Loose Tubes - A Dance To The Music Of Time
Friday, September 24, 2010
Twenty years ago Loose Tubes split up and with their albums also out of print, a key 1980s group disappeared, seemingly for good.
But a hitherto unreleased live album that charts their last days, Dancing on Frith Street shows what a life-affirming force they were, says Duncan Heining.
Loose Tubes were something else. Anarchic, sometimes chaotic, but always exciting – they were a 21-piece big band that danced to a different drum. Latin, rock, African, ska, free jazz – it was just meat and drink to Loose Tubes. They were young but charismatic too and, amazingly, ran their own affairs as a democracy. Both critics and fans loved them. They made three fine albums together, all long unavailable, but at last the world gets to hear the thing they promised us – the definitive Loose Tubes live album.
Recorded at Ronnie’s in 1990 during their final nights together as a band, Dancing On Frith Street delivers that promise. It has everything – from township jive to traditional big band stylings, from kaleidoscopic melodies to wide, open harmonies. Pete King and Ronnie Scott loved this band and this record tells you why.
This is an extract from Jazzwise Issue #146 – to read the full article click here to subscribe and receive a FREE CD...