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DIZZY PARKER & WOODY KENTON BIG BAND He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped Knowsense Records 000001278

1. Clarinet Call Rag
2. Orange Drop
3. Watermelon Woman
4. The Teacher
5. A Scrapple from the Pear
6. Decided
7. Intermission Spliff
8. Coconut Vendor
9. You Stepped Out Of A Drain
10. Into Nowhere

Trumpets – Willie Hitit, Into Nation, High Note, Fluffer Gamble
Trombones – Don Crusher, Keith Misty, Growler Groddy, Bass Face
Saxes – Willie Stitch, Dizzy Parker, Zoot Smith, Al Con, Big Foot Spodger
Rhythm – Sir Donald Hacker, Pete Mountain, Jean Cooper
M.D. – Woody Kenton
Vocals – Lady Night

 

This amazing band was recorded in a shed at the back of the Bricklayers' Arms in Deadend, Nr Gravesend UK in 1946. The recording is without doubt the start of "Lo Fi" and it is almost impossible to listen to without being overtaken by complete nausea. The original material was written by throwing ink at a sheet of manuscript paper; you would think that the result of this would be disgusting, but in fact it’s much worse than that.

The outstanding solo on track 3 was played on a Watering Can by Dizzy Parker; unfortunately it stops in mid chorus, because the gardener who the shed belongs to needed the can for his garden. The ensemble playing, when you can hear it through the noise of drummer Jean Cooper's hair dryer, starts off badly and then falls away. Willie Hitit on lead trumpet misses every top note that he attempts to play, but as the others in the section are not usually playing on the right place in the score, it does not affect things greatly. Lady Night, although she is on the personnel list, did not sing because she was taken unfortunately drunk before the recording took place.

There is a percussion feature for beer cans, hammers and suitcase, I am not sure who was in the suitcase at the time, but muffled cries are heard throughout the duration of the solo. One particularly interesting feature is that half the band disappears at what I am told was 4pm. A great deal of research has revealed that this was because you cannot use bus passes after that time.

This recording has been put forward and accepted for an Arts Council Grant as nothing like it has ever been heard before and it is completely devoid of any musical content. It also comes highly recommended by the Association for the Completely Deaf, who found that the disk made an excellent coaster for their tea.

Don Mather

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