Whoever it was who said that creative ability peaks near the age of 35 and slowly declines after that was wrong.  Wrong at least in the case of Pud Brown.  Like good wine, Pud's musicianship and artistic ability improve with age.  He didn't peak or even plateau and this album illustrates perfectly how the enthusiasm generated by good jazz and an innate love of life and people can keep the youthful and joyous musical ideas characterized by Pud's playing, alive.

     The "Then" side with Jack & Charlie Teagarden, Jess Stacey, and Ray Bauduce was cut in 1951.   "Memories of You," was recorded by Pud's trio, consisting of Pud, Hank, drums and Pete Urqurdi, piano, in 1960.  Pud held the masters to these cuts for years waiting for an appropriate time to release them.  There were not enough tracks to make a full 12 inch LP so he hit on the idea of recording a "Now" side and issuing it together with the old cuts.

     The result is an album expressing some truly remarkable, traditional jazz ideas and also showing Pud's abilities with ballads.  Of course with jazz greats such as the Teagardens, Stacey and Bauduc on the "Then" side, Pud Brown had the best support available for his tenor sax.  The nice upbeat version of Charmaine is a fine example of good ensemble jazz with some interesting solo passages.  Pretty Baby follows the same mood and Loving to Be Done gives us a beautiful Jack Teagarden vocal supported by the depth of feeling expressed on the tenor saxophone, also some fine trumpet work by Charlie Teagarden is heard.

     The trio number: Memories of You, is another example of Pud's deep feeling for ballads.  This one cannot be considered a "Then" track or a "Now" track because if was made almost midway between the two main sessions.  Hank and Pete support Brown beautifully on this one.

     The "Now" side of this album is something else.  It is quite current, having been recorded in 1979 by some of the best jazzmen presently playing in the traditional idiom, Jack Coon, cornet Charlie Lodice, drums, Les Muscutt, banjo, Tom Gekler, trombone, and Tim Herbez, piano got together with Pud for this session and the result is fine contemporary, traditional jazz.  A few stylistic changes can be noted in Pud's playing but all of the fire and depth of feeling so much in evidence on the "Then" side are also apparent here.  Listen for Pud's low register clarinet on Darktown Strutters Ball and then hear how Tommy Gekler fits in with the trombone following by excellent solos by Les and Tim.   Pud picks up his clarinet for Closer Walk and plays with real feeling.  The tune is now almost a clarinet anthem and it is hard to imagine it without a clarinet around somewhere.  Butter and Egg Man allows everyone to shine, particularly Charlie Lodice who gives us some nice solo drum breaks.  Linger Awhile has Pud playing tenor again and his enthusiasm apparently fires up the rest because they all shine on this one, Particularly Jack Coon whose interesting descending phrases will make you repeat this track a few times before moving on.  Tim Herbez contributes some thoughtful and appropriate piano passages.   Panama of course, shows how these jazzmen do on a regular warhorse of a jazz classic.  Fine ensemble work is apparent and the band plays on with all flags flying.

     Some of the sides on this LP are now issued for the first time and the others have been out of print for many years and should be in the racks of all serious collectors and casual listeners because they are outstanding.  I have know and listened to Pud Brown for several years now.  Usually he plays tenor and clarinet but he's also quite competent with cornet and soprano saxophone and just about any wind instrument.

     A few years ago Pud suffered a heart attack after a seven mile Mardi Gras parade march.  It only slowed him down for a little while though, and now he is a familiar sight around New Orleans French Quarter, riding his bike, gray hair flying in the wind, a smile and pleasant word for everyone.  He looks like a happy Benjamin Franklin on wheels.  I have never know him to play a sour note or say a bad word about anyone.

     Maybe this is the secret of his imaginative and youthful musical ideas and his consistently high quality jazz musicianship.

DUKE DARNELL,
NEW ORLEANS 1979