‘World’s Greatest Jazz Band’ At SPAC Lives Its Name
by Bill Rice, The Troy Record, August 16, 1972
It might seem a little presumptuous for a group to go by the name “The World’s Greatest Jazz Band” but not many of the 2,000 or so jazz fans who turned out to see the group at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Monday evening seemed in a mood
Nine superb artists make up the group and they provided a delightful evening of traditional jazz that was a perfect follow-up to the earlier rooted Preservation Hall Jazz Band which appeared several weeks ago.
Members of the group include leaders Yank Lawson on trumpet and bassist Bob Haggart, who are joined by Billy Butterfield on trumpet, Bud Freeman on tenor sax, Bob Wilber on clarinet and soprano sax, Vic Dickenson and Eddie Hubble on trombones, Gus Johnson on drums and Ralph Sutton on piano.
Most Modern
Hubble, on trombone, was the one player in the group who belongs more to the modern than traditional school. His playing was an interesting contrast to the humorous style of Dickenson, which is a story in itself.
We first heard Dickenson 12 years ago on four in Stuttgart, Germany. He doesn’t look a day older, and his playing is better than ever.
Lots of jazzmen are humorous on stage, it seems to go with the profession. But while most clown around for laughs, Dickenson’s humor comes out of his trombone. Many classical composers have utilized the humorous possibilities of this sliding instrument, but no jazz trombonist alive has been able to inject pure fun into his music as Dickenson has.
This wasn’t strictly a Dixieland concert. Much of the ensemble work was arranged. It was almost like taking a riverboat ride north, from the New Orleans’ sound of the Preservation Hall group to the more polished and developed mainstream styles of Kansas City and Chicago.
The group played in about every possible combination one could think of, two trombones, flugelhorn and trumpet, soprano sax and tenor, and one of the most unusual was a comical string bass and percussion duet.
Dickenson and Hubble played Always as a trombone duet, getting a sound reminiscent of the Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson duo of a few years back.
Billie Butterfield was a big voice on trumpet, but his flugelhorn solo in Saint James Infirmary was a jewel.
Trumpeter Yank Lawson was most outstanding on muted solos, while Bud Freeman’s tenor sax solos were warm and smooth. As for drummer Gus Johnson, his middle name must be taste. His duet with bassist Haggart was full of humor, and Haggart was later heard in an extended solo on Carolina In The Morning.
The various combinations were interesting, but we enjoyed the group most when all nine were on stage wailing out plain old dixie as on South Rampart Street Parade and That’s-A-Plenty, which featured pianist Sutton playing in full stride.
The many contributions of Bob Wilber on clarinet and soprano sax marked him as one of the best in the business.
To be honest, they may not really be the world’s greatest jazz band, but they are giving whoever is a real run for their money.
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