The New Cotton Pickers in Troy

BY LARS BJORN

The reunion of the New McKinney's Cotton Pickers on April 23 at the Clawson Troy Elks Club was a great success. The music was inspired and the attendance above expectations. Former bandleader and reedman Dave Hutson was an enthusiastic leader of the 12-piece group, which was co-led by cornetist Paul Klinger. The band played a number of (old) Cotton Picker favorites from the 1920s, often penned by Don Redman, as well as a number of Hutson's arrangements for the New Cotton Pickers (from the 1970s).

The assembled group did not have time for rehearsals, but the professionalism of the players carried the day. What also helped was the fact that the rhythm section from the Paul Keller Orchestra (bassist Keller, drummer Pete Siers, and pianist Jim Dapogny) was cooking, even with the addition of banjoist Orrin Foslien who flew in from Minnesota. Foslien also provided some comic relief with his sweet vocal stylings on pieces like Benny Carter's "Never Swat A Fly" and Trumbauer's "Turn On The Heat." Overall, the group was a true all star aggregation with superb solos all the way around. The trumpet section was unbeatable: lead trumpeter extraordinaire Johnny Trudell, the swinging Tom Saunders, and the lyrical Paul Klinger. Trudell was brilliant on "The Sheik of Araby" as were Saunders and Klinger on Redman's "Miss Hannah." "Araby" was the last piece of the first set and allowed several soloists to stretch out and warm up for good.

Hutson played alto and clarinet with great gusto. Often he took the solos performed by Ted Buckner on the records the group recorded in the 70s. (Those recordings are now released on four CDs). Dave Flanigan played several nice alto solos, for example on "Cherry," which had vocals by Hutson. Hutson dedicated "I Want A Little Girl" to the last surviving member of the Cotton Pickers, Dave Wilborn, who passed away in 1982. Wilborn's genial spirit was seemingly still present on many numbers at the Troy concert. As usual, tenorist George Benson and baritonist Ernie Rodgers, treated us to many fine solos. Benson's solo on "I Want A Little Girl" was memorable.

Jim Gallert and Mike Montgomery should also be thanked for taking on the task of providing the history of the band and a tribute to Jim Taylor, who promoted the New Cotton Pickers via his Bountiful record label. It was a memorable afternoon and there was a lot of talk of doing it again in the not too distant future.

The Windsor Detroit Jazz Club should be complimented on arranging this concert with so much care and forethought.

photograph by Lars Bjorn

I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
1. REVISITING JAZZ REVISITED   2. NEW COTTON PICKERS
3. BUDDY BUDSON'S SEXTET
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