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Geoff Nicholls (Rhythm Magazine)
Van Morrison/Georgie Fame
How Long… was the first of three albums Ralph did with Morrison.
“It’s great to record with Van - you’re making history. Guy Barker introduced me to Georgie Fame - who I played with - and Van asked Georgie to put a jazz band together.
“I’d met Van because he came down to Ronnie Scott’s when I was playing with blues shouter Irene Reid. He loved the gig and invited me up to his table. So I was quite unfazed recording the first album. Pee-Wee Ellis (of James Brown fame) did the arrangements and we recorded it on the stage at Ronnie’s one afternoon - like a live album but with no audience.”
“There’s a fast version of Moondance, and I’d also pick Your Mind Is On Vacation..., a Mose Allison song, quite fast and funky. I played an old Gretsch jazz kit, 20", 12", 14" with a 1958 14"x5 1/2" Silver Sparkle Leedy and Ludwig snare with ‘stick chopper’ hoops - nice and lively.”
