Using minimal recording equipment, recording engineer Günter Pauler made an exciting and even touching sound-document of Goodman’s world-class playing at the Hamburg Congress Centre on his last European tour in 1981. The impressive interplay between the (then) young Danish and Belgian musicians and the old master of classic jazz on the large stage of the CCH Hamburg showcases great mutual playing synergy and class.

Günter Pauler tells us “In the 80s I recorded a lot of concerts for the NDR radio show “The Sunday Concert“. The Benny Goodman concert at CCH Hamburg has especially stayed in my memory. I was sitting behind the stage curtains with a 7-channel mixer that I had built myself and a NAGRA IV-S reel-to-reel recorder. Benny Goodman approached me during a break. He must have sensed my strain caused by having to make a two-channel recording without seeing the stage, nor having made a soundcheck. He laid his hand on my shoulder and said something like “it will all be okay“…”

Benny Goodman – Clarinet
Svend Asmussen – Violin, Vibraphone
Philip Catherine – Guitar
Mads Vinding – Bass
Bjarne Rostvold – Drums
Claes Crona – Piano

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