Chas Burchell (30 October 1925 - 3 June 1986) was a British saxophonist and composer.
Charles Burchell was born in in London, England. Originally a George Formby fan, Burchell began to learn the ukelele, then guitar, before hearing an Artie Shaw record that inspired him to take up the clarinet and play jazz. Switching to alto saxophone, he started his own quintet in 1943, then tried tenor saxophone before he was drafted into the Royal Air Force. Transferred to the army in 1944, he played in Greece with the British Divisional Band and, following his discharge in 1947, worked in London with the Toni Antone big band.
In 1949 he gave up full-time musicianship and worked in a factory so that he would not have to perform music he did not like in order to make a living: ‘All my playing is playing for love, ’ he told writer Victor Schonfield in 1978. A disciple of Lennie Tristano and a devoted admirer of Warne Marsh, Burchell continued to play part-time, leading his own quintet for more than 20 years, guesting with distinguished visitors such as Clark Terry, Emily Remler and Nathan Davis, and recording for Peter Ind’s Wave label, as well as playing with Ind in the group that supported Tristano on his only UK concert, at Harrogate in 1968.
A wonderfully supple, lyrical tenor saxophonist whose unpredictable twists and turns of phrase recall the style of his idol Marsh, Burchell died of a heart attack in 1986. He remains, in the words of his friend and musical associate, journalist Mike Hennessey, ‘one of the great unsung heroes of British jazz’.
(AllMusic biography)
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For ”Chas Burchell – Unsung Hero − The Undiscovered Genius Of Chas Burchell
(1994 In Out Records)” go here:
https://www.imagenetz.de/dZSoj
1 Juicy Lucy 4:57
2 Bobblin' 3:19
3 Gone Into It 4:09
4 Have You Met Miss Jones 3:53
5 It's You Or No One / Shades 5:12
6 Marsh Bars 4:39
7 Which Way 3:21
8 Just Squeeze Me 7:38
9 Blue Monk 7:26
10 Trickle Toe 4:28
11 Comeback 4:18
12 Sometimes 3:19
13 Sonnymoon For Two 4:47
14 Soleá 5:01
Recorded 1960-85
Chas Burchell, Ronnie Scott, Geoff Carter (tenor saxophone)
Bernard Eppy, Mike Hennessey, Matt Ross (piano)
Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocal)
Brian Wood (trumpet)
Bob Hirschman (trombone)
Alan Simmons (bass)
Mike Scott, Alec Adams, Al Merritt (drums)
Chas Burchell was an obscure and part-time but talented British tenor saxophonist. Early in his career, he became a factory manager so he could stick to playing the music he most loved. Influenced by Warne Marsh and Stan Getz, Burchell led his Chastet for a few decades, up until the time of his 1986 death. He only recorded three times along the way, all sideman appearances on bassist Peter Ind's Wave label. But after his death, Burchell's former sidemen performed at a few benefit concerts in order to raise money for a commemorative CD made out of private tapes, and this disc is the result. Burchell is heard on seven different occasions, all from 1977-1985 with the exception of three songs from 1962. There is also a 1993 version of his song "Solea" as played by the surviving members of the Chastet. In addition to the fine British musicians, the great flügelhornist Clark Terry guests with Burchell on "Just Squeeze Me" and "Blue Monk." Other highlights include "Have You Met Miss Jones?," "Tickle Toe," and a version of "Sonnymoon for Two" that has Burchell holding his own with fellow tenor Ronnie Scott. This is a valuable release that makes it possible for future generations to hear how fine a tenor player Chas Burchell was during his unheralded career. (AllMusic review by Scott Yanow)
A big thank you goes to Denis for suggesting today’s birthday musician and also for the loan of above CD.
wonderful, love the forgotten ones
keep them alive BB!
thanks
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