Let’s kick the new year off with some joyous, inventive, scorchio sounds that will lift our spirits! And who better to provide this than some really big bands?
Yes I mean XXL! Bouncy, brassy, beaty, classy!
Ever since, as a callow sixth-former, I saw Keef Hartley’s Big Band at Watford Town Hall and Van Morrison and his stupendous large band at the Rainbow Theatre, I’ve been hooked on the sound of a large combo.
In recent years I’ve been delighted by Bellowhead getting the Danish hipsters at Roskilde up and dancing round the tent. Burning Spear with his magnificently irie brass section. Finland’s wacky Leningrad Cowboys feat The Red Army Choir on backing vocals. And many live shows by David Byrne, not least when he toured with St Vincent and a full brass marching band. Magic!
This week an article in the Guardian commented on the comeback of the jazz big band. It mentions Ex Machina an album by (composer and saxophonist) Steve Lehman and France’s 17-strong Orchestre National de Jazz and Kemet (The Black Land) an orchestral album by US American trombonist-composer Javier Nero. London’s Jazz Jamaica, the magnificent Sun Ra Arkestra and Sweden’s Fire Orchestra also get a mention.
Renaissance? Hmmm. Up here in Scandinavia, big bands have been going strong for quite a while.
And when I posted the article on Facebook @Mike_H was rapid to comment: “Northern Europe has some of the best big bands in the world. In particular Germany’s phenomenal NDR big band. In a more southerly direction, Holland has the Metropole Orkest. And then in France there’s Fred Pallem’s Sacre Du Tympan, while here in London we have the Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica.” @EssEff then praised the 11-piece Levitation Orchestra and my Finnish pal Juha told me about the Turku Jazz Orchestra.
As the Guardian article makes clear, no one founds or joins a big band for the money.
“The economics of it are really crushing,” says Steve Lehman with a deep sigh. “It’s so difficult to keep a big band together, maintain it, have everybody sort of treated correctly, and have the financial resources to make a big band recording.”
“Aside from having to write all of the music, print all of the music and book all of the musicians, the musicians themselves have to be willing to sacrifice the pay in order to be part of it,” he says. “Most venues don’t set aside extra funds to pay an 18-piece jazz orchestra more than a quartet, so it usually just means the same pay divided more times. I’ve been fortunate to find musicians that love playing enough they are willing to participate despite the low pay.”
So here’s a thread to celebrate those musicians who play in larger combos. All genres welcome!
From Lyle Lovett’s Big Band to the Samba reggae and axé of Brazil’s Timbalada. From Joe Cocker and Mad Dogs and Englishmen to Duke Ellington. And then of course those paragons of sheet music: the Polyphonic Spree.
Let’s hear your favourites!
Here’s that article:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/02/jazz-big-band-javier-nero-steve-lehman-orchestre-national-de-jazz?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR1Da8sLdOUSq0NIhdVvs11_b2pjCo6F4RQlJTRclQbwIRCZZOY1Tga0LAo
Kaisfatdad says
Live at my favourite jazz club, Fasching in Stockholm, here, all the way from the very frozen north, are the Norrbotten Big Band.
Someone on FB mentioned that TMBG often have a brass section when playing live.
thecheshirecat says
Don’t worry KFD, I’ll be all over this when I get home from work.
fentonsteve says
How about Raye, the Heritage Orchestra, the Flames Collective choir and organist Anna Lapwood at the RAH, which was on the idiot lantern last night?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001tx3m/raye-at-the-royal-albert-hall
The label that dropped her a couple of years ago must be kicking themselves.
Kaisfatdad says
Perfect choice @Fentonsteve! Wow!
And I’d never even heard of her!
Did her album feature in the AW Hot Hundred?
May be best not to answer that!
fitterstoke says
I confess I hadn’t heard of her, until I saw her on the Hootenanny – she was one of the better acts (IMHO), if a bit “Winehousey”…
fentonsteve says
Yes, there’s definitely something of the Fisher Price Winehouse about her.
