The first Bracknell Jazz Festival was a resounding success. The weather was perfect, the jazz world turned out in some strength and there were musical offerings for every taste. The two star Americans were in excellent form and their two sets must be rated as the highlights of a weekend distinguished by many good things.
Clark Terry was assisted by some driving, hard-bop tenor by Ernie Wilkins, tasteful piano by Dan Hearle, steady drumming by Ed Soph and the almost inevitably inspired bass-playing of Victor Sproles. Terry himself was in immaculate shape. He ‘mumbled’ once, did his trumpet/flugel duet and played the horn upside-down. These gimmicks apart, he played some tremendous jazz and brought his own sort of creative magic to themes like Parker’s The Hymn, Duke’s Just Squeeze Me and even a couple of Jimmy Lunceford tunes.
Wild Bill Davison worked with the Alex Welsh Band and played with equal conviction. He mixed Dixieland standards with items like Avalon and played with the kind of attack common to all associated with the Chicago school. His timing alone is something that marks him out as a ‘guv’nor’, but his ensemble lead is an object lesson to any newcomer to this idiom. The Welsh band played well in their own right. The rhythm section, with Roger Nobes now firmly ensconced in the drum chair, is tighter but it is the coherent soloing power of Fred Hunt (pno), Roy Williams (tbn) and Johnny Barnes (reeds) that makes the biggest impact.
On the modern day, the Lennie Best Quartet had the difficult task of launching the festival but, aided by guest artist Louis Stewart’s smooth guitar improvisations, they did this well. Best played clean-lined vibes and Tony Lee began the battle with a rather variable piano that every pianist throughout the festival was forced to take up. Barbara Thompson’s Jubiaba also did well, with the leader playing impressively throughout and climaxing her set with a very fine soprano solo. Henry Lowther and Brian Miller weighed in with good trumpet and keyboard contributions, although the audience particularly enjoyed one dynamic solo by the much improved trombonist Derek Wadsworth.
Stan Tracey was perhaps hampered by the piano to a greater degree than anyone else, although he overcame it in admirable fashion. He is always willing to take a musical chance and, since he was in a creative frame of mind, I found myself becoming oblivious of the instrument’s idiosyncrasies. Since my Westbrook review in Avant Courier covers much the same material, it probably suffices to say that the band played an exhilarating set, even if they did miss Dave MacRae on the night. Paul Rutherford, Malcolm Griffiths and Alan Wakeman were the outstanding soloists, but there were good moments from Henry Lowther and dep pianist Brian Miller.
Two local bands opened the Sunday concert and they presented totally different faces. The San Jacinto Jazz Band were devoted traditionalists and they played the music with real conviction. The dreadful vocalist and suspect intonation were some barrier but I enjoyed their set rather more than the more musicianly Dave Morgan Jazz Band. Veteran youngster George Chisholm played inventive and swinging trombone, including his now famous duet with Roy Williams, and he must still be rated as one of our finest players. A special mention must be made of jazz tap-dancer Will Gaines. He hardly fitted into the Saturday scene but on Sunday brought his dexterity to light with the Alex Welsh Band. He even managed a brief, swinging drum passage but it was ‘on feet’ that he really shone. The festival was brought to a climax appropriately by George Melly and John Chilton’s excellent Feetwarmers. The audience demanded more and we can only hope that organiser John Cumming can be persuaded to give us Bracknell 1976.
