CD Review: Big Chief - It Don't Make Sense.

John Fry (saxes/vcls); Mike Jacques (gtr/mand); Adrian Paton (keys);  Tony Reeves (bs); Gary O'Toole (dms);  Tony Edwards (vcls/dms); Dave Chambers (alt); Chris Fry (tmb); + Dick Heckstall-Smith (tenor on 5 tracks); John Dillon (dms on 1 track).
(Review by Lance)

A reissue of a 1997 release by long-lived London R&B/funk band Big Chief with the added bonus of some unreleased tracks from the early 80's featuring the late Dick Heckstall-Smith.

It is good to have Heckstall-Smith once again available. In this genre there was none better and, whilst bemoaning the fact that he is only on 5 of the 14 tracks, the good news is that this disc is the forerunner of a scheduled September 2014 release of previously unheard of Big Chief tracks with DHS blowing on all tracks.

Not that this present disc should be dissed - September's a long way off! Big Chief, with or without Big Dick, was/is still a good band. Earthy vocals from John Fry or Tony Edwards keep the blues groove going with saxes Chambers and Fry providing the riffs.

A surprise choice is Mood Indigo. Jacques and John Fry are featured - it works.
Yellow Moon has a Ska/Reggae rhythm going on behind John Fry's vocal. Dave Chambers blows flute on this one and Chris Fry lays down some plunger trombone before John Fry dives in on alto.
Big Chief, the track, has DHS in full flight as does Billy Taylor's I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free.
You want to party? This is the disc for you.
Big Chief - It Don't Make Sense is available on Janus Sounds from March 10. also Amazon etc.
Lance.
PS: As a reminder here is Dick Heckstall-Smith's Guardian obituary from December 2004.