1. Opus One
2. East of the Sun
3. Bakerloo Non-Stop
4. Donegal cradle Song
5. On Ilkla Moor Baht 'AT
6. Baia
7. Turn on the Heath
8. London Suite-a) Chelsea, b) Whitechapel,
c) Limehouse, d) Bond St, e) Piccadilly,
f)Soho.
14. Deep Forest
15. Pagan Love Song
16. You Go to My Head
17. Dark Eyes
18.Harlem Nocturne
19. Song of the Vagabond
20. Listen to My Music
21. Hindustan
22. Lady Byrd
23. Sophisticated Lady
24. Lyonia
25. Euphoria
26. Cuban Crescendo
27 Roumanian Roundabout.
The watchword of the Heath Band in the
period (1944-1950) when this was recorded
was precision and in this aspect of the
Big Band genre, they could equal any other
band in the world. To make the band pay,
Ted had to have a library that would please
the dancers as well as the fans and often
that was a big ask. The band of this period
had everything, except a style of their
own; many of the pieces reflect the bands
of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Ray Anthony
and other contemporaries. The section
work was brilliant, take track 7 as an
example Turn on the Heath, all the sections
play with perfect precision and intonation
and there is a good tenor solo (Johnny
Gray or Tommy Whittle?).
I enjoyed hearing the band's version
of Fats Waller's London Suite; the tunes
are good and the arrangements imaginative.
Ted appeared to be nodding in the Duke
Ellington direction here!
There are nice features for Pete Chilvers
on guitar, an instrument Ted later dropped
from the band, on track 16 and Kenny Baker
on trumpet on track 17, it was also Kenny's
arrangement. (Eat your heart out Ziggy
Elman!)
I liked the arrangement of Hindustan,
a real flag waver.
By 1949 a touch of Bebop was arriving
with George Shearing's arrangement of
Lady Byrd, which has a nice bone solo
from Jackie Armstrong, who is also heard
to good effect on Sophisticated Lady and
some good piano from Norman Stenfalt.
The band was beginning to loosen up and
swing more and by the 50's it had developed
a style that put it on a par with any
Big Band anywhere. It was good to hear
Euphoria again, the tune by Roy Kral and
Charlie Ventura was on a Ventura LP on
which both were featured. I'm sure the
tenor player is Tommy Whittle this time!
When Henry Mackenzie joined the band
he brought another dimension, he is one
of the finest clarinet players the UK
has ever produced. Although he isn't featured
here, seek out 'Send for Henry' on another
Heath session.
The last two tracks were obviously concert
features and are perfect examples of precision
Big Band section work.
This CD is of the formative years of
the Heath Band, which just got better
and better. I hope LIVING ERA give us
the next batch soon, but these examples
are necessary listening for all Big Band
fans.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
LIVING ERA CD AJA 5459 