IIRC, Tiggs is also a fan.
When Offspring the Elder was going to see SZA at the O2, I told her to get there early for the support. What a topsy-turvy world when your dad gives you advice on pop music.
Moose the Mooche says
Isn’t there always someone on Later who sounds like Amy Winehouse?
Andra Day is the most outrageously Winehouseian singer I’ve heard. Her album Cheers to the Fall was excellent but also slightly uncanny.
mikethep says
Of course Amy got all her riffs from P. G. Winehouse.
fitterstoke says
…says mikethepsmith
Steve Walsh says
Do this lot count?
Kaisfatdad says
They certainly do! Talk about a supergroup!
Ginger Baker – drums, percussion, timpani
Steve Winwood – Hammond organ, bass guitar
Chris Wood – tenor saxophone, flute
Graham Bond – Hammond organ, alto saxophone
Denny Laine – guitars
Rick Grech – bass guitar, violin
Remi Kabaka – drums, percussion
Phil Seamen – drums, percussion
Harold McNair – tenor and alto saxophones
I went up to Wembley Stadium where they were playing a freebie at some kind of motoring event. Awful sound and you couldn’t get near the band. I was really put off.
Listening to them now I realise they really were rather decent.
What a surprise!
Kaisfatdad says
Getting tired of those shows which feature one bloke or blokess with a laptop?
fitterstoke says
Bryan Ferry clip – ace!
Blue Boy says
agreed – hadn’t seen or heard that before and its terrific.
Kaisfatdad says
Glad you enjoyed Bryan @fitterstoke and @Blue Boy.
It really is a stonkingly good performance.
I’ve seen Bryan live a few times over the years and he always has a superb band and puts on an excellent show. He most certainly deserves his place on this thread.
fitterstoke says
The album Face to Face was in my 2023 top 20: but here’s a live ‘un…
Kaisfatdad says
Quite superb! I hadn’t heard of the NDR Bigband until @Mike_H mentioned them. And Nikki Iles was also a new name.
But that hit the spot for me on first listen, I’ll be listening to that album in the next few days. Thanks a lot @fitterstoke.
Here’s the Frankfurt Radio Big Band with another of Nikki’s compositions.
Mike_H says
She’s a well-established jazz pianist, branching out to orchestral arranging these days. Her husband, Pete Churchill, is another pianist and he’s the director of the London Vocal Project.
Here they are, with a fairly large band, singing him one of his songs as a birthday tribute a while back.
jazzjet says
Resisting the temptation to post the true greats (Ellington, Basie etc) here’s one of my all time favourites. I defy you to sit still as the track builds and builds.
fitterstoke says
Whaaat? Zawinul is one of the true greats – and this is chust sublime!
Junior Wells says
I recommend the double album Brown Street. The orchestra were his house band at his ( i think ) club located on Brown Street.
fitterstoke says
Ordered – thanks, JW!
I have all the Weather Report; also some solo Joe and Cannonball with Joe – but I completely missed this one!
jazzjet says
I guess I meant the classic big bands from the golden era – 1930s to 1950s.
fitterstoke says
👍
Kaisfatdad says
Here’s a newsflash from my pal Juha in Finland:
“One of the greatest events last year was Turku Jazz Orchestra playing Weather Report here in Turku. Contemporary jazz is also being composed especially for them.”
Couldn’t find a WR clip. but here are the TJO.
Alias says
The first big band I saw joined the dots between the music I was listening to, and opened my ears to much more. A truly magnificent live act too. It is of course Kid Creole and the Coconuts.
Moose the Mooche says
I recently returned to the first three albums by the No Fish Today Hitmakers. By god they were great. I remember seeing them live on TV at the time and wondering why there weren’t more bands like this, instead of the usual 4 or 5 glum twerps in boiler suits – the only thing comparable seemed to be the then-expanded 1980-1 line-up of Talking Heads.
