Georgie Fame - Live at The Blue Note NYC, NY 10/6/03

It's not often that Georgie Fame makes his way to America. Luckily, Bill Luther was able to catch his recent New York City show and report back to us. Read on to find out what one of the Flamingo originals is up to these days.

One might forgive me for saying so but I was apprehensive about Georgie Fame's first solo NYC gig in 33 years (according to the man himself this was his first since 1970, discounting of course forays with Van Morrison and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings). The gig was billed as "Poet in New York", the title of Georgie's most recent long player and there was a clear indication that there would be no keyboards from Mr. Fame nor would we get a treat of the likes of his full band sound on his excellent live Cd's "Name Dropping" or "Walking Wounded" (both ace live recordings from Ronnie Scott's in London) or his other upbeat sounds courtesy of Three Line whip (a band that includes Fame's son's Tristan and James). For a Hammond n' horns/Flamingo Club British R&B disciple like myself this was a tad unsettling. Still my idol, Fame was playing a gig less than two hours by train so I 4heeded the call along with several other intrepid NYC/NJ mod/60's types (many of whom I'm sure had no idea what they were in for) for not only one, but two sets and missed a day's work in honor of a late night out.

Fame was backed by "Poet..." collaborators David Hazeltine on piano and Bobby Malock on sax with hired guns Paul Gill providing bass and Tony Redus behind the drums. He took the stage for his first set to a packed and enthusiastic club and opened with a searing version of King Pleasure's "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid". Regardless of my earlier prejudices towards the the musical format it was clear that the man's voice was as amazing as it was 39 years ago when he made his vocal vinyl debut and that the evening was going to be exciting. Next up was a reading of Chet Baker's recording of "It Could Happen To You". Fame upped the ante on the vocalese slant of the evening by adding, as he'd done in numerous spots on "Poet in New York" and throughout the evening, his own lyrics to the solos. As he did during most of the solo's he'd written lyrics for Fame comically played air trumpet, keys or sax whilst singing the lines he'd penned. The number became a medley of sorts, with a segue into "My Buddy" and "Slow Boat to China" complete with a Goons Chinese gag and a Lee Marvin impersonation at the tail end from "Paint Your Wagon". They then launched into the Gershwin number "How Long Has This Been Going On", which although not my scene was well delivered displaying Fame's wide vocal range.

Fame's showmanship, sense of humor and keen sense of historical accuracy lead to several amusing stories and anecdotes in between songs with several nods to vocalese godfathers Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson and Oscar Brown Jr.(the evening was punctuated by numerous Hendricks impersonations including Fame's "Clark Terry" yelps after solos by Malock and Hazeltine). David Hazeltine got up from the piano and Georgie took his spot and explained that for 30 years he'd been trying to secure a Blue Note gig and now that he'd gotten two nights in a row there. "Time Out:New York", however, had his gigs listed under the "Pop/Rock/Soul" column. In order to appease those who were deceived by this he told a little story about a number Jon Hendricks wrote lyrics to by two of Mongo Sanatamaria's side men and launched into a complete carbon copy version of "Yeh Yeh" delivered at the same pace and arrangement of his original version 39 years ago. It was quite incredible to see and hear as Fame had oddly retained the same side swaying movements and facial expressions exhibited when he first performed the number live on "Ready! Steady! Go!". Needless to say it was clearly the most popular number of the evening gauging the audience reaction.

Hazeltine returned to the ivories for the second Gershwin number of the evening "But Not for Me" based on Chet Baker's version. He then performed an original entitled "A Declaration of Love" and followed with an amazing take on "Bluesology" which sounded clearly as exciting as the version he first unveiled in 1967 on his "Two Sides of Fame" LP with The Harry South Big Band. Another original followed called "Tuned into You" which Fame credited the inspiration from listening to the American Armed Forces radio network in the 50's and Benny Golson. The first set closed with a version of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life", a number Fame said he had little confidence in performing until prodded into attempting it by Go Jazz's Ben Sidran. All in all it was a fine evening, despite some ballad lulls, which given my predilection to Fame's "other" side were not as well received as they could have been. But on top of it all the man's voice, stage presence and sense of humor easily one me over and after the second set (which differed only with the exclusion of "A Declaration Of Love" and the inclusion of "On a Misty Night") I was bouncing off the walls in a hyperactive state of ecstatic joy. Fame's vocal ability as well as his amusing and informative stories provided for an entertaining evening, topped off of course by numerous "inside" vocalese jokes/bits.

About the author

Bill Luther was born in 1966. A veteran of Desert Storm and numerous "scene" wars he is a lifelong New Jerseyite who drives a British car, has a Portuguese wife and at the moment loves 60's Scandinavian music. He lists his passions as brown ale, defending the first Bowie Lp and collecting/firing WW2 rifles. Try as he may he cannot escape the modernist lifestyle he has lived these past 25+ years.

More info and other articles by this author

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Comments:
Dan Geddes	okt 28 2003 4:01PM
Why don't you go to a Fame gig yourself and and yell out for "Bonnie and Clyde"? See what kind of reaction you get. My guess is, you'd get a dry put-down, everyone would laugh at you, and you'd quickly slink out of the club.
Roy	okt 27 2003 11:47PM
http://www.uncleroy.com
What, no Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde???
Charlie Starkey	okt 27 2003 10:32PM
Yeh yeh, nice review Bill! And thanks for getting the advance Blue Note tickets for me and the rest of The Likely Lads crew. Had a great night out... even without the Hammond. Listening to Georgie's classic mid-60s recordings, it's evident that this jazzy standards-loving side was always in his blood. -Charlie
Bill Luther	okt 27 2003 8:49PM
Now lemme get this straight, put the lime in the coconut....oh sorry, but SERIOUSLY Fame with a B-3 in St. Paul? What's he got against New York??
John Manion	okt 27 2003 7:19PM
http://www.MODchicago.com
Nice article Bill! ...although the show I saw in St.Paul sounds much different than the NYC shows.. Georgie behind the B3 all night made for a dream come true. ...still room for one more in the CofC?
Dan Geddes	okt 27 2003 3:12PM
Cult of Clive represent! Well done Bill. Unfortunately Georgie won't be making it to California on this tour, so the west coast chapter of the CoC will have to read your review instead. I almost feel like I was there.
Nick Rossi	okt 26 2003 7:45PM
http://www.nickrossiset.com
Nice, nice Bill. Glad you had a chance to see the man in person. Hopefully more people will have the open-mind to take in a Fame gig. If anything, he is in MUCH better voice than he is on those classic recordings we all know & love so much. One minor correction: it was Bob Malach who was blowin' that horn on the gig you saw.
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