CD/LP/Track Review
Oliver Jackson: The Last Great Concert
The late Oliver Jackson had one foot in each of the major jazz camps, bop and swing. Out of Detroit, he performed with some of the first rate boppers from that city like Tommy Flanagan and Paul Chambers as well as working with Eddie Locke and Yusef Lateef. But he also played with some of the great swingsters and traditional jazzers like Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Charlie Shavers and Buck Clayton.
This 1993 live concert was Jackson's last before his death the following year and he is definitely wearing his swing/traditional hat for this one. Heading up a group of expert musicians of the same bent, this album provides more than 70 minutes of pulsating, mostly jam session tempo jazz of the highest caliber. Both in ensemble and as soloists, each member of the group is at the top of his form, almost as if they had a premonition that the fine drummer was not to be around much longer. Whatever the motivation, the concert clearly was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience and will be savored by the purchasers of the album. The group consists of veteran players like one of the giants of the English jazz scene, tenor man Danny Moss, pianist Brian Dee and bassist Len Skeat who are whipped together with those from later generations like tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, reedman Antti Sarpila and trumpet player Randy Sandke. For dessert, Moss' wife, vocalist Jeanie Lamb lends her vocal skills to Ann Ronnel's "Willow Weep for Me". All of this is driven by the Sid Catlett like energy of Oliver Jackson's drums.
No one cut stands out above the rest. Each of the tunes runs for enough time so that most or all of the instrumentalists can make their unique statement. One of the few ballads, "What's New", gets a poignant trumpet reading from Sandke, with Dee's light fingered, flittering piano laying down a velvet backdrop. "Stealin' Apples" recalls Jackson's tenure with Benny Goodman, with Antti Sarpilla taking the clarinet solo.
The German label Nagel Heyer continues to release copious quantities of high quality mainstream music played by major jazz performers. This live concert by Oliver Jackson is in keeping with the company's lofty standards and is recommended. See what else this record company to offer at their Internet site,www.nagelheyer.de.
Track Listing: Stompy Jones; Sabine's Jazz Arena; A Ghost of a Chance; Jumpin' at the Woodside; Crossing the Border; What's New; Stealin' Apples; If Dreams Come True; Will You Still Be Mine; Willow Weep for Me; Satin Doll; It Don't Mean a Thing (if It Ain't Got That Swing)
Personnel: Oliver Jackson - Drums/Leader; Randy Sandke - Trumpet; Harry Allen, Danny Moss - Tenor Saxophone; Antti Sarpila - Tenor Saxophone/Clarinet; Jerry Tilitz - Trombone; Brian Dee - Piano; Len Skeat - Bass; Jeanie Lambe - Vocals
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Post your comment on Oliver Jackson's The Last Great Concert.
- mario rezai wrote on 2009-10-14 03:37:30 [ REPORT ]
This guy was one of the best drummer ever. He was involved in many international tours and was close to Buddy Rich. One day when I was visiting him in his hotel in Nice (NIZZA) France, where they played 10 days of jazz Festival (July 4th-July 14th) I found him by the swimming pool with Buddy(Johny Carson's Band director) just a year or 2 before Buddy died. Buddy liked him and he liked many of the musicians (near 100 players go to France at this time) I had good times and good memories with Oliver anytime he went to Europe. I always made time to go to Nice to see him there. He liked Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, sonny Rollins, and so many others as his own family. He also joined with B.B. King sometimes.
He was built small and not chubby. He had good stamina as it is required to be playing such instrument. He was not too found of Blues and he kept telling me that blues bored him 123..123..123.. He was a drum teacher and a very active drummer. He had a very unique technique in playing the drums. He laughed at some of the drum players in the way they played. I miss him.
