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View Full Version : Album Club - Week 114: 08.10.2013: Tommy Chase - Groove Merchant (1987)



Album Club
07-10-2013, 23:02
This one's from Chris (Wazoo) - an English hard-bop album? From the 1980s? And on Stiff Records?? Who'd have thunk it?



Tommy Chase - 'Groove Merchant' (1987)

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I wasn't sure whether to have this album as I don't expect any or many AoS members will own it and it's a little tricky to get hold of. However, it is on Spotify, so we'll go with it shall we?

My exposure to jazz in childhood was limited to three albums from my parents' collection of mostly classical records: Brubeck, The Modern Jazz Quartet and Errol Garner. Then, in my teens when I was immersing myself in rock & blues, I discovered Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley and Art Blakey.

I went to a few gigs, but was always disappointed because I was never able to find this particular type of jazz. Jazz encompasses a huge spectrum of musical styles – bowler hated clarinettists were just not my thing, and I never have been able to stomach ladies in evening gowns warbling about something called a ‘shooby-de-da-scooba-dooby-shooby-doo’....whatever one of those is.

I was beginning to think that I was wasting my time....until I went to a gig by The Tommy Chase Quartet. Now this was more like it!

They seemed to have the attitude of a great rock band – the drummer, Thomas the Chase himself, dominated the stage with a sustained attack on his kit that might have been more at home with Led Zeppelin or The Who. The pianist seemed to be defending himself from a plague of spiders with his feet, stamping manically in front of, behind and to the sides of his stool, in time to the groove that Mr Chase and the bassist were thwacking out. Over all of this, there was a sax player blurting, parping and honking out some of the best sax riffs in a way that I’d never heard live. And LOUD!

I had to have more of this!

‘Groove Merchant’ is one of those rare studio albums that really capture a large amount of the essence of the live event and the title is one of the most apt ever because the groove is perhaps one of the most infectious I have ever heard. I never, ever dance, but this album always gets me very, very close to getting up and boogying with the best of them – and I promise you, that is quite some statement! I defy you to keep your feet still while it’s playing. I swear I can even see Merlot, the family mutt tapping his feet to this one when I play it!

The title track is an old big band number, written by Jerome Richardson and often played by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. It swings like hell but this is not a big band record. The track is a close relative of the theme music from the BBC Film programme – Billy Taylor’s ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free’. Another highlight is a cover of Sonny Rollins’ ‘Alfie’s Theme’, though played with such urgency and feel for rhythm that it makes the original seem a bit staid and pedestrian. Even a faithful cover of Art Blakey with ‘So Tired’ is somehow much more propulsive than the version by the drumming legend who Chase is often compared to.

This album really is special and I actually prefer it to many of my treasured Blue Notes. Sadly, it's been only sporadically available, but if you ever see a copy, you should snap it up and defend it with your life. If you can cope with mp3’s, I believe it’s available as a download, Amazon Marketplace usually has a few copies of the CD, but it's pricey - often up to £50. A good used vinyl copy can usually be found on Ebay or Discogs for under a tenner, though. And of course, it's also available on Spotify.

A few tracks are to be found on YouTube:


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Alex_UK
08-10-2013, 20:38
Well - never heard of it! But if it is a TGW selection it is bound to be interesting! Just waiting for Mrs Alex to go to bed so I can give this a Spotispin. :)

The Grand Wazoo
08-10-2013, 20:43
You're in for a treat Alex!

John
09-10-2013, 05:02
I like this
I give it a few more plays has a real sense of swing often lacking in hard bop

MartinT
09-10-2013, 06:57
I've never heard of them, Chris. I'm listening now and it does have a hell of a groove. Takes me back to going to the Bass Clef jazz club in The Angel, London, where a lot of the live sounds were very hard to buy in recorded form.

The Grand Wazoo
09-10-2013, 07:49
Of course, I've given it a 10/10 - there could be no other score possible from me.

I saw the band play in London once, though I really can't remember where, but also a few times in Brighton at the Concorde Club on the seafront. The record must have been bought in the Virgin Megastore in Brighton and it must have been around the time it was released. Stiff records were struggling a bit at the time, so distribution may have been patchy.

The last time I saw him, we noticed that the gig was being recorded & my girlfriend of the time managed to persuade the guy on the sound board to make a copy of the tape and post it out. God knows what she promised him in return! That tape was fantastic but has long since been lost.

