues here played faster than normal - those two tunes feature comprehensively the style and ambience with complete command in the main of their own musical collective rhythm.

Look What You’ve Missed no, don’t miss it, for it has solo exponent Adrian Rollini, band leader Harry Gold and other great notables of the once known as the unwieldy bass saxophone, named in the film - the lowest of the low - here featured by Richard White, who is heard handling it nicely in melody throughout the main thirteen tracks.

Twinning Someday You’ll Be Sorry maybe never when heard, and the number ten one I’ve Got It Bad for it certainly isn’t, since here it really is very good, with a Ben Webster styled tenor, and because trumpeter Ken Reece is heard as he is on the first five tracks, whose muted trumpet playing is nothing less than beautifully exceptional.

The Pete Bennetto chalumeau register clarinet is superb in the tune Someday so it has everything for one not to be sorry about. Trombonist, leader Dave Chandler and pianist Paul Hart whose frequent solos are a joy to listen to, are integral to the entire performance, which by forming an intrinsic part, you’ll sure be charmed by this complete album.

The King Oliver Creole J.B. of 1923 recording of Froggie Moore the same year of his Chimes Blues musical blossom, here the violin gives subtlety, and brings with it a new dimension to the tune.

Having heard Chicago violinist Johnny Frigo this year at the Nairn, Moray Firth, Scotland, International jazz festival, it sensed with me much appeal for this album’s violinist.

Trumpeter Enrico Tomasso sings on Gabriel’s Horn his voice recorded with sound clarity, and when he picks up his trumpet with tubular chimes bells ringing out in the background, his notes flow smoothly from his horn in wonderfully grouped chromatics until the final one is reached, heard flying far into the starry night sky to a galaxy further on and beyond from this earth, sending out its sonic, sonorous, glorious trumpet message.

Enrico follows on from Ken on trumpet taking in the seven tunes to number thirteen, and I find myself continuously humming the previous one Drop Me Off In Harlem but can’t get hold of the augment - ‘Harlem has these southern skies, they’re in my baby’s smile’ - in it, another Ellington number with words by Nick Kenny. As to how say, in which it is played, compares with the famous 1933 Orchestra with Cootie Williams, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges et al, or is this Lamb and Flag tune my choice track - I’m not saying.

Nice one Dave.