Tommy Chase - Groove Merchant (1987)

22 March 1947, Manchester, England. Largely self-taught at the drums, Chase had to wait for a jazz revival pioneered by the next generation to bring his chosen genre - steaming soul jazz - into favour. Professional since the mid-60s he began playing pure jazz in London from the early 70s, with tenor saxophonist Art Themen and trumpeter Harry Beckett. The jazz dancers of the mid-80s responded to a band of young-bloods (including tenor saxophonist Alan Barnes, 1983-86), bringing out the lindy-hop basis of break-dancing to tunes such as ‘A Night In Tunisia’. Later on, his use of a Hammond organ featuring the excellent Gary Baldwin, confirmed what many people had suspected: boasting that he was the Art Blakey of British jazz, in actual fact he is its Dr. Feelgood - playing unpretentious, driving music with a great feel for stage dynamics. His quartet in 1992 was probably his finest, featuring the inspired driving string bass of Australian Les Miller, Chris Watson (guitar) and Dave Lewis (tenor saxophone, saxello). Chase is in complete control of his drumkit, changing pace in breathtaking fashion, willing his musicians on to follow his extraordinary timing.