Alias says
Great as they were, the records don’t come close to their greatness as a live act. There are a few full shows available on YouTube which I would highly recommend.
Kaisfatdad says
I saw them just the once at the Lyceum Ballroom on the Lifeboat Party tour and they were superb.
And a mention of their predecessors is well-deserved. Here’s Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band with their one big hit.
retropath2 says
This big enough? Jazz quintet+string quartet+bagpipes? It’s Colin Steele’s Stramash, revived and alive, and playing Glasgow’s Celtic Connections in a week or three. Of course I’ll be there!!
Kaisfatdad says
Jazz quintet+string quartet+bagpipes!!
I think you know me well enough to know what my reaction will be to that @retropath2.
Wonderful stuff.
I am a creature of very predictable needs.
On the subject of string quartets, can you imagine my joy when the Walkabouts turned up to play at the Studio Rock Club at St Eriksplan and had a string quartet with them?
Devil’s Road is a magnificent album and The Light Will Stay On is one of my all-time favourite songs.
And from about the same period, Vic Chestnutt with Lambchop. From the album The Salesman and Bernadette,
Superb! Now that is a big band!
fentonsteve says
The Walkabouts live album, ‘Bruxelles’ (with strings), is one of my DID albums.
Kaisfatdad says
Thanks for the tip @fentonsteve. I will look out for it!
fentonsteve says
Night Town is my fave Walkabouts studio album. About half the tracklisting of Bruxelles is from Night Town. It was a mail-order CD at the time. If you can’t find it on streaming, I can ‘help’.
fitterstoke says
Superb band all round…
Junior Wells says
First proper one I saw was the Danish Radio Big Band led by Palle Mikkelbourg at the Sydney Opera House.
Here’s them sans Mikkelbourg doing Fredde Freeloader
Mike_H says
Mike_H says
Kaisfatdad says
As the composer of the legendary Escalator over the Hill (a 3 LP, jazz opera released in 1971),
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalator_over_the_Hill
it would be shameful if we didn’t mention the late, great Carla Bley who died in October last year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carla_Bley
I’ve just discovered that her parents were Swedish.
I’d not heard of the Very Big Carla Bley band, so thanks a lot @Mike_H.
Mike_H says
I think it was just a short-lived live project. Probably just for that festival.
Mike_H says
.
Rigid Digit says
Polyphonic Spree has about 25 members (granted, may of them are vocalists).
And here’s their take on Nirvana’s Lithium
Kaisfatdad says
Wonderfully enjoyable! @Rigid Digit.
I’m going to reply with this gem.
Who says the Swedes have no sense of humour??
Rigid Digit says
1000 musicians gather together to get Dave Grohl to come and play in Cesena, Italy
(watched it a few times to try and fin a drummer (or drummers) ever so slightly out of time, but not one found yet)
Kaisfatdad says
I am NOT a great Foo Fighters fan, But, heavens above!
You’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by that, @Rigit Digit.
Ooops! I think I may need a hankie!
hubert rawlinson says
The Happy End saw them a few times, had up to 24 members and begat The Barely Works.
The only track I could find but does have a special guest vocalist.
Kaisfatdad says
Nice one, Hubert, I’d never heard of them.
https://www.sarahjanemorris.co.uk/happy-end
What an interesting combo!
That Robert Wyatt got around!
Working Week were definitely a large band. And a very fine one.
Their album Working Nights is a great favourite here in Bagarmossen.
Mike_H says
Saw Juliet Roberts guesting with Jazz Jamaica last year at The Jazz Café. Still in great voice.
thecheshirecat says
Fuss and bother. I’m late to the party. Got a bit of catching up to do. Will this do?
Kaisfatdad says
Late to the party? What are you talking about @thecheshirecat??
This celebration is going to last all weekend and hopefully include a whole variety of interesting destinations. So just relax and go with the flow.
