On the face of it, this reissue should be welcomed, particularly by
those who can recall the trad boom of the late fifties/early sixties. It
contains 45 recordings from that era by three of the foremost
traditional jazz bands, which means that all are over fifty years old.
Given that such material should attract also a new generation of
listeners it’s important that it is presented in such a way as to
inform, and the liner note makes a nod in that direction with three
thumbnail sketches of the three bandleaders, but that is as far as it
goes. The novitiate will search in vain for any detail of the personnel
involved, apart that is from passing reference to Pat Halcox.
The compilation is a cross-section of the sort of numbers being played at that time, of which the most successful in my book are the slow clarinet solos by Acker Bilk and Monty Sunshine, although you’ll search in vain for reference to the latter, since they’re simply credited to Chris Barber (who played bass on Monty’s solos, if memory serves). The excellence of Acker Bilk’s band tended to be overshadowed at the time by their fancy outfits and arcane sleeve notes, but purists were outvoted.
Some of the Chris Barber tracks are live recordings, culled presumably from his “In Concert” LPs. I believe that “Snake Rag” dates from March 1951, and was recorded by Chris Barber’s New Orleans Jazz Band at the Hammersmith Palais, with a completely different line-up; it certainly sounds like it! Listen out also for Ottilie Patterson, aka then as Mrs. Barber, who takes several vocals, including a rousing version of “The Saints”.
The compilation is a cross-section of the sort of numbers being played at that time, of which the most successful in my book are the slow clarinet solos by Acker Bilk and Monty Sunshine, although you’ll search in vain for reference to the latter, since they’re simply credited to Chris Barber (who played bass on Monty’s solos, if memory serves). The excellence of Acker Bilk’s band tended to be overshadowed at the time by their fancy outfits and arcane sleeve notes, but purists were outvoted.
Some of the Chris Barber tracks are live recordings, culled presumably from his “In Concert” LPs. I believe that “Snake Rag” dates from March 1951, and was recorded by Chris Barber’s New Orleans Jazz Band at the Hammersmith Palais, with a completely different line-up; it certainly sounds like it! Listen out also for Ottilie Patterson, aka then as Mrs. Barber, who takes several vocals, including a rousing version of “The Saints”.
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