Standing at some six feet five inches and weighing around 250 lbs, Frank “Big Boy” Goudie (pronounced “Goody”) was an imposing figure on the bandstand, and his musical prowess was equally impressive. Yet he has, until now at least, been relatively unknown. In large part this is undoubtedly because he spent the better part of his life (1899-1964) working in Europe and South America, finally coming back in 1956 to the United States and settling in California, where he lived until his death in San Francisco.
As might be surmised from the title, this pair of CDs features Goudie playing with some of the best (US) West Coast musicians and the groups a few led. Although also proficient on trumpet and tenor saxophone, he does not play either here, staying with clarinet only. His playing of that instrument is notable for several qualities. One is immediately struck by just how smooth his tone is. Nothing is forced, and he effortlessly produces runs, smears, arpeggios, and just about any other clarinet technique that comes to mind. In addition, he is at ease in all registers on his instrument, as he demonstrates throughout the tracks of these CDs.
All of this is immediately apparent, from the first track on vol. 1, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” to the last on vol. 2, “High Society.” In the process, he never tries to dominate in ensemble passages or duets, always having
