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Reviewers: Don Mather, Dick Stafford, Marc Bridle, John Eyles, Ian Lace, Colin Clarke, Jack Ashby




Crotchet

HUMPHREY LYTTELTON
And his band

Snag It!

LIVING ERA CD AJA 5462

 

  1. Weary Blues
  2. Sunday Morning
  3. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South (with Sidney Bechet)
  4. Georgia On My Mind (with Sidney Bechet)
  5. Maple Leaf Rag
  6. Come On and Stomp, Stomp, Stomp
  7. Careless Love Blues
  8. Ice Cream
  9. Snag It
  10. I Like to Go Back in the Evening
  11. Dallas Blues
  12. Cakewalkin’ Babies Back Home
  13. Trouble In Mind
  14. Panama rag
  15. Low Down Dirty Shame Blues
  16. On Treasure Island
  17. Trog’s Blues
  18. Wolverine Blues
  19. Suffolk Air
  20. Down Home Rag
  21. Apex Blues
  22. The Onions
  23. Blues for an Unknown Gypsy
  24. Travellin’ Blues
  25. It’s Over Now
  26. Get Out of Here and Go Home

Humphrey Lyttelton has probably done more for jazz in the UK than any other single person has. He has led his band since 1948 and through its ranks has passed many of the finest jazz musicians that the UK has ever produced. This record is of his recordings from the period 1948 to 1952, at that time he was very much the leading figure in the UK traditional New Orleans Jazz revival. Even at that time however, he liked to experiment with different instrumental combinations and made records in combination with Afro-Caribbean musicians and also with members of Graeme Bell’s Australian Jazz Band.

I have to confess, that although I was a big fan at the time of this era of jazz, like Humph himself, I have moved on and I much prefer his later mainstream bands with sidemen of the calibre of Danny Moss, Roy Williams, Tony Coe and Kathy Stobart. For the many people who have stayed true to the New Orleans sound this CD will be very welcome. It contains two tracks with the legendary Sidney Bechet for a start, as well as a fine collection of New Orleans standards with a few Lyttelton originals thrown in for good measure. All are played with the great enthusiasm that is typical of everything Humph does; he is 82 and going strong. I wish him well and hope that we can enjoy his playing and his sparkling whit and personality for many years to come.

Don Mather

 

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