| Recorded live by Joe Meek at 100 Oxford Street, 11th September 1957.
RIFF - A short melodic ostinato, usually two of four bars long, which may either be repeated intact (strict riff) or varied to accommodate an underlying harmonic pattern (The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz).
In the Seventies, I taped an interview with Humphrey Lyttelton. When the conversation moved to British jazz, Humph stated that local musicians generally hadn't grasped the art of riffing, but, on this CD (all previously unreleased material), he and his band demonstrate how potent and effective the device can be, especially as they are accompanying a singer who spent 13 years with a band - Count Basie's - who were past masters of the art.
Rushing obviously enjoys familiar sounds behind his vocals and exhorts, vocally and by hand-clapping, soloists Humph, trombonist John Picard, alto saxophonist Tony Coe, tenor saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore and pianist Ian Armit, all having extended solos enhanced by the jazz ostinato and Eddie Taylor's dynamic drumming.
At the session's conclusion, 'Mr Five By Five' addressed an enthusiastic audience proclaiming: 'You've got yourselves a great swing band here!'
Mike Pointon's scholarly liner notes capture the occasion of a truly rocking British band mixing it with a world-famous US blues shouter.
This CD is one of the many Upbeat releases that illustrate the mainstream world between traditional and modern jazz. JIM GODBOLT |