Chris is a jazz musician, jazz enthusiast and jazz record collector, and leads what is probably the best jazz band of its kind in the world. What follows are his thoughts on various aspects of his love of jazz, playing and listening, and some of his influences.
He collects 78 rpm records, of which he has a large collection (he only rarely buys albums, and then only to cover items not already in his collection). He has bought records in different ways, sometimes purchasing complete collections or more often through auctions either in magazines such as Vintage Jazz Mart, or being sent them by those who know of his interests (mainly Americans). Leading a busy life as a touring musician he rarely has time to search the second-hand record shops. At present Chris is having his house improved and finds very little time to relax and listen to his collection; he thinks his collection is good, but not that good.
Among the artists he collects is Bennie Moten (he is missing only three to make a complete set); he has all the McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, and he is after any Missourians he can find but doubts that he will ever succeed in finding any. He also has many King Olivers on Gennet, Okeh, Paramount, etc. He has virtually all Bessie Smith’s 78s, excluding maybe a couple of second takes, but including what Chris thinks are other takes. Probably the largest part of the collection is made up of Fletcher Henderson records up to the year 1930; he has probably about ninety per cent of the jazz titles (he does not collect the dance or accompaniment 78s). As a blues enthusiast he collects records by Leroy Carr, Big Bill Broonzy, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, Lightnin‘ Hopkins and others; he is also the proud owner of two Robert Johnson 78s (most collectors have none at all!).
Chris has always been interested in jazz, and a natural extension to this enjoyment was a wish to play the music. He listened to live jazz whenever he could, and he still remembers the first time he heard the George Webb Dixielanders; and that was that — play he would. It was in fact Harry Brown (Humphrey Lyttelton’s trombone player in 1948) who sold Chris his first trombone. Playing and touring with the band is now a way of life, and he has no wish to stop, and to use his own words, „I’ve been able to get the right sort of band together and been able to keep the business going so that we have a chance to go on playing.“ He has no plans for retirement.
Some years ago Chris stated that the only piano player he would like to use would be John Lewis as a band member. I asked him about this. „John Lewis was the only one who sat in with us who knew when not to play, which is most of the time. If you listen to the Basie or Ellington Band he never played with the band as a whole, he just occasionally put in bits when the wind instruments were not playing. He didn’t stomp on the rhythm section. Another who played this way was Jelly Roll Morton. The piano is not a rhythm instrument, it is a solo one. There are times when a piano is helpful, however, such as accompanying a singer. It can do things that the present band line-up cannot do. The ultimate thing is probably a piano and one other instrument, such as Eddie Condon and Fats Waller on Minor Drag.“
Chris has played with many guest musicians (mainly Americans), including John Lewis, Louis Jordan, Muddy Waters (the latter two being the most influential on the band), Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Latterly there has been Doctor John (Mac Rebbenack), a singer/pianist whose playing is more in the style of rock, the band getting in the groove together with the piano. There are still other musicians he would like to play with. Two names sprang immediately to mind: Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie. Chris’s influences are various: Honore Dutrey (because he played with King Oliver’s band), Jimmy Archey, and Lawrence Brown; others have been Duke Ellington’s music and Muddy Waters.
In recent years Chris has enjoyed playing with classical orchestras, and one of his very recent recordings includes tracks with the Grosse Rundfunk Orchester Berlin.
When I asked Chris what his most memorable moment was, he quickly told me how he and the band flew to Paris to see Louis Armstrong at the Olympia. „We heard Louis behind the curtain warming up. I was knocked out!“
What about a favourite record by the band? „Not really, the record with the Rundfunk Orchester and the Concerto for Jazz Trombone is good.“ His most treasured moment of playing is not on record, but he does have a tape of himself playing with Muddy Waters at Capital Radio Jazz Festival in July 1979.
Interview: Julian Purser