Play 90 second soundbite of 'Dippermouth Blues' @ 'CD quality'
As part of the series, 'Just About As Good As It Gets!', this Ken Colyer collection gives you a chance to re-visit British jazz that was born following the devastation of WWII. Yes, Colyer was very New Orleans in style; prominent bass and plenty of percussive elements (washboard etc) added a new 'zing', maybe even elements of flippancy, to the music that was trying very hard to break through on these shores. The happy, up-lifting feel of much of the New Orleans style was probably the difference between make or break in the UK; Britain needed joy and positivity after the war and New Orleans jazz squeezed its way into our homes as radio coverage moved from being very 'British' and straight laced to at least allowing some of what the public were crying out for. Ken Colyer was certainly a prime-mover in the success of jazz in Britain and together with several like-minded jazz artists of the era he helped to change the way Britain listened to its music.
This album is a beautifully honest compilation that clearly errs on the side of New Orleans jazz and interestingly suggests many of the elements that became so successful as skiffle which in turn became rockabilly, rock'n'roll etc - and so it goes on, the development of modern music from works that people like Ken Colyer had to fight to get aired. It all seems so ridiculous now but back then these guys really had a fight on their hands to get their music heard, understood and excepted.
Listening to 'Ken Colyer - Just About As Good As It Gets!' is like re-visiting a golden moment in time - a time of great musical importance - a time of the stiff-upper-lipped came face to face with musicians that didn't just conform, a new and dedicated musical force that wanted their say and had to work hard to make it through. Ken Colyer was one of those gritty, determined people and, thankfully, he helped 'win the day' - 'Ken Colyer - Just About As Good As It Gets!' is as historic as it is current, as fresh as it is old - great stuff, the stuff from which legends are born!!
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