Sat 30 jan – 16:00 Tussen Swing en Bop
Clark Terry – The Happiest Sound In Jazz
Trumpeter and horn player Clark Terry (1920-2015) recorded more than 900 albums over his long career in various genres. He has an almost unimaginable list of Awards and Honors .
One of his many official functions in the jazz world was that of ‘mentor’ to young musicians, among them Miles Davis. Davis was still a high school student when he first meets Terry, one of his idol. He finds Terry hip and decides on the spot to be as least as hip if not hipper. Later on the two often play together. (At the begin of the 50’s they met under other circumstances. Davis, a heroïne addict, is stitting on the steps of the hotel where Terry is staying. Sick, broke. Terry invites him up to his room and has to leave shortly to catch the bus to go on tour with Count Basie. Davis can stay as long as he likes. “When you leave just shut the door behind you.” As soon as Terry has left Davis steals everything he can in the hotel room and leaves. Terry forgives him, Davis apologises, it’s all good.)
In today’s rich programme we hear Terry also as vocalist, in among other things Mumbles (Oscar Peterson Trio + One, 1964). His wordless singing is his own version of scat.
In 1957 Serenade To A Bus Seat appears, with Johnny Griffin (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b) and Philly Joe Jones (d). A top group. The title track refers to the notorious incident in 1955, when the black Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Nonetheless upbeat swinging bop!
Louie & Clark Expedition 2 is a collaboration with drummer Louie Bellson, within a 17-strong big band. Bellson is 83, Terry 87! Hard and tight big band jazz. The album title refers to the expedition by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1803. These two were sent by president Thomas Jefferson to the unknown West. Years later they reached the West Coast. The trip was a great success – Lewis and Clark became folk heroes.
This is just a small excerpt from a full programme.
Between Swing and Bop – a programme by Ineke Heijliger