THIS WEEK'S concert by Georgie Fame and the Richie Buckley Quartet was a joyously jazz drenched occasion which with one exception left only happy memories. The exception? The treatment, dismissive in fact, if not in intent, of guest singer Dorothy Murphy, which allowed her only a derisory single number and that shared with Fame - instead of the solo features she was apparently promised. It was the only sour note, in a night full of the uncomplicated pleasures of, swinging jazz in the hands of superior musicians.
Apart from Fame, whose knowledge of, and delight in, jazz of man eras was abundantly evident throughout, his supporting group - Richie Buckley (tenor), Hugh Buckley (guitar), Dave Fleming (bass) and John Wadham (drums) - were exactly right. Whether essaying straight ahead jazz, something close to rhythm n blues, or the country blues style of Mose Allison, they were totally ad idem for what was wanted. And with Fame in excellent vocal form, as well as suitably idiomatic on Hammond organ, it was a case of sit back and enjoy.
The material was wide ranging blues by Lester Young (Jumpin With Symphony Sid), Harry Edison (Centerpiece), Milt Jackson (Bluesology), some typically, idiosyncratic Mose Allison things (Cool Cat Blues and Parchman Farm), an old Fame hit (Yeh Yeh), and some fine standards several of which featured Fame's words to jazz solos by the late, great trumpeter, Chet Baker. And it was these standards that provided the finest music of the night, notably But Not For Me, How Long Has This Been Going On? and It Could Happen To You, on which Fame and the group achieved a groove of rare relaxation and togetherness. But the overriding memory of a night full of good things was Richie Buckley's solos on those three songs and, especially, on a fourth standard, Hoagy Carmichael's, Georgia, where his lyricism, imagination and control put everything else in the shade. Tenor playing of this calibre is a privilege to hear.
