What, I hear you ask, am I doing giving space to a Benny Goodman album that doesn't have Benny Goodman?
A good question. It was hidden amongst the Jim Reeves and Max Bygraves' LPs huddled up to a Jacques Loussier album (which I already had) in a Hebburn charity shop. I felt that it was my duty to rescue it - I'd have done the same for a kitten.
It's on one of those 'cheapie' labels that turned up in grocery stores, newsagents and garages during the early sixties that often had LPs by Charlie Parker, Woody Herman and many other names.
The Goodman band were on a State Visit to the 1958 Brussels World's Fair which actually opened on April 17 of that year. For whatever reason, the band members made this recording without Benny and Mahlon Clark played the clarinet parts.
I'd never heard of Clark. Seems as though his regular gig was with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra which explains why I'd never heard of him. Nevertheless, he plays the role to perfection and, in a blindfold test, I'd defy you to tell the difference.
Most of the band had played with Goodman at one time or other back in the day when he was swing royalty or at least with the other contenders such as Dorsey, Miller etc. and they make a decent fist of it perhaps even do it better.
There are actually two different rhythm sections but I'm not sure which is which and I don't think it really matters.
Must check out Mahlon Clark. Lance
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