Talking of which, here’s a treat from Galicia: Banda de Gaitas *San Xoán de Paramos*
Have you ever seen a band with so many tambourine players??
Now over to San Francisco for yet another very large, very sabroso band:
Pacific Mambo Orchestra.
That audience are loving it.
hubert rawlinson says
Two Sir Henry quotes in one day you spoil us @thecheshirecat
thecheshirecat says
I wouldn’t care, that one was inadvertent. These things seep into your DNA.
hubert rawlinson says
Indeed it does.
mikethep says
There’s a geezer in Barcelona called Joan Chamorro who runs a youth big band which delivers some top-notch parping.
Kaisfatdad says
Top notch indeed! @mikethep,
An awful lot of the bands on this thread have a very strong with their local community.
How about this? Joan Chamorro’s students playing in ……..Bangalore!! I did not expect that.
Blue Boy says
You want a big band? I’ll give you a big band…..
fitterstoke says
Symphony of a thousand, indeed…
thecheshirecat says
I believe Messiaen’s Turangalila Symphony has a reputation for needing the most musicians, though it does skimp on the voices. More ondes martenot!
Geoffbs7 says
Geoffbs7 says
This is big.
A great song by Jon Cleary given a large arrangement.
Mike_H says
Kaisfatdad says
This thread can proceed no further without a mention of the fabulous Earth Wind and Fire!
Junior Wells says
They don’t mind a big band in Africa. I think i counted 18 on stage when I saw Sunny Ade.
Junior Wells says
Junior Wells says
Kaisfatdad says
Thanks for that wonderful triptych, @Junior Wells.
Big bands, long songs and a party that goes on all night: that’s the African way.
We could do a whole thread of large African bands. So keep them coming everybody!! Let’s go for it!
Even Toumani has had an orchestra. I think there’s a certain pressure to put bread in few more mouths if you are successful.
Personally, I’m quite happy to listen him playing solo!
Seeing Mory Kante live playing a wonderful long version of Yeke Yeke with an enormous band was magnificent. For this version, he even recruited an unemployed, Latino guitarist.
Kaisfatdad says
And now…..A thrilling, forty-piece Finnish folk band from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Bound to brighten your morning.
retropath2 says
Surprised nobody has posted Septober Energy, by Keith Tippett’ Centipede. Pity, as it denies the pleasure of saying what unlistenable tosh it is!
fitterstoke says
Lucky you found a workaround!
Kaisfatdad says
Was Keith the man who put the cack into cacophony?
It seem only fair that our readers get a chance to listen to a snippet.
Look at the notes on the second clip. There were some very big names from the British jazz scene involved.
Hmmmm… I do see what Retro was getting at.
retropath2 says
I once spent an evening at the B’ham Conservatoire at a Keith Tippet concert of “free jazz”, all six musicians gleefully playing different tunes, in different keys, and at different tempos, all at cross purposes. The audience, bar one, anyway, loved it. Deeply awful.And “tunes” is a kinder description than deserved.
retropath2 says
The Grit Orchestra are good. They take their name from the Martyn Bennett album of the same name, and tend to group to commemorate the late bagpipe electronica man and his music.
retropath2 says
Which leads neatly into the Treacherous Orchestra, many of whom also play in the more orthodox Grit Orchestra. The 12 piece TO are not orthodox…….
thecheshirecat says
A-ha. That would have been my next post. I was in the moshpit for that, as I think were you. Bloody fantastic.
retropath2 says
Sort of (-ish) an earlier version might be these guys, Clan Alba, fronted by the mighty Dick Gaughan:
retropath2 says
And lets’s not forget the mighty Moving Hearts, with Christy Moore:
retropath2 says
Oh, go on then, to show the English do big band brass folk too. 40 years ago!
