Heaven on Their Minds

The second release by My Only Desire Records are four previously unreleased tracks of funky big band jazz, from a group led by composer / arranger Dave Gold, who recorded extensively for cult library labels KPM and Bruton Music. The sleeve is printed on thick, reverse board with extensive sleeve notes by Daniel Spicer (Jazzwise, The Wire). Remastered by Frank Merritt @ The Carvery, the runtime of 26 min has enabled the pressing to be loud and wonderfully detailed. Limited edition, one-off pressing of 500 copies on heavyweight vinyl, includes download code. Recorded in 1974 for BBC Radio 2, Gold blows the cobwebs off the classic big band sound, updating it with electric piano and bass and mixing it with rock, funk and a large dose of humour. His band includes saxophonist Ronnie Ross, trombonist Chris Pyne and Dankworth Big Band drummer Harold Fisher. The music includes the title track, a glorious arrangement of a song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar, which perfectly fuses jazz-rock with a sophisticated big band sound. Plus Gold's original Nostalgia (Ain't What It Used to Be), where the song suddenly flips on its head, moving from schmaltzy late night jazz to jazz-funk courtesy of some killer drum breaks. Dave Gold is most famous for his jazz library compositions, contributing tracks to KPM Music's cult "1000" series and the equally popular Bruton Music label, from the late '60s until the early '80s. Heaven on their Minds should lead to a resurgence of interest in this hugely talented composer, arranger and band leader.