[Dixielandjazz] BG's UK Band & John McLevy

[Ken Mathieson]

On 10 October, Bill wrote:

snip>
I note that the inner sleeve booklet of the LP includes four  
photographs of a trumpet and fluglehorn player.
All look like the same person, so I assume it to be John McLevy.
A man with a 'high forehead'.
There are no captions to the pics and no personnel given anywhere on  
the LP album.
However, my files provide full personnel details.
Now all I have to do is relisten to the 2 LPs and absorb the music  
more closely, while listening out for Mr McLevy.
<snip

Hi Bill et all,

Here's a link to a photo of John McLevy, which should help you identify if he's the man on your LP liner notes:
www.jazzphotographsbysuestorey.co.uk/photo_1595216.html 

To identify him aurally, John's big feature with BG was Baubles, Bangles and Beads, but I'm sure he soloed on other tracks too, as I know BG held his playing in the highest regard. Once you've digested  Baubles, you should be able to spot his solos elsewhere. He had a distinctive way of using dissonant notes and holding on to them until they resolved into consonant notes, which I always thought was a pretty neat way of keeping the audience awake, while simultanously giving the band a laugh. Incidentally if any list members know Bucky Pizzarelli and want to know more about John McLevy, just ask Bucky about him: they were great pals.

Regards,

Ken Mathieson
www.classicjazzorchestra.org.uk