Kaisfatdad says
A new name for me. I Googled. A little more info, if you’re interested.
https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/clanalba.html
retropath2 says
I have a rare copy (copied) of that double album, it’s rarity governed by the masters being owned by the Dave Bulmer’s Celtic Music of Harrogate, who’s intransigence around letting product out to regain the light of day has been prohibitively destructive to many a career.
https://groups.google.com/g/uk.music.folk/c/hI5gWqgsRsA?pli=1
jazzjet says
And then there’s this:
Strangely, I can just imagine this as a Bond theme.
jazzjet says
This thread wouldn’t be complete without this:
thecheshirecat says
I was in the moshpit for this too.
retropath2 says
Good example. (After years of enjoying their studio product and disliking them intensely live, they finally won me over to the latter, with a great Glastonbury set, this year, midday in the baking sun.)
hubert rawlinson says
I saw them live once many years ago and like you positively disliked them. That’ put me off listening to any of their recorded work.
Kaisfatdad says
I’m with Cheshire here. I’ve been a big fan since the days of Rachel Unthanks and the Winterset.
I heard their version of Robert Wyatt’s Sea Song and I was as lost as an (ancient) mariner bewitched by the sound of mermaids.
Oddly enough, I’m less keen some of the later material where the songs are over-long and over-orchestrated.
But that version of King of Rome is magnificent.
thecheshirecat says
Not sure whether it was the same year, but they also did Sea Song on the second stage at Cambridge and it absolutely raised the (admittedly canvas) roof.
Kaisfatdad says
Meanwhile, over at Roskilde, I was most definitely in the moshpit for Juan Luis Guerra from the Dominican Republic. What a party his gigs are!
Latin American dance bands are invariably large and very lively.
Confronted with music like this, surely the only option is to grab the nearest senorita and indulge in some rigorous cha cha cha?
Alias says
The first live Latin band was a salsa group called Sonido De Londres. It was at a free Sunday afternoon event on Clapham Common. I thought they were fantastic. So good in fact, that when I saw they were playing at Hammersmith Palais I had to get a ticket. They were supporting an act I had never heard of – Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. Sonido de Londres were good, and Celia was incredible. That was me converted to salsa.
Here she is , this time singing with the Fania Allstars.
thecheshirecat says
More Cambridge Folk Festival Frolics as the Hot 8 Brass Band lead the audience to the merch tent. (Yes, this is what is happening.)
Kaisfatdad says
They’re a marching band. Of course they want to do some marching,@thecheshirecat..
And if you can combine marching with merching, then all the better.
A quite wonderful live band. After they had played a stonking set at Roskilde a few years back, they were hanging out at the merch table and very keen to chat with the fans.
Such very charming guys.
fentonsteve says
Having never seen a New Orleans marching band in the flesh, I bought a ticket to see them at the Cambridge Junction (my least fave venue) in April 2020, then lockdown happened.
On the date of the rescheduled gig, I was still in Shielding, so gave my ticket to a pal.
I have still never seen a New Orleans marching band.
Alias says
It’s definetely worth seeing one if you get the chance. I’ve seen Hot 8, Soul Rebels and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. For me, the best of them all is the ReBirth Brass Band. Back in the 80s when we had Go Go from DC and Hip Hop from NYC. The brass bands were New Orleans contribution to these exciting funky sounds coming out of America.
Mike_H says
Another one I’ve found.
Not actually seen this band live but I saw him lead a big band session at The Purcell School For Young Musicians, just across town from my gaff a couple of years before the Great Lockdown.
Kaisfatdad says
Great discovery , @Mike_H. You are coming up with some gems on this thread.
As luck would have it, I ran into my Jazz Neighbour, Fredrik, and told him about the current bee in my musical bonnet.
He recommended lots of stuff.
Per “Texas” Johansson
He has a new large band project, Couldn’t find that so I’m posting this gem instead.
Vilhelm Bromander who has a new album out: In this forever unfolding moment.
Fredrik expressed his enthusiasm about the Norrbotten Big Band who have a composer in residence every year which results in new compositions, gigs and recordings.
