Much more than a historical document, this is essential listening for anyone interested in the development of jazz in the UK.
Acrobat ACTRCD9147 (3CD set)
Featuring Johnny Dankworth (alto saxophone & clarinet); Cleo Laine & Frank Holder (vocals) with performances from Jimmu Deuchar (t); Don Rendell, Tommy Whittle (ts); Ronnie Ross (bs); Eddie Harvey (tb); Bill LeSage, Dudley Moore (p); Tony Kinsey, Kenny Clare (d) and others
Recordings from 1950 to 1962
Every now again a CD comes along that is absolutely indispensable, and unless you are fortunate to have the original singles or albums this is one of them. In fact, 3 CDs in total that capture the singles released by the Johnny Dankworth Seven and Orchestra over a twelve-year period. All in all, there are no less than 75 tracks and after numerous listening’s I have yet to spot any duds or dead moments in the music.
The music here captures an important development in British jazz, and one that runs parallel with the careers of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes who took the music in a different direction with their small group style of playing.
Dankworth however, in addition to being enamoured of the Charlie Parker and the bebop movement was also a composer whose interest in bebop was an aside from his writing that incorporated swing as well as the new music. Interestingly, Dankworth was also hearing how a lighter yet modern sound was evolving through the young composer and arrangers such as Gil Evans were creating new textures with the Claude Thornhill band and developing their ideas with pared down instrumentation to achieve a similar results with the Birth of the Cool nonet.
Disc one and the first half a dozen tracks of disc two look at the development of the Johnny Dankworth Seven between May 1950 and May 1953 and the way in which Dankworth wrote for the band is a delight to follow.
With the formation of the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra the larger ensemble gave Dankworth much more scope to develop his music from swing to bebop, often overlapping and the arrangements of standards becoming ever more adventuress. It is testament to Dankworth’s skill and determination that he was successful in bridging the gap between the dance music that undoubtably kept the big band working regularly interspersed with the more progressive compositions that were creeping into the band book.
By the time we arrive at disc 3 the orchestra are truly a formidable organisation, and Dankworth able to achieve chart success while having fun with his writing and arranging in the wonderful ‘Experiments with Mice’ that charted at number 7 in both the UK and the US. Depicting the story of 3 blind mice that lived in a recording studio and went under the names of Billy May, Benny Goodman and Glen Miller. Dankworth then takes great delight in playing in the style of all three before introducing the cats in Gerry Mulligan and Stan Kenton… and so the story continues.
Another narrative in ‘Big Jazz Story’ would introduce Louis Armstrong and Errol Garner while moving on give a potted history of jazz would provide all with much amusement while more chart success would come in the form of ‘African Waltz’ in 1961 peaking at number 9 in the UK and number 10 in the US charts.
There are many such delights throughout this wonderful release, and while Cleo Laine is also featured it is the instrumental pieces from the Johnny Dankworth Seven and Orchestra that dominate and provide the most satisfying music.
Listening to pieces such as ‘Seven Not Out (Tea For Me)’ and ‘Lament and Wild Dance (Excerpts from ‘The Conway Suite’)’ from 1950 to ‘Feather Merchant’ (1955), ‘Duke’s Joke’ and ‘Firth of Fourths’ (1957) to versions of ‘Moanin’’ and ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ from 1961 and 1962 respectively there are constant surprises, and the progress made by Dankworth quite remarkable.
Much more than a historical document, this is essential listening for anyone interested in the development of jazz in the UK.
