Buck Clayton was Count Basie’s star trumpeter in the 1930s and went on to be a fine arranger and bandleader in his own right. When writer, musician and broadcaster Alyn Shipton published Buck’s life story, the trumpeter gave him a set of new arrangements that had never been recorded. To celebrate Buck’s centenary, Alyn and saxophonist Matthias Seuffert brought the Buck Clayton Legacy Band to Gateshead to play this music. Alyn also introduced a short film of Buck himself.
With Ian Smith and Menno Daams, trumpets; Alan Barnes and Matthias Seuffert, reeds; Adrian Fry, trombone; Martin Litton, piano; Martin Wheatley, guitar; Alyn Shipton, bass and Norman Emberson, drums it was a formidable line-up. The two trumpets were not the advertised guys (Bengt Persson + another) but were new to me. An absolute revelation.Especially since Menno Daams astounded everyone as a left handed, one armed man. Yes! one arm. These two guys swapped the Clayton part so there was no lead or second. They did great justice to the memory of Buck.
The music ? Well if I'd known that I'd be asked to scribble some notes (sorry - words), I would have kept a check. However, with the memory of a seventy plus all I can recall are a couple of numbers by name; one had uncharacteristically, the egoist title of Claytonia and the other a tribute from Buck called Sir Humphrey to guess who. This apparent dementia may be somewhat excused by the fact that the arrangements were unrecorded and therefore unfamiliar to audiences. So, no Hucklebuck or Robbins Nest. All the more credit to Seuffert and Shipton for bringing them to life.
Shipton, known more as jazz buff and broadcaster, gained much respect as a player as did the whole rhythmn section; the ubiquitous Alan Barnes - well what can you say other than keep going Alan! The whole programme swinged?, swang?, swung? from start to finish.
Derrick C
If you weren't there the concert was recorded for BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line Up to be broadcast next month.
With Ian Smith and Menno Daams, trumpets; Alan Barnes and Matthias Seuffert, reeds; Adrian Fry, trombone; Martin Litton, piano; Martin Wheatley, guitar; Alyn Shipton, bass and Norman Emberson, drums it was a formidable line-up. The two trumpets were not the advertised guys (Bengt Persson + another) but were new to me. An absolute revelation.Especially since Menno Daams astounded everyone as a left handed, one armed man. Yes! one arm. These two guys swapped the Clayton part so there was no lead or second. They did great justice to the memory of Buck.
The music ? Well if I'd known that I'd be asked to scribble some notes (sorry - words), I would have kept a check. However, with the memory of a seventy plus all I can recall are a couple of numbers by name; one had uncharacteristically, the egoist title of Claytonia and the other a tribute from Buck called Sir Humphrey to guess who. This apparent dementia may be somewhat excused by the fact that the arrangements were unrecorded and therefore unfamiliar to audiences. So, no Hucklebuck or Robbins Nest. All the more credit to Seuffert and Shipton for bringing them to life.
Shipton, known more as jazz buff and broadcaster, gained much respect as a player as did the whole rhythmn section; the ubiquitous Alan Barnes - well what can you say other than keep going Alan! The whole programme swinged?, swang?, swung? from start to finish.
Derrick C
If you weren't there the concert was recorded for BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line Up to be broadcast next month.
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