The most recent was trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
https://norrbottensmusiken.se/ensembler/norrbotten-big-band/composer-in-residence/
Here’s an excellent interview with him.
If we’re talking about Swedish jazz, I must mention Goran Kajfes and his Subtropic Arkestra.
OK , there are only seven of them, but they make a really big sound.
Tiggerlion says
Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Band had a new album last year, Cry Me A River, that made my top fifty (not twenty). It was a follow up to From The Heart issued in 2007. It was so big, it took sixteen years to get the band back together!
Kaisfatdad says
Wonderful choice @geoffbs7! Can you imagine how chuffed Conan was to have that extraordinary combo on his show.
Grapefruit Moon; The Songs of Tom Waits.
One to look out for!
Mike_H says
That’s one of the many problems with having a band of any size Tiggs. Getting everyone in the same place at the same time.
Herding “Cats” is a good analogy.
Finding a time for rehearsals, let alone the performance)s), when everyone is available is difficult and, as expressed in the article ^up there^, the pay is never good for playing in a large band so players will drop out if something more lucrative gets offered to them.
hubert rawlinson says
How big is big?
With added Ron Howard.
Kaisfatdad says
Brilliant! Well remembered, @hubert rawlinson!
If ever there was a song that celebrated the big band, this is it.
Just stumbled across this fine version from Judy Garland who is really giving it some welly.
Geoffbs7 says
Kaisfatdad says
Wonderful choice @geoffbs7! Can you imagine how chuffed Conan was to have that extraordinary combo on his show.
Grapefruit Moon; The Songs of Tom Waits.
One to look out for!
mikethep says
He’s done another album with the same mob featuring Billie Holliday songs. Equally worth checking out.
Kaisfatdad says
Thanks @mikethep. That sounds very promising.
Locust says
Not the biggest of bands, but I was moved by a couple of obituaries to post a couple of clips of the former Swedish band Aston Reymers Rivaler (RIP Magnus Lind, and his wife, famous musician in her own right, Marie Nilsson Lind).
First a clip from a weird music show from my childhood, where they play two (well, one and a half – it gets cut short rather abruptly) songs, the first one is “Tvål”:
Next up is their hit “Godis är gott”, which we happily sang along to during the marches and meetings before the referendum about nuclear power (even though the “middle ground” alternative won, child me would not believe that our current government is trying to build more nuclear power plants – but there are plenty of things going on today that I wouldn’t believe then, and barely believe is true now…)
And, finally, “Stockholms ström”, just because I love it!
Makes me miss the late 70a and early 80s…
Kaisfatdad says
Wonderful stuff @Locust. I’d seen the name but never heard a single note,
What catchy, witty songs they wrote! With lots of squeezebox too. And a real Stockholm band!
An instrumental entitled Björkhagen return ticket in a Minor!
And then a song, Jakten på Amazonkvinnornas guld, inspired by Anita Ekberg’s latest film which does sound quite appalling.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079222/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_17_act
They’ve just got themselves a new fan.
thecheshirecat says
Time for a little restraint.
fitterstoke says
Beautiful – one of my favourites for many years.
See also – albeit more strings than brass…
Kaisfatdad says
Thanks Cheshire and Fitter! What wonderful variety, we’re getting. As I’d hoped, this thread is still in delightfully vigorous good health
I did enjoy that Hilario Duncan track, @Tiggerlion. That gorgeous brass section really hit the spot. Aaaaaaaay! Sabroso!
But now I’d like to pick your brains about US soul and dance music.
There have been so many artists who have made wonderful use of large bands and orchestras. So, Tigs, have you any tips about tracks that you particularly like or that we ought to hear?
Here ar some fine tracks that every civilian on the planet has heard.
Barry White – it’s like a pizza with extra everything!
Curtis Mayfield – what a genius!
And we’ve all seen it before, but this clip of Isaac Hayes form Wattstax, is so magnificent, I just have to post it!
