1. Goody Goody
2. After Last Night with You
3. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
4. I Want to be Happy
5. 77 Blues (take 3)
6. Solitude
7. Home (take 2)
8. Please Don't Talk about Me when I'm Gone (take 1)
9. Ammonia Blues (take 1)
10. No Regrets
11. Sweet and Lovely
12. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
13. Ole Miss
14. Sugar Babe
15. Bei Mir Bist du Schoen
16. I Cover the Waterfront
17. The Needle
18. I'm in the Market for You
19. Please Don't Talk about Me when I'm Gone (take 2)
20. Home (take 1)
21. Ammonia Blues (take 2)
Archie Semple - Clarinet (tracks 1-4, 7-10, 12-17, 19-21)
Dickie Hawdon - Trumpet (tracks 2, 5, 10, 13)
Fred Hunt - Piano (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11, 12, 14-21)
Dave Stevens - Piano (tracks 2, 5, 10, 13)
Chris Staunton - Bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11, 12, 14-17, 19-21)
Bill Reid - Bass (tracks 2, 5, 10, 13)
Johnny Richardson - Drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11, 12, 14-17, 19-21)
Allan Ganley - Drums (tracks 2, 5, 10, 13)
Roy Crimmins - Trombone (track 15)
Archie Semple has been dubbed a cult figure, possibly because he died at the early age of 45 from the effects of ill health and alcohol. Yet the best description of him is simply that he was a very good clarinettist, especially during his years with Alex Welsh's band. He had earlier played with the bands of Mick Mulligan and Freddie Randall, where he established a reputation as a trad musician. But approximately eight years with Alex Welsh allowed him to reveal his mainstream talents, which are also on display in this collection of recordings from the late 1950s.
These tracks are all with small groups, allowing us to hear a good deal of Archie's particular style, which might be compared to Edmond Hall in the clarinet's lower register but was closer to Pee Wee Russell when he hit the high notes. Russell's trademark shrillness can be heard right from the start of this CD in Goody Goody, where the reedy tone occasionally turns into an ardent scream. But the next track illustrates Semple's more mellow sound, showing how he could caress a ballad. His clarinet blends nicely with Roy Crimmins' trombone in Bei Mir Bist du Schoen, while the following track - I Cover the Waterfront - touches the heart with gently breathy playing.
The pianist on most tracks is Fred Hunt, Semple's colleague in the Alex Welsh band and a man who convincingly captured the bluesy style of Sammy Price. Fred is heard to particular advantage on a couple of entirely solo tracks and one (Solitude) with just bass and drums. His interpretation of Sweet and Lovely is both sweet and lovely. The other pianist (on four tracks) is Dave Stevens, a little-known artist whose style is rightly compared with Jess Stacy in the sleeve-note. Listen out for his glistening solo on Ole Miss.
The four tracks with Dave Stevens also feature trumpeter Dickie Hawdon, who was equally happy in the trad bands of Chris Barber and Terry Lightfoot and modern groups led by such people as Tubby Hayes, Don Rendell and Johnny Dankworth. His forthright trumpet makes a good job of stating the tune and then soloing on No Regrets (not the Edith Piaf song!). Of the other musicians, Allan Ganley (often regarded as a modernist) adds some meritorious drum breaks to I Want to be Happy (ending with joyful laughter from the band).
Paul Adams assembled these tracks mainly from recordings made for Doug Dobell's "77" label and a couple of Nixa albums. They comprise a salutary reminder of Archie Semple's versatile talent - and also of the impressive abilities that Fred Hunt could deploy.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Lake LACD 290
