Just Jazz- the traditional jazz magazine
July 2004. Issue No. 75
Review:
Live recordings at SeaSide JazzKlub
New Orleans Delight featuring Cliff “Kid” Bastien and George Berry
Music Mecca: CD4024-2
Total playingTime: 79:17
Clarinettist Kjeld Brandt send me this CD following a favourable review (in ‘New Orleans Music’) of mine of four tracks by this same band recorded at Sorgenfri Kirke (Church) during the Kid Bastien/George Berry Scandinavian tour with New Orleans Delight in 2002. This CD contains all the other tracks recorded by this remarkable band, and they are gems to be treasured.
Bastien recorded very little, like some legendary New Orleanians, that live music spoke many more volumes than anything recorded. Sadly he died shortly after this tour, and this CD, the church tracks and one with his own band (Kid Bastien’s Happy Pals - Music Mecca CD 4004-2) are, as far as I know, all that remains of his amazing, priceless contribution to New Orleans music. Cliff made many visits to New Orleans and studied there, refinding his unique approach which followed, but did not by any means copy, his heri, Kid Thomas Valentine. George Berry (ex-Blount band) similarly studied in the Crescent City, refinding his Emanuel Paul-like approach to the tenor. He also from time to time played with Bastien’s regular band in Canada. The combination of the two with the excellent New Orleans Delight is, for me, one of the discoveries of the decade. Cliff’s trumpet style. like that of Kid Thomas and Ken Coyler, has that catalytic effect of his sidemen. With him, they become for all the world a fully autentic, quite wonderful Algiers dance hall-style band. His subtle understated lead and solos, often with a mute and making sparing but searingly effective use of ‘flares’ and ‘shrills’, is unforgettable – spine tingling.
Throughout the eleven tracks here, both the ‘Kid’ and Berry blend wonderful with the local band, producing a light, bouncing jazz full of complex cross-rhythms and emotional intensity that is an object lesson in how New Orleans-style jazz should be played. In a totalitarian world this CD would be compulsory listening, there is so much to be learned from these tracks, not the least from the Scandinavian ‘side men’, whose subtlety and innate good sense is wonderful. We must praise them, and in particular, clarinettist Kjeld Brandt, for helping to bring this classic CD to our notice. Thank you gentlemen.
Brian Harvey
August 1:
Lars Edegran New Orleans Band: Wolfsburg Festival with Juanita Brooks, Duke Heitger, Bob Havens, Evan Christopher, Steve Pistorius, Lars Edegran on banjo, Bob Culverhouse & Trevor Richards.
August 6 - 8:
Duke Heitger New Orleans Band: Edinburgh Festival with Duke, Evan, Havens, Pistorius, Lars Edegran and some local musicians.
August 9 - 15:
Oslo Festival with same band
- more details later