Apparently, Australian trombonist Ed Wilson’s big band comes in two
delectable flavors, “regular” and “wacky.” Having already reviewed a
splendid new CD, Song for Joel, by the regular ensemble, we now
turn our gaze toward the wackier group. Unlike its staid counterpart, the
Wacky Big Band employs the services of a vocalist, Jeff Duff, on seven of
the seventeen selections in this June ’02 concert performance. The
group also accommodates other vocals by Marty Hill (“Running Bear”) and
seventeen “very wacky” musicians (“Teddy Bears’ Picnic”). What one
senses immediately is that the band’s revue at the South Sydney
Leagues Club was pure fun, as much visual as aural. That means, alas,
that half the mirth has gone missing as one can hear the band and
audience reaction, but can’t also see what is taking place onstage —
which, according to Sylvia Raye and Mark Bowden’s liner notes, lays bare
“a carnival atmosphere . . . modern vaudeville . . . fast, furious and
chaotic.” One observation that brooks no argument is that Wilson’s
ensemble, wacky or no, is sharp, well-rehearsed and highly professional.
Tackling offbeat material and charts (most by Wilson) that would
challenge even the most seasoned bands, these gentlemen never once
drop the ball, in spite of costume changes, comedy bits and various
hijinks designed to entertain an audience and keep the customers
coming back for more.
After a shaky start on “Mack the Knife,” Duff, an audacious,
swaggering former punk rocker—and a snazzy cross-dresser, according to
the album’s booklet—quickly reclaims his balance. He's quite impressive
on “Bad Habits” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and really hits his stride on
“Mr. Bojangles” and “I’m a Believer” (abetted on the latter by full-time
saxophonist and part-time “preacher” David Glyde). For someone with his
free-spirited resumé, Duff seems not the least bit out of place or
uncomfortable in front of a rafter-rattling Jazz ensemble. Meanwhile, the
orchestra knifes through such uncommon fare as Chuck Mangione’s
“Children of Sanchez,” Henry Mancini’s theme from “Peter Gunn,”
Wilson’s “Take It Easy” and the gospel tune “This Ol’ House” while
meticulously revising two chapters from the Maynard Ferguson library,
“Birdland” and “MacArthur Park.” Duff sings the anthem “Advance Australia
Fair,” and there are marvelous arrangements by Wilson of “Battle Hymn of
the Republic” (combined with “Dixie,” or as the Aussies prefer, “Glory,
Glory to South Sydney”) and the traditional “Waltzing Matilda” before those
“seventeen wacky musicians” ring down the curtain with a brief but
whimsical version of “Teddy Bears’ Picnic” (wish we could have seen that
one). As we’ve remarked often that big bands (and Jazz groups as a
whole) should be entertaining as well as hip, Ed Wilson’s Wacky Big
Band warrants an enthusiastic thumbs-up, even though a video would
have been even more delightful (the photos on the album cover and insert
are positively tantalizing).
Contact: Wilson Publishing, P/L, P.O. Box 519, Terrigal, NSW,
2260, Australia. Phone (02) 4384 1436; fax (02) 4384 6109; web sites ,
www.wilsonpubcom.au and
www.netspace.net.au/~wellsm/wacky/ ; email ed@wilsonpub.com.au
Track listing: Children of Sanchez; Mack the Knife; Peter Gunn; Bad Habits; Take It
Easy; Bad, Bad Leroy Brown; Birdland; Minnie the Moocher; This Ol’
House; Mr. Bojangles; Running Bear; Battle Hymn of the Republic; I’m a
Believer; MacArthur Park; Advance Australia Fair; Waltzing Matilda; Teddy
Bears’ Picnic (68:17).
Personnel: Ed Wilson, leader, trombone; Jeff Duff, vocals; Trevor Griffin, Casey
Greene, David Glyde, Marty Hill, Steve Fitzmaurice, reeds; Danny May,
Ross Connors, Anthony Gulick, Ralph Pyl, Tim Egan, trumpet; Anthony
Bartlett, Mark Barnsley, Mark Brown, trombone; Rod Herbert, bass
trombone; Tony Gardner, piano; Saul Richardson, guitar; David Clayton,
bass; John Morrison, drums; Esther Wilson, percussion.
Style: Big Band
Published: January 02, 2003
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Apparently, Australian trombonist Ed Wilson’s big band comes in two
delectable flavors, “regular” and “wacky.” Having already reviewed a
splendid new CD, Song for Joel, by the regular ensemble, we now
turn our gaze toward the wackier group. Unlike its staid counterpart, the
Wacky Big Band employs the services of a vocalist, Jeff Duff, on seven of
the seventeen selections in this June ’02 concert performance. The
group also accommodates other vocals by Marty Hill (“Running Bear”) and
seventeen “very wacky” musicians (“Teddy Bears’ Picnic”). What one
senses immediately is that the band’s revue at the South Sydney
Leagues Club was pure fun, as much visual as aural. That means, alas,
that half the mirth has gone missing as one can hear the band and
audience reaction, but can’t also see what is taking place onstage —
which, according to Sylvia Raye and Mark Bowden’s liner notes, lays bare
“a carnival atmosphere . . . modern vaudeville . . . fast, furious and
chaotic.” One observation that brooks no argument is that Wilson’s
ensemble, wacky or no, is sharp, well-rehearsed and highly professional.
Tackling offbeat material and charts (most by Wilson) that would
challenge even the most seasoned bands, these gentlemen never once
drop the ball, in spite of costume changes, comedy bits and various
hijinks designed to entertain an audience and keep the customers
coming back for more.
