1956 A JAZZ JUBILEE

Pete Long Big Band

Cadogan Hall

1956 was a very good year for jazz and swing fans. Why? Because it was the start of an era when three classic albums were released in quick succession by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. Add to the mix later LPs from Count Basie and the stars of JATP and you’ve got a wave of gloriously unrepeatable musical triumphs. But WAS it? Unrepeatable we mean. How could anyone recreate the hysteria when Paul Gonsalves unleashed that tumultuous tenor sax solo with Ellington’s orchestra at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival? Then there was Frank Sinatra’s magical Songs for Swinging Lovers with arrangements by Nelson Riddle that topped the UK album chart early that year, closely followed by Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book.

Hot on their heels and hi-hats came The Atomic Mr. Basie (1958) with arrangements by Neal Hefti that revolutionised the sound and scope of big band music with explosive effect. The answer to our question how was provided by the Jazz Repertory Company that boldly revisited five of the above albums at their sensational Cadogan Hall Jazz Jubilee concert. (September 27th, 2026). A full blown big band led by Musical Director and tenor sax man Pete Long joined by a brace of sultry singers unleashed a wonderful celebration of the music that made the 1950s swing – one more time.

On arriving at the venue just off Sloane Square, Chelsea, ticket holders were met by a stage dressed to impress in an array of gleaming brass instruments, woodwinds, a glossy grand piano, a DW drum kit and a double bass parked on its side.

This was an artistic statement even before a musician appeared and a note was played. Then leader Pete Long made his entrance stage left, only to retreat until the applause was loud enough! Without further ado the brass stormed into ‘Jeep’s Blues’ a highlight of Ellington at Newport.

IT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME

And to our astonishment, we heard the unmistakable sound of Johnny Hodges playing alto saxophone at his most passionate. Except it wasn’t ‘Rabbit’ Hodges. It was Simon Marsh paying tribute to the legendary Ellingtonian (who passed away in 1970) with an astonishing performance that won the first ovation of the evening.

Then the delightful Vimala Rowe was welcomed into the spotlight in the role of her heroine Ella Fitzgerald. Clad in a long black dress she delivered with passion and humour Cole Porter’s most familiar hits, including ‘Too Darn Hot’ and ‘Anything Goes.’ Vimala’s most moving moment came when she sang ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’ then swung like mad on ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’ She would return later to deliver more Songbook fare including an up tempo ‘It’s Alright With Me’ to cheers and applause.

Meanwhile Pete Long explained the shattering impact of the next part of the evening’s Jazz Jubilee celebration. It was a bold performance of those Hefti arrangements from The Atomic Mr. Basie an LP that encouraged Humphrey Lyttelton to describe as having the impact of ‘A Henry Moore sculpture’. We can remember hearing ‘The Kid From Red Bank’ and ‘Splanky’ for the first time with our schoolmates and virtually collapsing over the turntable.

Nick Dawson provided the authentic Basie piano interludes while it was Dean Masser and Jon Shenoy who blew those exciting tenor sax solos originally delivered by Frank Foster and Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis.

When guitarist Dave Chamberlain picked out those delicate Freddie Green chords on ‘Lil Darlin’’ it set the scene for a muted trumpet solo from Mark Armstrong all played at a perfect tempo, like cats padding around a room.

THE ATOMIC MR. LONG

“Hold on to your hats folks” warned Pete Long as ‘Whirly Birds’ one of the most atomic of all orchestral arrangements ‘ere devised was detonated by the dynamic drumming of Richard Pite. Incidentally Mr. Pite was a powerhouse though out the evening, even when playing quietly on his cymbals let alone delivering thunderous tom tom and snare drum breaks and solos.

Now it was time for Frank Sinatra to make his Las Vegas cabaret style appearance singing with calm and cool assurance a medley from ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ to ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ . Actually it was Iain Mackenzie adopting the role of Old Blue Eyes of course and the band give him the support that would have pleased both Frank and Oliver Nelson. A highlight apart from Iain’s velvety voice was a great trombone solo by Andy Flaxman on ‘Under My Skin’ and a rival trumpet excursion from Luke Young.

After an interlude we were whisked back to the future with a Norman Granz Jazz At The Philharmonic recreation. First we relaxed with Nick Dawson as Oscar Peterson playing ‘Tenderly’ only to be aroused by a tenor sax battle staged by Pete Long and teamed with Dean Masser and Jon Shenoy blowing in the style of Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips and Arnett Cobb. Great fun!

Richard Pite, our drummin’ man evolved into Sonny Payne for the next Basie interlude with a jubilant ‘Shiny Stockings’ and emotive ‘April In Paris’ all blessed with appropriate trumpet solos by Luke Lane and Andy Greenwood. The latter performance followed in the tradition of Thad Jones whose 1955 recording included the famous quote from ‘Pop Goes The Weasel’.

It was cabaret time again when Iain as Frank Sinatra asked us ‘How About You?’ and Vimala joined him for a finger snapping ‘You’re Sensational’ and ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?’ from the hit movie High Society.

Pete Long then told us the story of that night at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, when the crowd went berserk. It was all captured live on the LP that featured Paul Gonsalves blowing up a hypnotic series of choruses on ‘Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue.’ I actually saw Mr. Gonsalves playing that very piece with the Duke at the Gaumont State Kilburn in 1958 and never envisioned seeing it all being so well re-enacted some sixty eight years later, all thanks to towering tenor sax man Dean Masser.

Did Pete say he loved us dearly amidst the uproar in Cadogan Hall in these final emotional moments? No – but he did cue in a rousing ‘Rock Around The Clock’ that had the audience clapping along like 1950s teenagers. Yep, a lot happened in 1956 a year heralded by a Duke, a Count and Bill Haley & The Comets. It was all fun then and still is today, many moons later. And that’s alright with me.

CHRIS WELCH