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Crotchet

Freddy Gardner & His Golden Tone Saxophone LIVING ERA CD AJA 5454

 

1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
2. Stardust
3. China Boy
4. Japanese Sandman
5. You can’t Stop Me Dreaming
6. I want to Be
7. Limehouse
8. I Double Dare You
9. Have You Got Any Castles Baby
10. The Snake Charmer
11. The Dipsy Doodle
12. Music, Maestro, Please
13. Jeepers Creepers
14. 10 AM Blues
15. I Love You-At Sundown
16. There’s No Two ways About Love-My Honey’s Arms
17. Steamboat Bill-Beyond the Blue Horizon
18. Indian Summer-S’posin’
19. It Don’t Mean a Thing-Back home in Tennessee
20. I Only Have Eyes for You
21. I’m In the Mood for Love
22. Roses of Picardy
23. These Foolish Things
24. Valse Vanite
25. Body and Soul
26. Softly As In a Morning Sunrise.

These recordings were made in the period 1935 to 1950 when Freddy Gardner was without doubt the uncrowned king of the saxophone in the UK. In tracks 1 to 4 he is heard playing with a trio, 5 to 14 with his Swing Orchestra and 20 to 26 with Peter Yorke & His Concert Orchestra.

Freddy was certainly a remarkable musician whose career came to an untimely end when he died at the age of 39. He was equally at home playing light orchestral music as he was in a jazz quartet and he played baritone and clarinet with fluency the equal of his immaculate alto playing. Some of the phrasing sounds somewhat old fashioned, but the music has moved on some 50 years later!

Of particular interest is his playing with the excellent Peter York Orchestra, Peter was a superb arranger and he really knew how to make the most of a soloist of Freddy’s ability. The reason for my interest, is that the whole of what is best described as light orchestral music has disappeared on BBC radio or television. When you listen to these tracks you realise what a shame that is.

Don Mather

 

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