The year 1972 was the beginning of the end for Tubby Hayes. The British multi-instrumentalist, who was most often featured on the tenor saxophone, was a jazz giant, despite coming up in the '50s without the benefit of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles woodshedding. Something of a cross between Stan Getz and Hank Mobely on the tenor sax, with Zoot Sims's knack for delivering long ribbons of engaging improvisation, Hayes was tireless. On flute, Hayes was unmistakably beautiful, akin to Frank Wess or Sam Most.
Hayes's gifts on both instruments are evident on the new album, Tubby Hayes: Split Kick, Live in Swden 1972 (Savage Solwieg). Hayes, who also played the vibes flawlessly, began his career at 15 and died at age 38. Going into 1972, he had two strikes against him. One was his heft and the other was his appetite for heroin, which brought on serious heart problems.
With puffed cheeks, a Mod's hairstyle and a romantic love for the music coming out of his instruments, Hayes had played with Duke Ellington, soloed behind Ella Fitzgerald and turned down Art Blakey in 1961 when he was offered a spot in the Jazz Messengers. Despite his prowess, Hayes's American career never amounted to much, largely because he was British.
Back home, R&B and rock took off, squeezing the life out of London's jazz clubs. Depressed over his fate and the shifting tastes of teens, Hayes turned to drink and then heroin. In 1971, Hayes had his first heart surgery. Told to rest, Hayes worked to get his chops back in shape. In February 1972, he performed four songs (Horace Silver's Split Kick, his own Off the Wagon and the standards Autumn Leaves, with Hayes on flute, and I Thought About You) at the Chalmers Church at the Institute of Technology in Gothenberg, Sweden. He was joined by Bengt Halberg (p), Georg Riedel (b) and Egil Johansen (d). [Photo above, from left, of Ronnie Scott, Chet Baker and Tubby Hayes]
He also was in Sweden in December of that year. Offered $300 to play one evening's engagement at the Guldhatten, a restaurant in Stockholm with a jazz night, Hayes made the trip. Two songs with Hayes on flute appear on the new CD—Someday My Price Will Come and Trenton Place. He was accompanied by Staffan Abeleen (p), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b) and Alex Riel (d).
The music throughout is rather astonishing. You'd never know he had physical ailments given the beauty of his playing and articulation on tenor and flute. The album is further evidence that great jazz musicians lived for the beauty of the music, health be damned. An extraordinary sacrifice.
Hayes died in June 1973.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Tubby Hayes: Split Kick, Live in Sweden 1972 here.
JazzWax clip: Here's Hayes on flute playing Trenton Place...
from JazzWax http://ift.tt/2aWUVEi
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