By contrast, there’s a quite bizarre, very Hollywooody clip on YT of Isaac playing at the Oscars ceremony.
Tiggerlion says
How about the original J.B.s, all twelve of them, including a six piece horn section?
James Brown & The Original J.B.s – Give It Up Or Turn It Loose from 1970
Tiggerlion says
Elvis used the Memphis Horns, up to twelve of them, an orchestra and a choir for his studio follow up to his 68 Comeback TV show.
Tiggerlion says
Tower Of Power are an act driven by the horns.
Kaisfatdad says
Thankyou so much @Tiggerlion! Tower of Power, Elvis Presley and James Brown and the JBs.
You are spoiling us rotten! The Elvis video was rather wonderful. I liked the way that The King was a mysterious, distant, god-like background figure in the story.
That Tower of Power clip convinced me that they are a superb live band.
Here’s a large band who make that Tiny Desk look very small: Trouble Funk from Washington DC.
Well it’s now midnight on Saturday so I think I dare post a clip of a band so numerous that even George Clinton himself probably didn’t know how many people were on stage. The joyous anarchy of Parliament- Funkadelic.
It goes on for about 25 minutes. The audience must have been gobsmacked.
Rather a Marmite clip, I suspect.
retropath2 says
Forgive me if there has been a mention above, but my phone doesn’t like all the vids and crashes when I check. Has anyone even acknowledged J***s H*****d’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. I know he is not well liked as a presenter round here, but, in full flight, he and band are a force of nature, as well as giving gainful employ to many an otherwise impoverished jazzer. I have seen them live a number of times and even have some of the albums. The playing is exemplary and the love for the material immense. So there.
fitterstoke says
Who?
…but seriously, folks – I agree. Saw the band live in Edinburgh many years ago, still remember it as being a great night, great gig all round.
Kaisfatdad says
Hats off to you both for putting in a good word for Jools. People can be so snooty.
Swedish music fans would be over the moon if we had a TV show as good as Later…
hubert rawlinson says
This was recommended to me today.
https://youtu.be/souj-xWs7xs?si=IxUM_m_Sn894JY0y
Kaisfatdad says
Gosh! I can’t believe my eyes, Hubert!! You really came up trumps this evening.
Busby Berkeley must be smiling up there in heaven as he watched that. The way that they play and dance while playing some rather large brass instruments is deeply impressive.
Here’s the official Kyoto Tachibana SHS Band site which is in Japanese
https://kyoto-tachibana-shsband.jp/
And now an unofficial Fan Blogsite in English
https://kyototachibanashsbandunofficialfanblog.wordpress.com/
Finally, how about this? A playlist of the tunes that the band play.
We must have one more from them before bedtime!
What wonderful combos we are discovering on this thread!
Kaisfatdad says
A useful article about “the Orange Devils”.
https://www.themusicman.uk/kyoto-tachibana-senior-high-school-band/
It mentions that one YT commentator has looked closely and noticed that one of the flute players has a prosthetic leg! Respect!
Alias says
Following on from the Timbalada post, Dionne Warwick lived in Brazil for a while and did a great version of Duke Ellington’s Caravan with an afro bloc, whistles, cuicas and all.
Kaisfatdad says
Not so much Walk on by, more March on by! It’s wonderful stuff, @Alias.
I think she has spent rather a lot of time in Brazil. She certainly sings convincingly in Portuguese.
Kaisfatdad says
One of the pleasures of this thread and Retro’s Stringy epic is finding out a few more details about some of the old favourites posted here and joining the dots together.
I suspect that @thecheshirecat already knew that the wonderful brass arrangement on When an old cricketer leaves the crease was by Kevin Ayers’s old bandmate David Bedford.
It’s played by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band who are known from the movie Brassed off and from playing with Peter Skellern on Love is the Sweetest thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimethorpe_Colliery_Band
They also play on this sublime track by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot: Loving arms.
And this one too: Real hope