Quietly relentless is the way to describe a sizeable helping of Dudley Moore’s piano. And as one cannot see the grimacing and coy cherubic glances on record, it lacks a considerable part of its appeal. This excellent minor comedian is a very visual musician and the odd few-minute spot of music from this trio is always acceptable as an interlude in the comedy.
Having listened to many playings of this and their earlier LP I cannot find any abiding interest. It is a good pastiche of piano jazz, at times brilliant, owing much to the more superficial mannerisms of the great Oscar Peterson. There is more than a suspicion of trying for effect and Dudley Moore’s own note refers to ‘an effort to get lowdown’.
I think Exactly Like You and Only Girl are the best tracks because nobody is striving to do any more than produce enjoyable light piano jazz, which always makes one of the best background sounds you can find. Straight Life and Blues For Boots expose the deficiencies. I find the drummer even more relentless than the overall sound of the trio.
Discography
Samantha; Yesterdays; Field Day For Shirley; Straight Life (21 min) – Exactly Like You; If You Were The Only Girl In The World; You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To; Blues For Boots; Fly Me To The Moon (22½ min)
Dudley Moore (p); Pete McGurk (bs): Chris Karan (d).
(Decca LK 4788 32s. 2d.)