Bazil
09-10-2013, 17:41
Not a Jazz lover but fair dues there are moments of this I like, particularly the piano. 7/10

MartinT
09-10-2013, 18:09
7/10 from me too.

Thing Fish
09-10-2013, 19:03
It's a bit disconcerting to learn that if I wanted to buy the vinyl the chances are I couldn't.

Liked it though 7/10

The Grand Wazoo
09-10-2013, 19:14
There are three vinyl copies on Discogs (http://www.discogs.com/search/?q=tommy+chase+groove+merchant&type=all) just now - one in the UK & it's only £5.49. There's one CD & it's a mere £200!!

Alex_UK
09-10-2013, 19:34
Still only half-way through, but great so far Chris. Might get a couple more tracks in tonight! Expect my vote by Christmas! ;)

Barry
09-10-2013, 19:34
There are three vinyl copies on Discogs (http://www.discogs.com/search/?q=tommy+chase+groove+merchant&type=all) just now - one in the UK & it's only £5.49. There's one CD & it's a mere £200!!

Just ordered it Chris! :)

Oh, by the way - 9/10 from me.

The Grand Wazoo
09-10-2013, 19:45
I'm glad you're liking it chaps - I was worried there for a bit yesterday when the tumbleweed was blowing around this thread!
There's a vinyl copy on Ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOMMY-CHASE-Groove-Merchant-MOLES-1991-/400571229239?pt=UK_Records&hash=item5d43e7e437) too if anyone else fancies spending a few quid (8 in this case).

The Grand Wazoo
09-10-2013, 22:54
Ooh - forgot to mention: when I play it, I always start with side two first!
The title track (number 5 on the CD or Spotify) is great and it's followed by 'So Tired', which is an utterly manic masterpiece.

Barry
09-10-2013, 23:21
Ooh - forgot to mention: when I play it, I always start with side two first!


I have many records for which I only play side 2: Spirit's "Twelve Dreams..."; Quicksilver Messenger Service "Happy Trails"; The Tubes's first LP; etc. ...

Sorry; possible tread drift!

loo
10-10-2013, 09:43
Well it took a while to find the right box in the Attic but I knew I had this somewhere (being an 80's stiff release ) found a 12" of killer Joe as well.
This is why I joined album club , this is my kind of jazz but I never know where to start to look , I seem to really enjoy drum led jazz and this guy can drum:)
I would have been really disappointed with this when I bought it ,hence it being archived many moons ago ,but like a fine wine my taste is improving with age ,
a foot tapping bum shaking cheesy grinning 7/10 from me
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
11-10-2013, 10:22
Glad you like it Paul - and it's great that you can now finally make use of it!! What else have you got up there in that box?!

loo
11-10-2013, 10:49
Cheers Chris and sadly its 12 boxes up there:doh:, domestic bliss requires that no more than 2k give or take a few are out and about at any time, it didn't used to be a problem but now I am old and destroyed by children the attic may as well be the peak of ben nevis . Consequently other than fond favourites and duplicates I am struggling to remember. God help my executor :) at least i have slowed down on buying new records ,struggle with finding good releases
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
11-10-2013, 10:51
Ha! Old & destroyed by children - love that! It should be in your signature

loo
11-10-2013, 10:55
Hell no its in every joint that still works I don't want any more reminders :lol:
I wouldn't have it any other way though, they are worth the pain;)
Paul

high.spirits
12-10-2013, 16:49
I'm not a great jazz lover however this has some great tracks.
Not sure I could listen to the whole album in one go though. 7/10.

losenotaminute
13-10-2013, 08:44
I have voted 7, I agree with previous comments about the drumming and piano being very good.

Audio Al
15-10-2013, 01:35
A little too " far out man " for me

It sounds at times that everyone in the band is doing there own thing :scratch:

As already stated I could not listen to the whole album in one go.

I voted 5 out of 10

pjdowns
15-10-2013, 21:43
Quite a nice album Chris... 6/10 for me :)

The Grand Wazoo
15-10-2013, 22:42
A little too " far out man " for me

It sounds at times that everyone in the band is doing there own thing :scratch:

I find this really interesting because I simply don't understand it!
I really am genuinely intrigued here Al, because you are obviously hearing something I don't (or vice versa). What I can perceive is a really tight band playing together really well.
No criticism, just an observation that we all have a different view on what is being presented to us.

The Grand Wazoo
15-10-2013, 22:43
Well, I'm really glad that I've let a few people in on the secret of one of my favourite albums and that most of you were able to find it a pleasant experience. It's good to share!