This is a fine, loose-limbed session with two great horns playing above an unbelievably jumpy rhythm section.
Some of the notation sounds vaguely Ellingtonic, particularly when Tate and Terry are playing in unison – due no doubt to the fact that all the tunes on side one were written by Clark Terry, on whose talented shoulders a little of that Ducal dust settled whilst he was with the band.
Tate plays in his usual brawny, muscular fashion – the tone is very large and the solos come out free-and-easy, unhurried and swinging all the time. Terry is quite unique; his tone is entirely his own and the way his attacks his solos with a mixture of humour, beauty and swing should warm the cockles of any jazz fan’s heart.
The rhythm is impeccable. Flanagan is as tasteful as it is possible to be, and I have never heard Art Taylor play half so well.
“20 Ladbroke”, a jaunty tune, strikes very close to home – this magazine was at “28” for quite a while.
Discography
Groun’ Hog; Buddy’s Tate-A-Tate; Snatchin’ It Back (18 min) – 20 Ladbroke Square; All Too Soon; Take The A Train (17½) min)
Buddy Tate (ten); Clark Terry (tpt/fglhn); Tommy Flanagan (p); Larry Gales (bs); Arthur Taylor (d).
(Prestige SVLP 2014 12inLP 38s. 6d.)
