CD REVIEW -
EDDIE CALVERT
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TRUMPET
JASMINE JASMCD2798 [79:38] Mono

Another blast from the past. This release comes up against a similar selection from the Retrospective label reviewed here in 2022. All the familiar Calvert tracks including his seven UK Top 20 singles chart entries between 1953 and 1958 are on both but there are still just over half the 30 tracks here not on the earlier album.

These are Cry My Heart, Donna, Memories of You, Moonglow – Theme from Picnic*, Almost Paradise, September Symphonies* by Peter Yorke and Leo Towers, Mozart's Turkish Patrol, Trumpet Cha Cha*, Julia*, Morgen (One More Sunrise)*, Jealousy, Farewell My Love*, Wonderland by Night*, Lucy's Theme* by Max Steiner, Berlin Melody* and Al Di La (an Italian phrase meaning "On the other side"). Some, asterisked here, are enjoying their first outing on CD.

Calvert was playing with the Stanley Black Orchestra on TV when first called "The Man with the Golden Trumpet", but the accompanying orchestra for most of these recordings was that of Norrie Paramor, with four by Ray Martin, and single tracks by Frank Barber and Charles Blackwell.

A measure of the man was that in 1974; after moving to South Africa, Calvert became Chief Promoter for the Cultural Section of the West Rand Bantu Affairs Administration Board and in an interview with the Sunday Times he said "From now on, no black artist will be exploited by a white promoter. Any white promoter found in Soweto will be arrested". He also supported many multi-racial causes.

This very welcome well-filled album are legacy recordings from a great of our kind of music.

© Peter Burt, September 2025