Back in 1941, Sidney Bechet recorded a couple of 78 rpm tracks where he played six instruments and, by the wizardry of those days, managed to Sellotape them together to give the effect of an actual band. In the pop field Les Paul, when he wasn't touring with JATP or inventing electric guitars, did similar things with his wife Mary Ford, we're told, in the bathroom which seemingly had just the right acoustics for what he wanted - as if Capitol Records hadn't!
Kay Starr also got into the act recording a duet with herself - Side by Side - whilst the late Humph, possibly inspired by Bechet's recording or else disenchanted with his then current band, recorded One Man Went to Blow (went to blow a meadow. One man and his dog etc.) But it was Roland Kirk who perfected the art and he did it without any trickery. All he had to do was stick the instruments in his gob and the rest was history! Although, in truth, it wasn't an actual one man band as he did use a rhythm section - his gob wasn't that big!
Fast forward to 2020 and we have the current hotshot horn player holed-up in lockdown - Chris Potter.
Chris, is one of those players who foresees the future (musicwise) and reaches out towards the great unknown without setting any pet shops on fire whilst, at the same time, setting his listeners on fire. Through the magic of today's technology he plays a multitude of instruments that gel like a tightly-rehearsed band. Well it would, wouldn't it? - he is that tightly rehearsed band!
One track was suffice for me to say that this is the business - his multi-tracking hides all the joins.
Interestingly, among the credits, is "Uploaded by Dan Garel" - how ya doin' Dan?
Lance.
Release date Dec. 4 - Edition Records.
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