Ted Heath At The London Palladium - Vol. 4

Prelude To Percussion

Ted Heath At The London Palladium
Volume 4
Recorded - August 21, 1955
London Records LL 1379

Personnel:
Trumpets - Bobby Pratt, Duncan Campbell, Bert Ezard, Eddie Blair
Trombones - Wally Smith, Don Lusher, Jimmy Coombes, Ric Kennedy
Altos - Roy Willox, Les Gilbert
Clarinet, Tenor - Henry Mackenzie
Tenor - Danny Moss
Baritone - Ken Kidder
Piano - Frank Horrox
Bass - Johnny Hawksworth
Drums - Ronnie Verrel
Tenor (added for My Funny Valentin and I Didn't Know What Time It Was) - Don Rendell

From the back cover: All good things must come to an end sometime and the long series of Ted Heath Swing Sessions which started in 1945 closed with the One Hundred and Ninth concert on August 12, 1955. The march of events had decreed that the new Independent Television service would be using the London Palladium on Sunday evenings and the Swing Sessions, which had made this famous theatre their home, made way for a weekly variety show. As London had already recorded the music at three previous Palladium concerts it was only right that the last in the series should form the subject of a long-playing record.

Memories not only of the past Swing Sessions but also of the Heath band's history were uppermost in the mid of the regular patrons. Since its debut over ten years previously, Ted Heath and his Music had witnessed some exciting musical events. Several of the musicians who had passed through the ranks had become band-leaders themselves; men such as Kenny Baker, Tommy Whittle, Ronnie Scott, Johnny Gray, Jack Parnell and Basil Kirchin. Amongst the American guest artists who made their appearance at past Session were Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Herb Jeffries and the Deep River Boys as well as many new and established British bands, instrumentalists and singers.

Many arrangers had written specifically for the band, inspired by its efficiency and its stimulating appeal. Pianist Tadd Dameron wrote Lyonia and re-arranged his previous work So Easy for Ted Heath. George Shearing scored Tadd's Ladybird while Johnny Dankworth was responsible for the transcription of Denzil Best's Move. Ed Finkel composed Turn On The Heath and Sy Oliver contributed Big Ben Bounce. John Lewis sent in some arrangements while he was in Europe with Dizzy Gillespie during 1948 to be added to manuscripts by such local arrangers as Wally Scott, Alan Bristowe and Reg Owen.

In later years the brunt of the staff arranging has fallen to the lot of Johnny Keating although Ted has still commissioned occasional outside composers. At the time of the last Swing Session Stan Kenton arranger Bill Russo was completing his English Suite for Ted Heath while earlier in the year Kenny Graham had written the Australian Suite in honor of the band's tour of that Continent. In the present album all the arrangements are by Johnny Keating with the exception of The Nearness Of You, Devil And The Deep Blue Sea and Nola scored by Frank Horrox, Alan Roper and Johnny Hawksworth respectively. Reg Owen penned the opening ensemble chorus of Prelude To Percussion while Johnny Hawksworth sketched out the routine for the small group Hallelujah.

From Billboard - March 31, 1956: The Heath band is due in this country soon, and excellent LP's like this one are bound to benefit from its appearances. The big modern-swing band is eclectic, but it swings powerfully and suavely, performs with a high degree of precision, and boasts several excellent modern soloists. This LP was recorded at an actual concert, with guest tenorman Don Rendell featured on two specialties, and he impresses as a topnotcher. Ditto for clarinetist Henry MacKenzie and trumpeters Eddie Blair and Bobby Pratt. Herman-Les-Brown-Kenton fans can accept this band on comparable terms.

The Great Lie
The Boogie Blues
My Funny Valentine
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
The Nearness Of You
Short Stop
Prelude To Percussion
King Porter Stomp
Nola
Wood Chopper's Ball
Hallelujah
Manhattan
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Listen To My Music