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King Of The Blues … At The Royal Jam!

THE hip-hop culture calls it ‘Collabo’ – what jazz history has always referred to as “Jam Session.”        As the two nomenclatures clearly indicate, they perform distinctly different roles: Hip-hop stars come together to boost one another’s videos and sound recordings – performing the materials provided by the host artistes. In a way, it is essentially a mark of solidarity and patronage.
   As a matter of fact, for the hip-hop artiste, collaboration is rarely executed for artistic reasons: An African hip hopper subjugates his ability under a popular foreign act – as a way of internationalising his image and career. At home, the newcomer sees his collaboration with an established name as a platform for quickly gaining recognition. But in jazz, where this ritual earned the name, ‘jam’ or ‘blowing’ session since the 1940s, musicians aggregate to examine their individualities side by side while also experimenting for the purpose of breaking new grounds.
  The scene is replete with memorable collaborations including Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Roy Ayers, Clarke Terry and Joe Williams. The list is long. However, Funky Blues, featuring Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter, Charlie Shavers, Oscar Peterson and more (recorded in the late 1940s) used to be the most memorable jam session in jazz history — until it was overtaken by The Royal Jam featuring B.B. King, The Crusaders and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (from which the recording project took its title) in 1981. The session was royal in many respects:
   The participation of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a non-jazz outfit introduced a ring of royalty to the session while the fact that it was recorded at the famous Royal Festival Hall, London put the final seal on it. Suffused with regal charm, the orchestra remains the Queen’s favourite. In 1966, Queen Elizabeth conferred upon the orchestra the title “Royal” as the orchestra’s name — Great Britain’s only major independent orchestra to be so honoured. In addition to its many concert engagements, the orchestra has continued to appear on radio and television; and has made many classical recordings, providing music for numerous films most notably Hooked on Classics for which it earned Platinum and Silver status throughout the world.  The orchestra’s appearance was a healthy alliance between jazz and classical music which both belong to the ‘art’ music category. The fusion of the Philharmonic Orchestra with both B.B. King on the one hand and The Crusaders on the other was a perfect blend which successfully amalgamated elements of jazz and rock with those of classical music.
   Comprising pianist Joe Sample, tenor saxophone great Wilton Felder and drummer Stix Hooper, The Crusaders featured prominently, incorporating B.B. King and The Philharmonic orchestra as guest artists. But it was a cohesive fusion, which challenged the ability of the orchestra in terms of functioning in a jazz setting, a cultural habitat different from the symphony setting, which it was used to. It provided a big band atmosphere dominated by strings while the propulsive sound of the Crusaders made all the difference in terms of the jazz feel.
At the time of this special concert, the Crusaders, who were being touted as the main act, had gained a wide international following, having completed their first European tour. This was clearly evident in their annual tours of such capitals as London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Stockholm. The Crusaders had been nominated for a Grammy Award and started off in 1982 with a tour of the Far East, performing before more than a million people. Also during their long and illustrious career as one of the foremost proponents of fusion jazz, they have unselfishly helped spotlight other performers on their albums, including guest vocalist Joe Coker, Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, and Randy Crawford
 On the other hand, in 1982, B.B. King, the living legend of the blues, was celebrating his 35th year in music. He was honoured with a Grammy Award and also performed at the 5th Prison concert in his well-known and respected relationship as co-chairman of the Foundation for the Advancement of Inmate Rehabilitation and Recreation (FAIRR).
  The legendary B. B. King was already widely known at the time of this concert. He was the only American popular singer to extensively tour the Soviet Union in a 22 – concert series. Incidentally, he became the biggest attraction in the Royal Festival Jam, almost pulling down the house with an inspired version of The thrill is gone into which the Crusaders invested their entire creative arsenal in terms of solos, improvisational design and accompaniment.
 Quite unexpectedly, B.B.King turned out to be the star of the show, doubling on guitar and vocals and cutting an imposing figure on the stage of the Royal Festival Hall. His rich, bluesy voice floated through the entire hall with profound intensity and soulfulness. His guitar solos, which reached out with dramatic swoops, were very well designed even as he involved the audience in a call- and- response exercise. Excitement almost reached bursting point!
  It was two years after in 1983 that B.B. King came on tour of Lagos, Nigeria with a full band; and performed at the University of Lagos Auditorium — with the late great John Chukwu (one of Nigeria’s pioneering comedians) as master of ceremony. This was an essentially personal show where the spotlight was more on his guitar (which he named ‘Lucille’) even though we also experienced the best of blues singing and orchestral backing from a semi big band.
   A double record set, the influence of the Crusaders, in particular, pianist and composer Joe Sample was dominant. On side one, they involve the Philharmonic Orchestra in the performance of such songs as I’m standing Here Today, One Day I’ll Fly Away and Fly With Wings of Love composed by Joe Sample. The Crusaders also take on The Royal Orchestra as guest stars on side two where Josie James steps in for the orchestra as vocalist. Blues legend B.B.King enjoys extensive spotlight from The Crusaders even as they also compliment the backing session with the efforts of the Philharmonic orchestra — on sides three and four. Selected songs here include The Thrill Is Gone, Better Not Look Down, Hold On, Street Life, Encores, I Just Can’t Leave Your Love Alone and Never Make A Move Too Soon.
   Royal Jam was recorded under on-the-job conditions at the Royal Festival Hall, London in September 1981 – with B.B. King at his creative best.
  It is, however, sad to know that like John Lee Hooker and all the blues shouters, B.B. King is not accorded the recognition he deserves as a full-fledged jazzman — all because his music is essentially soaked in the blues. They forget that as a traditional blues man, his guitar and vocal inflections are responsible for inspiring jazzmen in the structuring of blues-based melodies while also stimulating their imagination for improvisational concepts.