BillF

Hoochie Coochie Man Pieter de Hooch Henry Boozier

Knobby Totah Bob Porter Sister Carrie

Soprano Summit Mervyn Peake

Stu Williamson Friar Tuck Little Tommy Tucker

Julian Adderley Hermione Baddeley Bo Diddley

Morticia Addams Mort Sahl Voldemort Lansley

Darryl F Zanuck Darryl Fixit Bicycle Repairman

A J P Taylor A R P Jones (a character from my WW2 Cardiff childhood) Jean Arp

William Wrigley Jr Chew Berry Monica Mint from Madrid

Bird Al Klink Ronnie Corbett

Tam O'Shanter Halle Berry Sir John Barbirolli

Sleepy Stein Jug Two Jags Sorry Paul!

Dennis Mackrel Amy Sky Sky Saxon

Bobby Seale Samantha the Panther David Cameron

Michael Cacoyannis Cat Shatner Ronnie Scott

Knuckles O'Toole Chuckles the Clown The Chuckle Brothers

Woodrow Wyatt Wilson Pickett Harold Wislon

I have that album, John, but never thought the Holman arrangements sounded quite right with Basie. For Basie of that period, I much prefer listening to the Sammy Nestico albums.

Peter, Paul and Mary Mary Peters Mary

Fascinating, John! I was 19 at the time - in my first year at Manchester University. I and a friend sat on the front row a few feet in front of the saxophone section and I recall Frank Foster laughing at my "sent" reaction to the band. Marshall Royal seemed very smooth, frequently turning round and giving cues to the band. Anchorman Charlie Fowlkes was a very heavily built guy who looked like he was going to burst out of his band uniform pants! I remember Joe Newman and Frank Wess running out to the front for "Midgets" and the program included lots of items from the Atomic Mr Basie album. Those were the days!

I see it's Basie time for you too, John. I've just been giving this a listen: Cook and Morton prefer the later small group Basie sessions with big names like Lockjaw and Hubbard, but I think that Kansas City 6 date with Willie Cook and Cleanhead takes some beating. I see it's Basie time for you too, John. I've just been giving this a listen: Cook and Morton prefer the later small group Basie sessions with big names like Lockjaw and Hubbard, but I think that Kansas City 6 date with Willie Cook and Cleanhead takes some beating. Yes, Bill, over the last month or so I've made it a little project to listen to all my Basie sides, with particular attention to LP's (and still a ways to go because I can't listen to one artist straight through, not even Basie). I'll tell you those latter-day Basie Pablo dates are mighty enjoyable (despite the sloppy Granz productions which often fail to identify soloists and arrangers). Sound is usually good, though. That Kansas City 6 date is notable for some fine playing by Cook, Cleanhead Vinson and especially NHOP, who weighs in with some really heavy and gutsy bass work, quite different from his style with say, Oscar Peterson. My next Basie LP later this afternoon is : Count Basie and His Orchestra - "The Count in England -The Great 1959 Band in Concert" (Jazz Groove) - can't find an image for it on the 'net. This is probably it, albeit microscopic: Wonder where it was recorded. Saw the Basie band in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester late in 1959. Sat on the front row and was blown away!

Heinrich Boll Eccles & Pollock Professor David Nutt