John Gregory and The Chaquito Big Band - Body and Soul

"Music is the beat of a drum that keeps time with our emotions." ― Shannon L. Alder
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JOHN GREGORY
John Gregory, known to all his friends as Johnny, was born in High Street Camden Town in London on October 12th 1924. He made his first broadcast in 1944. Although best known as a prolific record arranger having been with Philips for over 20 years, he was the BBC Radio Orchestra's principal guest conductor. He is also a composer and has written the music for some 27 films, scored over 500 compositions and made over 2000 records which span the broad scope from light music, to Latin American, to Oriental. In 1976 he received an Ivor Novello Award for "Introduction and Air to a Stained Glass Window" and is generally recognized as one of the best orchestral and string ensemble composer/arrangers.
When he joined the Philips label in the 1950s, a whole series of easy listening LPs were commissioned with the Cascading Strings, which he formed, and the final blockbuster "Chaquito" which outshone every Latin American Orchestra from Argentina to Mexico. From 1956 to 1960 Johnny was riding high but the illusive "Star" recognition, he deserved, still had to be stamped on the record buying public. It was at this point Johnny thought it was time to move on.
In 1974 Johnny signed a contract with United Artists under the name of Arpeggio Music, and a new one with Philips for three albums a year with Chaquito (for which he made a total of 14 albums), and the Cascading Strings. The same year he signed a contract with the BBC to conduct the prestigious Radio Orchestra. He maintains this was the best time of his whole career. He went on as principal guest conductor until 1991.
1976 saw Philips closed, and work started to die out for most serious arrangers in the middle eighties. Johnny conducted the LSO at Filmharmonic 85 with John Williams and John Scott, and two Royal Film Performances in Leicester Square, and was presented to the Queen. He did one film in 1989, one in 1991, one in 1994 and the last in 2002. At one time that would be about a month's work. His latest composition is a flute and string concerto.
Johnny's legacy has been some of the finest string arrangements of modern times and ... the fabulous latin arrangements he wrote for The Chaquito Big Band.

BODY AND SOUL
"Body and Soul" is a popular song and jazz standard written in 1930 with lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton; and music by Johnny Green.
Louis Armstrong was the first jazz musician to record "Body and Soul".
"Body and Soul" remains a jazz standard, with hundreds of versions performed and recorded by dozens of artists. To this day, "Body and Soul" even is the most recorded jazz standard of all time.

MHO
A magnificent latin version of this great jazz standard, arrangement by John Gregory - performed by his Chaquito Big Band with style and elegance.
Oh yes, this is the music you want to hear around midnight (or even a bit later ;), music to "chill out", relax and "lounge around" .... In mho this is retro lounge music at its best, so .... pour yourself a favourite drink, slide into those comfort slippers, and let the music bring you in that gentle and "loungy" mood .....
Take it away Johnny !

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