Stomp Off CD-1258 1993 20 tracks, ? min

I Love My Baby, Black Gal, Do You Ever Think Of Me, Porto Rico, Casey Jones, Baby I’d Love To Steal You, It’s Right There For You, Bright Eyes Goodbye, Old Time Blues, The Smiler Rage, Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet, It Looks Like A Good Time Tonight, Those Draftin’ Blues, It’s A Long Way To Tipperary, Dusty, When I Leave The World Behind, Don’t Go ‘Way Nobody, I’m Afraid To Come Home In The Dark, Make Me A Pallet/Making Runs, Big Chief Battle Axe

This CD was sent to me as a present by my cybermate Bengt from Gothenburg. To be honest it is a bit of a worry. You see, it is nice smooth rolling jazz, but it does not set me alight. It is not that the musos are naf, in fact they are rather good with Chris providing a punchy cornet/trumpet and the others providing a sound that is well woven together, but they just don’t ignite as you expect a traditional jazz band to. However, having said that, I find I keep playing the CD at work as it is very nice for background music. Add to that the fact that it contains many little recorded songs and you actually find that you wouldn’t want to do with out the CD. Strange eh!

Music Mecca CD 4054-2 2004,12 tracks, 67 min

When My Dreamboat Comes Home, Sugar Blues, Mama Inez, Old Rugged Cross, When I Leave The World Behind, Breeze, On Treasure Island, Mama’s Gone Goodbye, Begonia, One Sweet Letter From You, True, American Soldier (Bugle Boy March)

As always with New Orleans Delight the interest is always in just how they are going to sound. Yes, I know they always sound good, but how have they made the slight shift in their sound to accommodate and match their current guest. This time they host American Chris Tyle. Now I have a CD of Chris with his Silver Leaf Jazz Band, so I know just how he sounds when at home. Although I enjoy that CD, I feel Chris and the band lack ‘whomph’. That can’t be said of this recording of him with NOD. This CD has all the drive and enthusiasm you expect with Kjeld and his boys and they have carried Chris along with them.

With Silver Leaf Chris plays either cornet or trumpet, but with NOD he also gets to play on his metal clarinet. Knowing Kjeld he was encouraged in this as Mr Brandt do love his metal clarinet and takes great pleasure in playing with others who have the same taste. Now one might expect problems with two clarinets in the front line of a jazz band, but Chris and Kjeld are exceptional here and never, ever, use the same air space, with Kjeld normally letting Chris take the lead whilst he under weaves him. On many of the tunes with the two clarinets, Kjeld uses an alto clarinet, which helps define who is playing what. The combination perhaps could be said to reach its apex on ‘Breeze’ with the result being an interpretation of the tune that must be reckoned as one of the finest around. Now what I am waiting for is for Kjeld to find an excuse to use the yellow plastic clarinet he once admitted he owned!

I think Chris Tyle really enjoyed himself playing and singing with NOD as the music on the album has such verve. My only problem now is that I will have to lend the CD to my old dad who is always asking me if I have anything new by ‘That Delight band’. He knows I had a package from Denmark arrive the other day and he has been sniffing around trying to find out what was in it. Why is that a problem? He likes NOD so much I can’t get the CDs back off him unless I either threaten him with taking legal action to recover my property, or I wait until he goes out and then spend time having a rummage around to see if I can find where he has hidden them. Think I am exaggerating? Buy this CD or any of NOD’s and you will find out just why both he and I like listening to them so much.

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