The concrete cows of the title of this album are to be found by the A5 at the new town of Milton Keynes, the most important cultural ambassador of which is John Dankworth, to whom this album is dedicated, and which contains on the second side, the first three movements of his suite Dialogue For JD And NYJO. The title track is an inconsequential Latin number, in which Steve Sidwell’s trumpet solo has a curious buzzing quality, due to the recording no doubt. I am not so sure where the problem lies with the sound of Mike Smith’s drums – throughout the album they have a very flat, dead sound. Dear John is the outstanding track on the album, with superb playing by trombonist Fayyaz Virji, who demonstrates that he has everything he needs to make it to the top – I’m sure we can expect many delights from him in the future. Dave Lindup, Dankworth’s longtime collaborator, contributed John’s Jape, a jokey piece with solos by Smith (on electric piano) and Currie (baritone). Airedale Sunset has some delightful pastoral writing for the trombones, interrupted by aggressive rock guitar from Watson, which certainly provides a contrast!
Fourteen-year-old Nigel Hitchcock plays amazingly well on Robbers though Fayyaz Virji’s solo has more interesting content. Excellent ensemble playing and writing in the Herman manner on this one. Dialectics is a slow rockish number with JD on soprano and Clive Hitchcock on tenor, whilst John switches to clarinet for Lady Di, an elegant medium tempo waltz. The final JD piece features his more familiar alto in a fast, broken rhythm and the best trumpet solo of the album (unidentified), plus good solos from Dave O’Higgins on tenor and Mark Nightingale on trombone. The album ends with Paul Higgs bossa Sandy Cove featuring the composer on flugelhorn and Chris Watson, rather less rocky than on Airedale Sunset. An album well up to NYJO’s usual standard. And watch out for Fayyaz Virji.
Discography
(b) Concrete Cows; (a) Dear John; John’s Jape; (c) Airedale Sunset; (a) Robbers Of Vissenburg (24.37) – (d) Dialectics; Lady Di; Dynamo; (e) Sandy Cove (21.37)
(a) Andy Mitchell, Graham Russell, Steve Waterman, Noel Langley. Mike O’Gorman, Andy Gibson, Paul Higgs (t); Fayyaz Virji, Mark Nightingale, Colin Hill, Adrian Lane, Dave Stewart, Steve Aitken (tb); Liz Price (Frh); Nigel Hitchcock, Steve Cadd, Clive Hitchcock, Dave O’Higgins, Simon Currie (reeds); Julie Davis (f/pic); John R W G Smith (p/elp); Chris Watson (g); Don Richardson (b/elb); Mike Smith (d); Mike Bradley, Ian Thomas (pcsn); Bill Ashton (dir/cond). London, 29/6/85.
(b) as (a) except Steve Sidwell, Richard Sidwell, Guy Barker, Mike O’Gorham, Andy Gibson (t); Clifford Tracy (as) for Cadd. Aitkin omitted. London, 22/6/85.
(c) as (a) except Bradley, Thomas omitted. Aitken (b-tbn), tb and rhythm only.
(d) Andy Mitchell, Noel Langley, Paul Higgs, Richard Sidwell, John Hinch (t); Richard Edwards, Nigel-Barr (tb) replace Virgi, Stewart, otherwise tb as (a); John Dankworth (ss/as/cl/dir) added, Thomas omitted. London 14/9/85.
(e) as (d) but Dankworth omitted. Paul Higgs (dir). Same date as (d).
(NYJO NYJ 006)
