British bandleader
Ted Heath'
s huge legacy of accessible pop and jazz recordings has been trawled by numerous reissue labels and presented piecemeal in collections of both modest and mammoth proportions. While the chronological approach employed by
Hep
and
Dutton Vocalion
are useful for studying the evolution of this excellent band, modestly proportioned samplers produced by labels like
ASV/Living Era
,
Jasmine
, and
Proper
may suffice. For those who need to dig a little deeper with a larger number of tracks,
The Essential Collection
released by
West End Records
in 2006 is an excellent option. Its 53 titles are well-chosen and represent
Heath
's band at its best. One thing about
: he was uncommonly well-tuned to the pulse of both jazz and pop culture during the 1940s and '50s, and his band book reflected this awareness most wonderfully. In addition to every mid-century dance band leader's prerequisite knowledge of Tin Pan Alley pop songs, jazz standards, show tunes, and movie themes,
was well-versed in old-style traditional material by
Kid Ory
Porter Steele
Jelly Roll Morton
Shelton Brooks
. His formative years as a sideman with
Bert Ambrose
during the "swing era" and a keen awareness of where jazz was heading after 1945 enabled him to handle material by
Duke Ellington
Billy Strayhorn
;
Tadd Dameron
Sy Oliver
Sir Charles Thompson
Illinois Jacquet
Tiny Bradshaw
Count Basie
Fats Waller
Woody Herman
Benny Goodman
Ziggy Elman
Erskine Hawkins
Julian Dash
Lionel Hampton
Gerry Mulligan
. The range of styles and breadth of influence speaks volumes about
's voracious appetite for catchy melodies and well-crafted compositions. This anthology could easily be confused with
The Essential Ted Heath Collection
, an 80-track set released by
Castle Pulse
in 2002. However you go about it, an evening with
Ted Heath & His Music
will almost always be gratifying for those who are susceptible to this kind of entertainment. ~ arwulf arwulf