THE SUNSET MUSIC COMPANY
LIVE in ARNHEM- European Tour 1979

Here is the second authorized release by the legendary Sunset Music Company. This two-CD set presents the full concert the band played in Arnhem, the Netherlands, while on their third European tour. The personnel is the same as on the previously issued Blue Swing CD of the band's night in Dusseldorf (BSR 009), except: John "Butch" Smith, an exciting soprano and alto sax phenomenon--originally from Kansas City--replaced clarinetist Bill Carter, who had fallen ill with pneumonia during the tour. (By the way, Bill's fine, and continues to play his great New Orleans-imbued clarinet in and around northern California).

Just as on the previous CD, the band displays collective ensemble playing, and an esprit d'corps not heard from any but the best New Orleans and Chicago jazz groups of the '30s and '40s. Lueder Ohlwein's hard-swinging banjo playing and his soulful singing were the heart of the band, but everyone made important contributions. With John Smith in for Bill Carter, the band takes off into a "Small Group Swing" direction, often sounding like the jumping little bands from Harlem and Kansas City that put the 1930s "in the groove."

Just like the previous Sunset Music Company CD, this historical recording is a must for trad-to-swing buffs, and anyone who likes hot, honest jazz playing.

Thanks again to the Triangle Jazz Party, a non-profit organization which has produced jazz events and brought jazz into schools around the country, for making this CD possible.

THE SUNSET MUSIC COMPANY
Live in Dusseldorf-1979

Cornet legend Jim Goodwin has been known to Bay Area musicians for more than thirty years. What Dan Barrett calls Jim's "spitfire" cornet was first heard in Europe during Jim's first trip overseas, at the Oude Stijl  (Old Style) Jazz Festival in Breda, Holland in 1976.  Jim returned the following year with Lueder Ohlwein's Sunset Music Company for that band's trip to Breda, and its subsequent tour of Germany. In 1979, this great "New Orleans-cum-Swing" band was again touring Germany.  This recording is from the band's appearance at the "Doctor Jazz" club in Dusseldorf. It's some of Jim's finest playing on any recording.  However, Jim had a lot of help!
 
Throughout the CD, the band displays collective ensemble playing, and an esprit d'corps not heard from any but the best New Orleans and Chicago jazz groups of the '30s and '40s. Lueder Ohlwein's hard-swinging banjo playing and his soulful singing were the heart of the band, but everyone made important contributions. There's Bill Carter's New Orleans-styled clarinet work, heavily influenced by the great Willie Humphrey; young Dan Barrett's brash trombone; Mike Fay's acoustic bass work, reminding one of Pops Foster or Slow Drag Pavageau; Jeff Hamilton's expert drumming, at once conjuring up memories oif Cie Frazier and Big Sid Catlett; and of course Jim Goodwin's old King Silvertone cornet leading the fray.
 
Clarinetist Bill Carter discovered the original tapes from which this exciting new CD was made.  Engineer Bryan Shaw did his usual remarkable job at preparing this 1979 recording for 21st Century ears. The Triangle Jazz Party--a non-profit organization which has produced jazz events and brought jazz into schools around the country--made this CD possible.
 
This historical recording is a must for trad-to-swing buffs, and anyone who likes hot, honest jazz playing.

FOUR PLUS ONE
BED Jazz

BED is a quartet, and this is their fourth terrific CD.  For this session, they invited their friend Jeff Hamilton to join them on the drums; hence the title, Four Plus One. Jeff's subtle, swinging percussion work--featured on half of the selections--adds a new dimension to BED's "chamber-jazz" sound.  The CD features another interesting program of standards and "unexpected" material, as suggested by America's foremost songstress, Rebecca Kilgore. Eddie Erickson's guitar work here puts him in the top echelon of jazz guitarists today, but his very personal, swinging banjo work will amaze you! Like Rebecca, Eddie is also a world-class vocalist. Becky and Eddie are aided and musically abetted by their BED partners, Dan Barrett and Joel Forbes, (and for this release, honorary BED partner, Jeff Hamilton). You will certainly want this exciting new CD by Blue Swing Recordings!