Celebrating 80 years of Jon Hiseman’s life after his death in 2024, this sees the band, and Hiseman himself, in absolutely effervescent form in Stuttgart in 2005.
The lineup of Hiseman on drums, Chris Farlowe on vocals, Dave Greenslade on keys, Clem Clempson on guitar, Mark Clarke on bass and Hiseman’s wife Barbara Thompson on horns – in place of the late Dick Heckstall Smith – is a close as you can get to the classic lineup. It was also the final lineup aside from a few tribute concerts.
What is truly remarkable is just how good the band sounds at over thirty years from their peak.
The album contains very little new material. The classics - ‘Theme For An Imaginary Western’, ‘Rope Ladder To The Moon’, ‘The Valentyne Suite’, ‘Stormy Monday Blues’ are all there in their brassy, jazzy glory.
Farlowe’s voice is superb, Hiseman’s drums are as powerful and complex as ever, Greenslade was always a sensitive and fulsome organist and Clem Clempson’s guitar lines are a combination of monster riffs and deft solos. Mark Clarke has always been an underrated bassist, almost hidden as he carries the melodies and Barbara Thompson delivers horns that are reminiscent of Heckstall-Smith but never copying him – she brings her own style and fluidity to the band.
The booklet that accompanies the 2CD set is a proper tribute. An short piece by all the band members, about Jon, and a piece written by Jon about each of the individuals.
It’s a very honest and worthwhile tribute to the man himself, as well as standing up as a superb live album by one of the best British Jazz/Rock outfits of all time.
The lineup of Hiseman on drums, Chris Farlowe on vocals, Dave Greenslade on keys, Clem Clempson on guitar, Mark Clarke on bass and Hiseman’s wife Barbara Thompson on horns – in place of the late Dick Heckstall Smith – is a close as you can get to the classic lineup. It was also the final lineup aside from a few tribute concerts.
What is truly remarkable is just how good the band sounds at over thirty years from their peak.
The album contains very little new material. The classics - ‘Theme For An Imaginary Western’, ‘Rope Ladder To The Moon’, ‘The Valentyne Suite’, ‘Stormy Monday Blues’ are all there in their brassy, jazzy glory.
Farlowe’s voice is superb, Hiseman’s drums are as powerful and complex as ever, Greenslade was always a sensitive and fulsome organist and Clem Clempson’s guitar lines are a combination of monster riffs and deft solos. Mark Clarke has always been an underrated bassist, almost hidden as he carries the melodies and Barbara Thompson delivers horns that are reminiscent of Heckstall-Smith but never copying him – she brings her own style and fluidity to the band.
The booklet that accompanies the 2CD set is a proper tribute. An short piece by all the band members, about Jon, and a piece written by Jon about each of the individuals.
It’s a very honest and worthwhile tribute to the man himself, as well as standing up as a superb live album by one of the best British Jazz/Rock outfits of all time.
