[Dixielandjazz] Tommy Whittle RIP

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

I much regret that my fluctuations in health kept me away from Ken Mathieson's Glasgow gig the other night, stuck at home cutting and pasting the occasional obit... 
but of course it was Jimmy Hastings in the Benny Carter band I saw those years ago!
Just one of those slips occasionally made at a certain level, like when people misname the tenor players in Woody Herman's four brothers. 
 
Jimmy Hastings it was I confused with Tommy. Of course this means they were both invited to play in a Benny Carter band, as in the old line about Benny being unable to keep a band together since anybody invited to join him immediately carried a recommendation any other bandleader with the resources would take up. 
I am indeed aware of Ken's part in putting that impressive band together -- but he too does have a deserved reputation for finding the right musicians. 


slainte!
Robert





>________________________________
> From: Ken Mathieson <ken at kenmath.free-online.co.uk>
>To: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>; Robert R. Calder <serapion at btinternet.com> 
>Sent: Friday, 25 October 2013, 21:58
>Subject: re: Tommy Whittle RIP
> 
>
>
> 
>Hi folks,
> 
>Robert wrote that he remembers seeing Tommy in the 
big band which I assembled to work with Benny Carter in the 1987 Glasgow Jazz 
Festival. Tommy was approached about being in the band but was unavailable, as 
was also the case with Goerge Chisholm. The two tenors were in fact Duncan 
Lamont and Jimmy Hastings.
> 
>The Daily Telegraph review cited Tommy as playing 
"in the Stan Getz style" and the Glasgow Herald obit 
>http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/obituaries/tommy-whittle.22487334 cited Don Byas as his model, but Tommy always named Wardell 
Gray as his principal primary influence. When I worked with him in the 1970s and 
80s, he used to stay with us when he was working in Scotland and, during 
after-gig suppers, it was always Wardell Gray LPs he wanted to 
hear..
> 
>Cheers,
> 
>Ken
> 
>
>