From Gary Carner's "Pepper Adams' Joy Road", this was broadcast on September 3, 1969 from Søborg, Denmark. Personnel, left to right: Trumpets: Danny Moore, Snooky Young, Al Porcino, Richard Williams. Trombones: Cliff Heather (bass tb), Eddie Bert, Ashley Fennell, Jimmy Knepper. Saxes: Joe Henderson, Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams. Piano: Roland Hanna. Bass: Richard Davis. Drums: Mel Lewis. Conductor, flugelhorn and cowbell: Thad Jones.
Personnel: Thad Jones (flhrn) Snooky Young, Al Porcino, Richard Williams, Danny Moore (tp) Jimmy Knepper, Eddie Bert, Astley Fennell (tb) Cliff Heather (b-tb) Jerry Dodgion (as,fl) Jerome Richardson (as) Eddie Daniels, Joe Henderson (ts) Pepper Adams (bar) Sir Roland Hanna (p) Richard Davis (b) Mel Lewis (d) Soburg, Denmark; September 3, 1969.
Met Jerry Dogian in Boca Raton, fla at Michael Fagin's daughter' wedding. I was in the wedding party band led by Tony Nicolosi. Jerry came up to me on a break, complemented me and the band for sounding so good without charts. Asked me my name and i asked his. My jaw hit the ground. Boy did the band sober up and fly right the last top 40 dance set!!
Fantastic! You can FEEL the great Spirit of New York City in Thads brilliant writing. Beautiful solos by Thad, Snooky and Jerome..and great lead trumpet by AL Porcino..holding his horn up and projecting both Soul and Spirit most respectfully..Vaughn 🎺
You must be very proud. He was a solid anchor to this stellar trombone section. Also looks like Eddie Bert and Jimmy Knepper sitting next to your grandpa in the trombone section. The whole band took the jazz world by storm back then. These arrangements have made their way throughout the jazz education network in the US, Europe and Asia. A gift to the world!!
Have been playing 10 days in a big band course in 1979, directed by the great Thad Jones (1923 - 1986); this was an exciting experience, which I never shall forget. A very inspiring man. Sadly that he's is no more around.
Cliff was a maniac! He could outblow the entire band. Saw in the fall of 1969 at the Vanguard sitting a a tiny table right next to him. Got to read his "book" the whole night! Also in the section Don Sebesky, eddie bert and jimmy cleveland. Amazing orchestra. Alan Grant did the introduction to the band on the Monday night album!
This is the tightest performance of Central Park North I've heard. Thad Jones' arrangements actually require this precision to get how well he said what he was trying to say. Jerome Richardson's solo is most imaginative and at the same time scholarly.
Ah, the one and only, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax lead in the stellar sax section gives it the snap, crackle and pop that was the trademark of this band back then. This was New York’s finest brought together by Hank and Mel. The band took the world by storm then and it still is as fresh as a daisy today! Thanks for posting!!
Thanks Urbina for the complete run down. With Groove Merchant we have funk with taste and intelligence and wonderful arranging. I remember seeing Mel Lewis swing the Stan Kenton band in Milwaukee in the mid-50s. I've since heard Kenton didn't like swinging all that much. He was trying to sound more like "classical" composers.
Thad Jones, il faut l'avoir vu et entendu chez Max au Vanguard, "animait", càd donnait une âme au Big Band qu'il codirigeait avec Mel Lewis. Ceci explique cela ...
Richard Davis' solution to the dreaded bass solo. Or he was just trying to define the groove. Actually I love Davis's daring solo on Screamin' Blues Night Train when he goes outside. Maybe he just likes to add an element of surprise whenever he can. The life of the party, so to speak.
... eine wahrhafte Traum-Konstellation in der Besetzung. Ich behaupte HIER waren Sie am Höhepunkt Ihrer Klangqualität. Danach in den 70ern waren mit die Arrangements zu fahrig und überlastet im Aufbau. MANCHMAL zu viel Musik für Musiker. Wenn heute ein Jazzorchester die kaufbaren Stücke erwirbt, sind es IMMER DIE welche in den gezeigten SW-Filmen vorkommen. Hier stimmt die Vielfalt der Spielwaren Ideen mit der festen Struktur eines Jazz-Orchesters. Klare Trennung der Bläsersektionen und kein Klangteppich, der vom ursprünglichen Jazz wegführt in konzertante Beliebigkeit.
Thad wrote and arranged not all but the majority of the songs that this big band played while he was with them as co-leader with Mel Lewis. Thad is regarded as one of the most significant composers/arrangers of this music, a total genius with perfect pitch and photographic memory who could and often would hand write all parts without the use of a musical instrument. Also a super killing trumpet player, one of the all time great bop soloists imo.
