The following 30-minute clip is as revealing as it is mystifying. The tape features Maynard Ferguson, Betty Carter, Ben Webster and, I believe, Don Byas in a Dutch radio studio. As Peter Levin writes: "The clip is a documentary that was filmed in a Dutch radio studio during the summer of 1968 and aired on October 1, 1968 on NTS, one of the Netherlands' public television networks."
Peter then translated from a Dutch TV listing:
"Tonight the NTS broadcasts a very special program on Ned.2, namely Session, the making of a recording. It is a kind of experiment that will be of interest to jazz enthusiasts. A number of renowned jazz musicians gather and try for an entire day to make a recording. This muscular struggle was recorded by an NTS camera team under the skillful direction of director Bob Rooyens...complete with unforced and often emotional conversations about music and the world in which the musicians, live.
"Boy Edgar [described as “the surgeon-jazz conductor,” and the founder of Boy’s Big Band, which was a significant force in Dutch jazz from 1960 to 1968] is in charge. Contributors include the famous jazz trumpet player Maynard Ferguson, who came from Paris for the recording, Betty Carter, Ben Webster, Piet Noordijk and Han Bennink."
There's quite a bit of drama here as the playing apparently runs more than six hours, late into the wee hours of the morning. Peter Levin's TV listing makes sense, since the camera is constantly cutting to the clock. Based on their expressions, the American musicians seem to be silently questioning what in heaven's name they're doing there and what possessed them in the first place to agree to the event. Since Byas (below) is un-billed, I'm guessing Webster told him to drop by after his gig.
Ferguson, Webster, Carter and Byas are in top form, though they seem to be at the mercy of a disorganized session and a producer who choose only tired standards. Dig Ferguson's Daniel Boone jacket and his funky limber-up exercises and restless demeanor. Love Webster's head-tilts between each line of notes on ballads. Carter keeps the energy going.
Here's the tape...
A special thanks to Peter Levin.
