Artist: Acker Bilk | Album: Memory | Label: ArsNova | Catalog #: AN-2025 | Released: 1999 | Genre: Jazz, Pop | Country: England | Duration: 01:00:25

Acker Bilk — or Mr. Acker Bilk, as he was billed — has won immortality on rock oldies radio for his surprise 1962 hit “Stranger on the Shore,” an evocative ballad featuring his heavily quavering low-register clarinet over a bank of strings. To the jazz world, though, he has a longer-running track record as one of the biggest stars of Britain’s trad jazz boom, playing in a distinctive early New Orleans manner. After learning his instrument in the British Army, Bilk joined Ken Colyer’s trad band in 1954 before stepping out on his own in 1956. By 1960, a record of his, “Summer Set” — a pun on the name of his home county — landed on the British pop charts, and Bilk was on his way, clad in the Edwardian clothing and bowler hats that his publicist told his Paramount Jazz Band to wear. Several other British hits followed, but none bigger than “Stranger,” which Bilk wrote for his daughter Jenny. The single stayed 55 weeks on the British charts and crossed the sea to America, where it hit number one in an era when radio was open to oddball records of all idioms (Bilk gratefully called “Stranger” “my old-age pension”). Released on English Columbia in Britain, several Bilk albums came out in America on the Atco label, and he continued to have hits until the British rock invasion of 1964 made trad seem quaint. With that, Bilk moved into cabaret and continued to have some success in Europe, leading jazz bands, recording with lush string ensembles, and even scoring another hit, “Aria” (number five in Britain), in 1976. Continuing to perform through the 2000s, Bilk slackened his pace so that he could pursue, like Miles Davis, a hobby of painting.

Tracklisting:

01. Memory [03:54]
02. Arthur’s Theme [03:40]
03. Do That To Me One More Time [03:28]
04. Hello [04:18]
05. I Jast Called To Say I Love You [04:25]
06. If Ever You’re In My Arms Again [03:46]
07. Could I Have This Dance [03:11]
08. To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before [03:33]
09. Three Times A Lady [03:38]
10. This Masquerade [03:12]
11. Just Once [04:31]
12. Just When I Needed You Most [04:03]
13. I Want To Know What Love Is [04:12]
14. Stuck On You [03:14]
15. Still [03:36]
16. Always On My Mind [03:45]

Single download
Acker Bilk – By 1960, a record of his, “Summer Set” — a pun on the name of his home county — landed on the British pop charts, and Bilk was on his way, clad in the Edwardian clothing and bowler hats that his publicist told his Paramount Jazz Band to wear. Several other British hits followed, but none bigger than “Stranger,” which Bilk wrote for his daughter Jenny. The single stayed 55 weeks on the British charts and crossed the sea to America, where it hit number one in an era when radio was open to oddball records of all idioms Bilk gratefully called “Stranger” “my old-age pension”
Acker Bilk – Continuing to perform through the 2000s, Bilk slackened his pace so that he could pursue, like Miles Davis, a hobby of painting.
Acker Bilk – Memory 03:54
Acker Bilk – Arthur’s Theme 03:40
Acker Bilk – Do That To Me One More Time 03:28
Acker Bilk – Hello 04:18
Acker Bilk – I Jast Called To Say I Love You 04:25
Acker Bilk – If Ever You’re In My Arms Again 03:46
Acker Bilk – Could I Have This Dance 03:11
Acker Bilk – To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before 03:33
Acker Bilk – Three Times A Lady 03:38
Acker Bilk – This Masquerade 03:12
Acker Bilk – Just Once 04:31
Acker Bilk – Just When I Needed You Most 04:03
Acker Bilk – I Want To Know What Love Is 04:12
Acker Bilk – Stuck On You 03:14
Acker Bilk – Still 03:36
Acker Bilk – Always On My Mind 03:45

Category:Jazz
Main catalog

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