An early Seventies Rock/Jazz group with a wicked trumpet section similar to Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Bill Chase was a jazz trumpter who honed his chops with several Big Bands in the Sixties including Woody Herman, and Maynard Ferguson. In the early Seventies Bill decided to form and lead his own band. The band Chase was the result of his effort.
Chase burst onto the scene with "Open Up Wide", the opening number of their self-titled debut album, and faded out of existence with "Close Up Tight", the closing number on their final album. Had Bill known how prophetic this sequence was, perhaps he would have taken the ground route with the rest of the band. On the way to do a show at a fair in Jackson, Minnesota, Bill's plane went down in a heavy rainstorm. Bill Chase, Wally Yohn, John Emma, Walter Clark, and the band's pilot and co-pilot were killed. Conflicting reports say that the plane was 75 yards to three miles away from the airstrip. Several lawsuits were filed and won. Officials stated that pilot error was the cause of the accident. August 9, 1974 closed the book on one of the most phenominal and innovative musicians of all time. Bill Chase was only 39 years old. Chase the group disbanded after the accident leaving us with only 3 albums. A tribute album called Watch Closely Now was released a few years later. It's a good album in its own right, but in my opinion does not earn the right to use the Chase name.
As far as I'm concerned Chase was, and still is, the ultimate horn rock band. The cascading harmonies plow out of the 4-man trumpet section like a loaded freight train. The music will take you back in time on a scream-trumpet ride and will give even the most jaded listener the retro trip of a lifetime.

I am looking for any live recordings you may have of the group. I know they allowed recordings of some (all?) of their concerts (or music festival performances).

Non-Album songs that are known to have been played live:

  • Theme to 2001 2001.ra (56K)
  • MacArthur Park Park.ra (87K) / Park2.ra (61K) / Park3.ra (16K)
  • Ode to a New England Jellyfish
    Please submit any other songs you know were played live. Thanks.

    Chase Information (Taken from the All-Music Guide):

    Chronological Album List

  • Chase / Ennea 1976 - Epic 33737
  • Pure Music 1974 - Epic 32572
  • Ennea 1972 - Epic 31097
  • Chase 1971 - Epic 30472
  • Get It On 1970 - Epic 26297 (was this a single?)

    Chase

  • Entered Billboard Charts May 8, 1971
  • Lasted 26 weeks and reached #22
  • Reached #4 on Down Beat's Chart

    Ennea

  • Entered Billboard Charts April 8, 1972
  • Lasted 12 weeks and readched #71
  • One side of this LP consists of a Greek Mythology theme. Excellent!

    Pure Music

  • Entered Billboard Charts April 27, 1974
  • Lasted 10 weeks and reached #155
  • Reached #3 on Down Beat's Chart

    Want some real information on Bill Chase?? Check out The Bill Chase Tribute Homepage
    Be sure to visit my Maynard Ferguson Re-Issue Campaign page!

    rosborn@oocities.com