Stan Tracey (piano), Art Themen (tenor sax), Don Weller (tenor sax), John Surman (tenor sax), Roy Babbington (bass), Clark Tracey (drums) at The Band on the Wall, Manchester
thanks for this incredible post Harry. I have just recently discovered Stan Tracey and I am now obsessed. the only pianist that approaches Thelonious Monk. I will check out your other posts. cheers bud.
This piece is called Parson Folds, it is one movement from Stan's 1981 work, The Crompton Suite. Samuel Crompton was the inventor of the spining-jenny, one of the earliest machines to automate the production of cloth. Parson Folds was (from memory) the colourful priest who oversaw Samuel's wedding to his wife Mary. I remember seeing this broadcast go to air, probably 1981-82. Wonderful and very distinctive solos by Weller, Themen and Surman.
This is great. I saw Don, Art and Clark playing together only a week ago with Mornington Lockett, Critch and Andy Cleyndert making up the sextet, all playing as well as ever
Had the privilege to meet Stan Tracey here in Australia some years ago friendly nice guy and a very inventive muscician. John Surman is playing Baritone sax here look at the size of it listen to the sound as well.
Loving watching these Roy Babbington solos, the way he always kept the energy and drive of it going alone while *also* doing terrifically inventive solo, glissing, doubling up, stops. Remember being blown away by those as a young jazz fan in 1970s & 1980s. And I've been looking for one of his signature moves on video -- around 10.10 when he does a huge gliss of poss an octave maybe from a harmonic? How does he do that, pls help!
Have you worked it out in the two years since you posted your question? I asked Roy the same thing when he used to play in Cambridge fairly frequently and we'd spend the intervals talking basses (I used to play). "I don't tell my students that" he said and then told me. Simple really, play the harmonic, hold down the string, slide finger. I think that's it - I sold my bass and can't check now.
What a great upload, interesting to hear John Surman playing in such a 'straight' context. Missed out on all the Punk rock gigs, never went to a rock concert, spent all my young years going to see people like the above, and Chet and Dexter and Pepper Adams. No regrets.
No, he isn’t! They are all on tenors. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen John on tenor or heard him play it. I’ve seen him in concert countless times, always on soprano and baritone. This is rare, although he does finally solo on baritone. Wonderful as ever!
thank you very much for uploading this rare recording. Do you have also the other 10 minutes with the Stan Tracey 6, that were originally broadcasted? Best regards, Johann
Harry Owen anyway, that's the info I found on the web: Recorded January 26 1983, Band On The Wall, Manchester; first broadcast on “4Up 2Down”, Channel 4 TV, February 4, 1983 Parsons Fold 14:24 Sam Loves Mary Loves Sam 9:29
reuabn Thanks for the information. It's a long time since I listened to 'The Crompton Suite' of which the two pieces form a part. I was at the premiere performance of the suite at Bolton Little Theatre in August 1979. On that occasion Tony Coe and Alan Wakeman performed instead of Don Weller and John Surman.
@@reuabn Would this have been a JCS gig? Certainly, Band on the Wall was the venue that they used for their weekly Manchester gigs in late 70's, early 80's.
