25 January saw me at Cadogan Hall, London, for a recreation of the famous Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert of 1938. On this occasion the band was led by musical director and clarinettist Pete Long.
Throughout the concert Mr Long gave us an insight to how the original concert came about, the musicians who played – and those who did not. I enjoy this style of presentation (this musical history lesson), which also highlighted how many big name musicians were associated with the 1938 date.
Drummer Richard Pite grabbed our attention with the Gene Kruppa inspired drum break in Don’t Be That Way. Equally impressive was the trumpet solo in Life Goes To A Party. Between these two well played solos was a history of jazz of twenty years (1918 – 1938). What struck me most about some of this collection of tunes was the fast tempo employed which, for me, meant they were over in very short time. However, this did not apply to the Duke Ellington tune Blue Reverie, featuring a wonderful solo from Alyson Crawley on soprano sax.
The second set opened with Blue Skies and a great sounding flutter tongued trumpet section. Vocalist Louise Cookman did a very good version of Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen, which down very well with the audience – as did her cover of Loch Lomond (though why Benny Goodman included this number in 1938 has always puzzled me). For me, two of the best numbers of the evening came in this second set: Dizzy Spells, played at a blistering tempo that left both musicians and audience exhausted, and Sing, Sing, Sing, a tour de force that really stood out in the live setting.
This concert is the closest I will ever get to to an “I was there moment” and it was a thoroughly enjoyable, and informative, evening’s entertainment from a band who had big shoes to fill and did so with style and fun.
Set List: 1st Set: Don’t Be That Way, Sometimes I’m Happy, One O’Clock Jump, Twenty Years of Jazz (Sensation Rag, I’m Coming Virginia, When My Baby Smiles At Me, Shine, Blue Reverie), Life Goes To A Party. The Trio: Body and Soul. The Quartet: Avalon, The Man I Love, I Got Rhythm. Big John Special (encore).
2nd Set: Blue Skies, Loch Lomond, Blue Room, Swingtime In The Rockies, Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen. The Trio: Chinaboy The Quartet: Stompin’ At The Savoy, Dizzy Spells; Sing, Sing Sing; If Dreams Come True (encore).
Musicians: Pete Long – clarinet. Louise Cookman – vocals. Anthony Kerr – vibraphone. Michael McQuaid, Alyson Crawley, Karen Sharp, Ewan Bleach – saxophones. Chris Snead, James Davison, Nathan Bray – trumpets. Andy Flaxman, Ian Bateman – trombones. Colin Good – piano. MartinWheatley – guitar. Tom Mason – double bass. Richard Pite – drums.
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