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Jesper Thilo: Jesper Thilo & The American Stars
Johnny Griffin
saxophone, tenor1928 - 2008
Among those who included him on their recording sessios in the Danish capital were trumpeters
Clark Terry
trumpet1920 - 2015
Harry "Sweets" Edison
trumpet1915 - 1999
Al Grey
trombone1925 - 2000
Kenny Drew
piano1928 - 1993
Billy Hart
drumsb.1940
Count Basie
piano1904 - 1984
Thilo has often been compared with
Zoot Sims
saxophone, tenor1925 - 1985
Ben Webster
saxophone, tenor1909 - 1973
Once a gangling young man with a page boy haircut and deadpan features, today, age 70, Thilo is an elder statesman of the Danish scene. He studied classical clarinet at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and has played both clarinet and trombone in Dixieland groups.
Jesper Thilo & The American Stars, however, is straight-ahead, swinging jazz, of the sort that used to be called mainstream. The stand-out tracks, both musically and in terms of atmosphere, are those recorded live at Slukefter, a jazz club in the Tivoli fairground, with Sir Roland Hanna (knighted by the President of Liberia). A great composer, two originals showcase his range: the cooking "Now and Then Blues"; and "This Time It's For Real," a lush ballad that, given the breaks, might have achieved standard status.
There are some nice moments among the numbers with Terry, always an interesting player. This session was originally released by Storyville as Tribute To Frog (1980), Frog being one of Ben Webster's nicknames. Thilo turns in a high octane "Cotton Tail" and sometimes sounds more like Webster than Webster on the great man's own "Did You Call Her Today?" and Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance."
The session with Edison produced highly competent swing, though the version of "Body And Soul" is marred by heavy-handed drumming from Svend-Erik Nørregaard.
Grey was a quintessentially happy trombonist, best remembered for his stints with Basie in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His own "I'm Hungry Sabina" and Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night In Tunisia" showcase his talents to perfection.
Throughout and on his own quartet tracks, Thilo holds his own with great aplomb, sometimes even eclipsing his distinguished guests. ">
Track Listing
CD1: Did You Call Her Today? My Romance; Just One Of Those Things; Save Your Love For Me; Cherokee; On The Trail; Like Someone In Love; Old Folks; Stella By Starlight; God Bless The Child; On The Sunny Side Of The Street. CD2: Cotton Tail; Star Dust; Body And Soul; Rose Room; Wave; You Stepped Out Of A Dream; Blue And Sentimental; Sweets To My Sweet; Now And Then Blues; Cherokee; Segue In C; A Night In Tunisia; I'm Hungry Sabina; The Girl From Ipanema. CD3: Sunday; Frog Eyes; Mumbles; This Time It's For Real; Star Eyes; Body And Soul; Just Jazz; The Vanguard Groove; There Will Never Be Another You; Medley: Lover Man/Embraceable You; Satin Doll; Sophisticated Lady; Ballad For Jesper.
Personnel
Jesper Thilo: tenor saxophone; Clark Terry: trumpet (CD1#1-2, CD2#1- 3); Kenny Drew: piano (CD1#1-2, CD1#3-5, CD2#1-5, CD3#12-13,); Jesper Lundgaard: bass (CD1#1-2, CD1#6-7, CD2#1-3, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Svend-Erik Nørregaard: drums (CD1#1-2, CD1#6-7, CD2#1-3, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Mads Vinding: bass (CD1#3-5, CD1#8-9, CD2#4-5, CD2#9-11, CD3#4-6, CD3#12-13); Billy Hart: drums (CD1#3-5, CD2#4-5, CD3#12-13); Harry "Sweets" Edison: trumpet (CD1#6-7, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Ole "Kock" Hansen: piano (CD1#6-7, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Ole Ousen: guitar (CD1#6-7, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Hugo Rasmussen (CD1#6-7, CD2#6-8, CD3#9-11); Sir Roland Hanna: piano (CD1#8-9, CD2#9-11, CD3#4-6); Mads Vinding: bass(CD1#8-9, CD2#9- 11, CD3#4-6); Aage Tanggaard: drums(CD1#8-9, CD2#9-11, CD3#4-6); Al Grey: trombone (CD1#10-11. CD2#12-14. CD3#7-8); Ole Kock Hansen: piano(CD1#10-11. CD2#12-14. CD3#7-8); Hugo Rasmussen: bass(CD1#10-11. CD2#12-14. CD3#7-8); Alex Riel: drums(CD1#10-11. CD2#12-14. CD3#7-8).
Album information
Title: Jesper Thilo & The American Stars | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Storyville Records
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